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Air Duct and Ceiling Vent Cleaning

Indoor air pollution is the fourth greatest environmental threat to Americans based on the Environmental Protection Agency. Air Ducts can be found in lots of facilities, and while they are running they collect contaminants from the air passing through them. Having your air ducts cleaned can help improve the indoor air quality and the health of your employees.Building dust removal service

Indoor air is found to be 70% more polluted than outdoor air. The cleaning of air ducts can help lower this number. If moisture is present in the duct, then mold can also grow and spread throughout the duct and circulate when your duct is on. Since there is no additional ventilation pollutants that enter the area mainly stay there since they have nowhere else to go. Exposure to mold and pollutants can cause irritation of the eyes, skin, throat, and respiratory tract.  Headache, dizziness, and cold or flu like symptoms are also triggered by contaminants floating in the air and can cause a decrease of productivity of employees. In some people with preexisting conditions such as asthma or allergies, exposure to certain particles in the air can cause immediate attack.  Long-term exposure to higher than normal concentrations of indoor pollutants can lead to chronic issues and in the case of some chemicals, can cause fatal disease including cancer.

Proper cleaning of your air ducts would include: the registers, inside the duct and the interior of the heating and ventilation systems. Cleaning these ducts regularly can help with the wellness and allergies of the people in the building. C.M. Cleaning can help perform these tasks to keep improve your air quality and help the wellness of your employees.

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Why is Window Cleaning Important?

Although windows may not be the first thing that is noticed when you walk into a company, there are still benefits to having them cleaned. Windows should be cleaned at least two times a year in order to let in natural Clean windows servicelight and illuminate the building. Having clean windows will let the sun in and provide a bright, well-lit space. Working in this positive atmosphere leads to employees being more active and organized.

Clean windows also give a good impression to people who walk into the business. It provides customers with a positive image of the company unlike dirty windows which give off an image of neglect. This shows that you care about your building and employees.

Glass can be ruined if it is not regularly cleaned. Since glass is porous it can accumulate dirt overtime. If not cleaned it can lead to fragility, spottiness and the growth of microorganisms. Cleaning your windows regularly depending on your location can help keep the windows in a good shape making them last longer.

Lastly, how clean your windows are can affect the facility’s heat efficiency. If the windows are dirty UV rays will be reflected from the window and will prevent the sun from getting in and warming the space on cold days.

Next time you consider having your windows cleaned consider C.M Cleaning. We care about your satisfaction and you will be improving your facility with the help of a professional.

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How Do Closed Soap Dispensers Help Against Germs?

How clean a bathroom is heavily influences how people view that certain business. A 2011 study found that, “99% of United States adults would avoid a business in the future if they encountered dirty restrooms”. One way to help clean your bathroom clean is to use closed and automatic soap dispensers. This will increase the cleanliness and not give people a wrong impression.

By using closed dispensers in your businesses restroom, you can stop the spread of germs. 1 out of every 4 bulk fill soap dispensers in a public restroom are contaminated with harmful bacteria. Closed, sealed systems Bathroom sink cleaningare refilled with a sealed bag. They are extremely hygienic since air cannot enter the bags which minimizes the risk of contamination. It is also beneficial to the business because it can help control costs. This is because the sealed bag collapses as soap is used out of it to prevent overuse. These soap dispensers are low maintenance because it can be replaced in seconds and since the bag collapses, more washes can be provided.

In dispensers that are not sealed and closed, germs can build up in the dispenser bag and stay there since soap is just poured into the bag when it starts to run low. The first thought when you go to wash your hands is that they are going to be cleaner. When contaminated soap is used, it increases the germs on their hand by 25%.

Automatic soap dispensers use hand sensors to auto-dispense the soap so no hand- to – dispenser contact is made. These dispensers will help prevent the spread of germs.

Next time you go to look for the best soap system for your businesses bathroom consider something that is touch free, reliable, sustainable, function and antimicrobial protection which C.M. Cleaning can provide and service.

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How to Care for Your Concrete Floor

Recently, concrete has started to become more and more popular in commercial and residential properties. It has many benefits since there are many different colors and surface types to choose from and does not require as much attention, although it still does need proper cleaning and care to remain durable and look good.

