Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Fall Cleaning

We are clearing house and have these 2 upright vacs. Great for a small cleaning contract or around the house. 250$ ea first come first serve. call today.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

New Microfiber System

A microfiber system that works in Canadian winters. It's true and finally here. This new product from Rubbermaid finally makes sense when it comes to something can clean up the messes we face with Canadian winters, not a flat mop that works only in clean rooms.


Announcing CWS (Clean Water System) the industry's first integrated filter that provides clean water on demand, which will improve productivity, reduce water& chemical usage , create  healthier/safer environments (promotes Green Cleaning) Rubbermaid Hygen Clean Water System (CWS) is ready to go!  You may have seen prototypes of this product last fall at ISSA Orlando or this spring at CSSA Toronto. 
                                                         I have attached the New Product Announcement for your information. We are ready to accept orders with shipping next week .  You will find that the pricing on the two sided mops relative to the current hook and loop flat mops is aggressive.  The 2 sided Wet Pad Plus # 1791680 at $20.50 is only 47% higher than the Q410 and the General Purpose 2 sided Wet Pad # 1791678 at $15.50 is only 12% higher than the Q410. The CWS launch will  have  the most comprehensive launch support package that RCP has ever provided including: brochures, samples, ROI calculators, time & motion study whitepaper, product instructions & posters, images & "How To" training videos, testimonials, and much more which can all be found on the link below.  Please take a couple of moments to view the link below where you will discover the true innovation that is the Clean Water System by RCP.
                                                       I am very excited about this upcoming launch and look forward to meeting with you &  your sales team in the near future to formally present the CWS the product line and to formulate a go to market strategy for your end users ,please contact me to schedule a presentation date & if you have any questions. Thanks for your attention & continued support

Friday, June 24, 2011

M Sales News ingredient disclosure edited

This is an article posted in Sanitation Maintenance News. It makes you think who really requires more protection. The End user knowing everything that is in a given product or the protection of the company who has trade secrets.


On September 23, 2009, Senator Al Franken introduced a bill in Congress,
the Household Product Labeling and Disclosure Act, which would have
required manufacturers of household cleaning products to list all the
key ingredients in their cleaning products. The same day, the bill was
forwarded to a committee for review and that was the last day anyone
heard of it.

Senator Franken was proposing what is referred to as “full ingredient
disclosure.” Typically, this includes a listing of all the “intentionally added”
ingredients in a product to be posted on the product’s label. Some
ingredients in cleaning chemicals are known as “incidental ingredients.”
They serve no specific function and often disappear in the manufacturing
process. These ingredients would not have to be listed in accordance with
the Act.

You might think that this was the end of the ingredient disclosure concept.
However, interestingly enough, at least in the household cleaning market,
just the opposite appears to be evolving. Pressure from manufacturers
of environmentally friendly cleaning products for the home has resulted
in some major players—namely Clorox Co. and SC Johnson—to disclose
more information on product labels about what is in their household
cleaning chemicals.

Now, both companies appear to be “one-upping” each other, launching
marketing campaigns on television and social media sites and disclosing
the key ingredients for a variety of their household products. Apparently,
these companies view ingredient disclosure and the transparency that
results as not only a wave of the future and important for consumer
confidence, but as a marketing tool as well.

Should jansan manufacturers and distributors also view ingredient
disclosure as necessary, a future trend, and even a marketing tool? The
answers: they should; they likely will; and it will be good for our industry
and an effective marketing tool.

Why Full Ingredient Disclosure Is Necessary

When the issue of ingredient disclosure is discussed, some jansan
manufacturers and distributors say it is not necessary because most of this
information is already available on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs).
Although some of a product’s ingredients are listed on the MSDS, it is
typically only hazardous ingredients that are found on a list (which does
not include all) and are in the formula above 1%, and ingredients that are
considered carcinogens, mutagens and teratagens over 0.1% —this is
not full ingredient disclosure. For example, some may have a number
of hazardous ingredients that make up a high percentage of the formula,
but if all are below the required 1% and the 0.1% thresholds, they need
not be included. Also, while guidelines are given, there is no necessary
auditing required so some MSDSs are found not to be very accurate (either
intentionally or not).

