In a slowing economy, managers are looking for any way to reduce their expenditures and streamline cleaning efficiencies. Rarely will the answer to their worries be to purchase more products, but in this case, that is exactly what experts recommend.

Microfiber is not a new technology for the cleaning industry, but it is often overlooked, not fully understood by many facility managers and considered too expensive for tight budgets. To extinguish this perception, it would behoove managers to educate themselves on all that microfiber offers because, according to experts, the financial benefits heavily outweigh the initial costs.

“If facility managers don’t mind paying the initial cost of hardware and necessary training,” says Jeannie Murphy, president and owner of Tulsa, Okla.-based Murphy Sanitary Supply, “implementing microfiber will save managers money in the long run.”

If implemented properly, microfiber can help streamline cleaning tasks and improve cleaning times. This technology can also reduce chemical and water usage, minimize product replacement costs and save thousands of dollars in fines associated with building occupant health.

In fact, those facilities that were on the forefront of the microfiber trend have already begun to see both financial benefits and cleaning efficiencies associated with its use.

At Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., the goal for the custodial department has been to conform the cleaning techniques into green initiatives, all while increasing efficiencies and reducing budget dollars. According to Michael Smith, departmental supervisor and CMI master trainer in the Academic Custodial Services department, the cleaning crew at Western Washington University has been successful in achieving those goals for roughly 15 years, thanks to the implementation and use of microfiber technology.

“We are extremely vested in microfiber,” says Smith. The fact that this product can help meet green goals, while reducing expenditures goes a long way to support its use.

Microfiber is directly associated with green claims, in part, because it requires the use of minimal chemicals. In some cases, the products clean effectively without the use of any chemicals and instead can be used dry or by using only water. This feature of microfiber is also a cost savings perk. Utilizing a product that will reduce the chemical inventory throughout the facility is a win-win resulting in substantial budget savings.

In addition to the fact that these products require fewer chemicals to clean up to par, the length of life associated with their use adds dollars back to the pot.

“With a traditional mop, departments will get a maximum of about 50 washes before replacements are necessary,” says Murphy. “Microfiber, on the other hand, withstands about 300 washes.”

Smith expands on that, saying his department averages between 300 and 600 washes for their microfiber, slashing expenses associated with the replacement of cloths and mops.

Healthy Alternatives

Savings on product purchases can add up, but the largest part of any cleaning budget is labor. Workers who are home sick or occupant illnesses that results in fines are expenses that can accumulate quickly. This is why it is important for facility managers to be mindful and practice cleaning for health to protect both the cleaners and the building occupants. Microfiber can help.

In brief, microfiber technology is such that the very small strands on the cloth (too small for the human eye to detect) grab and lock in harmful bacteria until laundered — leaving surfaces clean, dry and polished.

Darrel Hicks, director of environmental services at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo. and author of “Infection Control For Dummies,” believes that the use of microfiber throughout his facility has actually resulted in a decrease of both hospital-acquired infection rates and the fines associated with them.

Last week roughly 20 percent of St. Luke’s patients were in isolation for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus areus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. diff) or Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

“Of those 20 percent isolations, only six were C. diff. patients,” says Hicks. “We had similar percentages at this same time last year, but the C. diff. patients were up at 12 to 15.”

By cutting these statistic in half over the span of a year, the department was able to save substantial dollars. According to Hicks, just one hospital acquired infection could carry with it a $100,000 fine. As he indicates, “that would buy a lot of microfiber.”

At this time, there is no scientific proof for his claims, but Hicks believes the reduced amount of acquired illnesses is due in part to the implementation of microfiber and its improved cleaning capabilities.

For instance, Hicks dedicates specific microfiber for use only in patient restrooms. These mops and clothes are changed out between rooms to reduce the spread of cross-contamination.

“This eliminates body waste issues from ever emerging into other patient care areas,” he says, “and it helps with our patient safety goal of reducing the rate of hospital acquired infections.”

Smith has also noticed a reduction in bacteria levels on various surfaces throughout his facility and associates them with the use of microfiber products. In fact, he conducted ATP (adenosine triphosphate) measurements of the surfaces within his facility and recorded a vast improvement over those areas where microfiber was not used.

Not only will the reduced levels of bacteria improve building occupant health, but Smith’s documented and proven statistics are hard proof when it comes time for justifying additional microfiber purchases.

Versatility Is Important

When considering a new product purchase, weighing its costs against its versatility is important. In the case of microfiber, the fact that it can be used effectively in so many areas of the facility and minimizes cleaning times, far outweighs any expenses.

In fact, because of the vast amount of areas where microfiber is implemented, Smith has been able to reduce his cleaning product inventory by 60 products, saving substantial budget dollars.

Such inventory reductions associated with microfiber implementation is not abnormal, if used to its full potential.

Without giving it too much thought, Smith came up with at least a dozen areas within Western Washington University that benefit from the use of microfiber.

“We use microfiber in a variety of areas,” says Smith. “Areas ranging from the standard hard surface wet or dry wiping to polishing wood or stainless steel, removing grease from hard surfaces, dusting computer and TV screens, removing soap scum from shower fixtures, cleaning spills, wet mopping, gym floor cleaning, chalk and white board cleaning, restroom cleaning and sanitizing, dry dusting, damp dusting and window cleaning.”

Murphy also stresses that many facilities can benefit from using microfiber as high dusters.

“Users can form an angle with these products to exactly fit a high dusting opportunity,” she says. “They also make flexible flat dusters that are ideal for dusting the wall.”

She also stresses microfibers benefits when used to lay floor finish. In fact, many cleaning managers have noted that using microfiber will make for quicker and more even distribution of finish and allows for cleaner work near walls and baseboards.

Although there are a variety of uses for microfiber, the most common is as a flat mop. Because of its size and cleaning capabilities, a microfiber mop can reach areas of the facility otherwise difficult to clean, absorb higher concentrates of water and debris and is ergonomically designed to reduce user fatigue or injury. This makes for quicker and safer cleaning, and managers can expect to save money on cleaning times and worker fatigue or injury.

“Microfiber has truly revolutionized the cleaning industry,” says Murphy. “When it first came out, people thought it would be a flash n the pan, but we now realize its tremendous impact.”

 




POSTED ON: 2/1/2009