Hackensack University Medical Center - Where medicine meets innovation

The Green Dirt

Cleaning News For People And The Planet

Environmental Services Staffing Methodologies

Staffing is by far the largest expense the environmental services (ES) department incurs, typically accounting for 75–80 percent of total department spending. Given these numbers, it’s clear that staffing has the ability to make or break the financial backbone of the entire departmental budget. Read more

Tips To Keep VCT Flooring looking Great

Vinyl composition tile (VCT) is one of the most common types of hard surface floorings cleaning professionals will encounter. It is durable, relatively easy to clean, and inexpensive when compared to most other floor types. Read more

Terrazzo Makes A Comeback

Although many cleaning contractors, distributors, and facility managers may not realize it, a flooring material that dates back to the 1400s is currently making a big comeback. Terrazzo floors are increasingly being installed in both commercial and residential settings. Read more

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	Ten Reasons To Have Carpets Cleaned Year Round As the weather warms and people head outdoors, it is important that custodial departments don't lose sight of what needs to be done inside. Read more
	Promoting Cleaning Efficiencies As Budgets Get Cut There’s a new C. diff in town and it’s a superbug designed to kill with ease. There’s also a new federal healthcare law rolling in that’s stripping away the very defenses hospitals may have to fight it — money. Read more
	Healthy Workplaces Start In The Restroom I recently spent a week vacationing at a major theme park resort. With two little boys in tow, we made frequent restroom breaks in between rides and shows. Since more than 40,000 visitors pass through the parks each day, I expected my restroom experience to be completely touch-free to limit the potential for cross-contamination. Read more
	Maintain Floors By Increasing Cleaning Frequency To combat winter’s damaging conditions, BSCs need to keep sidewalks meticulously clean, free of ice melt and sand, by sweeping them off or shoveling them regularly; double the amount of matting used in building entrances; and beef up cleaning frequencies. Read more
	Reducing Cross Contamination Of Toilet Tissue While sanitizing the toilet tissue dispenser is not top of mind, it is a restroom touchpoint facility executives should not ignore. A toilet tissue dispenser is a surface that can serve as a transmission route for disease-causing microorganisms. Read more
	Exposing Carpet Care Culprits That Lead To Soil Wicking Coffee stains, juice spills, overturned soda cans: When it comes to carpet cleaning, these can be a custodian’s worst nightmare — and a source of frustration when spots reappear weeks after being treated. These repeat offenders are often the result of soil wicking, a challenge in any carpet maintenance program. Read more
	Use A Restroom Cleaning Checklist Any restroom cleaning process should be coupled with spot and regular inspections by supervisors, at least once a day, depending on traffic, says Traudt. This includes not just inspecting the restrooms to make sure that they are clean and well-stocked, but also checking the maintenance closet and the maid cart to make sure they have the correct amount of cleaning tools and solutions available to staff. Read more