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Ensuring Chemical Safety

In early November 2019 in Burlington, MA, a Buffalo Wild Wings employee accidentally mixed an acid-based cleaner with bleach when cleaning their kitchen floors. This caused for toxic fumes to generate and fill the air, resulting in one fatality and up to 13 injuries to other customers and workers. This tragic occurrence should be viewed by all members of the janitorial industry as an example as to why proper chemical use training is vitally important. Mixing unknown chemicals can be extremely dangerous and should always be avoided.

At C.M. Cleaning, we spend ample time educating our staff of the dangers of mixing unknown chemicals. Using chemicals with appropriate dilution, labeling, and instruction is key to a safe workplace. We work hard at being knowledgeable of our cleaning chemicals, ensuring our dispensing equipment is in working order, and that our bottles and storage our properly labeled. When it comes to chemical use, safety is top priority! For your own personal health and safety, please see the helpful tips below

  1. Never mix any cleaning products. Even if a chemical mixture does not give off fumes, it can still be dangerous. Once used, some cleaning products can leave behind residue or low quantities of liquid that may be harmful to the skin. Without the proper training, one may not know that combining seemingly harmless cleaning products can still be dangerous.
  • Bleach and mixed products. Mixing bleach with any product can lead to the generation of toxic chlorine gas which may result in a variety of respiratory illnesses or even death. It is crucial to take an incident where bleach is mixed with cleaning products very seriously.
  • If chemicals are mixed, here are the next steps to take.
  • At first sign of a gaseous substance or respiratory distress, immediately evacuate the area and move to a well-ventilated area, preferably the outdoors. Do not attempt to clean up the mixture yourself.
  • If you have inhaled any amount of gas or suspect that you have, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. If you have not inhaled any gas, call poison control and have all relevant Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) ready and available.
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How To Keep Restrooms Graffiti Free

It’s not uncommon for custodial employees to walk into a restroom stall, clean the essentials, mop the floor and then move on to the next one. This type of cleaning covers the bare minimum but there is more that a cleaner with the right eye and training can do. One example of something that may be left behind is drawings on the stall doors and walls, known as graffiti. If you are training and pushing your staff to clean the right way, they should look at a stall from the user’s  perspective which would lead them to notice graffiti on the walls. This is done by going completely inside and closing the door behind them to get the view the customer or user sees.

Graffiti becomes a very common thing in the restrooms, especially at schools and accumulates quickly if not taken care of. Graffiti on the wall promotes more graffiti and most of it tends to be offensive. When the employees at C.M. Cleaning are trained (especially in school environments) we take careful measures to ensure that inspections of restrooms are done and the cleaners are being thorough to prevent graffiti from getting out of control. Taking these measures allows us to stay ahead of the graffiti and have the bathroom looking good.

We also use red microfiber towels in all our bathrooms to clean away the graffiti because if you use abrasive materials it can damage the painted surfaces. By using these cloths and a general-purpose cleaner or graffiti remover which all employees have, it allows the removal of any graffiti to be near effortless.

At C.M. Cleaning we push our employees to go above and beyond to make sure everything, including the bathroom stalls, are cleaned to their fullest to leave the customer happy and the bathroom graffiti free.

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The Easy Difference Between Disinfect, Sanitize, and Sterilize!

The want and need for sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces has drastically increased in recent years in order to take proactive measures to keep yourself and your workforce healthy. However it is important to know the differences in the processes and chemicals for each procedure.

Not sure where to start? That’s where C.M. Cleaning and our trained staff can help! When thinking of preventing illness from a cleaning standpoint, often words that come to mind are “disinfect” and “sanitize”. The issue is that these words are often used interchangeably. While they do have similarities, they are used for different applications.

  • Sanitization: Significantly reduces the overall parthenogenic microbes and bacteria on a surface, thus reducing the chances of getting sick.
  • Disinfection: Almost completely reduces the parthenogenic microbes and bacteria on a surface. Disinfectants require dwell time to be effective against the microbes they advertise to eliminate and for this reason are more effective than sanitizers.
  • Sterilization: The process of decontamination by utilizing a combination of chemical application, heat, and/or pressure to eliminate any and all parthenogenic microbes and bacteria on a surface.

Disinfection, sanitization, and sterilization are all processes of decontamination, however, they differ in application and effect. Sanitizers reduce the overall number of parthenogenic microbes (the microorganisms that make us sick), on an inanimate or living surface. Sanitizers have a more broad and immediate use against a wide range of microbes to reduce the overall number of microbes on a surface, thus reducing the chances of illness.

