We’ve all been to a store that has looked like it could use a good cleaning, right? And, we typically, don’t want to buy anything from the store or stay for a long period of time for that reason. ...

We’ve all been to a store that has looked like it could use a good cleaning, right? And, we typically, don’t want to buy anything from the store or stay for a long period of time for that reason. It’s not just us though. Research shows that most consumers factor in cleanliness when it comes to stores that they shop at. 

●      According to Consumer Reports, cleanliness is among the top-rated elements of a good grocery store.

●      According to M/A//R/C® Research and National In-Store, 14 percent of consumers said they would stop visiting a store that was not as clean as they would like; 29 percent said they would only visit the store to pick up a few items they could not find elsewhere. 

At Lawton Brothers, we believe in the idea of cleanliness (because we are a janitorial supply company. Because of this, our team has put together an educational blog that outlines what drives customers from stores and what qualities make a clean store. Continue reading! 

WHAT DRIVES CONSUMERS AWAY 

Now that we know that cleanliness is a point of contention with consumers, let’s dive a little deeper into what that actually means. For example, do consumers judge the outside of the store, as well as the inside and what level of cleanliness is expected? 

According to 2016 research conducted by Harris Poll for the Cintas Corp, consumers will not return a store due to: 

●      Bad odors such as unkept trash, food not being disposed of, etc

●      Unclean restroom such as trash receptacles not being taken out, toilets not being clean, etc

●      Unclean entry points such as trash being thrown to the ground rather than in a trash can

●      Unkept changing rooms

●      Reviews of uncleanliness 

Not only do these factors pose a risk to your customers returning, but it could also harm your customers’ and employees’ safety. According to the National Floor and Safety Institute, over eight million emergency room visits are due to falls; slips and falls are also one of the leading causes of worker compensation claims. The National Safety Council approximates workplace falls to costing the United States $70 billion annually. 

QUALITIES OF A CLEAN BUILDING

When you’re thinking about what makes a store clean, there are many elements to consider from the external point of view of your store to the internal, as well as superficial cleanliness. Our team would recommend starting with the outside of your store and working your way in because as they always say, “gotta make a good first impression.”

We recommend:

1. Having an employee walk the perimeter of your store daily to pick up any trash that may have not made its way into the trash can. This can always include cigarette butts.
2. Monitoring your restrooms throughout the day. A restroom should be fully stocked, cleaned and the trash taken out.
3. If you are a retail store, make sure to check the changing rooms for extra items left behind.
4. For medical facilities, ask your cleaning team to check the outside and inside mats. Since you have high foot traffic, you’ll want to make sure the mats can actually do their job and aren’t getting clogged with dirt and mud.
5. Utilizing wet floor signs in areas that have been mopped or where something has spilled.
6. Keeping aisles clean and not obstructive with carts.
7. Providing lighting that is adequate for the space you’re in.
8. Repairing floors that have been damaged. 

CAN LAWTON BROTHERS HELP YOUR KEEP YOUR FACILITY CLEAN? 

At Lawton Brothers, we want to make sure you keep your customers coming back. As a business with multiple locations, we understand that it can be difficult to always be on top of external and internal cleanliness, as well as to understand what cleaning products or machinery you might need. That is why our team is dedicated to sitting down with you to discuss your facility’s needs and finding the right solution for you. 

At Lawton Brothers, we have many products that are Eco-Verified, EPA registered and more. You can give us a call today at 800.432.0813 to discuss these products or take a look at our online catalog, which includes: 

●      Janitorial Supplies:

○      Chemical Cleaning Products

○      Cleaning Equipment

○      Cleaning Supplies

○      Trash Liners

○      Floor Matting

○      Paper Products

○      Trash Receptacles

○      Restroom Equipment (like baby changing areas)

●      Food Service Equipment

○      Cutlery

○      Bowls

○      Cups

○      Paper Products

○      Smallwares

●      Facilities & Grounds Products

○      Safety

○      Tools & Hardware

Before making decisions on buying new equipment or changing who you source your healthcare facility’s food from, you make sure to have a certified individual’s opinion on both matters. So, why shouldn’t you go to someone you trust for your ...

Before making decisions on buying new equipment or changing who you source your healthcare facility’s food from, you make sure to have a certified individual’s opinion on both matters. So, why shouldn’t you go to someone you trust for your paper products? 

At Lawton Brothers, we feel that paper products are equally important as other aspects of your business, such as the machinery you buy and the food you serve. That’s why we offer Tork® paper products. 

Continue reading to learn more about why we believe so much in Tork® products.

 ABOUT TORK® PRODUCTS & ITS VERIFICATION 

Tork® is one of the leading sustainable workplace hygiene companies in the world. Tork® offers various products ranging from paper towels, wipes and cloths to napkins, and is certified by EcoLogo®, Green Seal™ and Biodegradable Products Institute™ (BPI).

 The EcoLogo® verification is a voluntary but rigorous certification process. This certification process indicates that a product or multiple products have undergone testing and auditing to prove it is compliant with environmental standards categories such as materials, energy, product performance and more. Through this verification, and Tork®’s mission of environmental stewardship, its products have a reduced impact on the environment. 

Green Seal™ is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting the manufacturing, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products. Its certification focuses on products like bathroom tissue, paper towels and napkins, and places importance on lifecycle issues regarding paper products. From manufacturing to use, Green Seal™ wants to ensure that companies think about the environmental impact its product(s) will have. 

In 2011, Tork® announced that their Universal and Advanced Tork® napkins were certified compostable by BPI™. This means that the napkins can be easily disposed of in a composting facility throughout North America and will quickly biodegrade, benefiting any company whose intent is to decrease its carbon footprint. 

LIST OF TORK® PRODUCTS THAT ARE VERIFIED 

At Lawton Brothers, we understand that looking through catalogs for paper products or even hand hygiene products isn’t the most exciting task. That’s why we have compiled an exhaustive list of Tork® products that we carry, which are EcoLogo® verified, EPA compliant, compostable verified by BPI™ or Green Seal™ certified.  

●        C-Fold Towels

○        Tork® Advanced C-Fold Hand Towel - 10.1" x 12.8", White

○        Tork® Advanced C-Fold Hand Towel - 3.7" x 10.1", White

○        Tork® Advanced DoorMate Folded Towel - 4.25" x 8.5"

●        Multi-Fold Towels

○        Tork® Advanced Xpress® Multifold Hand Towel

○        Tork® Advanced Xpressnap® Café Dispenser Napkin - White

○        Tork® Advanced Xpressnap® Dispenser Napkin - White

○        Tork® Universal Quality Multifold Hand Towel - Natural

●        Centerfeed Towels

○        Tork® Advanced Soft Center feed Hand Towel - 9" x 11.8"

●        Singlefold Towels

○        Tork® Universal Quality Singlefold Hand Towel - Natural

○        Tork® Universal Quality Singlefold Hand Towel - White

●        High-Capacity Bath Tissue

○        Tork® Advanced High Capacity Bath Tissue Roll -3.9" x 3.8"

○        Tork® Advance High Capacity Coreless Bath Tissue Roll

○        Tork® Universal Quality High Capacity Tissue w/OptiCore®

●        Conventional Bath Tissues

○        Tork® Advanced 2 Ply Mini Jumbo Roll Bath Tissue

○        Tork® Advanced 2 Ply Roll Bath Tissue - White

○        Tork® Universal Quality 2 Ply Roll Bath Tissue - White

○        Tork® Universal Quality 2-Ply Jumbo Roll Bath Tissue-1000'

●        Perforated Roll Towels

○        Tork® Perforated 2-Ply Roll Towel - 84 ct.

○        Tork® Perforated Roll Towel - 11" X 9", White

●        Soap

○        Tork® Premium Extra Mild Foam Soap - 1 L

●        Sanitizer

○        Tork® Premium Alcohol Foam Hand Sanitizer - 950 mL

●        Dispenser Napkins

○        Tork® Universal Quality Tallfold Dispenser Napkin - White

○        Tork® Universal Xpressnap® Dispenser Napkin

●        Other Products

○        Tork® Advanced Matic® Hand Towel Roll - 7.7" x 700'

●        Tork® Universal Quality Hand Towel Roll - 7.9" x 350'

●        Tork® Universal Quality Hand Towel Roll - 7.9" x 800'

●        Tork® Universal Quality Hand Towel Roll -7.9" x 350'

●        Tork® Universal Quality Matic® Hand Towel Roll

HOW CAN LAWTON BROTHERS HELP YOU FIND THE PRODUCT THAT BEST FITS YOUR FACILITY 

You wouldn’t trust just anyone to look at a piece of equipment, and you wouldn’t buy food products any from old store. We get it. But, currently, you’re leaving your paper product selection up in the air.

Find a paper product that is up to environmental certification standards without breaking the bank. At Lawton Brothers, we are dedicated to helping you so that you can focus on what matters most. Give our representative a call to discuss your paper product needs.

There are multiple ways to dry one’s hands; from paper towels and cloth towels to warm and cold air hand dryers. One method of drying hands interests us the most; hand dryers. You see every business using them and ...

There are multiple ways to dry one’s hands; from paper towels and cloth towels to warm and cold air hand dryers. One method of drying hands interests us the most; hand dryers. You see every business using them and it seems as though everyone loves them or do they?  

At Lawton Brothers, we have a couple of questions about hand dryers: 

Are hand dryers working for you or against you?

1. Are they more efficient, good for the environment or are they less efficient, unsanitary and bad for the environment?
2. Do you like to use hand dryers?

Continue to read on to learn more about the pros and cons of hand dryers, what experts are saying and how to choose the best hand drying method that suits your goals and needs. 

