Wednesday, September 23, 2015

What is High Efficiency Laundry Detergent?

Horizontal-axis washers (front-loaders) use 1/3 - 2/3 less water than vertical-axis machines (top-loaders), saving valuable water and energy resources. However, less water also means regular laundry detergents do not dissolve as easily and can leave soap residue on your clothes.

The tumbling action of an horizontal-axis machine is gentler on fabrics but adds more air to the water as your clothes are plunged into and lifted out of the water. This creates more suds than a conventional top-loading washer would, and excess suds can overflow and actually damage a front-loading machine.

To prevent excessive sudsing when using regular detergents in an horizontal-axis washer, it is often necessary to use substantially less detergent. However, using less detergent can result in poor cleaning. As a result, it is best to use a specially formulated low sudsing laundry detergent with a front load washer. This is where high efficiency laundry detergent comes into play.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Green Cleaning Products

Going Green?

Are there children, food, or pets in the environment you clean? If you answered yes, than if for no other reason than that, you should consider using green products when you clean. Typical cleaners have many harsh chemicals, equally harsh smells, and produce an environment that can be toxic. There are several chemicals with long hard to pronounce names that should be avoided. Below is a list of some of the chemicals, and the usual type of product you may find it in.

Alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanols
Laundry detergents, all-purpose and hard surface cleaners, floor care products, degreasers, deodorizers, contraceptives, personal care products, hair colorings, shampoos and conditioners.

Chlorine 
Chlorine laundry bleach, dishwasher detergents, cleaning products, and municipal drinking water supplies. Organochlorines are found in cleaners, pesticides, and many other products.

Formaldehyde 
Room deodorizers, germicides, personal care products.

Glycol Ethers 
All-purpose cleaners, window and glass cleaners, spray cleaners, scouring powders, brake fluid, perfumes and cosmetics.

P-dichlorobenzene 
Mothballs and other strong-smelling chemical insect repellents, urinal cakes and toilet bowl deodorizers, solid room deodorizers.

Pesticides 
Insect sprays, baits, traps, and repellents, weed killers, rodent poisons, mildew treatments and preventatives.

Volatile Organic Compounds 
Oven cleaners, paint removers and strippers, degreasers, all-purpose cleaners, polishes and waxes, glass cleaners, spot removers, air fresheners and odor removers, perfumes and fragrances.

Those chemicals are a mouthful. Unfortunately we have been exposed to many of these for a long time in the products we use. They are said to cause everything from breathing problems, developmental problems, liver problems, and cancer. You might say that all this time I have been using regular products, and I haven’t been affected. But, why take a chance? If you are just starting to “go green”, why not start with green cleaning products.
Reliable Paper has an entire section dedicated to GREEN products.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Who is Cellucap?

Cellucap is a manufacturer of disposable apparels - mainly for the foodservice and restaurant industry.

They like to say Cellucap means disposable apparel. They have invested nearly fifty years establishing their status in the disposable apparel business by taking pride in their products, customers and future. From hairnets and chef hats to protective gowns and custom apparel, Cellucap products serve a variety of markets throughout the world.

You can review their product line here:

Hairnets and Koronets 
Cellucap is also the largest manufacturer of hairnets in the world and the only manufacturer in North America. Indeed this is something to take pride of since the products that they create are truly one of a kind. Their hairnets and koronets offer unbeatable product value, affordable quality, optimal fit and comfort that lets you breathe. Cellucap is the most widely worn products of their kind in the world.

Chef Hats 
Chef hats are a staple in most kitchens. The taller the hat means the greater the experience. But would you believe that originally, the number of pleats on a chef hat represented the number of ways a chef could prepare an egg? While this criteria may be old-fashioned, the Cellucap line of chef hats is definitely not! They are designed for both form and function where these hats provide a comfortable fit and effective protective barrier.

Bouffants 
Bouffants are worn to prevent minute particles from entering or reaching products or equipment. Cellucap bouffants are made without the sometimes skin irritating rubber latex.

Caps and Visors 
Cellucap caps and visors are perfect for food handling, institutional or even industrial environments. They even come in four color custom printing to coordinate with the traditional uniforms or décor. Private laels can be printed inside the headbands. This serves useful during functions and special events.

Gloves 
Cellucap offers glove styles from vinyl to latex and polyethylene ultra thin models provide excellent sensitivity and dexterity. Heavier ambidextrous models with seamless construction are suited for industrial use.

