Author Archives: Kathy Karrys

30 Sep

Trends in K-12 Cleaning: A Shift to Outsourcing

Summer has given way to autumn, which means children across the country have returned to school. The kids returned to spotless buildings thanks to deep cleanings performed during the lengthy break, and now janitors working hard to maintain that appearance level for the entire school year. It’s the same story every year, of course, but

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28 Sep

Spotlight: The Carpet & Rug Institute

You probably spend a lot of time cleaning carpets. It’s no surprise, considering carpet makes up more than half of the U.S. flooring market. Facilities like carpet because in addition to being affordable and durable, it dampens noise and provides cushion underfoot. In fact, carpet is so pervasive that it has its own trade association.

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27 Sep

Green vs. Greenwashing

By now, it’s pretty safe to say that the green movement has reached mass appeal in the jan/san industry. Before marketing yourself as eco-friendly, however, it’s important to understand the difference between “green” and “greenwashing.” What is greenwashing? Trying to appear greener than you are is called greenwashing (the word is a spin on the

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23 Sep

The Three Pillars of Green: People, Planet, Profit

There’s no bigger buzzword in business these days than “green.” Companies of all types are making environmental sustainability a priority and choosing vendors who align with their goals. Before jumping on the bandwagon, however, it’s important to understand the true meaning of sustainability. In fact, there are three pillars of corporate sustainability and each is

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14 Sep

Back to School: Cleaning for Health

Streak-free windows and spotless floors are certainly important, but aesthetics aren’t the primary purpose for cleaning. More important is the role janitors play in protecting the health of a building’s occupant—and nowhere does this matter more than in the education market. Make sure you’re doing all you can to keep kids healthy with this guide

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07 Sep

7 Reasons to Consider Micro Scrubbers

Cleaning floors with a mop and bucket can be a tiresome task, but to some facilities managers, makes the most sense for their cleaning needs due to their facility’s compact spaces. In order to offer easier, more productive cleaning methods, floor care manufacturers developed a new category of compact scrubbers called “micro scrubbers”. A micro

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07 Sep

Green Up Your Fleet

Spotless floors don’t come easy. In most facilities, it takes a fleet of equipment to keep everything spic and span underfoot. Choosing that machinery is always difficult, but it’s even more of a challenge when you add sustainability into the buying guidelines. There are no green certifications specifically for floor maintenance equipment, so how does

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30 Aug

Microfiber: The Green Choice

Green cleaning programs are becoming commonplace and, in some parts of the country, even standard practice. More buildings than ever are earning LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and BSCs are joining the environmental movement in droves. When it comes to “going green,” microfiber plays a critical role. Made from a polyester-nylon blend,

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23 Aug

Odor Control in the Age of Fragrance-Free Products

Controlling odors is a baseline expectation for housekeeping and facility management, but it can present a complex challenge. In the past, foul odors could be easily masked with a strong air freshener or other scented product. It’s not so easy these days. Many facilities now place an emphasis on environmentally friendly and green cleaning methods

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17 Aug

How to Bring in Local Business with Localized Search Engine Optimization

When it comes to service oriented businesses, location is often an important consideration. Many businesses can only cover a certain service area, so requests that come in from outside that boundary may not be particularly useful. On the other hand, bringing in business from within that area is critically important. That is why many businesses

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