According to a 2015 study, “As much as 80% of all the soil, dust, contaminants and moisture entering a facility are tracked in on the shoes of building staff and visitors”. Tracking these soils into a building is a prime factor in the wearing and scratching of concrete floors, but with the help of entrance mats these numbers can be decreased.Hallway with clean windows and floors

Sweeping or mopping your concrete floor is surprisingly not the most effective way to clean the floors- vacuuming is. Using a mop just pushes all the soils into the pores and cracks in the floor whereas vacuums pull the soil up and do not push it around the floor.

When dealing with big areas of concrete an automatic scrubber should be used to clean the floor. The scrubber not only cleans the floor but also extracts back up the water and the solution which is important because moisture is damaging to the concrete.

Sealing your concrete floor is not necessary if you take proper care of it daily. Some recommend sealing the floor in heavy traffic areas or large area floors. Sealant helps prevent soils and moisture from moving their way into cracks in the floor.

When in need of concrete flooring maintenance, always keep C.M. Cleaning in mind. We have the capabilities to handle all concrete cleaning jobs including vacuuming, scrubbing and sealing.

Remember that: water + foot traffic + time = wear.

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The Real Value of Cleaning

Not just another place to cut costs!

When it comes to cutting facility budgets (and who broke or stole the item from the conference room) for some reason the finger always gets pointed at the cleaning company. This is nothing new and has been one of the biggest problems facing cleaning company management teams for years. However, in reality the cleaning contract is one of the last places that should be considered when looking to cut a budget. The problem is that facilities managers and directors don’t have enough facts presented to them to back that theory up… that is, until now. It’s about time cleaning should be looked at as the profit center it truly is, instead of a major cost.Cleaning workers with cleaning van

Cleaning is an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. It is most importantly your best defense versus infection and reduces risk of transmission. With cut-rate cleaning companies, no cleaning company at all, or slacking in-house cleaning staff, quality is sacrificed and bacteria and viruses are more apt to grow. This quickly translates into sick employees, where based on studies from the International Sanitary Supply Association, cost a company $6-9k per year per employee based on 7.7 sick days. To put this into perspective an average of 2,000 people in work-fields are hospitalized for influenza each year.

Cleaner air and surfaces rid of allergens are also known to improve workplace productivity dramatically. Dust exposure to your employees causes a 2-6% decrease in cognitive skills (typing, memory, logical reasoning, and creative thinking), whereas cold/flu symptoms cause a 3-8% loss of overall performance. The most common places with levels of high contamination are desk phones, keyboards, computer mice, faucets, vending machine buttons, and door handles. If you like numbers, check this out: a 2-8% increase in productivity in a 100-associate office with an average salary of $25,000 annually equates to $125,000 in savings (ISSA.com/value). To end on a high note, an average of only 49% of people wash their hands after they use the restroom in their place of work; but who needs cleaners?

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The Importance of a Quality Inspection Program

What we’re doing behind the scenes to keep you looking good!

One of C.M. Cleaning’s core competencies is that the foundation of our business is built around quality assurance. Many cleaning companies will set a schedule for their staff to come clean your facility and assume they perform their routines flawlessly without any follow ups or inspections. The truth is cleaners are not robots, they are people too and without a well-planned janitorial quality inspection program instilled in a company’s daily function, there is no way of assuring the customer that they are receiving the highest level of service available.Cleaning supplies service

The age-old question is “what is the best way to measure clean?” To us, the answer is by measuring the quantity and severity of deficiencies we find in your building. By adding any deficiencies we find in our customer’s facilities to our inspection reports it helps us to improve the cleanliness of that building and evolve our cleaning staff’s attention to detail.

“Every company needs a janitorial quality inspection program because the better companies have them and the ones that don’t can’t compete” (Tony Maione- ISSA TV). We at C.M. Cleaning provide our managerial staff with the proper mobile tablets and devices to report deficiencies we see in our customer’s buildings quickly and efficiently to ensure any problems are taken care of promptly and we are always staying ahead. First impressions start with a clean facility and we are happy to provide that, with thanks to our quality inspection program.

