Hand, foot, and mouth disease is common in infants and young children. It usually causes fever, painful sores in the mouth, and a rash on the hands and feet. Most infected people recover in a week or two.
There are many reports of the Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) outbreaks across
the country (NJ, FL, CA). HFMD is caused by the Coxsackie Virus which is a member of a family of viruses called (non-polio) enteroviruses. Surface disinfection and hand hygiene are paramount during these outbreaks. Hard surfaces should be treated with a disinfectant. School buses should also be part of a school’s cleaning and disinfection plan. For more information on the disease visit the CDC Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease web page. The following Triple S brand products are effective against non-polio enteroviruses:
The Food and Drug Administration ruled on Friday that it is banning the use of 19 active ingredients found in antibacterial soaps and washes. The most common of these are triclosan, typically used in liquid antibacterial soaps, and triclocarban, used in bar soaps.
Manufacturers will have one year to remove the ingredients from their products, or be forced to take them off the market.
“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. “In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.”
As reported by the Washington Post: Theresa Michele, FDA’s director of the division of nonprescription drug products, said in a call with reporters that the “vast majority” of the more than 2,000 antibacterial products on the market contain at least one of the banned ingredients.
She said the agency had asked manufacturers for data showing that the long-term use of the ingredients was safe, as well as evidence that the antibacterial products were more effective than soap and water in curbing the spread of illnesses and infections. But she said the companies either didn’t provide the data or the material submitted wasn’t convincing.
An industry group that represents makers of cleaning products disputed that, saying manufacturers had submitted the required information. “The FDA already has in its hands data that shows the safety and effectiveness of antibacterial soaps,” the American Cleaning Institute said in a statement. “Manufacturers are continuing their work to provide even more science and research to fill data gaps identified by FDA.”
The association added that antibacterial soaps and washes “continue to be safe and effective products for millions of people every single day.”
The FDA’s final rule does not affect consumer hand sanitizers, wipes or antibacterial products used in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
Downsizing soap dispenser shots might save stock, but it could compromise handwashing practices
To save money and maximize budget dollars, cleaning departments are looking to reduce usage and extend inventory wherever possible — particularly in restrooms, where commodities such as paper and soap need constant replenishing. Altering the size of paper towel output from dispensers is common practice in many facilities. Similarly, downsizing a shot of soap is becoming more prevalent as a means to stretch stock. But are these cost-cutting measures achieving the desired outcome, or are they in fact derailing proper handwashing practices?
“It’s difficult for me to defend cutting back on soap,” says Jim Mann, executive director and founder of The Handwashing Leadership Forum, Libertyville, Illinois. “We already know that people aren’t washing their hands as often as they should, so right away we’re compromising on a standard that isn’t effective. We should be effective first and then efficient.”
Saul Strain, vice president of ABC Sales & Services, headquartered in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, agrees and dissuades facilities from reducing soap shot sizes further than what is recommended by the manufacturer.
“I think cleaning managers are trying to maximize how many uses are in a box or a bag of foam soap, and I don’t think they’re wasting a drop of it,” he says. “Going down further from what is recommended might be creating an unhealthy environment. Even though building occupants are washing their hands, they’re being counterproductive.”
Furthermore, one can argue that reducing the size of a single shot to save on soap may in fact have the opposite effect.
“If someone dispenses a little bit of soap, and they feel it’s not enough to wash their hands, they might double-pump or wave their hand under the dispenser a second time,” notes Keith Schneringer, director of channel marketing and sustainability, Waxie Sanitary Supply, San Diego. “So let’s say you have 0.7 ml as the default setting and you go down to 0.4 ml, but people are pumping twice. Now you’re using 0.8 ml, and some people don’t stop at two pumps.”
Restroom users often activate the dispenser multiple times out of habit, regardless of how much soap is dispensed in a single shot.
“There’s a bit of psychology to this,” Mann admits. “A lot of people are multiple pushers. They want enough to get the job done as fast as they can.”
Mann also cautions facilities against limiting the amount of soap dispensed from a dispenser, or the amount of water dispensed from a faucet, because controlled dispensing mechanisms can act as a deterrent to handwashing.
“If you’ve got someone else making the decision for you, and you want more soap and you don’t have it, it can be frustrating,” he says. “The disincentives for washing hands are something to monitor very closely.”