A disinfectant has a stronger effect than a sanitizer on certain parthenogenic microbes. Disinfectants normally have a more focused and specific use against certain bacteria, viruses, and disease. Disinfectants also require a “dwell time” to be effective, meaning they must remain on an inanimate surface for a certain period of time to be effective against the advertised microbe(s). Additionally, Disinfectant are effective on inanimate surfaces. However, many disinfectants are weakened by organic matter such as living tissue, or feces. To summarize, disinfectants can be stronger than sanitizers, but require a more specific and meticulous application to be effective.

Steps to cleaning
Let’s separate Disinfecting, Sanitizing, and Sterilizing the easy way!

Finally, Sterilization utilizes chemical application to decontaminate, but additionally incorporates heat and/or pressure to completely eliminate any and all parthenogenic microbes. For example, here at C.M. Cleaning we offer “Roto-Vac” service for ceramic tile, a flooring product often used in bathrooms. This process sterilizes a restroom floor by using a combination of chemical (with dwell time), as well as water heated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and dispensed onto the floor at 900 PSI. the water is then extracted from the floor simultaneously, leaving the floor completely clean and sanitized.

If your place of business is in need of proactive measures this cold & flu season, call the professionals at C.M. Cleaning Company to tailor a solution to your specific needs!

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Benefits of Ultrasonic Cleaning

C.M. Cleaning is excited to introduce Ultrasonic Cleaning to our wide variety of janitorial solutions! This cleaning process is a system with which sound waves are applied to a tub of water and mild cleaning solution. Ultrasonic cleaning machines are designed to clean a range of objects. From jewelry to window blinds, golf clubs and children’s toys, ultrasonic cleaning is equally effective on items both large and small. This machine uses Prowave digital generators to vibrate metal plates at a frequency of 25 to 40 kHz to create millions of tiny bubbles. This process is called cavitation. The machine then creates targeted pressure on dirty and

contaminated areas of an object to power clean with unique precision, breaking up soot, grime, grease, and dirt without tedious hand wiping or use of harsh chemicals. The ultrasonic process successfully cleans small spaces and crevices, meaning that some machine parts or objects that would normally have to be dissembled before being cleaned, may not have to! The sound waves that are created can penetrate even the smallest groove, crevice and detail of an object and gently lift away any contaminants. Studies on the ultrasonic cleaning process have even demonstrated that as few as three minutes of ultrasonic exposure removed more than 99.9% of blood on contaminated medical instruments. Ultrasonic cleaners aim increase cleaning efficiency, as they can access those hard to reach placed with ease. So, whether it is window blinds, ceiling vents, machinery parts, or toys from your daycare center, ultrasonic cleaning will bring it’s appearance back to new!

Ultrasonic cleaning service

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5 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Janitorial Service

When it comes to choosing your facility’s dream janitorial service provider, it really boils down to handful of things. You want to choose a company that is trustworthy with regard to security access to your building, reliable and gives you peace of mind, and promises exemplary quality and customer service. But, once you’ve found janitorial provider, are you doing enough on your end to get the most out of the service you are paying for? At C.M. Cleaning Company, we are dedicated to a hands-on approach and continued support to you and your facility long after the initial cleaning.

  • Building a strong relationship with your account manager is a great place to start when looking to get the most out of your cleaning service since open communication and comfortability level with us has been our key to success. Account managers at C.M. Cleaning are 100% dedicated to your needs and will go out of their way to make something happen when requested. When you ask us to jump, our only response is how high. We are frequently stopping at your facility to check in with you briefly, inspect your facility for quality, and be proactive about any deficiencies we may be able to catch before you have to hear about it. Having open lines of communication with your account manager can also be a huge benefit in keeping your facility looking it’s best because management will get to better know your facility and pet peeves allowing us to target those areas. Better yet, our service doesn’t stop at cleaning. Need a painter? Landscaper? Construction company? Just ask! We are always happy to provide a reference from our trusted network of service providers. Having pride in your facility and/or business is a cornerstone to success, and having the right relationship with your janitorial service plays a key role in your appearance and business culture.
  • Reporting accidents, spills, or staining immediately upon occurrence can help us help you! For example, if your facility is predominately carpeted flooring, time is of the essence! The sooner we are informed of the spot or stain, the greater likelihood we will be able to remove it. Additionally, the more you can educate us about what was spilled the better. By knowing exactly what spilled, our technicians can gauge their chemical use and method to have the best chance of making it disappear.
  • Letting us know of complaints or concerns as soon as someone mentions something, no matter how small it may be will allow us to squash the issue before it has the chance to escalate. In knowing the exact area or requested adjustment in our cleaning regiment will allow us the opportunity to get in contact with the correct staff member to rectify the situation promptly. Additionally, photos can go a long way! By sending or showing your account manager a photo of the problem area, we can immediately identify the issue and direct our staff to utilizing the appropriate cleaning method to correct the problem the right way- as they say a picture is worth a thousand words!Cleaning teamwork
  • Asking your staff to clear spaces in the appropriate setting is always a huge bonus to our cleaners enabling them to do the absolute most thorough job they can possibly do. For example, when cleaning a classroom, it is much more efficient to clean the space if the students leave the chairs up at the end of the day. In an office environment by clearing clutter on the top of your cubicle panel or desk space will allow us to better remove dust from your space. These acts of pro-activeness all allow our teams to more thoroughly clean your facility resulting in a better appearance, and cleaner environment for visitors and employees alike. The more space you give us to clean, the better result we can provide!
  • Keeping us informed about logistical changes can save everyone a headache! Providing us with your most up to date floor plans, alarm codes, keys, and building access is vital information for us, and unfortunately is sometimes the most overlooked. We understand that sometimes the cleaning company isn’t always the first you think of when making these types of changes, but ensuring that our information is up to date can save everyone including yourself time and frustration. We hate calling our customers after hours for matters as much as you hate picking up the phone at dinner time with your family, so being proactive about changed alarm codes and other security accesses will definitely pay off.