Possibly the best way to describe the need for full ingredient disclosure
is to the following scenario. A school decided to use only proven-Green
cleaning products. After evaluating various products, the school’s officials
found two that they believed would be the most cost and performance
effective. However, one of the products contained an ingredient that, while
environmentally and human health preferable, could potentially trigger
respiratory problems in small children. The other product did not contain
this ingredient. Knowing this, and as a result of full ingredient disclosure,
the school selected the product without the ingredient in question.

This is just one example and there are others. In plain and simple terms,
it helps the end customer make a wiser buying decision, especially in
sensitive environments such as schools, medical centers, nursing homes,
etc.

What’s Holding Things Up?

One concern some manufacturers have about full ingredient disclosure is
that it opens the door for competitors to see exactly what is in the products
they produce. The manufacturer may have spent considerable time and
money developing the product and understandably, the last thing it wants is

for a competitor to inexpensively replicate the product a few weeks later.

Well aware of this problem, the Consumer Specialty Products Association
(CSPA), which advocates ingredient disclosure information, suggests
an ingredient disclosure format that lets consumers and end-customers
know what is in a product, while also protecting the trade secrets of the
manufacturer. For instance, it proposes the following guidelines for
determining whether an ingredient(s) is proprietary:

• The extent to which the identity of the ingredient is known outside the
manufacturer’s business
• The extent to which the identity of the ingredient is known by
employees and others involved in the manufacturer’s business
• The extent of measures taken by the manufacturer to guard the
secrecy of the information
• The value of the information about the identity of the claimed trade
secret ingredient to the manufacturer and to its competitors
• The amount of resources expended by the manufacturer in
developing products that contain safe and effective ingredients

• The ease or difficulty with which the identity of the ingredient could be
properly acquired or duplicated by others.

Further, acknowledging that in some cases the release of product
information might harm a company’s competitive position, the CSPA
suggests “functional descriptors” can be substituted. These describe the
purpose and function of the ingredient without actually identifying it. Please
do note, our company has been giving full ingredient disclosure for close to
20 years, and we have been using a 16 part MSDS. We do not accept the
argument of competitive protection. There are ways to breakdown/reverse
engineer a competitors’ product. Just because a group of people have the
list of ingredients to a cake, does it mean all will bake the cake the same
and or deliver the same quality and tasting cake?

Where We Go From Here

What I find most interesting about the bill introduced to Congress that
would mandate ingredient disclosure is that the government did not need

to mandate these policies. Segments of the household and professional
cleaning industries are voluntarily stepping up to the plate and adopting full
ingredient disclosure policies.

Most likely, as manufacturers start to endorse this concept, including those
in the professional cleaning industry, more will follow. This is an example
of private industry working at its best. A positive outcome will only help
end-customers and further professionalize our industry.

Friday, May 27, 2011

New Riders

Last month I was at the CSSA show in Toronto and saw a few new items. One that was of interest are the new riders available on the market. As much as a rider is not a new idea, they are finally starting to be affordable. Both Dustbane (IPC) and Advance have released riders that are exactly where they need to be both price wise and in size.

Dustbane released the 26" Motor Scooter available for under 10,000$ why buy a walk behind when for 1000$ more you get a rider that is more productive and easier to use.

Advance as well. Losing business to the windsor decided to release their 24" Rider for under 10,000$. And when compared to the Windsor on which you have to stand to use it, I think the answer is clear. Why get a stand on Windsor when you can get a ride/sit on Advance.

Just a few new products that will do a lot to increase productivity and save you money.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

An Interesting Article (repost)

A Green Review

By Mike Sawchuk

The Canadian cleaning industry has been eager to understand
Green cleaning and, taking that an important step further, to
implement it in the facilities they maintain. Typically it is the
end-use customer who initially requests that environmentally
preferable cleaning tools, products and procedures be used in
a facility. But many Canadian cleaning contractors have taken
the first step by approaching their clients and suggesting that
Green cleaning is healthier cleaning, is more environmentally
responsible, and is the future of cleaning. This is definitely a
feather in the cap of the Canadian cleaning industry.

However, as I always tell our distributors, Green cleaning is
a journey: there is really no end point. As such, let us review
some of the principles of Green cleaning and address some new
developments in its evolution.

What is Green cleaning?

We can define Green cleaning as a cleaning process that is both
effective and protective of health and the environment. It is the

use of cleaning chemicals, tools and equipment, procedures,
and frequencies that work very well but have a reduced negative
impact on the user, building occupants, and the environment.

What makes chemicals Green?

