use of a wet/dry vac to remove the excess water, whereas spray-and-squeegee sys-tems enable the liquid remaining on the floor to be removed by squeegeeing it into a floor drain. This design also means that the system can be battery-operated, eliminating the need for a power outlet. And, because there is also none of the noise that is associated with wet/dry vac cleanup, the unitʼs almost-silent operation makes it perfect for Day Cleaning. results in an overall cleaner environment. Today, facility managers face a difficult juggling act: Patrons demand and deserve the cleanest facilities possible, and studies have shown that green cleaning processes — in some states backed by legislation — will soon become the norm in facility saniti-zation, while tightening budgets have made meeting these requirements increasingly problematic. An automated touchless cleaning system can fill the void. Modern equipment innovation, such as automated touchless systems, create a more environmentally friendly cleaning expe-rience with less energy consumption. CM Proven Results The operation of these new units also puts them within the acceptable standards for recent green cleaning recommendations. Among the environmental, health and well-being benefits of spray-and-squeegee systems are: Reduced energy consumption Reduced natural resource and chemi-cal usage Reduced risk of sprayback of soil-and bacteria-contaminated water Noise pollution elimination Reduced physical stress on workers. Another principal topic at the ICM Symposium concerned measures that can be used to determine the actual cleanli-ness of a facility after it has been “cleaned.” One new method of determining just how clean a restroom might be is through the use of an adenosine triphosphate (ATP) meter. A high level of ATP on a surface may indicate an elevated level of bacteria. So, even though a surface might appear clean, a quick and simple test with a hand-held ATP meter — called a “truth detector” by some for its ability to make the invisible world visible — will quickly and accurately measure the level of cleanliness. Studies have found that a surface that has been cleaned with a spray-and-squeegee method will see a dramatic reduction in the ATP count. Simply put, spray-and-squeegee clean-ing can be scientifically proven to signifi-cantly outperform the outdated mop-and-bucket technique because the squeegee does a better job of removing soiled water and chemicals from the surface, which Circle Product Information no. 219 on page 32 www.cmmonline.com 31
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