Coats, Jackets and Shirts 
Whether you need a lightweight visitor’s coat or a more complete coverage to protect against chemical exposure, Cellucap has a wide variety of non-woven fabric choices. Their apparel products are known for their generous patterns to assure freedom of movement. They are also ideal for food preparation and food processing and are available in all sizes from small to X-large. White is the chosen standard color although other colors and sizes are also available.

Pants, Jumpsuits and Coveralls 
Usually pants coordinate with the shirts but they can also be ordered and worn separately as pleased! Available sizes are also from Small to X-Large. With white as standard, other colors are also made available.

Jumpsuits and Coveralls 
Cellucap jumpsuits and coveralls come in zipfront coverage to facilitate all kinds of cleanups. Aside from the S to XL sizes, larger sizes up to 5XL are available.

Shoe and Boot Covers 
Cellucap is also confident that they can really satisfy every food service foot needs with their large collection. Everybody is welcome to try out the available selections. The shoe and boot covers come in dispenser boxes or bulk packaging.

Brewing Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is NATURALLY BREWED from the basic ingredients of soybean, wheat, salt and water.

MIXING

Wheat is roasted and grounded while the soy beans are steamed.
Mold starter is then mixed with the wheat and soybeans.

CULTURING

Mixture of Koji is cultured for 2 days.
This process is critical to final color, aroma, and flavor.
Koji is then mixed with brine salt and water to make up moromi mash.

FERMENTATION

Moromi Mash is fermented in tanks for 6 months.

PRESSING

Matured Moromi is filtered to extract raw soy sauce.
The moromi residue or soy sauce cake is used for animal feed.

STERILIZATION

Raw soy sauce is heated to pasteurize.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Q & A with Reliable Paper: Stripper, Sealer, and Finish Requirements for Redoing Floors

One of the most often asked questions from a new customer when presenting a Floor Care System is:

"How much stripper, seal, and finish will I need to purchase to redo my floors?"

To best estimate your customers floor care needs, assume he will do a complete refinish job on the floor area.

This consists of the following:

1. Complete removal of all old finish.
2. Sealing the stripped floor with two coats of sealer.
3. Application of at least four coats of floor finish.

The product requirements are for each 1000 square feet of floor: 

1/2 gallon of FINISH per coat X 4 coats = 2 GALLONS of FINISH
1 gallon of SEAL per coat X 2 coats = 1 GALLON of SEALER
1 gallon of STRIPPER

Floors can vary a great deal in porosity, and the old finish that must be removed from the floor varies in difficulty of removal. Therefore, the figures shown above are only an estimate for average conditions. They are based on published coverage data and are accurate enough for estimating purposes to establish an order size.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Floor Maintenance with Norton Bear-Tex Super 54

Non-woven nylon pads are used for many applications in the cleaning, sanding and maintenance of flooring substrates. These flooring substrates consist of hardwood, marble, VCT and ceramic tile. For each flooring type the non-woven pads have a different function which leads to so many types of pads offered. The Norton Bear-Tex Super 54 line of floor pads are specifically designed for the surface preparation and finishing of these flooring types.

The first distinction to be made regarding the Super 54 line is if the pad will be used on surface preparation or surface finishing. The difference between the two is that one is used before the final coat of finish or coating is applied and the other is used after. For example, in hardwood floor sanding a non-woven pad can be used for the final sanding or blending of the wood before finish is applied, this is surface preparation. Then after all of the coats of finish are applied another non-woven pad is used to the final shine or look to the floor, this is surface finish.

Another distinction to be made is the speed of the maintainer or buffer machine being used. For general stripping, scrubbing and polishing a slow speed (175 – 350 rpm) machine is used. For ultra high speed polishing and burnishing (to bring to gloss) a machine running at high speed (1500 – 3000 rpm) is used.

There are 6 major categories for the use of the Super 54 pads: stripping, scrubbing, spray buffing, buffing/polishing, light burnishing & heavy burnishing. Each category uses a few of the specific Super 54 pads in varying degrees to achieve its purpose.