PROS AND CONS OF USING A HAND DRYER 

No matter what side you are on (paper products vs. hand dryers), there are pros and cons lists as long as our arms, along with research backing up each side’s claims. We are here to discuss some of the pros and cons of hand dryers. 

PRO: 

Empty dispensers: In busy facilities it can be challenging to keep paper towel dispensers stocked. As long as you have power the dryer is good. 

Vandalism: In some types of facilities this can be an issue. Either vandals are de-facing or breaking the dispensers or they are using the towels to clog the toilets. 

Environmentally-Friendly & Cost-Effective: Many believe that hand dryers are environmentally-friendly because it decreases the number of paper products used. According to a cost-benefit analysis, hand dryers will pay for themselves in an average of seven months because of how long they last (seven to ten years). 

CON:

Unsanitary (Spread of Bacteria): In a study conducted by the University of Westminister, hand drying methods were tested, including two types of paper towels, warm air dryer, and Jet Air Dryer. Of these types of hand drying methods, paper towels produced fewer bacteria on the hands than that of the warm air dryer and Jet Air Dryer. It was also found that at least six species of gut bacteria were isolated from the air flows of 63% of dryers tested, which indicated possible fecal contamination (disease-causing pathogens). 

“Based on these results, the use of Warm Air Dryers and Jet Air Dryers should be carefully considered in locations where hygiene is paramount, such as hospitals, clinics, schools, nurseries, care homes, kitchens and other food preparation areas.” - the overall conclusion of the University of Westminister.    

In an article by Johnnie Deon Green from Food Safety Magazine, he states, “Wet hands readily transfer pathogens to food, utensils and other surfaces. Eliminate all blow dryer systems from employee handwash stations. Research has demonstrated hot air drying is counter to good hand hygiene practices. Select and install single-use paper towels that deliver soft, fast, one-sheet drying results,” and went on to say, “Ignoring handwashing as a priority is easy until a company is faced with a crippling outbreak of foodborne illness.” 

Inefficient: Depending on the type of hand dryer you have purchased, it could be ineffective for your needs. A slow running hand dryer will require a longer dry time, creating a line during busier times, which will result in not fully dried hands (a breeding ground for bacteria). 

According to the World Health Organization Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care, “In a comparison of methods to test the efficiency of hand drying for removing bacteria from washed hands, warm air drying performed worse than drying with paper towels. Furthermore, air dryers may be less recommendable because of the longer time needed to achieve dry hands, with a possible negative impact on hand hygiene compliance, and because of the aerosolization of waterborne pathogens.” 

Noise Pollution: Some hand dryers can, unfortunately, be noisy. This contributes to noise pollution and could potentially annoy those using the machine. 

WHAT TO LOOK FROM WHEN CHOOSING A HAND DRYING METHOD FOR YOUR FACILITY 

There are many factors you should think about when choosing between a hand dryer and paper products, including: 

1. What is the short-term and long-term cost associated with hand dryers or paper products?
2. How unhygienic is the hand dryer or its alternative?
3. What is the environment I am choosing the hand dryer or paper product for?
4. What level of noise is my customers or clients willing to put up with?
5. How convenient are hand dryers versus its alternative? 

HOW LAWTON BROTHERS CAN HELP FIND THE HAND DRYING METHOD FOR YOUR FACILITY? 

At Lawton Brothers, we don’t want to pick sides. Our goal is to help our customers find the best hand drying product that will suit their business’s goals and needs. If you would like to talk more about the pros and cons of hand dryers and alternative hand drying methods, please give our representative a call today: 800-432-0813.

Lack of floormats or floormats that are in a state of disrepair can contribute to rising worker compensation claims due to workplace accidents, along with an increase in worker fatigue. As a company, it can be hard to know ...

Lack of floormats or floormats that are in a state of disrepair can contribute to rising worker compensation claims due to workplace accidents, along with an increase in worker fatigue. As a company, it can be hard to know exactly what to do. The most straightforward answer, one that many don't think about, is installing or replacing your facility's floor matting, which has been proven to decrease workplace accidents and worker fatigue. 

Our team has compiled a straightforward list of the benefits of floor matting, especially in the healthcare industry. Below we’ve also outlined the different types of floor matting that could be useful for your needs. 

BENEFITS OF FLOOR MATTING 

At Lawton Brothers, we believe matting is essential for any business where employees are standing for long periods or working with food and liquids. The benefits of using commercial-grade floor mats in your facility include: 

●       Decreasing the risks associated with wet shoes/floors

●       Reducing glassware breaking

●       Decreasing foot, leg and back pain associated with being on the feet for long periods

●       Increasing productivity

●       Preventing workplace injuries 

In our blog, Matting Madness: Part 1, we discussed a three-step matting program that was introduced by Steve Spencer, a facilities specialist at State Farm Insurance: 

●       Phase one starts outside. This phase begins with a large scraper run that is designed to scrape offer large amounts of soil from the shoes.

●       Phase two takes place in the building entrance. This is where an indoor scraper mat is recommended, which will remove soil, water, and debris from the shoes.

●       Phase three consists of the indoor wiper mat. This type of mat is to dry off the shoes, which can prevent falls.

These three phases will designate the type of mat you will need depending on the space you are putting it in. 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATS ACCORDING TO THE THREE PHASES 

At Lawton Brothers, we offer a complete line of matting options depending on the need of our client. These matting options could include outdoor scraper mats, indoor scraper mats, indoor wiper mats and anti-fatigue mats. 

Outdoor scraper mats are commercial grade mats that are typically a building's first line of defense against dirt, mud or other residues that could be tracked into the building. It is recommended that a scraper mat be placed right outside of the building's entrance so that heavy soil can be removed before entering the building. At Lawton Brothers, we offer eight different kinds of outdoor scraper mats, including: 

M + A Matting 385 Brush Hog Plus Scraper Mat

M + A Matting Super Scrape™ Scraper Mats

M + A Matting SuperScrape Eco Mats

PRO-LINK® Mat-A-Dor™ Mats

M + A Matting Frontier Mats

PRO-LINK® Outdoor 1-2-3 Mats

PRO-LINK® Tire-Track™ Mats

PRO-LINK® Rubber Scraper Mats 

M + A Matting Waterhog® Masterpiece® Select Mats

M + A Matting Waterhog® Fashion Border Diamond Mats

M + A Matting Waterhog® Classic Border Diamond Mats

M + A Matting Safety Scrape™ Black Mat - 3' x 5'

M + A Matting Waterhog® Eco Premier Mats

M + A Matting Waterhog® Eco Grand Premier Mats

M + A Matting Waterhog™ Eco Premier Fashion Mats

PRO-LINK® Berber Style Wiper/Scraper Mats

PRO-LINK® Chevron™ Indoor & Outdoor Wiper/Scraper Mats

PRO-LINK® Super Soaker Diamond Mats

PRO-LINK® Super Soaker Wiper/Scraper Mats

PRO-LINK® Indoor/Outdoor 1-2-3 Mats

Indoor wiper mats are the final line of defense against soil being brought into the building. This type of mat is meant to remove any last soil or water left on the shoes, which can help reduce the risk of falling, as well as improve air quality. We offer seven types of these mats, including:

M + A Matting ColorStar™ Mats

PRO-LINK® Eco-Step™ Wiper Mat - 4' x 6', Granite

M + A Matting Cobblestone™ Indoor Mats

PRO-LINK® Grounds-Keeper™ Mat

PRO-LINK® Rug-Hugger II™ Mat

PRO-LINK® Economy Indoor Mats

PRO-LINK® Indoor 1-2-3 Mats

M + A Matting Comfort Flow™ Mats

M + A Matting Hog Heaven® Anti-Fatigue Matting

Pro-Link® Tile Top Standard Anti-Fatigue Mat - 3' x 5'

PRO-LINK® Heavy Duty Beveled Rubber Anti-Fatigue Mat

PRO-LINK® Heavy-Duty Beveled Rubber Kitchen Mat - 3' x 5'

PRO-LINK® Comfort-King™ Mats

PRO-LINK® Comfort-King™ Supreme Mat - 2' x 3', Black

PRO-LINK® Heavy-Duty Rubber Anti-Fatigue Mat - Black

PRO-LINK® Heavy-Duty Rubber Kitchen Mat - Terra Cotta

PRO-LINK® Tile Top Safety Anti-Fatigue Mats

PRO-LINK® Tile Top Safety Anti-Fatigue Mat -Black w/Yellow

Pro-Link® Tile Top Standard Anti-Fatigue Mat - 3' x 5'

At Lawton Brothers, we also offer other specialty mats. Our goal is to help our clients find the best floor matting that will be beneficial to their building. 

HOW TO FIND THE BEST MAT | WHAT CAN LAWTON BROTHERS DO TO HELP? 

In our blog, Matting Madness Part II, we broke down an interview with JoAnne Boston, the head of business development with Crown Mats, and she recommended, "Because of the growing relationship between Green Cleaning and matting, green cleaning distributors are a good place to start when looking for someone to recommend the best mat for your facility." 

We understand that choosing a supplier for your matting options is essential and they must be trustworthy. We welcome you to put us to the test by giving us a call at 800-432-0813. At Lawton Brothers, we offer matting surveys for all kinds of facilities.

What You Need to Know About Hiring a Commercial Carpet Cleaning Service  

Utilizing the wrong cleaning products or cleaning equipment on your carpet floors can lead to costly repairs, unnecessary maintenance on your carpets, risk of closing your ...