At C.M. Cleaning, your needs matter! We take great pride in all of our customer relationships, so never hesitate to reach out. There will always be an educated point of contact available to help your specific needs or requests. It’s this business mentality that has earned us the slogan “3 Generations, 1 Reputation”

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Backpack vacuums are essential to move in/move out cleanings

While conducting a turnover cleaning, a key part of the cleanup is filtration. As a building owner, you are trying to prepare your business to be clean and ready to open after a build or renovation. A big help to post construction cleaning is a backpack vacuum.

Here at C.M. Cleaning we use the ProTeam Supercoach Backpack Vacuum with HePa filters to trap the dust upon pickup. They also help cover as much ground as possible in shorter amounts of time to get the job done as efficiently and quickly as possible. The vacuums trap debris, soil and dust in the filters while vacuuming. The filters also sift out smaller particles to microscopic sizes which prevents iCleaning equipment servicempurities from re-entering the environment through the vacuums exhaust, leaving the site dustless.

Backpack vacuums clean faster than upright vacuums with the mobility of carrying it rather than pushing. They also allow more mobility and flexibility for cleaning beyond the floor, such as getting around furniture and detail cleaning under tight spaces.

Other vacuums can blow dust out of the exhaust and the alternative sweeping just pushes it around tending to leave small debris behind. ProTeam backpack vacuums are designed to reduce the risk of injury and clean more square footage with less energy and effort.

These vacuums are essential for post construction sites because of the ease of use and the fact that it prevents dust and other debris from going airborne.

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The Importance of Carpet Fiber Identification

In the cleaning industry, a multitude of chemicals are used on a daily basis for various surfaces. Knowing what chemicals to use on which surfaces can often affect the outcome of any given cleaning job or project, not just visually, but from a health and safety perspective as well. The difference between washing, disinfecting, and sanitizing, for example, must be properly differentiated in many environments such as a healthcare facility, and knowing which chemical products perform which of these tasks is crucial. The very same goes for carpet cleaning. Carpets in a commercial building versus a residence can vary greatly, as they are often made from different fibers.

When deep cleaning carpets using the hot water extraction method, there are many variables that come into play in order to perform the job correctly, most important of which is fiber identification. Every other variable for cleaning a carpet stems from identifying what the carpet is made of. The most effective way to identify the fiber type of a carpet is burn testing. By removing a single carpet fiber and holding it close to a flame, you can determine fiber type based on the way the fiber burns, and how the fiber smells when burning. For example, if a carpet is synthetic (made from nylon or olefin for example), it will form a hard, plastic bead once the flame is extinguished and smell like plastic. A protein or animal produced fiber (wool), will not stay lit once the flame is removed and often produces a burnt hair – like smell.

Depending on the fiber type, there is an expanse of chemicals that can span across everything from a typical olefin or nylon commercial carpet, to an animal product fiber or fine oriental rug. Not only does the industry have fiber specific chemicals, but also goal specific chemicals depending on fiber. For example, some pre-sprays and shampoos can be used on high traffic areas to reduce discoloration and yellowing, or heavier degreasers to remove soils tracked into a building from a production floor or the outdoors. So, next time you are considering a deep carpet cleaning, call our expert team at C.M. Cleaning. You can trust that our technicians will be knowledgeable and informed, using the right products to yield a result that is often visually impactful, and always guaranteed to be truly clean.