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Preventing Cross-Contamination

The rapid spread of germs which cause illnesses such as the flu in winter is as predictable as the return of green grass and budding trees after the end of the dark cold season. According to the CDC, outbreaks which could be classified as epidemics can happen as early as October and last as late as May.  The timing and severity of outbreaks from year to year are unpredictable in part because the flu virus is constantly mutating resulting in exposure to new strains of the virus which our immune systems are more vulnerable to.

The most effective way to battle the spread of such viruses is to give special mind to the prevention of cross-contamination. It is counter productive in cleaning for example to clean different types of surfaces with certain wiping materials.  Cotton cleaning materials are inexpensive, but they are not very absorbent and will move contaminants around rather than pick them up.  Imagine for instance that a person infected with influenza School locker cleaningcoughs on a window next to their desk contaminating the surface.  A cotton cloth is used to wipe the window later in the day and then is used to wipe an adjacent desk used by another person.  The flu virus is transferred from a contaminated surface to one that could have well been free of the virus, spread via the surface of the cotton cloth.

C.M. Cleaning utilizes a simple solution to prevent cross-contamination of surfaces during cleaning. Microfiber cloths and mops, though more expensive than cotton are much more effective in absorbing harmful germs.  Microfiber materials consist of interlocking polyester and polyamide fibers which work to absorb 95% of bacteria from a surface inside of the fibers themselves rather than sitting on the surface of the cloth.  This is because the combination of the two fibers where they interlock creates millions of microscopic hooks that attract and absorb particles which contain viruses and bacteria.

While the material itself goes a long way in preventing cross-contamination, we utilize a best practice of designating certain cloths to certain surfaces by color coding/designating certain color mops and cloths to certain types of surfaces and/or areas. When using microfiber materials it is important to realize that in order to be effective microfiber cloth should be cleaned regularly after use, and that there are different variations of microfiber for different purposes.  Using the wrong type of microfiber cloth, or a dirty cloth on a delicate surface could cause damage.

At C.M. Cleaning, we are dedicated to offering the highest quality cleaning service to our customers. That is why we take the proper measures in preventing cross-contamination on all sites such using color coded microfiber cloths (red for bathroom areas and green for general purpose) as well as designating red mop sticks which use distinctly different mop heads in bathroom areas.  Be proactive in preventing the spread of winter illness and schedule your next cleaning with C.M. today.

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Prevent Viruses: Disinfect Or Sanitize?

Concern about the spread of Ebola has been a hot topic throughout the U.S. since the positive testing of Thomas Duncan on September 28. Duncan died a mere 11 days later in a Dallas hospital from the virus.

To be clear, Ebola is not an airborne organism, but is very contagious when transmitted via contact with bodily fluids – including sweat, saliva and blood. Today the CDC is recommending hospitals to use an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant with a label claim for a non-enveloped virus (e.g., norovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, poliovirus) to disinfect environmental surfaces in rooms of patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus infection. Ebola is the extreme when it comes to deadly viruses, but you can still take precautions to protect your staff from contagious viruses like Ebola!Cleaning table service

First you should know the basic differences between sanitizing and disinfecting surfaces the surfaces in your facility. As stated by the ISSA, “A disinfectant is a chemical that completely destroys all organisms listed on its label and reduce the level of pathogenic bacteria by 99.999 percent during a time frame greater than 5 minutes but custom writing essay service less than 10 minutes.” On the other hand, a sanitizer is listed by the ISSA as “a chemical that reduces the number of microorganisms to a safe level. It doesn’t need to eliminate 100 percent of all organisms to be effective.”

So go ahead and remember to disinfect hard surfaces when trying to rid your workplace or household of a virus or infectious disease. However, always sanitize around surfaces in which food prep takes place to avoid the risk of the harmful chemicals in disinfectants. If you have hired a company like C.M. Cleaning, there’s no need for concern- we’re ontop of it!