What You Need to Know About Hiring a Commercial Carpet Cleaning Service 

Utilizing the wrong cleaning products or cleaning equipment on your carpet floors can lead to costly repairs, unnecessary maintenance on your carpets, risk of closing your business or even spreading diseases. At Lawton Brothers, we want to steer you clear of these risks. That is why our team has sat down and talked about what you should be thinking about when looking for a commercial cleaning service.  

THE DANGER: WHAT IS GROWING IN YOUR CARPET? 

If you really think about it, your carpet comes in contact with pretty much everything, including food/drinks, dirt/dust, hair/skin and more. What does all of that breed?

Mold is a type of fungus that can grow anywhere and appears as many different colors, including black, white, orange and purple, to just name a few. Unlike plants, who get their energy from the sun, the mold gets its energy from breaking down materials, as well as areas with a build-up of moisture. Mold can grow due to spilled drinks, carpets not drying after cleaning and an increase in humidity. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to detect mold without the help of an expert. Mold can also have serious health effects, including individuals experiencing rashes, difficulty breathing and even more susceptible to bacteria that are breeding within the carpet.  

New York University Langone Medical Center microbiologist and immunologist and the author of The Secret Life of Germs, Philip Tierno Jr. Ph.D., claims that rugs have about 200,000 bacteria per square inch living on it (more than what’s living on your toilet. yikes!)  

Bacteria that could be growing in your carpet could include but are not limited to, salmonella and campylobacter.  

According to Mayo Clinic, Salmonella is a bacterial disease that affects an individual’s intestinal tract. It is shed through fecal matter. Now, you may be asking yourself, “what does this have to do with carpet?” A lot, we believe. If you work within education, have a commercial space or are in the healthcare facility, you can receive large amounts of foot traffic every day. Your carpet can absorb the bacteria that are being transported in and redistributed to others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young children are most at risk of getting the salmonella infection.

According to the CDC, Campylobacter bacteria causes an estimated 1.5 million illnesses in the United States each year. Anyone can be infected by Campylobacter bacteria, which causes symptoms similar to the Salmonella infection, but individuals aged 5 and 65 or older are most susceptible to getting campylobacteriosis.  

Other things that could be living in your carpet include dust, dust mites, insects and norovirus.  

Now, with all of that being said, you would think that businesses, including healthcare facilities, would believe carpet cleaning is a necessary task to do. Sadly, that is not the case. There are several myths about commercial carpet cleaning that we want to dispel.

NEW CARPET, NO WORRIES. IT DOESN’T NEED CLEANED.

“This carpet has just been installed in our building. If we clean it too much, it is more at risk to wear out sooner.” Carpets in this day and age are made sturdier and are, in fact, made to hide the dirt and soil that accumulates. Practicing regular cleaning habits sooner can increase the longevity of your carpet, not decrease it.   

Also, if you’ve just installed new carpet in your facility and notice that there is a smell, well that’s because new carpets house volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can not be taken up by running the vacuum. Professional cleaning by a professional cleaning service or your knowledgeable staff will need to be done.

DOES IT LOOK DIRTY? IF NOT, IT MUST NOT NEED TO BE CLEANED.  

As mentioned above, carpets are made to hide the dirt, especially if you strategically pick out the right color and material. For example, darker carpets will hide dirt much better than white. Our suggestion to you is not just to judge the cleanliness of your carpet based on what you see. If your carpet doesn’t look dirty, but you notice some other things like a smell coming from the carpet or the color is noticeably duller, those can be indications that you need to have your carpet cleaned.

CARPET CLEANING MEANS CLOSING MY BUSINESS FOR THE DAY.

Many business owners or facility managers believe that they will need to close their business down for the day to have their carpets cleaned. That isn’t the case anymore. There are systems out there that utilize the least amount of water to clean carpets. For example, at Lawton Brothers, we carry the HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System, an environmentally-friendly system that dries in no time. This cleaning system gives the user control over the amount of moisture used while still eliminating the residue from the carpet; there is no closing time necessary.  

ANYONE CAN USE CARPET CLEANING EQUIPMENT. 

Let’s imagine that our team gave you, an individual that does not perform surgery, a scalpel and surgery room and told you to perform surgery, would you be able to? No, and we wouldn’t expect you to. The same applies to this myth. It is not true that “anyone” can use carpet cleaning equipment.  

Unfortunately, we find that companies are interested in getting the latest carpet cleaning materials and equipment, but fail to train their employees on how to use it. Not training an employee on how to use the product or equipment can result in unnecessary carpet replacement due to mold growth, the risk of spreading bacteria like salmonella throughout your facility and as a result, you will have to close your location to make those carpet repairs.  

At Lawton Brothers, not only can we provide your company with cleaning materials and equipment, but we also offer training to your cleaning crew. If you’d like to talk to a representative of our company, please call 800-432-0813.

Have you been looking for a commercial air freshener that doesn’t spray, mist or use liquid? HYscent could be the perfect fit for healthcare or educational facilities, apartment complexes, hotels or more. How does the HYscent air freshener system compare ...

Have you been looking for a commercial air freshener that doesn’t spray, mist or use liquid? HYscent could be the perfect fit for healthcare or educational facilities, apartment complexes, hotels or more. How does the HYscent air freshener system compare to other systems like aerosol cans, hydrogen cells, and liquid wick and wafer? Our team has gotten together to draw up a list of differences between these systems just for you. We value an educated buyer, and our goal is to help you make the best decision for your needs. 

HYSCENT AIR FRESHENER SYSTEM 

The HYscent air freshener system is environmentally-friendly, attacks malodors with Odoraxe™, is easy to replace, simple to operate and is theft-proof.

●       Environmentally-friendly: HYScent does not use aerosols or harmful solvents. This system uses essential oils and recyclable cartridges.

●       Odor neutralizer: This system attacks malodors with Odoraxe™, which was designed to eliminate malodors at the molecular level.

●       Saves time and easy to replace: The recyclable cartilages can be replaced within seconds and has minimal programming required.

●       Theft proof: The HYscent machine locks directly onto the wall mount. 

The HYscent air freshener system also offers three different types of machines, ideal for any preference of scent, including the solo, dual and stealth. Learn more about these systems by giving us a call at 800-432-0813. 

AEROSOL AIR FRESHENER SYSTEM 

The aerosol air freshener system is a canister with an automated dispensing function. The dispensing function releases a small amount of chemical-based products into the air. 

The operation of the system is based on the square footage of the room using the system. For example, a 400 sq. ft. room would need at least two canisters, according to HYscent. Unlike the aerosol air freshener system, HYscent, as mentioned, will dispense a fragrance from 220 sq. ft. to 750 sq. ft, depending on the system used. 

The positioning of the system is also particular. Typically, you will see specific instructions written out on an aerosol can directing you to position it vertically. Because the aerosol can use a chemical base, after dispensing the product, materials can begin to collect, increasing the risk of an individual slipping in that area. HYscent, on the other hand, does not use a liquid or chemical base for its system. HYscent’s products are completely dry, which means it’s system can be placed in any direction without the risk of spills or leaks. 

Lastly, the aerosol system has potential health hazards. Due to the chemical makeup of fragrances, breathing in the chemicals can cause drowsiness, nausea, and irritation to the eyes, throat, lungs and skin. Unlike aerosol systems, HYscent does not release any chemicals into the air. 

HYDROGEN CELL SYSTEMS 

The hydrogen cells is a system that takes chemical energy and converts it into electricity through a reaction with oxygen. According to HYscent, an analysis of two hydrogen cell systems indicates there were industrial compositions being used in the fragrances, containing approximately 40 percent hydrogen solvent, which is an aspiration hazard. 

Like the aerosol system, the hydrogen cell must also be placed in a specific position. If the position is changed, there is an increased chance of leakage. 

Note: Although HYscent claims that its system works for 60 days, market analysis has shown it is most effective between 18-22 days. 

LIQUID WICK AND WAFERS 

Liquid wick and wafers are odor control emanators that are used in a diffuser that utilizes a motor-operated fan.

The liquid wick system is a wick that is put into the container of oil and chemical mixture. The wick with absorb that mixture and then is dispersed/diffused into the air. The liquid wafer system is a pressed fiberboard square. The square is then added to an oil mixture and then dispersed using a fan. Like the aerosol and hydrogen cell systems, the liquid wick and wafer system(s) must be placed into a specific position. If the position of this system changed, the chances of leakage increase. 

The liquid and wafer system claims 30 days of longevity, but according to HYscenet market analysis, it achieves a limit of 12 to 22 days. 

FINDING AN AIR FRESHENING SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR YOU 

At Lawton Brothers, our goal is to help you find the air freshening system that fits your needs. If you are interested in talking about HYscent or another system, please give our knowledgeable representatives a call at 800-432-0813. If you’d like to read more about the differences between HYscent and the other systems mentioned, please click here.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.7 million hospital patients get healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) ; 99,000 of those die due to HCAIs. What could your healthcare facility and its employees be doing to ...

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 1.7 million hospital patients get healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs); 99,000 of those die due to HCAIs. What could your healthcare facility and its employees be doing to decrease the risk of contaminating patients? The most straightforward answer we can give you is ... washing their hands. Now, with that being said, we can’t guarantee that no one will contract an HCAI; however, it has been proven that when staff consistently practice handwashing, the risk of HCAIs is significantly reduced. 

At Lawton Brothers, we understand that something as simple as washing your hands can be easily overlooked. We are taking this opportunity during National Handwashing Awareness Week to highlight the importance of handwashing in healthcare settings. 

HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS (HCAIs) 

HCAIs are infections a patient can develop during their stay in the hospital. Did you know that the length of a patient who contracts HCAI increases by 17.6 days and that 9.4 percent of in-patient costs incur because of HCAIs? What does this mean for your healthcare facility? Well, it can cost up to $35 billion per year. 

PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF HEALTHCARE-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS 

One of the simplest but most effective ways to decrease the chances of a patient getting an HCAI is to practice proper hand hygiene. Healthcare providers should wash their hands multiple times per day, but let’s be more specific. Here is when a doctor, nurse or another member of your healthcare staff should be washing their hands: 

●       Before coming in contact with a patient

●       After coming in contact with a foreign substance like blood, body fluids or other contaminated surfaces

●       Before and after using gloves

 Why is there an aversion to handwashing? 

According to research from the CDC, multiple factors can cause your healthcare workers to not wash their hands, including: 

●       Irritation and dryness in the skin after washing hands

●       Sinks are not conveniently located or there are not enough sinks

●       Lack of soap and paper towels

●       Hand washing interferes with relationship building with patients

●       The belief that wearing gloves is all one needs to do

●       Lack of education or knowledge of handwashing protocols

●       Forgetting to wash the hands

●       Leadership isn’t doing it

●       Lack of information regarding handwashing and HCAI rates 

As a janitorial supply company, a few of these reasons from the CDC stick out to us. How can your healthcare team overcome some of the obstacles outlined above? 

Lack of soap and paper towels: As a janitorial supply company, this statement stands out clearly to us. This statement implies that it takes more than just your healthcare team; it also takes your maintenance team. 

Clear communication between your healthcare staff and your maintenance team is needed so that supplies are always readily stocked and available to your medical team.  If your maintenance team is running out of supplies, then it is your facility manager’s duty to find a janitorial supply company that can keep up with order numbers. 

Irritation and dryness in the skin after washing hands:  According to the CDC, in certain surveys, approximately 25% of nurses reported symptoms of dermatitis and 85% reported skin problems. There are many types of substances one could use for hand hygiene, including: 

●       Non-Antimicrobial Soap

●       Alcohol-Based Hand Antiseptics

●       Chlorhexidine Gluconate

●       Chloroxylenol

●       Hexachlorophene

●       Iodine and Iodophors

●       Quaternary Ammonium Compounds

●       Triclosan 

It is important to consider all of your options and find the substance/soap that will cause your healthcare team the least amount of irritation on their skin. What should you factor in when choosing hygiene products like soap? According to the CDC, there are many factors you should think about when selecting products for your healthcare facility, including: 

●       How efficient is the product against pathogens?

●       Does the healthcare staff accept the hand products?

●       Do you need automated hand soap dispensers?

●       How does my budget for hand hygiene products compare to my expenses for hospital costs related costs due to HCAIs? According to the CDC, just four or five HCAIs contracted may equal the number of some healthcare facilities’ budgets for hand hygiene products. (Yikes!) 

At Lawton Brothers, our goal is to help your healthcare facility run as smoothly as possible. From helping you pick out which hand hygiene product would fit your facility best to helping you stay within budget, we are here for you. To talk with a representative about your facility and its needs, give us a call at 800-432-0813.

If you own a business, you understand the concern over floors that have just been cleaned--they can’t dry fast enough. Not only is this issue a liability in the event an individual would slip and fall, but it can also ...

If you own a business, you understand the concern over floors that have just been cleaned--they can’t dry fast enough. Not only is this issue a liability in the event an individual would slip and fall, but it can also cause mold and long-term structural damage to your facility. As business owners, we understand this issue too. And, we see it a lot when we talk with business owners. 

That is why we recommend utilizing the HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System, an environmentally-friendly system that dries in no time. 

The HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System consists of millions of dry sponges that are moistened with water and other ingredients and can be used for all carpet care, including maintenance and restoration. The sponges spread across the carpet, carrying the cleaning solution in a controlled manner. As the sponges brush up and down the soiled floor they break up oil, dirt, and other residues which can then be vacuumed away. 

This machine gives the user control over how much moisture is being used, as well as making sure all of the dirt and residue is removed from the carpet.

This cleaning system is certified by Green Seal, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and WoolSafe; it is also approved by the Florida School Plant Managers Association (FSPMA).

Green Seal Certification 

The HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System is also Green Seal Certified. Green Seal is a non-profit environmental standard development organization that certifies products or services. According to Green Seal, this type of certification is ONLY awarded to products that meet the Green Seal standards of performance, safety and reliability.

According to Racine Industries, the certification by Green Seal has shown that the HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System:

●      Has passed its performance testing

●      Is nontoxic

●      Is not combustible

●      It contains no optical brighteners, ozone-depleted compounds, heavy metals, carcinogens or reproductive toxins

●      Is not irritating to the skin or eyes

●      Has low volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

●      And more

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Certification

According to Racine Industries, any product or equipment that advertises the removal of dust mites or mold must be made in an EPA registered facility.

WoolSafe Certification

The WoolSafe certification certifies that this machine is safe to use on materials and carpets made from wool or wool blends.

Utilizing this system for your business can be beneficial in many ways, including:

●      Prevents the growth of mold and mildew

●      Decreases the risk of indoor allergies

●      Conserves energy and water

●      Being cost-effective

Prevents the growth of mold & mildew

According to the (EPA), mold can grow on any organic materials as long as moisture and oxygen are around. These materials can include wood, paper, carpet, food and more.  Mold growing on a surface is not just unsightly, it can actually digest the material is growing on, which can cause structural damage if not properly taken care of. Controlling moisture indoors is one of the environmental factors that will help prevent the growth of mold.

The HOST system only uses one teaspoon of liquid per square foot. In hot water extraction, 120 gallons of water could be used for every 1,000 sq. ft of carpet. This means that unlike other carpet cleaning methods, the HOST system helps decrease the amount of mold that can form due to the control of liquid being used.

Decreases the risk of indoor allergies

According to Racine Industries, the HOST® Cleaning System reduces:

●      Dust mite by 78 percent

●      Dust mite allergens by 75 percent

●      Cat allergens by 85 percent (good for apartment buildings who allow pets!)

●      Mold spores by 85 percent

Conserves energy and water

Due to the HOST® cleaning system using a minimal amount of liquid, this machine conserves energy and water by not using: 

●      Boilers to heat the water

●      Blowers to dry the carpet

●      And you won’t need to use any air-drying method to help the carpet dry faster!

Is Cost-Effective

A common myth of the HOST® System is that it is too expensive. If you look at labor, material and overhead cost, it is actually more cost-effective to use.

The labor included with the HOST® system refers to preparing and setting up equipment, mixing any chemicals, vacuuming, applying and re-vacuumings. With the HOST system there is very little to no setup time. Material cost is dependent on the space of your building, and with proper training of your cleaning staff, cleaning the carpet can be more efficient than using a wet cleaning method.

At Lawton Brothers, we are convinced that the HOST® Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System can be beneficial for your business from being environmentally-friendly to being efficient and cost-effective. HOST® Products we have include:

●      Host® Applicator

●      Host® Aridex® The Dry Upholstery Cleaning System

●      Host® Dry Carpet Cleaner - 12 lb. Bucket

●      HOST Dry Carpet Cleaner - 2.2 lb. Bucket

●      HOST Dry Carpet Cleaner - 30 lb. Bucket

●      Host® Freestyle® ExtractorVAC®

●      Host® Freestyle®  Red Firm Nylon Brushes

●      Host® Liberator®  Red Firm Nylon Brushes

●      Host® Liberator® White Standard Nylon Brushes

●      Host® Liberator® Zebra Firm Nylon/Polypropylene Brushes

●      Host® Prep Traffic Lane Cleaner - Gallon

●      Host® Reliant® Extractor - 12”

●      Host® SJ Dry Carpet Cleaner - 2.2 lb

●      Host® SJ For Special Jobs - 12 lb Bucket

●      Host® Smoke-X® Deodorant - 8 oz

●      Host® Spot Remover - Qt

●      Host® spotZAPPER 2-in-1 Brush

●      Host® Zebra Firm Nylon Brushes

If you’d like to know more about this system and the available products in your area, please give us a call to talk with one of our representatives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver due to significant alcohol use, medications, medical conditions and a virus. In 2016, there were a reported 2,007 cases of Hepatitis A ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hepatitis A is an inflammation of the liver due to significant alcohol use, medications, medical conditions and a virus. In 2016, there were a reported 2,007 cases of Hepatitis A in the United States, according to the CDC. To date there are 2,970 confirmed cases in Florida alone, and it has been called a  “health emergency” according to Medical News Today

Unfortunately, many people don’t know they have Hepatitis A as there can be no symptoms and is rarely fatal. However, for those who do know they have contracted Hepatitis A, there are no treatments. Hepatitis A epidemics are typically seen in countries with poor water supply and sanitation avenues; however, the contraction of Hepatitis A can happen anywhere. Hepatitis A can be spread unknowingly from ingesting food or liquids that have been contaminated through small amounts of undetected fecal matter from an infected individual who hasn’t washed their hands prior to touching objects, surfaces or food.

When an individual contracts Hepatitis A and there are symptoms, there can be severe repercussions including not being able to go to school or work, as well as their place of work being scrutinized, especially if it is a food establishment.

From this, we can gather a couple of things, 

1. Your cleaning or maintenance crew needs to have the proper cleaning products that can eliminate Hepatitis A.
2. In any service, hospitality or medical industries, proper hand washing protocols need to be put in place.

The good news is that there are cleaning products out there that can eliminate Hepatitis A, and you can put the proper protocols in place with our tips.

INDUSTRY RISKS & TIPS

Depending on the industry, there are certain measures you can take to clean your surfaces.