Natural stone floors such as marble and granite were once rarely found in commercial facilities because they were expensive and they were believed to be “delicate” floors, needing considerable attention and care. That mindset has changed. The costs for most stone floors has come down markedly in the past decade. And while these floors do need some cleaning special attention, they are actually considered some of the hardiest and most durable available. Because of their growing popularity, some cleaning contractors have decided to specialize in stone floor care. But before jumping into this growing opportunity, here are a few things Kaivac, developers of the OmniFlex AutoVac floor machine, believes you should know about stone floor care: • Closely examine the stone floor before performing any cleaning tasks. Look for wear patterns, scratches, or damaged tiles and take a picture of them. Share these images and discuss them with your client before proceeding. They might present an “upsell” opportunity or help show that the damage existed before you began your work. • Know an expert. While they may be hardy, stone floors can also be temperamental. An expert certified in natural stone restoration should be consulted whenever encountering a problem you are unsure of. Don’t experiment on your customers floors. • When it comes to chemicals, stay neutral. In virtually all situations, when damage is done to a stone floor after cleaning it is because the chemical used either had too high or too low a pH. • Avoid mopping a stone floor. As the mop and mop water become soiled, it can cause a soiled film to form over the stone floor, defacing its appearance. Consider an alternative system that dispenses neutral cleaning solution directly to the floor. The solution can be gently spread over the floor with a brush if necessary and then soils and moisture are vacuumed up.
• Suggest ways the customer can keep their stone floors looking their best. This is one of the best ways to make them a loyal customer.
Here’s a quick story about a cleaning professional. Before going in to work, she wakes up when the fitness tracker on her wrist pulses, telling her the ideal point in her sleep cycle to start the day. On the way to work, her car, using satellite technology, tells her to avoid the accident that’s currently slowing down the interstate on her normal route. Once at work, she again uses the fitness tracker to monitor her steps as she tries to achieve her daily goal. Perhaps she sends that information, via the Internet, to her health insurer, which reduces her premium because she’s staying active. On her break, she uses an app on her phone to access a camera in her house so that she can check on her dog. And, finally, after the day is over, she settles onto her couch to stream Netflix through her smart TV.
By now, the point is probably clear: More and more parts of our daily lives involve the Internet, which allows us to aggregate data on how we live our lives. The connectivity of objects to the Internet — known as the Internet of Things, or IoT — is so widespread in the consumer market that at least one janitor in every workforce is probably wearing a fitness tracker right now.
For the first time, however, the Internet of Things has arrived in a floor machine, soap dispenser or autoscrubber near you. The Internet of Things has officially reached the cleaning industry.
Manufacturers across the industry have found ways to connect their products to the Internet, allowing for the collection of data on many major tasks performed by custodians. Those manufacturers have also created cloud-based software platforms through which facility cleaning managers can analyze that data.
The goal is twofold: to improve efficiencies by streamlining cleaning processes and to improve the business model for facility cleaning managers. Already, IoT allows these managers to monitor the total run time of a machine during a defined time period, see whether the machine has left a pre-defined geographic location, view the fill levels of individual restroom dispensers, and measure hand hygiene compliance for an area of a facility or even a specific room.
To be sure, there is a learning curve with IoT technology in the cleaning industry, and manufacturers are handling that issue in different ways. Return on investment, sure to be of major concern to end users, is also a subject for debate. But manufacturers all seem to agree that the time to start collecting data is now, because data is most useful when there is more of it.
“The [professional cleaner] that doesn’t embrace the trend in the macro environment that we’re seeing here is going to be left behind — at some point soon,” says Tom Boscher, general manager of Intellibot Robotics and global vice president of marketing and technology for Sealed Air Diversey Care, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Most prevalent in the winter months, norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in the United States resulting in as many as 21 million cases each year and 1.9 million hospital visits. To help reduce the spread of flu within businesses this season, Cintas Corporationoffers a checklist of commonly overlooked “hot spots” to help facility managers maintain a clean environment for employees and guests.
“A norovirus outbreak can wreak havoc on a business’s productivity,” said John Engel, Senior Marketing Manager, Cintas. “Whether you work in a school, medical building, hotel, restaurant or even a cruise ship, an aggressive cleaning regimen with effective cleaning, sanitization and disinfection can help reduce the impact or threat of an outbreak.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies three primary modes of transmission for norovirus: eating or drinking contaminated foods or liquids, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus then putting your fingers in your mouth or having direct contact with an infected person.
