| I dare say there are few, if any, North | | | | including many industrial and commercial |
| American factories that are still using | | | | facility managers, do not really |
| the same equipment, assembly systems, | | | | understand and appreciate the value of |
| and processes to manufacture goods and | | | | cleaning and maintaining a healthy work |
| products that they were using 20 or 30 | | | | space. In truth, neither do many of |
| years ago. New technologies are | | | | those in the cleaning profession. |
| constantly being introduced and | | | | Turning Tides |
| incorporated, and many are resulting in | | | | If the current scenario is to ever |
| scores of benefits - from improved | | | | change and benefit the manufacturing |
| product quality and customer | | | | facility, it is important for the |
| satisfaction to reduced costs and | | | | cleaning industry to turn to science in |
| enhanced efficiencies. | | | | the pursuit of truth and knowledge. For |
| Unfortunately, when it comes to cleaning | | | | instance, we need: |
| and maintaining industrial facilities, | | | | • More credible research on all |
| few new cleaning programs and | | | | aspects of cleaning and its associated |
| technologies have been introduced in the | | | | processes, which can lead to more |
| past 30 years, and of those that have, | | | | professional and effective cleaning |
| few have produced significantly | | | | • To better understand how cleaning |
| healthier results.This may be why so | | | | contains and removes pollution |
| many health complaints in industrial, | | | | This type of science will not only help |
| commercial, and educational facilities | | | | us understand how cleaning affects the |
| can be tied to ineffective cleaning. | | | | environment, but it will also lead to |
| It isn’t that those responsible for | | | | the development of quality cleaning |
| cleaning are not conscientious in their | | | | products and procedures designed for |
| efforts; instead, it’s often because | | | | special environments with specific |
| not enough is known - at least in | | | | needs. Ultimately, it will drive the |
| fundamental scientific terms - about | | | | development of new cleaning |
| what they are confronting. Indeed, many | | | | technologies, systems, chemistry, and |
| times, even the most meticulous of | | | | methods to improve the indoor |
| cleaning workers unknowingly compromise | | | | environmental quality for all types of |
| their own health and that of factory | | | | buildings, regardless of use and |
| workers and other building occupants | | | | surroundings. Just as important, |
| through improper cleaning methodologies | | | | scientific data and evidence will help |
| because the science to make those | | | | us discern truth and knowledge from mere |
| processes safer either doesn’t exist | | | | hype and opinion. |
| or is not well known. | | | | Facility Managers Can Spur the Industry |
| Unfortunately, the cleaning industry | | | | Managers of manufacturing facilities can |
| itself is largely to blame for this | | | | also help spur the industry forward in |
| state. In general, the industry has been | | | | producing cleaning tools and equipment |
| overly guided by the desire to market | | | | that are engineered based on scientific |
| new products - many of which are not | | | | research to be more effective and |
| necessarily the result of true | | | | hygienic. They can do this by insisting |
| scientific research. | | | | that their JanSan distributors provide |
| Indeed, many JanSan - janitorial | | | | supporting evidence from independent, |
| sanitary - manufacturers have invested | | | | third-party organizations that validates |
| little in research and development to | | | | the cleaning claims of the products they |
| discover what is actually required to | | | | are considering purchasing. |
| produce a sanitary outcome; and they | | | | Additionally, managers should make |
| have not used a scientific method to | | | | providing "scientific" criteria a |
| validate their claims. What is | | | | central part of the competitive bid and |
| frequently passed off as science in | | | | evaluation process when selecting new |
| cleaning is often just theory or opinion | | | | cleaning products, tools, and equipment. |
| and is not supported by hard data or | | | | This can include asking for objective, |
| evidence. Therefore, this “science” | | | | measurable criteria for such important |
| in cleaning is often veiled | | | | factors as: soil removal; product |
| pseudoscience that results from | | | | performance; worker productivity rates; |
| improper, yet innocent, scientific | | | | the affect or lack of affect the product |
| processes. Or, at its worst, it results | | | | may have on indoor air quality. |
| from a purposeful attempt to mislead for | | | | These scientific measurements serve a |
| commercial gain. | | | | secondary purpose as well. They can |
| The symptoms of this condition are | | | | also be used to judge the effectiveness |
| numerous. For example, throughout the | | | | of the cleaning programs and tools |
| cleaning industry - a huge, | | | | currently being used in a manufacturing |
| well-established, $60-plus billion | | | | facility. An example of this would be |
| industry - there is still no universal | | | | using a urine detection kit, now readily |
| agreement on the definition of | | | | available from some JanSan distributors, |
| “clean.” Further, few cleaning | | | | to see how well their current cleaning |
| standards, systems, or procedures have | | | | products perform. The same system can |
| earned “best-practices” status in | | | | be used to test the new tools and |
| which the methods have been tested and | | | | equipment under consideration as well. |
| approved through science and research. | | | | For instance, in one recent study it was |
| Also, many of the tools that most | | | | reported there was little difference in |
| cleaning workers are forced to use are | | | | the effectiveness of microfiber mops |
| obsolete and ineffective. Just look at | | | | over conventional string mops. And |
| the tools custodians use in industrial | | | | neither system performed well when |
| facilities, including mops, buckets, | | | | compared to a “No-Touch” Cleaning |
| cloths, and sprayers; they are not much | | | | system. These are the types of studies |
| different from those that were used in | | | | facility managers should be asking for |
| factories 40 years ago. | | | | when selecting cleaning equipment for |
| It’s no wonder that today most people, | | | | their locations. |