Cleaning Trends Are Consistently Leaning Toward Green

When it comes to floor cleaning, being green is actually pretty easy. 

The term “green cleaning” is tossed around the cleaning industry left and right, but what does it actually mean? In the most basic sense, “green cleaning” is when a task meant to sanitize a given area also conserves energy, water and chemicals while minimizing the impact on human health. It’s an attractive idea for facility managers and service contractors everywhere, not only for its potential health benefits, but because it cuts costs. Green cleaning, it turns out, is actually good for business.

With concern for the environment, a drive toward less energy consumption, and personal health awareness growing year to year, tenants often find comfort in knowing their building is being cleaned in a responsible way. In fact, governments at all levels are actually requiring the use of green cleaning products in their facilities. Whatever the reason, the industry is definitely trending toward greener cleaning.

Green Cleaning Standards

Chemicals

A staggering 6 billion pounds of cleaning chemicals are used around the world annual. Minimizing the use of these chemicals and the harm they can cause is one motivation behind green cleaning. In fact, green cleaning programs nearly always mandate the use of chemicals that have been certified by organizations such as CRI, Green Seal, EcoLogo and EPA Design for Environment.

Equipment

While chemicals are an important factor when it comes to green cleaning, equipment can also make a significant contribution to the cause. Brands with high-quality construction, corrosion resistance and reliability, such as Advance, can reduce the environmental impact of equipment manufacturing while providing long-term economic benefits.

Policies and Procedures

Green floor-cleaning programs specify when and how the cleaning gets done. The “Standard Guide for Stewardship for the Cleaning of Commercial and Institutional Buildings” is a great resource for building manangers looking to create a green cleaning program that’s specific to their facilities. Green cleaning policies have also been addressed by ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, which has even gone as far as updating the Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS), helping guide facilities into greener cleaning.

In conclusion…

Green cleaning is one way to minimize the environmental and health impact of commercial, industrial, public and institutional cleaning programs. Facility managers and Building Service Contractors intent on creating their own green cleaning program should focus on purchasing only chemicals and equipment that meet green cleaning requirements. Still, even the greenest chemicals and machines are useless unless they can get the job done. Fortunately, with Advance, the “green” comes with the “clean.”

To find out how Advance can help you move forward with your green cleaning program, visit Advance-US.com and explore our selection of powerful, ultra-efficient floor cleaning machines. 

Avoid Slips and Falls in Your Facility

As any building service staffer knows there are few things more annoying than wet floors. That awful squish when you step on wet mats or carpet and even worse is the slickness and danger of wet non-carpeted floors. Now that winter is here that means extra water will be tracked into your facility, especially if you live in a colder climate where you have to deal with snow and slush.  Keeping the entrance clean and dry becomes an almost daily struggle. Sure, you can constantly try and soak up the extra water with a mop, but before long your mop will also become too wet to be effective and even when it’s dry it still leaves that fine film of moisture on the floor, which is still a slip hazard. Instead use the HydroDry Dryer.

What's so great about the HydroDry?

Aside from being ETL and CETL approved, its single knob 3 speed control makes it easy to adjust the air flow to best meet your needs. It’s stackable to help save that all important storage space and has an optional transport kit with a handle and wheels for easy maneuverability and transport. Besides why carry it when you could roll it, right? If you have a large space to dry with limited wall plugins, the 25-foot safety yellow power cord will help or simply utilize the dual on-board outlets and use up to three units in a daisy chain configuration. This will not only help you dry your floor more quickly, but also more evenly.

Sounds like a seasonal machine. What else can be done with it?

The HydroDry can be utilized for many different applications. Fire it up after a carpet extraction or to help dry floor finish. Worried it might create waves in the finish of your nice, evenly applied finished floor? Don’t be. HydroDry comes standard with a kick-stand to elevate its air flow and avoid creating waves. It can be used in the restroom to help dry a wet floor from an overflow or pipe sweat. Have a big painting job in one of the more high traffic areas in your facility? Once the painting is complete use it to help dry the paint faster. Since HydroDry’s main function is air flow, it can also be used to help ventilate closed, stuffy areas and remove smoke and unwanted fumes more quickly.

The overall versatility of HydroDry makes it a must have for all facilities. Contact one of our dealers and see for yourself.