All across the United States, gas prices have drastically increased. But in the not-too-distant future, another of our natural resources may reach unheard-of costs as well: water. Usually taken for granted, water is increasingly becoming a concern to environmentalists and conservationists. Already in dry climates and over populated cities, water supplies are running low.

This hot topic is of interest to many facility managers, especially those who are conscious of the “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED™) — Green Building Rating System and LEED-EB for existing buildings. Building service contractors who want to use less water in their cleaning will probably be speaking the same language as these environmentally-educated facility managers.

“Generally, as an industry, we haven’t thought about water conservation,” says Stephen Ashkin, president, The Ashkin Group, Bloomington, Ind. “But it can become more and more of a differentiator. Facility managers will be made aware of the issue…but they shouldn’t have to be. BSCs should educate them because eventually they will start expecting it.”

“Our motto is ‘cleaning for a better environment,’” adds Rita McCauley, president, Grosvenor Building Services, Inc., Orlando, Fla. “For years we’ve been environmentally conscious. Now, there’s a lot of awareness by customers.”

But even if clients aren’t interested in green cleaning, there’s another reason to use less water in your floor-care operations — fewer slip and falls, which translates to a reduction in liability, says Ashkin.

Substitutes
Operations such as scrubbing and stripping require large amounts of water; buckets are filled with gallons of water to mop floors. But, there are alternatives that use less water.

“By keeping floors better cleaned, it reduces the frequency of stripping the floor and other jobs that require rinsing with water,” says Ashkin. “The reason we do intense scrubbing is because the floors aren’t shiny anymore. The floor finish gets damaged. It gets dull by dirt and grit. Vacuuming can help reduce that.”

Vacuuming hard floors is a quick, yet effective, substitute for wet mopping. While sweeping with brooms and power sweepers performs the same job, dust will be spread around. Vacuuming, especially with a HEPA filter, will help diminish dust problems, says Alfred Smith, president, Specialty Cleaning & Maintenance Co., Inc., Atlantic City, N.J.

Another method that reduces the need for scrubbing is dust or damp mopping. Microfiber flat mops use less water than cotton or synthetic mops; plus they have the added benefit of drying faster, says Ashkin. Also, these mops tend to be lighter as well — an extra ergonomic benefit for workers, he adds.

McCauley uses the European floor systems used by her parent companies in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

“We practice good maintenance on floors. Spray buff floors on a more frequent basis. Keep stripping to a minimum,” she says.

Spray buffing gives the floors a sheen to it, a more natural look than the wet, glossy look of stripping. In many buildings, new non-wax floors are being put down. These floors never need to be stripped and can easily be maintained with less water through spray buffing.

Preventative medicine
The best way to keep floors clean and looking new is to stop the dirt from being tracked in. Effective matting placed at entrances will help remove dirt from shoes; keeping entranceways clean will stop the dirt from spreading to other parts of the building.

“If you keep entrances clean, less cleaning in the rest of the building will be required,” says Ashkin. “This will lead to less water consumption.”

“Entrance areas are really critical,” adds McCauley. “But that’s always been an issue. It’s a standard way to keep clients happy.”

Any method that stretches the length of time between floor scrubbings will be beneficial. Ashkin stresses occupant education. In most cases when there is a spill, occupants just leave it for the night staff. However, when a spill is fresh, it’s relatively easy to clean it up efficiently with just paper towel, says Ashkin. The longer it sits, the harder it will be to clean and the more water will be needed. BSCs should educate occupants to report spills immediately, or have them clean it up themselves, he adds.

These water-conserving tips are not meant to replace scrubbing. Intense floor care will still be needed and water must be used, but there is no reason the overall amount of water needed to keep floors in shape can’t be diminished. Even if water shortages aren’t a problem in the immediate area, conserving water will help keep the supply abundant for future generations.




POSTED ON: 6/1/2004