In stripping you are using the non-woven pad to remove material. This material may be layers of wax on tile floors or adhesive left when carpet or linoleum is removed. In any case you will need a pad that quickly and easily removes the material. For the stripping application a low rpm machine is used. The pads used for this application are the High Productivity Black Stripping pad and the Black Super Strip pad . The High Productivity Black Stripping pad is an extremely aggressive pad that is openly porous for the most difficult stripping jobs. The Black Super Strip is an aggressive, durable and consistent pad used in all wet stripping (in conjunction with chemical strippers) applications.

The scrubbing application of non-woven pads is when a floor needs to be cleaned of various marks and scratches. These pads are also used with a low speed machine. The two pads generally used for this application are the Green Super Scrub and the Blue Super Clean. The Green Super Scrub is used for heavy-duty scrubbing or light stripping jobs. The Blue Super Clean pad is for general duty scrubbing or cleaning jobs prior to re-coating.

Spray buffing is done when a like new finish is desired on a regular basis. This is done mainly in supermarkets, hospitals and commercial buildings where a consistently clean look is desired. This application can be used on either a low or high-speed machine depending on what type of finish you desire. The pads that are used in the spray buffing application are the Red Buffer , Champagne Polish & Burnish and the Ultra Grizzly pads . The Red Buffer pad is designed for a high gloss finish on spray buffing applications or for light cleaning. The Champagne Polish & Burnish pad is our softest pad that will give you the highest gloss. Finally the Ultra Grizzly pad is a special blend of synthetic and natural fibers designed to quickly remove scratches and marks and leaves the floors glistening.

Buffing and Polishing is used on dry floors to pick up the sheen or gloss of the floor. The pads used for Buffing & Polishing are the Champagne Polish & Burnish (described above) and the White Super Gloss. The White Super Gloss pad is for all polishing or burnishing applications where a high gloss is desired.

Light burnishing is restoring the coating on the floor to a moderate gloss level. This procedure is done with a high-speed machine (1500 – 2000 rpm). The pads used in this application are the Champagne Polish & Burnish(described above) and the Thermal Burnish pad. The Thermal Burnish pad uses a unique rubberized binder formulation, which gives this pad outstanding, results on softer finishes.

Heavy burnishing is restoring the coating on the floor to a high gloss finish. This procedure is also done with a high-speed machine (1500 – 3000 rpm). The pads used for heavy burnishing are the Aqua Ultra High-Speed pad , Pink “Top-Shine” Burnish pad and the Ultra Grizzly pad (described above). The Aqua Ultra High-Speed pad is designed to produce a “wet” look shine on soft to medium hardness finishes. It is found to work especially well on metal-free finishes. The Pink “Top-Shine” Burnish pad is a multi-purpose burnishing pad for use with ultra high speed machines to revive gloss on dull floors in a single pass. The Pink pad works best when floors have a good base coat of finish. This pad is designed for HARD FINISHES ONLY. Substitute the Pink pad for animal hair pads in health care facilities.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Can Liner Shopping Guide

All can liners are manufactured using blown-film extrusion equipment. In this manufacturing process, Polyethylene resin pellets are mixed with color concentrates and additives. They are then piped into the extruders, which in turn mixes and melts the resin formula. The mixture is then forced, under pressure, through a die and blown into a large bubble with a uniform gauge (thickness).

Located downstream from the extruder, finishing equipment flattens the bubble and heat-seals the bottoms to the specified length of the finished bag. The poly stream is perforated, pulled apart to create separate bags, then folded. Trash bags are individually folded and packed in high-quality, dispenser packaging.

To find out which canliner you should choose click here:

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Clean Hands Save Lives

Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. It is best to wash your hands with soap and clean running water for 20 seconds. However, if soap and clean water are not available, use an alcohol-based product to clean your hands. Alcohol-based hand rubs significantly reduce the number of germs on skin and are fast acting.

When washing hands with soap and water: 

  • Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
  • Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
  • Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing Happy Birthday twice through to a friend!
  • Rinse hands well under running water.
  • Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
Remember: If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based gel to clean hands.

When using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer: 

  • Apply product to the palm of one hand.
  • Rub hands together.
  • Rub the product over all surfaces of hands and fingers until hands are dry.

When should you wash your hands? 

  • Before preparing or eating food.
  • After going to the bathroom.
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has gone to the bathroom.
  • Before and after tending to someone who is sick.
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • After handling an animal or animal waste.
  • After handling garbage.
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound.
And don't forget, you can always use gloves to prevent contamination!

