I am amazed at how often a BSCs (Building Service Contractor) or In-House Service Providers will cut corners on tools that can radically increase productivity in the name of saving a few dollars. It should be noted that labor and benefits can consume between 55-90 percent of a custodial contract and any tool, chemical or piece of equipment increases productivity can not only pay for itself but also improve your bottom line.

A great exercise for an onsite supervisor would be to go through a distributor catalog and earmark tools that could benefit their staff. They then could share this information with purchasing or management and suggest that they consider at least testing some of these tools.

Following are some ideas to jump start the process:

• Foam gun – This is a tool that consists of a brass/plastic nozzle with a trigger that attaches to a hose. It has a solution bottle that screws on with a regulator for metering the amount of cleaner mixed with water. Some are insulated if used with hot water whereas the user may need to wear gloves to deal with the heat. A foam gun as the name implies mixes water and cleaner to generate a sticky detergent foam that can be applied to floors, walls and other washable surfaces with great results when used correctly.

• Microfiber bonnets – Microfiber keeps finding more and more ways to be used in cleaning. One distributor promotes their use on raised (usually rubber tiles) floors on a 175 RPM machine. They also claim that they can be used on most textured (slip resistant) floors to great effect.

• Grout scrub brush – This is a 6-10 inch V shaped brush on a swivel handle that can do amazing work on grout lines without having to be on hands and knees. They are especially effective in small areas or for touch up work. Be sure that the grout is able to withstand the aggressive scrubbing and remember to use the right chemicals for the task.

We will look at other tools in future articles.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 6/10/2016