Below are dozens of articles published by Alturasolutions for clients. The magical power of publishing articles for thought leaders is that it provides credibility. Credibility leads to trust, and trust leads to sales. For more information, watch my interview here.
Please feel free to browse, learn, and enjoy the following articles.
Should We Use a Flavor Enhancer to Clean?
Some facility managers and building service contractors are looking beyond traditional green cleaning solutions to more sustainable products. One that comes to mind is solutions made from citric acid. “Citric acid is found naturally in citrus fruits,” says Lee Chen, president and COO of ProNatural Brands, LLC, manufacturers of cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants made from citric acid. “Cleaning products made from citric acid are certainly not new.”
Should we use something sweet to clean industrial facilities?
As a former building service contractor whose company has cleaned all types of industrial locations for years, I can verify that industrial facilities can be a cleaning disaster every day. Whereas an office building, for instance, may stay clean through the course of the day, this is rarely true of industrial locations. For one reason, industrial locations are often operating 24/7.
5 Surprising Strategies For Recruiting Workers
What End Users Want from Jan/San Distributors Now! The Ideal BSC According to Facility Executives News & Views 5/3/2022 Contributed by Robert Kravitz, AlturaSolutions Communications Every business owner will tell you they are having problems recruiting workers.
Want to Become a Restoration Industry Thought Leader? Read This First
We find thought leaders in every industry — health care, technology, professional cleaning, facility management and, of course, the restoration and remodeling industry. But have you ever wondered how these people became “thought leaders?” Thought leaders are not born; they evolve. Their evolution is not necessarily a complicated process, but it typically takes time and, something else – passion.
Climate Change and Existing Buildings
For those who might have missed it, the Nov. 3, 2021, Good Morning America had a fascinating segment about the steps New York City is taking to protect the city, its residents, and of course, its scores of buildings from the progression of climate change. According to the segment, Hurricane Sandy, which in 2012 battered the city’s coastline, was not so much a weather aberration as it was a wake-up call.
The life of a respiratory droplet
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has traditionally held that floors – in most situations – are “non-critical” surfaces when it comes to stopping the spread of infection. The organization has long believed that those surfaces we touch with our hands—typically referred to as high-touch surfaces—are those we must be most concerned about. Consequently, floor hygiene is not that high on the CDC’s list regarding infection control and prevention. This article was published in several publications.
Reducing Restroom Lines
A recent visit to Yelp, the online review website that helps people find places to eat, shop, drink, and play, revealed several comments from a variety of people regarding the Orpheum.
Most were positive; however, one comment that was repeated frequently — mostly by women, but occasionally by men as well — the fact that during intermission, the lines at the restroom were long and moved slowly.
LVT: Computer Generated Floors
If you haven’t noticed, LVT flooring is becoming increasingly popular in North America. LVT, or luxury vinyl tile, was first introduced about a decade ago and soon found its way into new residential settings in many parts of the world
Improving Cleaning Efficiencies During a Worker Shortage
Efficiency is defined as the state or quality of being efficient or able to accomplish something with the least waste of time and effort; competency in performance; accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.
How to Stop Custodian-Induced Cross Contamination
One more source of HAIs, as well as infections in schools, office buildings, airports, and convention centers, is custodians. This form of transmission has even been given a name: janitor-induced infections or janitor-induced cross contamination.
Methods for Measuring Clean
ATP technology has probably been the most important system introduced to the professional cleaning industry to test potential contamination levels on surfaces before and after cleaning. The technology behind ATP is actually not new.
Avoiding Slip And Fall Lawsuits
Slip and fall accidents are usually the result of carelessness, inattention, or poor conditions. In many cases, such accidents occur because people are simply not using common sense or paying attention to where they are walking. This is referred to as “personal carelessness” and is not the responsibility of the property owner or cleaning contractor.
Improving Worker Productivity For Restroom Cleaning
When looking for ways to improve worker productivity — which can be defined as a decrease in the amount of time spent performing specific cleaning duties, thereby cutting labor costs — there are two critical components: People management and cleaning procedures — products, systems, and methods.
Jump on the e-learning bandwagon?
While implementing educational programs used to mean bringing in a training crew or investing in classes off-site, today the push is increasingly toward e-learning. These training programs are not new, but they are growing in acceptance among many companies.
COVID-19 cleaning lessons: In with the new, stick with the old
Did you know that some experts now recommend that HVAC systems be turned off before cleaning and disinfecting surfaces? We rarely heard of such cleaning protocols being recommended in facilities before COVID-19. But examined more closely, especially in light of the pandemic, we can see why this is being advised as it’s one of many COVID-19 cleaning lessons learned.
Hiring a cleaning contractor in 2021
Millions of Canadians are still wondering when — or if — they will be returning to the office. While the situation is certainly not as bad as it is in the U.S., many employers throughout North America are heeding studies that indicate large numbers of office workers — as many as 75 per cent, according to one IBM Institute for Business Value study — would prefer to continue working remotely.
‘No VOCs’ product claim not always what it seems
The replacement of traditional products with eco-friendly ones has pleased many in the cleaning industry; however, upon closer inspection, chemical cuts have primarily been made to ozone depleting VOCs. This benefits stratospheric ozone, which is six to 30 miles above the Earth’s surface and helps reduce the amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation that reaches the planet. Ambient ozone – the ozone people breathe – has been little impacted, so building occupants may still be inhaling VOCs and other chemical emissions that can trigger asthma.
USING AQUEOUS OZONE IN CARPET CLEANING
Manufactured by a few different companies, the essence of how they work is essentially the same. The system mechanically infuses ozone into water. This can be done by installing a small unit under a sink, in which the ozonated water is then poured into a sprayer, or used in a caddy, which looks a lot like a carpet extractor, with wands and tool accessories for cleaning a variety of surfaces, including carpet.