Childcare:

The contracture of Hepatitis A for children is high. According to WHO, in areas with low and high levels of risk for contracting Hepatitis A, children are the most at risk because they are more likely to put non-editable objects into their mouths. Because little to no symptoms appear in younger children, it is important to disinfect any objects that could be put into a child’s mouth. Items put into the mouth will need to be disinfected, rinsed and then air-dried or run through a dishwasher at a high temperature.

Healthcare and Hospitality

For those in healthcare and the hospitality industry, it is equally important to minimize the risk of Hepatitis A contracture. Contaminated clothing should be kept separate from non-contaminated clothing. Clothing should be washed at a high temperature. Surfaces should be cleaned thoroughly according to your healthcare facility’s cleanliness standards.

Not many products eliminate Hepatitis A. At Lawton Brothers, we have two, including Hillyard QT-TB and Green Klean Chlorinated Disinfecting Tablets.

Hillyard QT-TB is a ready-to-use, quaternary based disinfectant designed specifically for institutional cleaning and disinfection in hospitals, nursing homes and veterinary clinics. This product can also be used in offices, schools and hotels.

Hillyard QT-TB provides a high level of disinfecting against a broad spectrum of both gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms.

Green Klean Chlorinated Disinfecting Tablets are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered chlorinated disinfecting tablets. These tablets deliver consistent and accurate chlorine levels each time.

HANDWASHING PROTOCOL TIPS

According to the CDC, handwashing is one of the easiest and best ways to protect yourself and others from contracting infections and diseases like Hepatitis A. Individuals in the hospitality, service or medical industries should wash their hands during these breakdowns. 

●      Service Industry: Before, during and after handling food or drinks.

●      Hospitality Industry: Before, during and after handling food, drinks and materials like linens.

●      Medical Industry: Before, during and after seeing patients, surgery or treating patients.

According to a 1993 study, Hepatitis A has the ability to last on surfaces for days and on hands for a couple of hours. Simply put, it is essential to wash your hands when coming in contact with other surfaces or individuals as you don’t know if they have Hepatitis A or not. As a business owner or leader, it is your duty to make sure your employees are following proper handwashing protocols, as well as maintaining the cleanliness of your facility.

LAWTON BROTHERS | HOW CAN WE HELP

 While it is rare, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), Hepatitis A accounted for 7,134 deaths in 2016. At Lawton Brothers, we have two products that can get you started in eliminating the contamination of Hepatitis A--Hillyard QT-TB and Green Klean Chlorinated Disinfecting Tablets. If you need more information about these products, give us a call at 800-432-0813 to talk with one of our knowledgeable staff members.

As a business owner, it's understandable that you would want to vet  any janitorial product supply companies before placing an order with them. That's why at Lawton Brothers, we want to answer any and all of your questions. Our ...

As a business owner, it's understandable that you would want to vet  any janitorial product supply companies before placing an order with them. That's why at Lawton Brothers, we want to answer any and all of your questions. Our team has put our heads together and developed a list of 10 questions that we frequently receive. If you still have questions after reading this, our team would be more than happy to get on a phone call with you! 

10 Questions to Ask a Janitorial Product Supply Company Before Buying from Them:

• What services do you have? 

   

  Understanding the type of services a janitorial supply company offers is essential. If you aren't educated on what kind of product, machine or service you need, you could fall into the risk of buying the wrong service. At Lawton Brothers, we offer more than quality janitorial products; we deliver cleaning expertise to our clients. Our services include:

   

  ●      Green Cleaning programs that meet USGBC standards

  ●      Floor Care programs that reduce costs and improve safety

  ●      Equipment Service, preventative maintenance and rental programs

  ●      Paper Products & Systems that control waste, eliminate pilferage, and reduce costs

  ●      Floor Matting solutions that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but truly functional

  ●      Cleaning Audits that help you spend your budget dollars where they are most needed

  ●      Comprehensive Cleaning Program

  ●      Training Seminars and On-Site Training

   

• Where are you located?

   

  Location, location, location-- it's crucial. If you need your janitorial supply company to be local, you'll need to know where they are located. At Lawton Brothers, we have four locations, including:

  ●      Orlando – Corporate office

  ●      Clearwater, Florida

  ●      Ocala, Florida

  ●      Melbourne, Florida

  Each site has a showroom, staff that is knowledgeable and a fully stocked inventory.

• What cleaning products do you offer?

   

  Understanding the type of cleaning products a janitorial supply company offers will help you figure out what you can get from where. You don't want to order from five separate janitorial supply companies. We provide an online catalog full of supplies, including: 

  ●      Janitorial Supplies

  ○      Chemicals

  ○      Cleaning Equipment

  ○      Cleaning Supplies

  ○      Liners

  ○      Matting

  ○      Paper Products

  ○      Receptacles/Trash

  ○      Restroom Supplies

  ○      Skin Care

  ●      Foodservice Supplies

  ●      Facilities & Grounds Supplies

  ○      Safety Materials

  ○      Tools & Hardware

   

• What types of training do you offer?

   

  Janitorial supply companies that want to go the extra mile will offer training programs for your employees. Training programs can be beneficial, especially when it comes to utilizing chemicals and machines. Lawton Brothers offer training on-site or within our facility. Our training programs include:

   

  ●      ISSA CMI - Cleaning Industry Training Standard Verified Courses

  ●      CMI General Courses: General Cleaning, Restroom, Customer Service and Safety & HazCom †

  ●      Workload, Bidding & Estimating Workshop

  ●      Green Cleaning for Health

  ●      OSHA Right to Know / GHS HazCom

  ●      Bloodborne Pathogens

  ●      Carpet Care †

  ●      Restroom Care †

  ●      Resilient (VCT) Floor Care †

  ●      Tile & Grout Restorative Hard Floor Care

  ●      Marble Natural Stone Floor Care

  ●      Wood & Gym Floor Care

  ●      Disinfecting & Sanitizing

  ●      Cleaning Equipment Use & Care

  ●      Supervisor Development Courses

  ●      Free 1 hour Best Practices Courses

   

  † - ISSA CMI verified Courses

• Do you have any certifications?

   

  When thinking about a janitorial supply company, you may think that is doesn't matter if that company has any certifications or not. But, we're here to tell you that it does matter. Not only can a janitorial supply company be certified, but their products can also. For example, at Lawton Brothers, we are certified as an ISSA CMI Expert. We are Green Seal approved for specific products. 

• Do you work with businesses within my industry?

   

  As a janitorial supply company, we believe it is essential that the company you buy your products from has experience within your industry. If the company doesn't know the industry well, they won't be able to recommend the correct products for your facility or building. For example, we have experience working within many sectors, including hospitality, healthcare & medical, administrative and retail industries.

   

• Can you tell me what products or machines I need for my building? 

A janitorial supply company should be able to tell you what you need for your building (if they are worth their salt). We are not only a janitorial supply company; we are also cleaning experts. Our knowledgeable and experienced staff can provide cleaning expertise, training and support the overall level of cleanliness in your building while also controlling the cost for you.

Not only will our staff be able to talk with you about specific products you are looking for, but we also offer two types of consultations:

Green Cleaning Consultation

Do your patients rank cleanliness as one of their top values in healthcare quality? 

Healthcare quality means that a healthcare facility can provide care that a patient needs, at the time they need it, safely and effectively. October ...

Do your patients rank cleanliness as one of their top values in healthcare quality? 

Healthcare quality means that a healthcare facility can provide care that a patient needs, at the time they need it, safely and effectively. October 20 to 26 is Healthcare Quality Week. At Lawton Brothers, we believe that it is important to highlight what you could be doing to improve your healthcare quality scores.

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), there are six properties of healthcare quality: 

●      Effectiveness: providing science-based care that achieves healthcare outcomes

●      Efficiency: maximizing the quality of the healthcare offered while decreasing the amount of waste

●      Equity: providing equal attention to those who may differ in personal characteristics

●      Patient-centeredness: meeting the patient’s needs within their values

●      Safety: avoiding harm to the patient, including the contraction of healthcare-associated infections

●      Timeliness: providing care while decreasing inpatient stays 

Incorporating all six domains, especially safety, into how your healthcare system tracks "healthcare quality" is essential. It can decrease mortality rates, the spreading of HAIs and increase patient satisfaction and revenue. 

Continue reading to learn more about the cleanliness of a healthcare facility, and why we believe that you should be investing more in your environmental cleaning services. 

PATIENTS RANK CLEANLINESS AS THEIR TOP CONCERN 

According to Compass One Health, there are correlations between a patient’s perception of room cleanliness, the risk of HAIs, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers (HCAHPS) score and the HCAHPS teamwork indicator. According to Compass One Health's research, 90 percent of those respondents said they would recommend the facility. 

As a result of patients being observant of how clean the facility is, as well as their room, they are more likely to recommend a healthcare facility that they perceive as clean. What can you do to improve your patient satisfaction scores when it comes to healthcare quality? 

IMPROVING PATIENT SATISFACTION 

Inpatient healthcare services provide the most risk of patients contracting HAIs. We would suggest that inpatient healthcare services have the most to improve upon when it comes to cleanliness and healthcare quality. 

Improve your patient satisfaction when it comes to healthcare quality, by: 

Viewing your healthcare facility from the patient’s perspective. Ask an individual that you trust to walk through your facility and note down what they experience. How did the staff treat them? What were their first thoughts when seeing the exterior and interior of the building? Were the rooms clean? How clean? 

Remembering that what a person sees if what they will be their first impression. Like most things in life, individuals are visual creatures. They judge what they see first and that affects how they move through the full experience. 