To help minimize the spread of norovirus, facility managers should pay close attention to the following items within a building:
• Door handles. Because they are one of the most touched surfaces in a facility, it’s important to regularly wipe down and disinfect all door handles within a building. This includes doors to offices, restrooms, storage areas, refrigerators, as well as the front and back entrances that are often used by employees.
• Community tables. Whether it is in a conference room, waiting area or in an employee cafeteria, table surfaces are touched often and should be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
• Elevators. Touched daily by employees or guests, elevator buttons can be a likely source for virus transmission. Wipe down elevator buttons on a daily basis and sanitize them at least once a week.
• Community benches and chairs. Because they are designated for sitting, seats might be an overlooked part of the cleaning and disinfecting process. To prevent the spread of bacteria and norovirus infection, clean all parts of the seat, including the bottom and arm rests.
• Light switches. Although light switches in primary areas of a facility, such as the lobby, might be touched only once a day, light switches in other areas like meeting rooms, offices or the restroom are used more frequently and require additional cleaning.
• Employee kitchen equipment. Clean and wipe down the surfaces of all kitchen and break room equipment, including large items such as dishwashers and microwaves and smaller equipment such as coffee makers and toasters.
• Drinking fountains. Drinking fountains can become contaminated by a variety of germs from the user’s mouth and hands, which is why it’s important to disinfect their surfaces – particularly their spouts and handles daily.
• Railings. Located alongside stairs or at the top of an atrium or overlook, railings and handrails should be cleaned and disinfected daily.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently announced the rise of a dangerous superbug, which scientists are calling the “phantom menace.” The strains of this bug stem from a family of antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE).
Because of their resistance to antibiotics, infections can be very difficult to treat and the spread can be challenging to defend against. According to reports, infections can lead to death in up to 50 percent of patients. These statistics forced the CDC to release a statement about the CRE threat back in 2013, when the infection first began spreading. But, reports indicate that the spread has only increased among hospital patients.
Over the years, there has been a lot of focus on the common types of CRE threatening the public, but this new “phantom menace” has proven to be more challenging than others. Scientists have found that it is actually less antibiotic-resistant than other common types of CRE, but because it hasn’t been the center of tests by health officials, the true threats are still unknown.
What we do know is that CRE carries a plasmid, or mobile piece of DNA, with an enzyme that breaks down antibiotics. This bacteria is dangerous because of its ability to transfer that plasmid — and its corresponding antibiotic resistance — to normal bacteria present in our bodies. According to reports, there were 43 reported cases of CRE in the U.S. between June and August 2015, all with the potential to transfer their antibiotic invulnerability to other types of bacteria.
Researchers have found that this mutation is already threatening patients. Reports indicate that a new superbug gene discovered in China has been found in a person in Denmark. The gene makes the bacteria resistant to even what doctors consider the “last resort” antibiotic — treatment used when bacteria have shown resistance to everything else.
Most U.S. clinical laboratories that test for CRE organisms wouldn’t identify this particular type of bacteria because it’s not part of standard testing, but they warn that these mobile resistance genes can spread around the world quickly, silently riding in people, animals and food. Consequently, the CDC has recently changed its definition of the organism to help increase detection.
Officials agree that it is essential to fight these bacteria before a large-scale outbreak occurs. The best line of defense is to improve hand hygiene programs and encourage everyone who enters the hospital room to wash their hands.
Reports say that there is little chance that an effective drug to kill CRE bacteria will be produced in the coming years. Manufacturers have no new antibiotics in development that show promise, according to federal officials and industry experts, and there’s little financial incentive because the bacteria adapt quickly to resist new drugs.
by Sean Martschinke, Marketing Manager, Tornado Industries
It’s December and that means the holiday season is nearly here. Many BSCs say sales during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day become sluggish or, for some, completely stalled. The phones stop ringing, employees go on vacation, and the office gets eerily silent.
Although the winter slump may be a normal part of the sales cycle, there’s no reason to let it defeat your business. Take advantage of the next two months by getting organized and putting systems in place that will put you ahead of the pack when customers are ready to buy again. Here are five strategies to help your business stay afloat—and even grow—during a seasonal slowdown.
1. Prepare for the worst.
Every BSC should have a cash reserve to cover at least two months of expenses. Setting aside a small percent of each month’s revenue creates a stash of cash that can be used during an emergency, such as a slow season. If you already have a reserve, nice job! (You can skip to #2.) If you don’t, however, this is the time to start building it.
It may sound counterintuitive to save during a sales slump, but it’s never easier to pare down than when circumstances force it.