Filling the Gap Between Sustainability Knowledge and Action
While many companies and their leaders are putting greater emphasis on sustainability—viewing it as key to their future success—a gap appears between knowing about the importance of sustainability and taking action. The companies that stand out for their sustainability efforts have managed to close this gap.
Choose a Distributor That Values Sustainability
I am asking facility managers, cleaning contractors, and all purchasers of jansan products to encourage distributors (as well as manufacturers, if they are purchasing directly from the manufacturer) to adopt sustainability initiatives. I am doing so for the very same reason that our industry’s transfer to green cleaning products has been so successful.
Avmor: Cleaner-disinfectants need two-step process
Goldin’s critical tip for facilities and cleaning professionals is that the surface must be cleaned first — often referred to as a “pre-cleaning” — and then cleaned a second time. It is the second step that disinfects the area being cleaned and is necessary for the product to be used properly, he says.
Green Cleaning Without VOCS
VOCs are found in all kinds of products, not just cleaning solutions, including paint, building materials, adhesives and glues, fabrics, carpets and a host of other products used or found in colleges every day. Along with frequently causing respiratory problems, VOCs are related to cognitive issues, liver and kidney problems, vision changes and more.
Save Money and the Environment With Auto Dilution Systems
When a cleaning solution is highly concentrated it lasts a longer time, decreasing the number of times if must be replenished, the amount of fuel necessary to transport it, and the packaging it comes in. This translates into cost savings for the cleaning contractor and the customer, plus benefits the environment through reduced greenhouse gases.
Get on the Ball with Protecting Your Gym Floor
Facility managers who are tasked with protecting hardwood gym floors, such as those in schools or recreation centers, will find creating a gym floor management program a good first step.
Avmor Expands to US Market
Avmor, a 70-year-old manufacturer of chemical cleaning solutions and the largest manufacturer of professional cleaning products in Canada, will begin marketing its products through a select and limited number of distributors in the U.S. starting later this year.
Predictions for the 2022 Cleaning Product Supply Chain Uncertain
Supply chain experts agree that the global economy may suffer if products are not able to move more freely and predictably around the world. Innovative technology can help with this process. Michael Wilson, vice president of AFFLINK, a distributor-member organization, offers ideas on supply chain predictions and trends to look for next year:
A Closer Look at Long-Lasting Antimicrobials and Electrostatic Sprayers
The fact that these coatings can remain active for such a prolonged period has several benefits for cleaning professionals and their customers. According to Mike Sawchuk, a Canadian cleaning consultant who heads Sawchuk Consulting, the following are some advantages of electrostatic sprayers and these long-lasting disinfectants.
Merits of Installing Carpet or Hard-Surface Flooring
The carpet-manufacturing industry has made some big advances in the years since Sweden’s experiment removing carpeting from schools. Particularly in the past 30 years, the industry has become much more sensitive to green considerations, sustainability factors, and environmental issues related to carpet.
Updating Your RFP System
An RFP is designed to list all the services, frequency of service, and other information required to keep campus buildings clean and healthy. They are used for two key purposes: (1) For school administrators, so that they are familiar with the cleaning needs of their own facilities; (2) For cleaning contractors, so that they can review all those cleaning needs and submit an estimate-a monthly or annual charge-for maintaining a school’s facilities.
The New Green Certification Standard for Paints
In September 2021, Green Seal, a green-certification organization, announced an update to its GS-11 certification standard for paints and coatings. One of its features is that it now fully aligns with LEED’s Green Building Rating System. This means that paint and coating products certified under this new standard are designated by the U.S. Green Building Council as complying with the requirements of the new LEED v4 and v4.1 Low Emitting Materials credit.
Planning for the Next Pandemic
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that those fully vaccinated no longer need to wear masks outside or inside, in most situations. Many of us are feeling some relief. We know that with the pandemic behind us, our lives and businesses can return to normal.
Spray, Fog or Clean – Retail and Restaurant Facility Business
Exploring three cleaning technologies that have taken center stage since the pandemic began. An entire floor of a high-rise office building in Chicago is rented out to a global, “virtual” office company. Most of the tenants rent office space weekly or monthly, and according to the management company, virtually all the spaces on the floor have been rented out.
Construction Cleaning: The New Cha-Ching
With the new importance placed on cleaning since the pandemic began and all the talk of how it is one of our best defenses against the spread of the coronavirus, the past year has not been particularly profitable for many building service contractors (BSCs). Many facilities closed entirely last year. If a building is closed, there is no need to have someone clean it. Many facilities are now reopening, but with skeleton crews.
A Closer Look at Long-Lasting Antimicrobials and Electrostatic Sprayers
On March 11, 2020, two days before the United States began widespread shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) made an important announcement related to cleaning and the world’s fight against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
Contract Manufacturing
Many of us may not know that some of the products used in the professional cleaning industry are not necessarily manufactured by the company whose name is on the label. The practice of one company turning manufacturing of a product over to another company is referred to as contract manufacturing.
History of the Green Cleaning Movement
The history of green cleaning and the green cleaning movement in America goes back more than fifty years and is quite interesting. It all started with Rachel Carson. (This article is on LinkedIn)
Don’t Forget to Clean Your Mops
We know that using a professional cleaning solution to mop floors can prove effective at removing soil. However, in a 2014 study published in Clinical Microbiology Review, researchers concluded “the water used for mop rinsing usually becomes increasingly contaminated during this process, especially if used repeatedly without changing.
Exploring a New but Dusty Add-On Service
Always on the lookout for new ways to expand their offerings, some cleaning professionals now service fulfillment centers—large warehouses where workers pack, ship, and fulfill customer orders.
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