Valuing your environmental cleaning services team. Your environmental cleaning services need to be organized, invested in and felt that they are heard to increase the cleanliness of your building. Have a plan to sit down and talk with this team about what could be improved upon and then make actionable items of what needs to be changed. 

Because cleanliness is essential to a patient and their overall satisfaction, your healthcare facility's environmental services team must be top-notch. Unfortunately, even if you have a top-notch team, if you don’t have the correct products, it won’t matter. 

At Lawton Brothers, we have many products and services that could benefit your healthcare facility and its quality score. Fives products/equipment that you could implement into your healthcare environmental cleaning and disinfecting routine right now include: 

1. Hillyard QT-TB is a ready to use, quaternary based disinfectant designed specifically for institutional cleaning and disinfection in hospitals, nursing homes, veterinary clinics.
2. Green Klean is an EPA registered chlorinated disinfecting tablet, medical disinfectant, with kill claims for C Diff, Norovirus, HBV & HIV 1, Canine Parvovirus and more.
3. Advance SC500 REV Scrubber features a low center of gravity and an easily accessible variable speed and pressure-sensitive control paddle.
4. Proteam ProDust Disposable Dust Sleeves is safe for any surface, contains no oils or waxes, and won't streak or leave any residue.
5. Hillyard Suprox-D Disinfectant is an EPA registered, neutral pH in dilution, hospital disinfectant with the cleaning power of peroxide. It contains twice the amount of peroxide than most brands.

And, if your staff needs training on equipment, we can help with that too! 

LAWTON BROTHERS | HOW CAN WE HELP 

Understanding healthcare quality depends on the cleanliness of your healthcare facility is the first step in improving your healthcare quality scores. That is where your environmental cleaning services and Lawton Brothers come in. Our team can work with your cleaning team to understand which cleaning products are needed based on your facility and its needs. We also have cleaning machinery that we can provide education on to your cleaning team. 

Take the initiative during Healthcare Quality Week to ask your patients what they value most in a healthcare facility. If cleanliness is one of the top things they look for, talk to one of our representatives about how we can help your healthcare facility by giving us a call at 800-432-0813. 

Did you know that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), can account for 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year? When a patient enters your healthcare facility for medical services, they are immediately put at risk for contracting healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through ...

Did you know that healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), can account for 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths each year? When a patient enters your healthcare facility for medical services, they are immediately put at risk for contracting healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) through improper environmental hygiene practices.

 As an essential part of healthcare leadership, it is critical to ensure your patient safety for the facilities you serve. You can minimize the risk of HAIs by encouraging your medical staff to be aware of and promote proper environmental hygiene and cleaning practices.

At Lawton Brothers, we understand that in extensive healthcare facilities, hygiene practices can be put on the back burner. We are taking this opportunity during International Infection Prevention Week to provide a timely reminder of the importance of the correlation between your facility’s cleanliness and your patient’s safety.

THE MOST COMMON HAIs

Healthcare-associated infections are infections that a patient develops during their hospital stay. HAIs can be contracted in any type of facility, including hospitals, ambulances and long-term care facilities, just to name a few.  

When a healthcare facility does not engage in proper environmental cleaning practices, it can cause increased diseases (morbidity), decrease mortality, increase the length of hospital stays and costs incurred by the hospital. (yikes!) 

According to Becker’s Clinical Leaders & Infection Control:

●      The length of stay for a patient who contracts an HAI increases by 17.6 days

●      9.4 percent of in-patient costs are for HAIs

●      HAIs can cost healthcare facilities $35 billion per year

The most common HAIs patients get during their hospital stay include:

●      Central-line associated bloodstream infections

●      Clostridium difficile infections

●      Pneumonia

●      Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

●      Surgical site infections

●      Urinary Tract infections

How do patients contract these HAIs?

As you know, HAIs can be contracted through environmental transmission; through the hands and the contamination of surfaces.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING PRACTICES 

Environmental hygiene can be dependent on the pathogen present and what product you are using to remove it.  According to an article published in BioMed Central, there are five areas of cleanliness that healthcare leaders should take into account when thinking about their hospital: 

1. Workforce: the staff whose responsibility is to organize, execute and verify cleaning activity.
2. Area: the environment that needs to be cleaned, including surfaces.
3. Substance: the chemical product being used to clean.
4. Technique: the method by which the staff is applying the substance.
5. Equipment: the machines being used to clean, including microfiber cloths and cleaning machines.

 If any of these areas are lacking or absent, the level of cleaning is inferior to what it should be.

 You should also be asking yourself these questions:

 What are our options for cleaning and disinfecting the patient’s environment? 

1. What approaches are in use?
2. How do cleaning, disinfecting and monitoring interact?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of cleaning, disinfecting and monitoring? 

What equipment is needed to impact cleaning, disinfecting and monitoring? 

1. What equipment is essential to the efficiency of environmental cleaning services?
2. Is it essential to train cleaning staff?
3. What are the regulations around disinfecting the facility? 

CLEANING PRODUCTS FOR CLEANING  & DISINFECTING 

The optimal cleaning product for a healthcare facility is one that is effective against bacteria, spores and viruses while leaving no impact on the environment and being completely safe. Unfortunately, there isn’t a product that does all of that. (sadly) 

The most common chemicals used for disinfection include: 

●      Alcohol: is used to disinfect small surfaces or external surfaces like ventilators. Alcohol is a flammable substance and must be used in well-ventilated spaces. Long-term use of alcohol can cause discoloration, hardening and even cracking in plastics and rubber.

●      Hydrogen peroxide: can be effective against bacteria, yeast, fungi and viruses and leaves no odor.

●      Ortho-phthalaldehyde: is an antimicrobial disinfectant for medical equipment that can cause respiratory issues if not handled properly.

●      Chlorine: is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial disinfectant that does not leave a residue.

●      Peracetic acid: is used to sterilize medical and surgical instruments.

●      Phenolics: are EPA-registered disinfectants that are used to clean environmental surfaces like bedside tables, bed rails and laboratory surfaces.

●      Quaternary Ammonium compounds: are used to disinfect patient-care equipment like catheters. 

Unfortunately, data-sf-ec-immutable="" while healthcare facilities are more than willing to upgrade their technology, they are less willing to invest in their environmental hygiene practices. Rather than spend your cleaning budget on only cleaning products, invest in your environmental cleaning employees, as well. An cleaning company can not only supply your healthcare facility with top-notch cleaning solutions but will also be able to provide your employees with the proper training--all while staying within your budget.

Not encouraging proper cleaning practices can affect budgets across the hospital. This can make it difficult to really understand how the lack of such protocols can genuinely change the healthcare facility as a whole.  That is why it’s essential to look at the increased number of days a patient may spend in the hospital due to an HAI, hospital staff overtime, missed revenue and increases in costs due to HAI outbreaks. 

When you are making a decision about investing in your environmental hygiene maintenance processes, which products to get, or how much training your cleaning staff really needs, think about the cost of not investing in these things and what that means for the healthcare facility long-term. 

HOW CAN WE HELP? 

Unfortunately, even if you have the best cleaning staff, they will be useless if they aren’t using the correct product. And, the best product is useless if it isn’t being applied correctly. That is why it is essential to have a team that can help you choose the best products and machines for the situation at hand. 

At Lawton Brothers, we have many products and services that could benefit your healthcare facility. Three products that you could implement into your healthcare environmental cleaning and disinfecting routine right now include: 

1. Hillyard Vindicator + - https://www.lawtonbros.com/catalog/p/243337/Hillyard-Arsenal-1-6-Vindicator-Disinfectant-25-L/
2. Green Klean Chlorinated Tablets - https://www.lawtonbros.com/catalog/p/255655/Green-Klean-Chlorinated-Disinfecting-Tablet/
3. Victory Sprayer - https://www.lawtonbros.com/catalog/p/256687/Victory-Cordless-Electrostatic-Sprayer/ 

And, if your staff needs training on equipment, we can help with that too! To talk to one of our representatives about how we can help your healthcare facility decrease the number of HAIs by improving your cleaning and disinfecting strategies, give us a call at 800-432-0813. 

Keeping your healthcare facility clean is an integral part of ensuring your patient’s safety, right? The cleanliness of your facility can decrease the amount of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), increase patient satisfaction and in the end, increase your revenue. 

Your environmental ...

Keeping your healthcare facility clean is an integral part of ensuring your patient’s safety, right? The cleanliness of your facility can decrease the amount of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), increase patient satisfaction and in the end, increase your revenue. 

Your environmental cleaning department is your front line of defense against HAIs. An excellent team can be the line between a good healthcare quality score and a bad one. 

At Lawton Brothers, we believe you can improve the quality of the cleanliness of your facility without going over budget. 

Our team at Lawton Brothers has read through the latest research to truly understand quality scores. Below, this article explains what we have found from that research, and why we believe cleanliness matters. 

CLEANING IS A PATIENT SAFETY ISSUE 

According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 10 patients get an infection while receiving care. And, according to Cleaning Hospital Room Surfaces to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections, in 2011, there were an estimated 721, 800 HAIs contracted in the United States, which led to 75,000 deaths. 

Rising medical costs and the fear of contracting HAIs during an extended hospital stay may deter patients from seeking medical treatment in a facility. 

Although they might not be aware of the exact standards of “quality cleaning,” the visual cleanliness of your facility plays a huge role in their perception of your organization. 