Review your expenses and identify areas that can be cut. Divert those savings, no matter how small, into your emergency fund ($50 here and there will quickly add up). Or, simply pause certain expenses with a commitment to resume them when sales increase. This is also a good time to visit with suppliers and ask for more favorable terms. Even a small readjustment in payment due date can create more time to build a cash reserve. Once the slow season ends, don’t stop setting aside money until you’ve reached at least two months of expenses.
2. Perform an audit.
Use this time to review your processes and look for ways to improve efficiency and decrease waste. Research new technology solutions that can streamline or automate systems (ask peers or industry associations for recommendations). Review your employees’ tasks and eliminate redundancies. Create a central repository for shared resources. Make sure the whole team is current on training and that everyone understands the company mission, goals, and messaging.
3. Do a marketing check-up.
Speaking of messaging, set aside some time to analyze your current marketing process. Start with the big picture—refresh your marketing plan to reflect any changes in your goals and to include newer tactics, like social media.
Next, review printed marketing materials (brochures, business cards, signage, etc.), and refresh anything that has old information or is unattractive. If you can’t afford the changes right now, make a checklist of what you’ll update when cash starts flowing again.
Finally, spend a few hours on your company’s website. You may be surprised by how quickly information can become outdated. Make sure service and product descriptions, pricing, staff directories, and contact information are current. Delete out-of-date content such as news releases about old promotions or white papers on obsolete technologies. Write a handful of new evergreen blog posts from which you can pull when you’re too busy to write next year. These upgrades are time consuming, but shouldn’t require much or any money.
4. Make a plan.
Which services or products over performed this year? Which market segments are showing signs of growth? Does anecdotal or statistical evidence suggest it’s time to add a new service, carry a new line, or market to a new type of client? Brainstorm ways to build upon this year’s strengths and shore up weaknesses. Create an action plan for each item and set deadlines.
Use the rare quiet time during the holidays to look at how your company performed this year and what you can do to make next year bigger and better.
Also, remind current customers and prospects to include you in their plans for next year. Have your sales team reach out to everyone on their lists and set up meetings in the coming months to discuss how your products and services can fit into their upcoming budgets. Consider a discount for those who sign on the dotted line before year’s end to encourage them to act fast.
5. Drive sales.
Yes, sales are slow. No, it’s not okay to roll over and play dead. Proactive and cost-effective sales pitches to current customers and prospects can boost buying. Offer a discount on seasonal services, try a preseason promotion or package to incentivize customers to sign on early, or create an introductory package to let new customers test your services or to give existing customers a peek at a new offering.
With any promotion, explain it’s a one-time deal they won’t get at any other time. The goal is to get customers to act now.
Also, try to suss out which of your current customers are ending the year with a budget surplus. Reaching out to them now, especially with a hot offer, can push them into action. Those extra dollars are typically use-it-or-lose-it, so it can pay off to remind them why they should spend them with you.
Stay competitive and successful with Gem Supply’s ACE and CMI Gold Standard in Training Excellence. Gem’s Accredited Cleaning Expert (ACE) Training uses CMI’s training textbooks to give you the necessary tools to improve your skills and experience, so your company can achieve continued and sustainable success.
Being a part of the cleaning industry can be disheartening sometimes. Considering when money gets tight we are the first ones to get budget cuts. More and more companies want us to do more for less, which isn’t always the easiest thing especially when labor is the highest cost of the cleaning industry.
Luckily over the years our industries technologies have been increasing exponentially, through products such as Intellibot’s automated floor cleaning machines and on a smaller scale Kaivac’s AutoVac! These innovations have allowed for the “do more for less” ideals to flourish within companies, but these products don’t come without a price.
The same can be said about training. If your employees don’t know how to use the equipment properly they will be less efficient at their job and have a higher risk of breaking the equipment resulting in hefty repair fees for your company.
This is why we agree that you can “do more for less”, but you first need to get your employees the tools and skills that they need to reach their full potential in the work environment.
"The most valuable resource an operation has is an engaged employee, let that be YOU!"
the country (NJ, FL, CA). HFMD is caused by the Coxsackie Virus which is a member of a family of viruses called (non-polio) enteroviruses. Surface disinfection and hand hygiene are paramount during these outbreaks. Hard surfaces should be treated with a disinfectant. School buses should also be part of a school’s cleaning and disinfection plan. For more information on the disease visit the CDC Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease web page.
through products such as