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Importance of Disinfecting “High-Touch” Areas During Cold & Flu Season

It’s that time of year again; Cold and Flu season. It seems like no matter where you turn, there is someone sneezing, coughing, and sniffling. It may seem inevitable that illness will seek you out in densely populated indoor areas like work or school, but hold on hope! If your janitorial program is prepared, they can help to reduce the risk of spreading illness throughout your facility. Image result for cleaning door handles

Every building has those “high-touch” areas that a janitorial professional should take extra care to clean and disinfect daily, year-round. These areas can include but are not limited to: water fountains, door handles, faucet knobs, and even shared office equipment, furniture, and supplies. According to Bill Balek of ISSA, high-touch surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at least two times per day during peak Cold and Flu season. As the weather gets colder, our highly trained staff at C.M. Cleaning know to target these areas specifically. In doing so, we can help to reduce the spread of germs and bacteria that contribute to Cold and Flu. Additionally, C.M. Cleaning utilizes a program to minimize cross contamination. For example, by utilizing color coded micro fiber cloths for different surfaces throughout your facility, and different wet mops for different areas of flooring, we ensure that the same germs found on a bathroom floor are not being spread to your building’s cafeteria by the same wet mop. By tailoring a program like this to your facility, we can ensure that high-touch areas are properly cleaned multiple times during your work day.

 

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Risks of Dust in the Office

Dust is everywhere making it easy to ignore until it starts to build up and become visible. Believe it or not, much of the makeup of dust is dead skin cells but some of it can also be toxic chemicals. Lead and pesticides have been found in dust, and when disturbed, these pollutants are put into the air allowing them to be breathed in. The three risks from breathing in dust is asthma, allergies, and dermatitis.

Asthma: Bacteria from by-products found in dust can trigger an asthma attack.

Allergies: Many people are allergic to dust and too much in the air can trigger these allergies to start. Symptoms such as itchy and watery eyes, sneezing and a runny or stuffy nose can occur.

Dermatitis: Inhaling dust can cause skin rashes such as eczema. In homes, young children can also get atopic dermatitis if they have been crawling on rugs with dust inside the fibers.

It is impossible to have a completely dust free home or office, but to reduce the amount of dust you can limit the amount of carpet in an area or perform thorough cleaning. Carpets are a breeding ground for dust and Cleaning bagsrequire more cleaning to prevent the amount of dust. Air purifiers reduce the number of airborne particles which will also reduce the amount of dust. When dusting remember to use products that will pick up and trap dust instead of just moving it around.

Having a dust free office or home will help reduce the chance of the people in the facility getting sick. At C.M. Cleaning we use ProTeam backpack vacuums with HePa Filters to trap dust. These vacuums conveniently trap the dust while cleaning inside the filters instead of releasing it from the carpet and allowing it to go airborne. This allows the air to stay cleaner, and for nobody to be breathing in unhealthy air.

We also use yellow dust cloths that we wrap the feather dusters in so when we dust the particles do not go airborne. These yellow dust cloths grab and pick up more particles to reduce the amount of dust left behind.

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The Importance of Upholstery Cleaning

Regular vacuuming and wiping down of upholstery furniture is beneficial to keeping the office looking and smelling good. Over time dirt, grime and spills can take their toll on upholstered surfaces, making them look tired and worn out. Deep cleaning will keep upholstery looking like new, and extend the life of the piece.

Office furniture gets more wear and tear than furniture in your home. You spend more time on average at the workplace and track in dirt and allergies all day long. A cleaner, better-looking office provides a better business atmosphere for your employees. Commercial upholstery should also receive a professional deep steam cleaning one to two times a year. This is especially true if pens are dropped frequently on the upholstery leaving ink stains.

When stains get grounded into the upholstery it decreases the life span of the furniture making it look old and unattractive. When furniture does not undergo deep steam cleaning, stains and marks can eventually become permanent. When you hire a professional cleaner, they have special tools to easily remove these stains, making the furniture last longer.Remove food stain on furniture

Upholstery naturally collects many different pollutants, especially dust mites. Chairs and sofas that hardly get cleaned have tons of dust on them. The dust is not only on the surface but in the padding deep inside and comes out into the air every time the furniture is used.

Along with dust, upholstery can contain many different types of allergens and harmful organisms such as mold, bacteria, pollen and viruses. These organisms can be released into the environment each time someone sits down on a sofa or chair. Deep cleaning removes many more organisms than a surface cleaning keeping the workplace cleaner for everyone.

At C.M. Cleaning our staff is trained to pay particular attention to details when performing your custom cleaning program. Basic cleaning and vacuuming of your furniture and upholstery is done routinely and we are always ready to perform steam-cleaning as needed or requested.