CLEANING YOUR HEALTHCARE FACILITY

There are five areas of cleanliness that healthcare facilities should think about:

• Workforce

• Area

• Substance

• Technique

• Equipment

Workforce & Area

Your environmental cleaning department has the responsibility to organize, execute and verify the healthcare facility's cleaning activity. Currently, many healthcare facilities go by “hotel clean,” with the added layer of a disinfecting routine. Hotel clean includes:

• Floors and baseboards are dust, stain and spill-free

• Walls, doors and ceilings are dust-free

• Furniture, window ledges, phones and carpets are dust-free

• Bathroom facilities are dust and stain-free

• Mirrors and windows are dust and streak-free

• Water is disposed of

• Furniture or items that are broken are replaced

During the room clean, environmental cleaning services should also ask themselves:

1. Are surfaces high touch or low touch?

2. What unit is this room on (conference room vs intensive care)?

3. What is the expected amount of body fluids that will come in contact with surfaces?

According to the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control Guidelines for Environmental Cleaning and Decontamination, your environmental staff should have:

• Adequate cleaning resources that are devoted to their department

• Procedures for cleaning and disinfecting 

• Education and continued training 

Unfortunately, even with an educated environmental cleaning department, if they aren’t using the right cleaning solution, it won’t matter. 

Substance, Technique and Equipment

For each type of surface that is contaminated, it seems like there is a different chemical solution that your team will need, including alcohol, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and many more. To read a full description of these cleaning surfaces, read our blog International Infection Prevention, here. 

CLEANING AND DISINFECTING YOUR FACILITY

Buying the cleaning supplies, equipment or education your healthcare facility and its employees will need can get expensive. But, what’s the cost associated with not investing in the cleanliness of your facility? Those costs could include:

• Increased HAI outbreaks, which have an estimated $100 trillion cost globally by 2050

• Increased deaths due to HAI outbreaks

• Missed surgical revenue due to slow turnaround times

• Increased patient-stay times

• Decrease in revenue due to patients not returning after contracting an HAI

The upfront costs associated with investing in proper training and high-quality cleaning products will be beneficial in the long-run. 

We Can Help.

Unfortunately, you have a large healthcare facility that needs to be cleaned, but cleaning supplies and employee education can be expensive. At Lawton Brothers, we work with healthcare facilities for solutions that fall within their budget, including cleaning supplies, equipment management and employee training.

Our training programs include:

• ISSA CMI - Cleaning Industry Training Standard Verified Courses

• CMI General Courses: General Cleaning, Restroom, Customer Service and Safety & HazCom 

• Workload, Bidding & Estimating Workshop

• Green Cleaning for Health

• OSHA Right to Know / GHS HazCom

• Bloodborne Pathogens

• Carpet Care 

• Restroom Care 

• Disinfecting & Sanitizing

• Equipment Use & Care 

To talk with a customer representative about what we can do for your facility, give us a call: 800-432-0813 

Red wine, puppy prints, coffee spills...all have made their way to our carpets at one point or another.

Thankfully, we have come across a list of carpet cleaning hacks you won't want to miss!

Need a deeper clean for ...

Red wine, puppy prints, coffee spills...all have made their way to our carpets at one point or another.

Thankfully, we have come across a list of carpet cleaning hacks you won't want to miss!

Need a deeper clean for your home or business? Contact us for a cleaning consultation today!

As summer officially comes to an end and fall is rushed in by a gust of cool wind, all things "fall" start to come to mind. More cozy nights spent inside, days getting shorter, and holidays peeking around the ...

As summer officially comes to an end and fall is rushed in by a gust of cool wind, all things "fall" start to come to mind. More cozy nights spent inside, days getting shorter, and holidays peeking around the corner. As we ready our homes for more time spent indoors, here is a list of the top things we can do to make our homes extra cozy and clean.

Start with the Kitchen and Bathrooms

By tackling the tough (and more disgusting) cleaning first, the rest is downhill from there:

1. Clean your refrigerator. Inside, outside, and underneath!

2. Clean your kitchen grout.

3. Clean your oven. Lot's of baking and roasting coming!

4. Tackle cleaning your garbage can. Bring it outside and hose it down before it gets too cold.

5. Clean the inside of your dishwasher. Run a cycle of white vinegar in there to clean and disinfect.

6. Clean your shower.

7. Clean your bathroom grout. 

Move on to the Bedroom and Closets

1. Switch out seasonal clothes. The dreaded clothes update for you and your little ones will make life less stressful and less cluttered.

2. Wash and update your bedding. Clean comforters, switch out duvets.  Flip over your mattress.

3. Vacuum under the bed and dust off the furniture.

Clean the Living Room

1. Vacuum and dust off and under the furniture.

2. Polish wood furniture.

3. Dust off real and fake plants.

4. Sanitize and clean remotes. 

5. Dust off TV screens.

Everywhere

1. Wash your windows and window sills.

2. When windows will no longer be opened for winter, be sure they aren't drafty. Use rope putty caulking to seal large gaps and put up window film. Check condition of weather stripping on exterior doors, clean and polish brass hinges and knobs.

3. Wipe down the walls and baseboards.

4. Spot clean rugs and carpets.

5. Clean door knobs, light switch plates and outlet covers (carefully).

6. Clean your washer and dryer.

7. Remove lent from inside the dryer vent and from underneath the dryer.

8. Let in more light by dusting all light bulbs and light fixtures.

If You're Feeling Squirrely

1. Clean out your rain gutters.

2. Dust your ceiling fans.

3. Replace your air filter.

4. Replace your fire alarm batteries.

If you're still going, it's time to go clean out the garage...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We’re not busting out the Christmas carols just yet, but we are talking about the kids going back to school (pairs perfectly with pumpkin spice latte time). As the school year ramps ...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! We’re not busting out the Christmas carols just yet, but we are talking about the kids going back to school (pairs perfectly with pumpkin spice latte time). As the school year ramps up, the kids will bring home all kinds of goodies…especially germs. The classroom is a petri dish full of germs just waiting to jump on the hands of our kiddos.

Here are 5 of the best ways to keep your kids healthy as they head back to school:

1. Teach your kids about proper hand washing. How to wash their hands and when to wash their hands. Many kids (and parents too) forget to wash their hands after blowing their nose, before they eat and after they go to the bathroom. Proper hand washing is a vital component of staying well.

2. Help your child with proper hygiene etiquette. Avoid the flu and the common cold by teaching your child not to share cups, not to touch their eyes and to keep their hands to themselves.

3. Get some sleep! Sleep is important not only to physical and emotional health, it is important academically as well!  Getting the proper amount of sleep for your child’s age is a key to overall health and happiness. To calculate how much sleep your child needs for their age, check out: How many hours of sleep does my child need?

4. Don’t skip breakfast. With all the shuffling around and begging kids to get out of bead, breakfast can often be overlooked. Make sure your child eats a nutritious breakfast. Pass on the sugary cereal and bring on the bananas and Greek yogurt.

5. Get a backpack that won’t break their back. Backpacks are heavy and our kids somehow end up carrying a lot more on their backs than they should. Do your research and find a backpack that has the support and structure that they need. 

In preparation of Hurricane Dorian, many people have readied their homes and businesses for potential impact from the storm. There are many precautions you can take to avoid damage to your home or business. Equally important there are several things ...

In preparation of Hurricane Dorian, many people have readied their homes and businesses for potential impact from the storm. There are many precautions you can take to avoid damage to your home or business. Equally important there are several things you should NOT do before, during, or after a hurricane...

Hurricane DON'TS

Don't overlook flood concerns. The coast is not the only area that flooding occurs during a storm. Know if your home or business is in an area prone to flooding and take necessary precautions like sandbagging the yard or property.

Don't underestimate the storm. If you are in a watch or warning area, it is something to take seriously.

Don't go near windows. Unpredictable wind can hurl objects in many directions potentially breaking glass. 

Don't go near wandering or stray animals after a storm. Animals can become unnerved during and after a storm and otherwise friendly pets may bite. It is also a bad idea to let your pets wander after a storm. They may encounter displaced animals or get lost without familiar landmarks in sight.

Don't empty your swimming pool. The water table can rise during a hurricane and you run the risk of the pool lifting up out of the ground.

Don't drive through moving water. If there is even 6" of water, your car could begin to float.

Don't tape your windows. Contrary to popular belief, tape does not stabilize or secure glass. Board up your windows instead.

Don't cook inside using a charcoal or gas grill. 

Don't forget to back up your CPAP machine using a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply). This will ensure your CPAP machine will run through the night if the power goes out.

Don't touch metal fences after a storm. Powerlines could be down and metal will conduct electricity.

Don't get tricked into thinking the storm is over. The eye could be passing overhead and winds could pick up momentarily.

Don't stay once an evacuation order has been issued. If you decide to stay, emergency worker will not be able to reach you until after the storm is over.

Don't forget that carbon monoxide is a silent killer. If you have experienced an electrical outage from a storm or have used alternative fuels or generators, don't be caught off-guard by this poisonous gas. It can't be detected by smell or sight, so it can kill you before you even notice it. Make sure you are aware of the proper precautions for alternative fuels if the electricity is out. It’s more than just keeping them outdoors.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you are not prepared or could use a hand, don't be afraid to ask someone to help you.

DO make sure to be a good neighbor. Check on your elderly neighbors and assist people when possible. Be safe and stay dry!

Green cleaning has been becoming more and more popular among commercial facilities and 2019 may be the year when green cleaning completely takes over in the janitorial world. But, what makes green cleaning so important? One critical factor is the ...

Green cleaning has been becoming more and more popular among commercial facilities and 2019 may be the year when green cleaning completely takes over in the janitorial world. But, what makes green cleaning so important? One critical factor is the potential harm that may result from the use of traditional cleaning chemicals. It is important for public facilities, such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes to understand the science behind cleaning and how the chemicals in many products may affect human health.