Being able to clearly define what makes a cleaning chemical
Green is one of the hallmarks of the Green movement. At one
time people promoted environmentally preferable cleaning
products without anyone clearly defining what they are or, worse,
every manufacturer, distributor, or end user having a different
definition. The confusion likely stalemated the entire journey.
These days, a product is proven Green if it has been tested
by an independent, third-party organization and found to meet
specific standards.criteria established by credible certification
organizations such as EcoLogo™, Green Seal®, or DfE, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment
program.

What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and why are
they an issue in Green cleaning?

VOCs are made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, chlorine,
and other compounds that vaporize or can form gases that are
released into the air. Essentially, they cause indoor air pollution.
They are found in all kinds of products from glue and paint to
carpeting and wallpaper. The big concern about VOCs is that they
can be harmful to human health, especially children’s health. For
a cleaning product to be Green certified, it typically must have no
or very low amounts of VOCs.

Are there Green-certified equivalents for all cleaning
chemicals?

The industry is getting closer to having a Green product for
every need. At one time, some leaders in North America’s
professional cleaning industry predicted that by now 80 percent
of the chemicals marketed would be conventional and only 20
percent would be Green. What we are seeing is the opposite is
true. About 80 percent or more of the chemicals most commonly
used for cleaning have Green-certified equivalents. Floor finishes
has been one of the few areas where some manufacturers are
still finding it difficult to develop a more environmentally preferable
equivalent that performs as well as and is competitive in price to
traditional alternatives. However, some finishes are now available
that are certified, are effective, and in some cases perform even
better than their conventional counterparts, although they are still
a bit more expensive.

Don’t all Green cleaning chemicals perform about the same?

The answer is a big NO. Do all conventional cleaning chemicals
perform the same? Again, the answer is no. Cleaning contractors
should put the different Green cleaning chemicals to a challenge
and see how well they perform in the locations they clean. Are
they cost effective? Are they easy to use? This is one of many
areas where a distributor who is known as the local “Green
cleaning expert” can really come in handy. He or she will likely be
attuned to the different Green products available and which work
best in which situations.

Are only chemicals Green?

Certainly not anymore. Floor machines are now available that
are effective using just water in many basic cleaning situations.
Others are designed so that the operator can switch between

chemical and water while cleaning, minimizing the amount of
chemical necessary, which it may be, especially when performing
more difficult floorcare tasks. Extractors are also getting Greener.
The Carpet and Rug Institute, through its Seal of Approval
program, has established fairly stringent criteria that require
carpet extractors to meet certain performance and moisture-
removal standards so that carpets dry faster. Typically, these
are low-moisture machines designed to help carpets dry within
approximately two hours. And lest we forget, vacuum cleaners
with HEPA or high-filtration filters are also a key component of the
Green cleaning arsenal.

What are bioenzymatic cleaning chemicals, and are they
Green?

Bioenzymatic cleaners are products specially formulated to
dispose of soils safely, economically, and rapidly. They contain
the necessary blend of specific enzymes and benevolent bacteria
to digest chemical and organic waste that would normally create
odors and feed germs. These microorganisms and enzymes, as
they do in nature, break down the waste, converting it into two
basic compounds: carbon dioxide and water.

Some of these are Green, and some are not. To determine
whether a bioenzymatic cleaning product is certified Green, look
for the certification label or marking of one of the certification
organizations mentioned earlier, as would be the case with any
Green-certified cleaning product.

Are bioenzymatic and biorenewable cleaning chemicals the
same?

No. They are actually subcategories of biobased cleaning

chemicals. As the name implies, a biorenewable cleaning
chemical is made from renewable ingredients such as corn, soy,
or other agricultural products. A bioenzymatic cleaning chemical,
as we defined earlier, is made from bacteria and enzymes that
not only clean a surface but also eat away at bacteria, grease,
microorganisms, and other contaminants. Because of this,
bioenzymatic cleaners are excellent for eliminating odors from
tile and grout areas and continue to work for as long as 80 hours
after they have been applied to a surface. Bioenzymatic cleaners
are a specific subset of biorenewable but, depending upon the
type and amount of surfactant and fragrance used, may or may
not meet the USDA criteria for Bio-Preferred. And again, for both
bioenzymatic and biorenewable, ensure the product is Green
certified.

Can lists of ingredients be found on all Green cleaning
products?

