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Bedbugs

In the past 15 years, after the discontinuation of harmful pesticides such as DDT, bedbugs are back on the rise in the common household. According to Cleanfax, a recent survey conducted in New York discovered that approximately six percent of homes reported a bedbug infestation, with many other cases probably going unreported. Some experts even believe that fifty percent of all homes are at risk to be infested in the next ten years.Dorm room trash pickup services

The recent spike in bedbug population is believed be in correlation with recent increase in international travel. Bedbugs are outstanding hitchhikers, traveling between countries with ease. So, how does all of this relate to the cleanliness of your workplace? The spread of viruses and bacteria are a common concern in the work environment. In similar fashion, it is also possible that those same people you blame for spreading the flu and stomach bug are also spreading bedbugs! If these critters can travel internationally, then it can be easily concluded that they are able to withstand your commute to work by clinging to clothes, the bottoms of your shoes, and work bags. The good news is that with an implemented cleaning regiment at your place of business, the risk of you taking a coworker’s problem back to your home is diminished.

With regular steam cleaning and vacuuming of carpets and rugs, disinfecting of common surfaces, and washing of hard floors, bedbugs, their eggs, and larvae stand a lesser chance of surviving and making it into your bedroom.

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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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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.