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Benefits of Disposable Caterware

There are many great reasons to use disposable plastic caterware besides its beautiful designs, crystal-like clarity, and rigidity.

Safety & Sanitation

When sanitation and safety are critical priorities, use plastic-ware!

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, improperly sanitized utensils are a principal cause of food-borne disease. An independent study of 107 foodservice operations in four cities concluded that more than 17 percent of the reusable tableware tested exceeded the generally accepted 100-colonies-of-bacteria per utensil standard set by the National Research Council.

  • In another microbiological study of foodservice operations, nearly half of the dishwashing machines inspected were either dirty or not working properly.
  • Due to their sanitary superiority, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) 1997 Food Code mandates that in situations in which the reuse of multi-use items could result in food borne illnesses to consumers, single-service and single-use articles must be used to assure food safety.
  • Because disposables are lightweight, they reduce potential accidents and employee back injuries. They also eliminate possible cuts and scratches caused by chipped or broken crockery and glassware.
  • Dishwashing can expose employees to hazardous chemicals and falling due to possible spillovers. Disposables eliminate both hazards. 

Savings & Convenience

Plastic-ware is the smart choice for savings and convenience!

  • Disposables like plastic-ware eliminate the need for purchasing, maintaining and replacing dishwashers and other support equipment. They also save time and labor by eliminating the need to bus, scrape, wash, rinse, dry and store dishes.
  • It's expensive to replace broken or stolen china and glassware. In some facilities, the replacement rate is over 40 percent per year. Discards are neither recyclable nor compostable, but simply add to solid waste.
  • Plastic-ware takes up a minimum of space in kitchen and serving areas. It stacks neatly on the serving area, usually taking up one quarter of the space of bulky china and glassware. And it can be conveniently stored in shipping boxes and stacked on shelves. 

Environmentally Sound

Disposable foodservice products only contribute over two percent by weight to the U.S. municipal solid waste stream, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That's less waste than is generated from old newspapers, books and magazines - and Americans throw out more than five times more yard waste than single-use food items.

  • Because they require no washing or sanitizing, single-service products like plastic-ware save energy and water. Commercial dishwashers consume large amounts of both and create gallons of chlorine and detergent-laden waste water. When every drop of water and kilowatt counts, using single-use foodservice products can make a difference.
  • Only four percent of the world's petroleum resources are used to manufacture ALL plastics. Plastic foodservice disposables account for a minute portion of all plastics produced.
  • Technological advances and packaging redesigns allow manufacturers to produce lighter, stronger and more compact foodservice disposables using less raw materials than their original design, a conservation strategy called source reduction. Most foodservice disposables can be recycled where facilities are available. 
  • Disposable Cutlery is a favorite choice with caterers, restaurants, schools, hotels, airlines and party supply stores.

Friday, September 4, 2015

How to Choose the Right Soap System

Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In short, hand washing not only gets hands clean, it helps keep people healthy.

So no matter what type of facility, providing the right kind of skincare systems is a crucial ingredient in protecting the health and well-being of the people who use its washrooms day in and day out.

But how do you determine which skincare dispenser is best for a particular facility’s needs?

The following is a guideline to help select the right skincare system for the "task at hand."

Counter-Mounted Soap Dispensing Systems 

Counter-mounted soap systems are ideal for office buildings or properties where appearance and image are important concerns. These systems provide an upscale look for today’s modern facilities.

When selecting this type of system it’s important to make sure it is engineered to eliminate the clogging, leaking, rust, corrosion and costly repair problems associated with many traditional counter-mounted, bulk soap systems. Look for systems that provide a new pump in every cartridge, with a refill tube that runs all the way through the dispensing spout so soap never touches the dispensers. With these systems there is also no chance of spilling soap when refilling. These skincare systems often come with different finishes, such as chrome or brass, and can be used with many types of cleansers.

Replaceable Soap Systems 

For properties looking for an easy maintenance skincare solution, consider purchasing a high capacity system that provides a new dispenser with each refill. Maintenance professionals replace the entire unit with a new, hygienic replacement. Replaceable soap systems are easy to use, as all dispensers, regardless of size, easily click and mount on a universal bracket. Before you select a disposable soap system, check to see if it is made of recyclable plastic. These systems can also be used with many different kinds of hand cleansers as well as alcohol-based instant hand sanitizers. Wall-mounted dispensers containing instant hand sanitizers are convenient for use in healthcare facilities – inside patient rooms and in corridors or nurse’s stations.