Not at this time. Some manufacturers such as Enviro-Solutions
do disclose 100 percent of the ingredients. But Stephen Ashkin,
President of The Ashkin Group and commonly known as
the “father of Green cleaning,” is advocating that all cleaning
products, Green and conventional, list all key ingredients.* With
this information in hand, users can select Green and conventional
cleaning products based on where they are used. For instance,
some products may not be the most suitable for locations where
small children are present but may work perfectly well in office-
type environments. Simply knowing what is in the product helps
users make more informed decisions, which can protect their
health as well as the health of the facilities they clean.

*Note that the full ingredients and formula must be disclosed to
the certification bodies.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Gator Shoes

Gator shoes or as they may be better know as Stripper Shoes and I don't mean stilettos, are a great product when it comes to worker safety. As stripping and waxing or scrubbing floors can be a slippery job and many have had slip and fall issues consider Gator Shoes. These work in 2 ways.

1) They have a pad below them giving workers a better grip on the floor preventing slip and fall. Many will also use them for detail work as the pad/foot pressure allows you to scrub tough spots.

2) As you are walking on a pad it constantly creates micro movement on your feet which helps in preventing worker fatigue.

Gator shoes are also great if working in an arena and crossing the ice you will have grip and reduce trip and fall there.

At the end of the day a good pair of Gator shoes will prevent Slip and Fall, reduce worker fatigue and help your staff be more productive a Win, Win, Win for under 50$ a pair you can't go wrong.

Phil-T
"Nothing's too filthy for Phil-T"

Friday, March 11, 2011

New Stone Floor Pads

If you have natural stone floors such as Concrete, Marble, or Terazzo, maintaining them can always be a challenge. I have discussed previously the advantages of using diamond impregnated pads to maintain the floor. But what if your floors need some minor restoration or you want more shine? A new product from 3M will get you there.

3M now has Trivact Diamond floor discs. It is a box of 4 - 5" discs that are diamond impregnated. They are 400 and 1000 grit cuts to bring a nice shine to the floor. For those who want to bring an extra shine to the floor, they have the concrete protect. It is a polymer based product to apply to the floor to protect and shine the floor. While I personally am still partial to a water based stone floor impregnator, If what you absolutely want is a great shine then this extra step is great and only needs be reapplied yearly with 1 coat.

Have a look at the pictures of our warehouse before and after.

Before
After

The best part of this program is that the end user cost is only $1.00 square foot. If a contractor where to do full restoration cost would be somewhere between $9-10 sq/ft. And it can be done by your own staff with very little training.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"


Friday, March 4, 2011

The Importance of a good Rep

I had a situation this week, I had recommended a certain piece of equipment for the client that would save them time and last them a long time. I truly believe this equipment was in their best interest and so did the client.

I sell cleaning solutions. I know what is available, what works, and I help my clients get value from these. I do not sell flooring or paint. I can make recommendations on what type of flooring works best in certain areas but I will not sell you a floor. Long story short a carpet installer came in and sold a 16" upright vac to my clients boss for 300$ then he would have paid getting it from me. Worst of all I would have refused to sell them the upright because that was not what they needed as they already have 2 of them and it's not doing the job they need it to do.

My point. Ask Question as a client.  And listen to your staff they are the ones using the product you buy. If you are a sales rep sell what you sell, don't add on. I'm sure that 50$ spiff is nice but at the end of the day your client will not be happy and your repeat business will be none existent.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Using your Scrubber to Strip your Floors

A question I get asked regularly is "Can I use my Floor Scrubber to strip my floors?" The short answer is Yes. That follows with a BUT. So let's discuss the but and how to use a floor scrubber to strip floors.

1) When stripping floors with your scrubber, remember that stripper is corrosive and designed to remove floor finish. That being said NEVER put your stripper in the clean water tank this is for 3 reasons. 1) You may forget it's there or someone will not know it's there and use the scrubber on new floors and ruin your wax job. 2) As some strippers are corrosive this can be hard on your water pump/actuator and can be a costly repair. 3) Stripper needs dwell time and the best way to accomplish this is via a manual floor flood.

2) Swing buffer may still be needed. Yes as much as you can use the pads on your scrubber to strip the floor, there are times that the build up may be too much for the scrubber to handle. I usually recommend that you swing strip the floor first and then use your floor scrubber to rinse the floor.

