|
Green Cleaning
Procedures
The following section covers green cleaning procedures for commercial
facilities. This is not a "how to" manual. It will not tell you, for
example, how to strip and refinish a floor; but it will address how hard
floor care differs in a green cleaning approach. What determines the
differences are the underlying health and environmental issues, not just
the appearance of the building.
A key issue that cuts across all cleaning
procedures is the issue of cleaning frequencies. Cleaning for health or
green cleaning generally requires the same or higher frequencies. To some
extent, you may be able to balance the increased costs with increased
efficiencies. Keep in mind too that these procedures can only serve as a
general guideline because commercial buildings vary tremendously. It is
virtually impossible to assemble a single, comprehensive and standardized
set of green cleaning procedures. As you encounter new environments and
new situations, you will have to apply the principles of green cleaning to
develop your own procedures.
- Entryways:
Roughly 80% of the dirt in a building is tacked in through the entrance.
The matting system should be 12 - 15 feet long. For a main entrance, an
ideal system would include an outside scraper mat, foyer mat and an
inside carpet mat.. Mats should be vacuumed at least once a day; vacuum
in both directions using upright vacuums with a beater bar. Be sure to
clean under mats as well. Replace dirty mats with clean ones weekly
under normal conditions, more often in wet weather or extremely dirty
conditions. Scrub dirty mats with detergent or carpet solution, rinse
them thoroughly and let them dry on a periodic basis. Providing trash
receptacles and cigarette urns at all entrances will reduce the amount
of food, cigarettes and other trash brought into the building. Ensure
they are emptied and cleaned on a regular basis.. Sweep exterior
sidewalks, entry areas and steps leading into the building on a daily
basis. Periodically clean sidewalks and entry areas with a high pressure
power washer.
- Hard Floor Care:
Hard floors should be vacuumed daily using a high quality backpack
vacuum. Advantages - it removes more dirt, improving air quality, it
stirs up less dirt and dust up into the air, it is more effective at
removing dirt from grout, corners, edges and under furniture and it
improves productivity.. Hard floors should also be damp mopped or
cleaned with an automatic scrubber to remove dirt not picked up by the
vacuum. Microfiber mops are more effective at removing dirt than
traditional yarn mops. Encourage the use of zinc-free floor finishes.
Always keep a base of 6-8 coats of finish on floors.. Encourage the use
of a top scrub and recoat procedure versus a total strip-out to limit
the amount of highly alkaline strippers poured down the drain. Notify
occupants in advance of stripping and recoating operations.. Arrange to
have the ventilating system operating in the occupied cycle during and
after stripping and refinishing operations. Carpet Care:. Vacuum carpet
in lobbies, elevators and high traffic areas thoroughly every day. Use
high efficiency vacuum cleaners with microfiltration bags. Replace
vacuum bags when they are half full to minimize emissions. Clean or
replace filters regularly.. Clean up spills on carpet as quickly as
possible. Create a spill cart with a spotting kit and portable spotting
machine.. Maximize the amount of water extracted from the carpet to
minimize moisture and potential for mold, mildew and bacterial growth.
Make sure the vacuum pickup is working properly.. Increase ventilation
to dry carpets fully within 24 hours or less to minimize the potential
for microbial growth. Use floor fans or carpet dryers.. Notify occupants
in advance when extraction operations are scheduled.
Use Tomorrow's Technology Today with
Biokleen Products!
|