Properly selecting and using green cleaning products may help to safeguard the safety and health of your building occupants as well as the planet. Science has made it quite clear that the products used for cleaning can have a significant impact on building occupants. Many traditional products have been shown to contribute to health problems such as skin, eye and respiratory irritation as well as allergic and asthma reactions; all of which may lead to complaints and hurt attendance and productivity. To ensure your facility is putting their best foot forward when it comes to green cleaning in 2019, here are a few suggestions for replacing cleaning products with those that reduce potential harm.

Third-Party Certified Labeling

The biggest change in your facility could be represented by what chemicals are used. One of the most important factors to consider is that a green cleaning program in 2019 will shift the focus away from the appearance of the space in favor of the health of the space and its occupants. So, a clean facility is also a healthy facility and one that looks good as well. Green cleaning products should include carpet cleaners, hard floor cleaners, general purpose cleaners, disinfectants, odor control, hand soaps and janitorial paper products. It is essential that each product meets one or more of the proper third-party certified labeling standards, which include:

• Green Seal Certified

• GREENGUARD certified

• CRI Green Label Certified

• EPA DFE Certified

• FSC Certified

• ECOLOGO Certified

Train Your Staff

It is important that you train your staff on the green cleaning practices you want to put in place. Although the custodial staff should be trained at their time of hire, it is essential that regular training sessions and reviews occur even after their initial hiring period. Educating your staff about the need for the change, the benefits of green cleaning and the differences between using traditional cleaners and green cleaners will help to implement the program. Make sure everyone is trained, not just those who will be using the new products and equipment. This will help to ensure that everyone understands that you are transitioning to a green cleaning program and how the processes and products will be different when going forward.

Green Cleaning Equipment

One of the components of a comprehensive green cleaning program is the cleaning equipment used. When replacing the cleaning equipment to greener products, there are three characteristics that each new piece of cleaning equipment should have:

• Ergonomic design, which is necessary to minimize the vibration and noise as well as user fatigue

• Safeguards, which are necessary to ensure that the building surfaces do not experience any damages during cleaning

• When possible, look for equipment that has been made with recycled materials and/or materials that can be reused, repurposed and/or recycled at the end of its lifespan.

One of the most important parts of switching to a green cleaning program includes considering where your cleaning supplies will be stored. It is recommended that a locked janitorial closet be in an easily accessible location and that it includes proper hot and cold water supplies as well as a drain system. It is also important to implement the use of a cleaning log, preferably in or near the janitorial closet. The log should include when cleaning was done, the areas that were cleaned and what cleaning products were used in each area. Keep in mind that it is common for employees and janitorial staff to “slip” back into non-green cleaning habits, so it is essential that routine training classes and set cleaning standards be enforced.

Employee productivity is a key metric for any successful business. Many companies will invest heavily in new technologies, machinery, and company floorspace. While a modern and well-designed place of business is effective it is important not to overlook daily tasks ...

Employee productivity is a key metric for any successful business. Many companies will invest heavily in new technologies, machinery, and company floorspace. While a modern and well-designed place of business is effective it is important not to overlook daily tasks and how this relates to overall efficiency and employee happiness. A clean facility is heavily valued by employees and in many cases is more important to them than the latest technological advancements. Here is a brief overview of a survey which reflects employee opinions on company cleanliness and its importance to their daily work.    

Clean Facilities Boost Employee Productivity

Having clean facilities is greatly valued by employees in the manufacturing industry. A survey taken in November 2018 showed that alongside company efficiency, which 96% of those surveyed viewed as increasing overall job satisfaction, cleanliness was a close second at 94%. Employees’ overall job happiness and their productivity are also closely related. Workers value a clean and orderly business and this not only makes them better workers but also happier ones.   

• Increases Morale: employee morale is critical in overall company performance. Employees greatly value a well run and clean organization and such efficiency outranks even having the latest technology in terms of importance to employees. The above-noted survey rated the latest technology as having an importance of 87% versus cleanliness scoring 94%.

• Day To Day Tasks: manufacturing as an industry is one with many rules and regulations. In addition to meeting local and federal compliance, a clean working environment also increases productivity and overall morale. A clean organization is a well-run one that is detail focused and daily activities can be performed consistently and without any unforeseen setbacks due to a lack of oversight.  

• Helps In Daily Work: simple cleaning tools help employees perform their day to day activities and increases efficiency. 87% of those surveyed noted that even basic wiping and cleaning tools helped them perform their daily activities.

• Other Figures: when surveyed workers (9 out of 10) believed easy access to cleaning products increased their productivity and happiness. 94% of employees surveyed felt that a clean and healthy workplace improve their overall happiness with 54% of those agreeing to this agreeing strongly. 67% of respondents noted they used rags for cleanup this unhygienic and not nearly as efficient as disposable cleaning materials. Finally, 60% of workers surveyed felt that a clean environment increased their productivity while 93% felt it directly impacted their happiness.     

As these figures illustrate a clean environment creates a more productive and unified business. This increase in productivity is also boosted by an increase in employee morale. It is important to note that good morale and high productivity figures often go hand in hand and high morale is often reflected in quality work. A hygienic workplace is an efficient one that also engages workers. The investment in cleanliness and upkeep is an important one that pays off in both respectability, happy employees, and a well-run workplace.   

Green Cleaning

Green technologies have become important in several different industries in matters of production, products, and business applications. Green cleaning has become a part of hygienic practices and industrial cleaning activities. Some factors that define a cleaning process as Green (which can be used in manufacturing environments) include the following practices:   

• Proper Application: many cleaning activities have bad practices that limit overall effectiveness and hygiene. This can be something as simple as overusing cleaning cloths and not switching to new ones which can spread germs. A green approach values proper methodology and the use of cleaning materials.   

• Not Overusing Chemicals: green cleaning also considers the chemicals being used. Many cleaning chemicals are quite strong and increasing their use does not improve effectiveness. Often this is wasteful and can cause chemical overexposure as well.

• Taking The Proper Amount Of Time: many cleaning products have to be given time to ‘set’ and disinfect a surface area. A green cleaning method keeps this in mind and allows cleaning materials the proper amount of time needed to work.   

• Scheduling And Training: cleaning methods should be properly explained with employee training and cleaning should follow a precise schedule and performed when outlined (i.e. spills should not be ignored).

Air quality is referring to the condition of the air within your surroundings. Good air quality is the degree to which the air is clear, clean and free from pollutants such as dust, smoke and smog and other gaseous impurities ...

Air quality is referring to the condition of the air within your surroundings. Good air quality is the degree to which the air is clear, clean and free from pollutants such as dust, smoke and smog and other gaseous impurities within the air. Poor air quality can affect human health as well as the health of the environment. Contrary to popular belief, air pollution doesn’t just happen outdoors; it can also affect the air that breathed inside your workplace. Shared public places, such as schools, restaurants and hospitals are breeding grounds for viruses and bacteria that make you sick. Allergens and dust can irritate sinuses and a bad odor can leave a bad impression on your facility; this is why improving indoor air quality is an extremely important part of your facilities maintenance. Since it is so vital to take the appropriate steps to maintain clean air inside of your facility and to ensure a healthy environment for the occupants, here are a few steps you can take to clean up the air inside your facility.

Keep the Floors Clean

Dust, dirt and grime naturally accumulate quickly on floors, especially as people track in particles from the outdoors. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting the floors should be included as a routine part of the cleaning process. The first step to keeping floors clean is with the use of door matting. It is also important to use a powerful vacuum with a HEPA filter. When vacuuming, be sure to go over each area twice to make sure all allergens are captured. When cleaning hard flooring, use a microfiber dust mop to remove dirt and dust, followed by the use of a clean, microfiber mop, clean water and environmentally safe floor cleaner to ensure floors are clean and sanitized. Replace floor matting immediately to prevent tracking of dirt and grime.

Keep Waste Receptacles Clean

Trash cans and recycling bins are a potentially high source of airborne contaminants. If trash isn’t removed daily, it can pose a serious threat to the air quality of your facility by getting recycled through the HVAC system. Be sure trash and recycling receptacles are routinely cleaned with a disinfecting cleaner and protect the receptacles from gathering unnecessary grime and waste by lining them with a sturdy can liner.

Monitor Chemical Use

From floor cleaners to dust removers, there is a wide range of chemicals that may be found in your usual cleaners. These cleaners often result in unpleasant scents, which can significantly affect air quality. It is important to use scented cleaners that can withstand dilution, which will help to reduce the odor. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are extremely hazardous air pollutants that may jeopardize the health of the occupants in your facility. VOCs can be found in wide variety of cleaning products, sometimes without your knowledge, so it is important when ordering your cleaning supplies to speak with the janitorial supplies provider about ordering cleaning products that are free from or low VOC.

Replace HVAC Filter

Your facility’s heating and air conditioning system play an essential role in the air quality of your facility. The HVAC filter is responsible for trapping particles like dust and pollen, which may start to be recirculated throughout the facility if it isn’t appropriately dealt with. It is essential that you change the HVAC filters once a month to prevent irritants from finding their way into the indoor airflow.

While searching for products to help eliminate odor, but keep your facility clean and sanitized, you should avoid using products that contain artificial scents and high chemical levels. One of the worst things you can use in your facility is aerosol sprays to cover odors. Aerosol sprays will increase the chemicals in the air; these chemicals contain micro-particles that may be harmful to lungs. When looking for cleaning products for your facility, try to use environmentally friendly cleaning products without fragrances to keep the air pure.  If there is easy access to windows, open them throughout the day to allow fresh air into the building and to help circulate toxins to the outside. Maintain a regular cleaning schedule and encourage all employees to keep work areas clean and free from dust.