3) Clean up is Key. Yes this is the most important part. And since stripped wax can dry up fast clean up needs to be done immediately. If stripping a small area you could clean up between the dry time of the first and second coat of wax but the sooner the better.
   What needs to be cleaned:
         Pad holders
         Squeegee should be removed and rinsed
         Vac Tanks
         Any splash around and under the scrubber
         Don't forget to clean up buckets and wringers while at it.

Yes when applied properly and cleaned up a floor scrubber can save you lots of time and labour on your next strip and wax project.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

Friday, February 11, 2011

Floor Stripping

As winter is about to whined down time is coming to strip and wax our floors. So here are a few tips for floor refinishing.

First determine weather the floor requires a strip. You can tell by looking at the following things.
 -Yellowing of finish or tile
 -Build up in edges
 -Browning in wax
 -Patchy areas
These are signs that your floor may require a strip as opposed to a scrub.

If you are stripping your floors consider a ECP or Green seal certified stripper. I have found that Time Out Plus from Dustbane is extremely effective in most situations. We had a floor 2 weeks ago with over 12 coats of wax and we brought it down to the tile with 1 strip. The key thing like any stripper is dwell time. We diluted product 1:4 and gave 10 minutes dwell. Time Plus also has no odor so it's great for any health and safety concerns.

When waxing I would apply 2 coats of sealer and 3 coats of finish to give your floor the perfect shine.

If you would like to try this product feel free to contact me and I can set you up with a free trial.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

Sunday, February 6, 2011

A different kind of Matting Solution

I've discussed several times the advantages of matting to keep sand and salt out and how matting should be kept down all year round to protect your floors. But there is also another advantage to certain types of matting that we often over look.

Anti-Fatigue Matting - If you work on your feet all day or have employees who are on the feet all day have you seen or heard the advantages of anti-fatigue matting. Consider the following:
     Lengthy working hours in a standing, stationary position, slows the circulation of blood through the veins,      making the heart work harder, which equates to a prolonged physical effort. This is the main cause of fatigue.

What does this mean for you and your employees? Diminished Productivity, Increase risk of accident, and reduced motivation.

How can Anti Fatigue Matting work? Anti-Fatigue Matting creates micro movement under your feet which activates blood flow and keeps you activated. It is also designed to reduce slip and fall issues. When used workers feel 50% less tired and productivity is increased.

For more info or to see samples and how Anti-Fatigue matting can work in your facility feel free to contact me and I would be happy to show you. Also check out our March and April promotion on Anti-Fatigue matting.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

Friday, January 28, 2011

Scrub and Wax

It's mid winter and our floors are looking rough. Here's a little tip to get them to last through to April. Give them a light scrub and wax.

Many contractors have told me how they use stripper in a lesser dilution to do this, but consider. Stripper is designed to work a certain dilutions so diluting it lighter will work But could also damage your floor. Stripper is designed to breakdown the metal interlock in the finish. I would recommend not introducing stripper to your floors unless you are ready to strip your floors. Now a days every manufacturer makes a GP cleaner for scrubbing floors plus the dilution ratio is manufactured to be light and effective for removal of soil and wax from your floors. You will also save money as these cleaners are usually cheaper than strippers.

After scrubbing your apply 1 to 2 coats of finish and you will protect your investment for another 3-4 months.

Phil-T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"

Friday, January 21, 2011

My New Favorite Product

I've taken my customary winter break and now I'm back. I thought I'd tell you about my favorite vac available on the market. As I've mentioned before upright vacuums really don't work and what you want to look for is a good quality canister with a high efficiency filter or as some call it HEPA, though that term is thrown around way to freely. Well I have a new option for you.

Meet the Gladiator. This 26" sweeper will do everything any upright can do and it works. Since the hooper opening is so wide it will fully pick up everything on the carpet even larger items that would get stuck in the hose of a regular vac. Since this unit is battery powered there are no cords to trip you or slow you down so not only are you getting a better job but you are increasing your productivity. Example I have a client that owns a high rise and it use to take 20 minutes to vacuum a floor and with the Gladiator he cut it down to 11 mins per floor. Not only that but the residents are saying that the carpets look better than ever. Because of how the brush turns it lifts the carpet giving new life.

Not only does the gladiator clean carpets but you can use it on Hard surfaces such as concrete, VCT, and those hard to clean Gym rubber floors. Yes if you need to save time and replace some old vacs consider the Gladiator.

Want to try before you buy I would be more than happy to show you.

Phil T
"Nothings too filthy for Phil-T"