Indoor Air Quality/Dust Control

Dust

Dust is the collective term for minute solid particles, both organic and inorganic, that collect in our homes, offices, cars—basically everywhere people live. Dust comes from a variety of sources including soil, pollen, human skin cells, textile fibers, animal hairs and many other materials found in the environment. The majority of dust is made up from shed skin cells. That's why the high-traffic areas of a business have the most dust.

Factors in dust composition:

Because dust can become airborne easily, extra care should be used when cleaning to avoid moving dust particles around. Wiping (with microfiber) rather than feather dusting, using HEPA filtered vacuums, vacuuming hard surface floors, etc., all help contain and remove dust from the building.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air)

A HEPA filter is a type of high-efficiency air filter.

HEPA filters remove 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers (µm/microns) in diameter. Particles of this size are the most difficult to filter (and the most damaging to your lungs). Particles that are larger or smaller are filtered with even higher efficiency.

CBN's vacuum cleaners use HEPA filters as part of their filtration systems. This is beneficial for asthma and allergy sufferers, because the HEPA filter traps the fine particles (such as spores, pollen, bacteria, and dust mite feces) which trigger allergy and asthma symptoms.

For more information on HEPA filters, click on this link to bring up Wikipedia's HEPA article.

VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in many cleaning and disinfecting products. These products can release organic compounds while you are using them and, to some degree, when they are stored.  Eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, and damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system are among the noted health effects of VOC exposure. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans.

The ability of organic chemicals to cause adverse health effects varies greatly from those that are highly toxic, to those with no known health effect.  As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors, including the level of exposure and length of time exposed.

The floor care and office cleaning products offered by Johnson's Wax are specifically formulated to be environmentally friendly and consumer health positive.  They contain few or no harmful VOCs.  This is one of several reasons we have chosen their product line.

Carpet cleaning (and protection)

Bonnet cleaning - Low Moisture Soil Encapsulation

Carpet cleaning via the bonnet method utilizes a low-speed rotary floor scrubber and a fabric (usually cotton, with nylon strips for scrub power) disk or pad, called a bonnet. A cleaning solution (specially formulated for this process) is applied to one smallish area of the carpeting at a time, which is then "massaged" with the bonnet mounted under the floor machine.

The massaging and chemical action free the soil, much of which is absorbed into the bonnet; the bonnet is dunked in fresh solution and wrung out every 100 or so square feet, to dispose of the soil. When dry, the carpet is thoroughly vacuumed to remove any remaining soil and crystallized chemical.

Bonnet cleaning works extremely well for light to medium duty, "maintenance" cleaning; it's much gentler on the carpet mechanically than rotary shampooing, and puts less water into the carpet than either rotary shampooing or hot water extraction.

Rotary shampooing

Carpet cleaning using a low-speed (175 rpm) rotary floor scrubbing machine equipped with a nylon brush. Solution is applied to the carpet, usually from a tank on the floor machine and fed through holes ("shower feed") on the brush's backer block, aggressively brushed into the carpet, and allowed to fully dry. Thorough vacuuming then removes soil and crystallized shampoo from the carpet.

Rotary shampooing tends to be more aggressive than bonnet cleaning; while harder on the carpet, it also tends to "grind out" more soil. It's commonly used for "heavy duty" or restorative cleaning, often followed by extraction, to rinse out soil, rather than waiting for dry vacuuming.

Hot water extraction

Sometimes (erroneously) called "steam cleaning" - real steam (212 degrees F.) would melt the adhesive which binds the carpeting to its backing material.

Extraction uses a pressure nozzle to propel solutions (cleaning; deodorizing; fungicidal, among others) into the carpet, and a wand/wet vacuum system to pull it back out, along with suspended dirt. It works primarily by diluting or solubilizing carpet contaminants. It is effective at pulling out deep soil, residual shampoo, or deep stains.

Extraction by itself does little to agitate carpet fibers, so ground in soil can be a problem. Consequently, it's often used in conjunction with rotary shampooing for cleaning of grossly soiled carpeting (carpeting in auto shops, for instance) or in "restorative" cleaning, or in pulling out relatively fresh beverage spills (by putting massive doses of water into the carpet, diluting the beverage, and sucking it back out).

Carpet protection

Application, usually after carpet cleaning, of a chemical coating designed to prevent staining of carpet fibers by water-borne contaminants or oily substances (pizza always lands cheese side down - doesn't it?). After protection, ongoing carpet spot removal becomes more effective; the next full cleaning becomes both more effective and easier to perform.

Some carpet protectors are also designed to minimize the attachment of dust, dirt, and dander to the carpet's fibers, thus allowing more soil removal with regular vacuuming; the carpet looks better longer, exhibits less wear (less gritty soil left behind for foot traffic to grind into and damage carpet fibers), and leaves less fine soil to become airborne during the day, impacting indoor air quality.

Hard floor maintenance (tile, ceramic, concrete, etc.)

"Wax"

Many folks still refer to the stuff we put down to protect floors and make them shiny as "wax".

"T'aint so!"

Wax is a naturally occuring substance of biological origin; it comes from many sources, both animal and vegetable, and is chemically similar to fat, but less greasy, harder, and more brittle.

In 1968, Johnson's Wax introduced a revolutionary synthetic floor-care product they named "Complete".  This instantly made the extractives from the leaves of carnauba palms obsolete, except in automotive and furniture paste wax (Brazilian carnauba palms breathed a huge sigh of relief!)

Modern floor finishes contain synthetic polymers with solubilized metal (usually zinc or zirconium) to enhance durability; they also feature outstanding slip resistance, even when wet.