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Keeping your Building Secure

Security measures and workplace safety are important to the comfort and productivity of any business. As facilities managers, you take great care in keeping your facility safe and secure during work hours, so how does your cleaning company uphold your level of security at night? At C.M. Cleaning, we take pride in protecting your facility with equal care by implementing various security measures of our own, in addition to the safety programs already in place at your facilities.

One example is key encryption. When you hand us the keys to your building, you can rest assured knowing they are in good hands. For all of our customers, the keys are NOT labeled with the name of your business. Instead, we utilize a numeric system assigning each customer a custom account number. Your keys are labeled with this number only, so in the event of keys being lost, there is no need to worry about your keys being found with your business’s name attached to them, which could potentially be a security breach.

Additionally, for many businesses, the cleaning service occurs at night, or after normal business hours. This may mean that there is a cleaner in your building alone on a nightly basis. To ensure safety and efficiency, we have implemented our own time tracking system. Each of our employees is scheduled to clean your building during a certain time frame. Upon their arrival to your building, they utilize one of your facility’s telephonesCleaning service with building security to clock-in through the timing system. This allows us to view that they have begun their shift on location. Similarly, at the end of their shift, they utilize the system to clock-out. This system is much more than meets the eye as a payroll tool. The system sends us alerts if our employee has not clocked in on time, or if they do not clock out on time. So, if one of our employees were to ever be injured or became unconscious while alone in your building, we would be notified by the tracking system at the end of their shift if they have not clocked out. At that point, we can call the employee to investigate the situation, or send help if needed. On top of all this, T-Tracks allows us to simply know which of our personnel is in your building, and during what time frame.

At C.M. Cleaning, we realize your facility may have security measures specific to your business. We train each of our employees to your individual building, inclusive of any additional security or safety requests you may have. For example, if your building has an alarm system, our employees are trained to arm and disarm the system through memorization only. We would never distribute any private information such as alarm passcodes on paper. This ensures that your personal and private information remains as such. These, among other security measures are implemented all in addition to your building’s current safety protocol.

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Indoor Air Pollution

Indoor air pollutants can only be seen in severe cases, but their effects can be felt in varying degrees (depending on an individual’s sensitivity) immediately after exposure. Exposure to indoor pollutants can manifest in irritation of the eyes, skin, throat, and respiratory tract.  Headache, dizziness, and cold or flu like symptoms are also triggered by contaminants floating in the air. People’s individual reactions to indoor pollutants vary drastically and in some people with preexisting conditions such as asthma or allergies, exposure to certain particles or gases in the air can cause immediate attack.  Long-term exposure to higher than normal concentrations of indoor pollutants can lead to chronic issues and in the case of some chemicals, can cause fatal disease including cancer.

The air in your home or office can be polluted by a plethora of sources. It is important to be aware of the various types of pollutants to be able to more easily recognize/find the source of any symptoms so that they canCeiling cleaning service be properly eradicated.  Common pollutants include dust, mold, secondhand smoke, and pollens.  When it comes to the more dangerous air pollutants such as asbestos, radon, and cigarette smoke it is crucial to know how to best avoid exposure in large concentrations and/or over prolonged periods of time.

Buildings containing asbestos and those testing positive for elevated levels of radon should be handled professionally in accordance with EPA recommendations/regulations. As for allergens and asthma triggers such as dust, pollens, and mold; harmful levels of pollution can be avoided by maintaining proper ventilation and an effective cleaning regimen.  Having your facilities or home dusted, vacuumed using a clean HEPA filter, and getting specialty floor cleanings such as carpet shampooing done on a consistent basis can go a long way toward eliminating common airborne irritants.  In a commercial setting, a good indication of whether your cleaning service has a handle on indoor air pollution is to look at your ceiling and see if dust has accumulated in the corners and/or in between vents.

At C.M. Cleaning, our commitment to satisfying our clients by getting the job done right and our focus on attention to detail all but guarantee that airborne office allergens and pollutants from dust, pollens, and mold won’t require a second thought. For your greatest protection against the detrimental effects of indoor air pollution, be aware of whether your building contains asbestos and/or elevated levels of radon so that you can follow the proper procedures for dealing with these issues, and do not smoke inside.