Portable Instant Hand Sanitizers 

Another way to encourage hand hygiene in any type of facility is to provide portable bottles of instant hand sanitizer. The larger sizes can be placed on a desk, in a classroom or in an office break room, while the smaller sizes can fit inside a pocket or lab coat or be given to a student at school, making it possible to sanitize hands anytime, anywhere.

Touch-less Systems 

Touch-less dispensers further minimize the spread of germs, since there are no buttons, cranks or levers to touch. Touch-less technology is most crucial for hand towel dispensers, since towels are typically used once hands are clean, after having been washed with soap and water. This is the most important time for people not to touch potentially germ-laden surfaces.

Durable Systems for High Traffic Locations 

For high-traffic locations, you may want to consider installing a high-capacity, abuse-resistant dispenser. These dual-cartridge systems can withstand greater impact and force than traditional dispensers and can also eliminate the need for frequent refills and reduce the risk of run out. They also won’t dent like stainless steel.

After you’ve selected the right skincare system for a particular facility, make sure to give careful consideration to the number of dispensers that will be needed. There should always be enough well-stocked dispensers to accommodate a busy restroom. With too few dispensers, people are more likely to leave without washing their hands, particularly if someone else is using the sink.

By considering these tips before selecting skincare dispensers, you’ll choose the most effective system for a facility, making it easier for restroom visitors to wash up. Lastly, to make sure soap is there when people need it, be certain to purchase a system that functions well and doesn’t require a lot of maintenance or repairs. Restocking, cleaning, as well as repairing broken or malfunctioning dispensers, all cost money. High-capacity dispensers that perform properly can also reduce costs because they don’t have to be checked, repaired and restocked as often.

Bulk Soap Refills vs Sealed Soap Refills

Press release from Gojo.com

"Every time you use soap from an open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispenser, you could be putting hundreds of millions of fecal bacteria on your hands, which is actually more than is in the toilet after you flush it," said Dr. Charles P. Gerba, microbiologist from the University of Arizona in Tucson.

The studies, conducted by the University of Arizona, under the direction of Dr. Charles P. Gerba, showed that approximately 23 to 25% of samples taken from open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers were contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria. Coliforms, illness causing fecal-based organisms, were found in 16 to 22% of the samples.

The amount of contamination was higher in samples collected from health and fitness facilities. There, 33% of random samples taken from open refillable soap dispensers were contaminated with unsafe levels of bacteria. Coliforms, illness causing fecal-based organisms, were found in over 50% of the contaminated samples.

Dr. Gerba suspected that the number of contaminates were higher due to the warmer environment in showers and sinks located in locker room areas.

In contrast, no bacterial contamination was found in soap dispensed from sealed systems.

The findings from these studies were presented at a recent meeting of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) in Toronto, Canada and will be presented in June at the National Environmental Health Association's Annual Conference. The studies, which were funded in part by GOJO Industries of Akron, OH, concluded that the open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers are a breeding ground for germs and can result in a public health risk.

Open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers utilize a refillable container from which product is dispensed. It is refilled by pouring soap into the container on an “as needed” basis.

"When we first learned about contamination issues regarding open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers, we wanted to collect data to determine if it was true," said Joe Kanfer, chairman and chief executive officer of GOJO Industries. "The study by Dr. Gerba confirmed that contamination is present."

According to Dr. Gerba, the bacteria that were found in overwhelming numbers were opportunistic pathogens. Opportunistic pathogens are capable of causing serious infections in young people and people who are immunocompromised. He explained that these infections can range from eye, skin or respiratory infections.

Although young people and those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk of infection, Dr. Gerba says everyone is susceptible, especially if you have abrasions or open cuts or wounds. He adds that by washing your hands with contaminated soap, there is also the potential of spreading the germs each time you touch another surface.

While opportunistic pathogens predominated, Dr. Gerba said you should not rule out the existence of frank pathogens growing in these open refillable soap dispensers. Frank pathogens are unmistakable viruses, microorganisms or other substances that can cause disease in everyone, including healthy individuals.

Dr. Gerba explained this study focused on the amount of bacteria in the systems. He noted that opportunistic pathogens that were predominate included Klebsiella, Enterobacter, and Serratia.