Buff

Polish previously laid floor finish with a high-speed floor machine (generally 300 to 1000 RPM; under 300 RPM is termed a "low speed" machine and used mostly for scrubbing and stripping). Older technology, like in the 1950’s, involved actual wax, of biological origin (such as carnauba wax, still used in automotive waxes), not modern acrylic polymer finishes.

Paste wax was much softer than modern finishes, and could be successfully buffed with a low speed scrubbing machine (or an old towel, for that matter), but would scuff and mark so easily that it had to be buffed nightly.

Burnish

Polish previously laid floor finish with an ultra-high-speed floor machine (usually defined as over 1000 RPM).  We use 2000 RPM burnishers, about the highest speed available in electric machines.  Propane machines, like the ones you see in the grocery store (if you shop late at night), are a bit faster and more aggressive (a propane motor gives more torque than an electric machine can power without blowing your breakers), but are difficult to maneuver in an office setting.

Microfiber damp mops

Microfibers are densely constructed, polyester and polyamide (nylon) fibers that are approximately 1/16 the thickness of a human hair. The density of the material enables it to hold six times its weight in water, making it more absorbent than a conventional cotton loop mop. Also, the tiny fibers are able to penetrate the microscopic surface pores of most flooring materials. These characteristics make microfiber an especially effective mopping material.

An article published by the EPA, "Using Microfiber Mops in Hospitals", relies heavily on a study on microfiber mops done by the University of California at Davis Medical Center. Besides documenting savings in water and chemicals, the study reports on limiting room-to-room cross-contamination and, most significantly, a 99% reduction in bacteria, compared to a 30% reduction using standard string mops.

What's good for medical facilities is good for ordinary office space as well; using microfiber damp mops, one doesn't move soil or germs from restroom to lunchroom, or from one client to the next.

Refinish (scrub and recoat)

Thorough machine cleaning of the top surface of existing finish, and application of one or more coats of additional finish; also termed "top coating".  It’s not unknown for less reputable janitorial firms to sell (and charge full price for) "strip" jobs and actually perform scrubs; look for a tell-tale border of yellowed finish along the baseboards.

Strip and refinish

Complete removal, (using chemical stripper and a low speed scrubbing machine equipped with an abrasive pad) of all finish and sealer down to bare tile, followed by application of sealer (generally two coats) and finish (two or more coats, depending on porosity of floor, anticipated traffic, etc.).

Generally, furniture should not be replaced on the floor within about 12 hours of application of the final coat of finish. Though the finish is dry enough to walk on within an hour or so, complete curing takes longer - depending on heat, humidity, number and thickness of coats, air circulation (and general cussedness).  Heavy items will stick to the finish if replaced too soon.  We've found this often bothers the client.

Scale (acid scrub)

Hard water deposits are often left behind when cleaning with a water-based solution (ever notice the hard water in this town?). Scale builds up after repeated mopping, and is particularly evident on ceramic tile floors, both on the tile surface and in the grouting, where it tends to lock both soil and bacteria into the pores of the grout.

Descaling, as we do it, involves application of a dilute phosphoric acid rinse, allowing a bit of dwell time, scrubbing with a brush mounted on a low speed floor scrubber, wet vacuum removal and rinse.  Scale, oil, and soil are removed.  Note that, because it is porous, grout will sometimes acquire permanent stains.

Disinfectants

Micro-organisms

Organisms of microscopic size such as bacteria, viruses or fungi.

Pathogen

A microorganism capable of producing an infection.  Blood-borne pathogens are microorganisms present in human blood or other potentially infectious body fluids that can cause disease in humans

Germs

A common term for pathogenic bacteria or other microorganisms

Anti-microbial agents

Substances or mixtures of substances used to destroy or suppress the growth of harmful micro-organisms.  Anti-microbial agents include:

Sanitizers

Agents used to reduce, but not necessarily eliminate microorganisms to levels considered safe by public health codes or regulations.  They are considered low level antimicrobial agents used in non-food situations and where consumable food products are stored.

Disinfectants

Agents used to destroy or irreversibly de-activate infectious fungi, viruses and bacteria but not necessarily their spores.  Disinfectants DO NOT clean (remove dirt); clean with the appropriate cleaner, then disinfect.  Disinfectants are generally used most in the maintenance profession, and come in two major types:

Institutional grade (sometimes referred to as commercial grade) disinfectants, at minimum, kill only two of the common pathogenic microorganisms – staphylococcus aureus (causes skin infections such as boils) and salmonella choleraesuis (causes typhoid fever and food poisoning).  These are often used in office buildings.

Hospital grade disinfectants kill a wide range of germs, including varied strains of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

The most common ingredients used in disinfectants today are quaternary ammonium compounds and phenolic compounds.

Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are included in most hard-surface disinfectants (Virex256™ for instance).  Quats can work alone or be combined with other active ingredients to achieve a high level kill of bacteria, viruses and fungi.  For example, quats combined with high levels of alcohol are effective against hard to kill organisms such as TB.

Phenolics are used by healthcare facilities to kill organisms which quats alone do not.

Sterilants (Sporicides) - Agents used to destroy or eliminate all forms of microbial life including fungi, viruses and all forms of bacteria and their spores

Procedures & concepts

Team cleaning

Traditionally, cleaning generally meant "zone" cleaning, with one individual doing all the tasks required in a given area (for instance, one floor of a high-rise).  Team cleaning equips and trains specialists, each performing a single task or set of related tasks in a larger area. 

The most common set-up involves:

1) trash, dust and spot clean

2) vacuuming

3) restrooms and lunchrooms

4) wet mopping, taking trash to the dumpster, burnishing, and periodic tasks

Team cleaning allows each crew member to become proficient at a limited number of tasks, lets each member check the other’s work, gets the team through a given area faster so lights do not burn as long, and requires only one set of equipment for the entire area, rather than a complete set for each cleaner.