"We don't know all the different types of bacteria that can grow in the dispenser," said Dr. Gerba. "There could be frank pathogens that make everybody ill. So, my thinking is why take a chance?" He urged further testing to determine and identify disease-causing frank pathogens that might be housed at lower levels in these open refillable dispensers.

Meanwhile, does the type of open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers make a difference with regard to contamination? Dr. Gerba said any open refillable dispenser, whether plastic or stainless steel, could be subject to contamination. He cautioned that stainless steel dispensers may lend a false sense of security.

"Stainless steel will not control microbial growth," responded Dr. Gerba. "They are very easy surfaces to clean. But, they won't control microbial growth."

Although manufacturers of these systems offer cleaning instructions and some offer products which claim to clean and sanitize these types of systems, Dr. Gerba said he is unaware of any established protocol for cleaning and effective sanitizing of open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers.

With regard to cleaning solutions that also claim to sanitize, Dr. Gerba suggested that you should ask to see the data of how well it works and how often you really need to clean the system to maintain it in a sanitary manner.

According to Dr. Gerba, the only safe solution to the risks of using open refillable bulk soap reservoir dispensers is to use sealed systems. Sealed systems utilize refill cartridges that are sealed during the manufacturing process. These high-capacity refills are used once and then discarded when empty.

The studies showed that no pathogens were found in soap collected from sealed systems.

Dr. Gerba explained, "A sealed system is sealed at the factory during manufacturing where the bulk system is actually refilled at the facility. It (bulk soap) may actually be diluted with water and may be contaminated from the water and people putting their fingers in the soap. That doesn't happen with a sealed system."

After analyzing the data from the study, Dr. Gerba concluded "I think the industry that supplies bulk soap should promote the use of sealed containers and not reusable fillable containers."

GOJO Industries, inventors of PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer, distributes it in away-from-home markets throughout the world. In addition, GOJO manufactures and distributes a full line of products under the GOJO and PROVON brand names. GOJO has a 60 year history of leadership in improving well-being through hand hygiene and healthy skin. GOJO has products and programs to kill germs on hands and solve skin care-related problems in a variety of markets, including healthcare, foodservice, manufacturing, automotive, education, government and military.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Q & A with Reliable Paper: How to minimize slips and falls in the workplace?

Our customer Eric, asks Brick the following:

"How can our business prevent slips and falls by our employees and customers?"
   - Eric

His answer:

"Improving floor safety protocols can recoup big dollars for businesses since slips, trips and falls account for 15 percent of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities. In the workplace, the average cost from slip and falls is $22,800 per accident and the average workers compensation claim is $19,000.

These numbers often account for medical costs alone, a hefty fine for an accident that could have been prevented. If an employee has an accident, managers must also factor in potential replacement workers, the salary of the unemployed staff member, restricted duty for that person, etc.

Wet or damp floors are a common cause of slips and falls. When cleaning the floors during business hours, make sure you place safety signs and cones around the area being cleaned. Also, use proper floor mats outside the building to prevent rain and snow from being tracked in, and properly placed indoor floor mats can help with slips as well. Properly cleaning floors can prevent slips as well. Some floor finishes contain oil which reduce friction and make the floor less safe to walk on. Slip-resistant strips on steps and stairs can help prevent slips on stairs which can be particularly dangerous and proper lighting in your business helps too."
   - Brick

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Q & A with Reliable Paper: How to clean stainless steel partitions?

Several years ago our customer George asked our owner Brick, the following question...

"We have restrooms in the buildings we clean that have stainless steel partitions for toilets and urinals. It is so time consuming to wipe on and buff with a clean rag and still we get smudge swirls etc. The restrooms are fairly new 2 years. Will sponges make it easy and do a better job than the spray on fuller prods we use. I am told to use vinegar or WD40. Please help!!!"
   - George

Brick's Answer: 

"I think that most people use entirely too much metal polish when they are dealing with stainless steel. I would start by totally removing all of the polish from your partitions (any degreaser will work). Next, I apply a very small amount of polish, my preference is a water based one like the chase 5153. From then on, the trick is to maintain on a daily basis using a soft cloth and polishing only the areas with smudges etc. Spray the polish onto the cloth only, not the stainless steel. I hope this helps. Not only should you have better looking stainless steal partitions, but your cost should go down as well. "
   - Brick