Tag Archive for: germ-resistant

Flu Season is Coming: Reduce the Spread of Germs in Your School

Flu season can be a tough time of the year for school facility managers. Finding ways to combat the spread of germs

is easier said than done, but the important goal to keep in mind is to provide students with a safe and healthy environment to learn. The flu and germs can be easily spread in a school setting due to the many surfaces that are constantly touched, shared items, and the sheer number of students that could be ill. At times, it almost seems like an uphill battle. However, as a facility manager, there are several steps that you can take to help reduce the spread of germs in your school during flu season.

Inspect Your Water System

As flu season rolls in, you’ll want to be sure that your water system is in great shape. This not only means changing the filters to directly reduce any possible germs, but you’ll want to make sure that the actual water flow systems are functioning properly. During flu seasons, teachers are expected to stress to their students the importance of washing hands to avoid getting sick. This means that the faucets in your bathroom will be getting a lot of use, and that by functioning properly, it’ll allow students to wash their hands and help prevent the spread of germs.

Clean & Disinfect

Due to the many contact surfaces in your school, there’s no doubt that they’ve accrued their fair share of germs. During this season, it’s important to ramp up your cleaning schedule. Be sure to properly disinfect lunch tables, lockers, water fountains, door handles, and any other point that gets touched by many people throughout the day. By properly disinfecting any contact surfaces, you’re doing your part to greatly reduce the spread of germs and the flu.

Install Hand Sanitizer Stations

Hand sanitizer is one of your best friends when flu season rolls around. Even if a portion of the student body utilizes hand sanitizer, there will be a significant drop in student absences. You can put hand sanitizer pumps in bathrooms, the lunch room, and any administrative office. However, you may also want to invest in a hand sanitizer stand in high-traffic areas like major staircases, the library, and anywhere where there are computers. Shared computer keyboards are often a hotbed of germ spread, so be sure to combat it by offering hand sanitizer for students to use after they use the computer.

Reevaluate Your School’s Lockers & Toilet Partitions

Believe it or not, your lockers and toilet partitions can have a pretty significant part in the spread of germs. Toilet partitions can absorb moisture and sprout mold, and both partitions and lockers are touched frequently by many students throughout the day. Keeping up with sanitizing these components can prove difficult, but instead of regularly cleaning and sanitizing, why not replace these components with a better material that can resist the absorption of germs?

HDPE plastic—available as toilet partitions, lockers, and storage cubbies—provide a secure and stable structure that can stand up to the spread of germs. The surfaces are non-porous, so no bacteria will be infiltrating the inside of this solid plastic. HDPE plastic is also highly durable, and can actually resist scratches and dents. The biggest benefit of HDPE is that this material is low-maintenance and only requires a light cleansing, as opposed to the other materials that require vigorous scrubbing.

Would you like more information about keeping your facility in tip-top shape? Download our free commercial restroom cleaning checklist now!

Your Back-to-School Cleaning Plan & Checklist

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To a school facility manager, the end of summer is a busy time, especially in the current environment. While you may have kept up with some routine maintenance and cleaning throughout the off-season, now it’s time to really get started on preparing the building for the upcoming school year. This means getting a back-to-school cleaning plan and checklist together to make sure that you cover all your bases so your school building can be ready to start the school year off on the right foot.

Clean Those Hallways

It’s important to give your hallways a thorough cleaning before the school year begins. Most germs and bacteria are picked up through foot traffic, and more often than not, those germs end up in the hallways. Utilizing a strong disinfectant cleaner can help combat the spread of germs. However, there are green cleaning products on the market that can help you achieve germ removal and still keep harmful chemicals from contaminating the air.

Focus Your Efforts in the Restroom/Locker Rooms

School restrooms and locker rooms are a breeding ground for bacteria, germs, and, of course, mold. While a thorough cleaning can help reduce the growth and spread of mold, it may already be too late. The constant presence of moisture can actually cause mold to sprout inside your partitions. If this is the case, you’ll need to replace them. But why not replace them with a material that can resist mold growth, and is naturally germ resistant*, such as HDPE (high-density polyethylene)?

Test Your Water & Air Quality

Be sure to check your air and water quality to see if it’s up to code. Find a water tester in the area to help you conduct these routine tests so you can see where the quality lies. If the result isn’t as high as you’d hoped, consider replacing the filtration system. When it comes to air, there are several ways that you can do your part increase the quality. Consider getting indoor plants, utilize HDPE building materials, and have your HVAC system checked for any issues.

Clean/Replace Lockers

You may not realize this, but lockers are a hotbed for germs. When the light catches them just right, you can see the assortment of finger prints, grease, and smudges that have built up over time. You can utilize cleaning products, but if there’s any rust or exterior damage, you may want to consider replacing them. Luckily, HDPE plastic lockers don’t rust, they aren’t easily damaged, and they’re resistant to graffiti, helping you maintain your facility without having to paint over them. And just like HDPE restroom partitions, HDPE lockers are naturally germ resistant*! Because of this, HDPE lockers can also help improve the school’s air quality. This material is also low maintenance, which helps you save time and money on your school cleaning checklist!

Was this back-to-school cleaning plan and checklist helpful in showing you the many ways that you can help get your school ready for the sudden influx of students? Do you want to find ways to make your school a safer and more sustainable environment for the students? Check out this eBook, Safe School Design: How Architecture Plays a Role in Creating Safe & Secure Educational Spaces, from your friends at Scranton Products.

*https://bit.ly/3Cfi6Ge

How HDPE Can Save Your Facility Maintenance Costs

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When it’s time to start a lengthy renovation project in your facility, or you’re about to break ground, it’s important to use the right materials for the job. Not only do you want building materials that are sturdy and reliable, but you want something that’s going to save you maintenance costs in the long run. That’s why a lot of facility managers are utilizing HDPE (high-density polyethylene) as materials in their bathroom for partitions, stalls, and even vanities. If you’re a facility manager who’s in the process of deciding on these types of materials, you may want to learn a little more about HDPE and the benefits of choosing it.

HDPE & Durability

The most expensive form of maintenance is usually the regretful replacement. Whether your stall or partition was damaged beyond repair, or it’s infested with mold, having to replace the entire piece can not only be expensive, but also time-consuming.

HDPE offers a highly durable solid plastic construction that can outlast most other materials when it comes to impacts. Most plastic materials show a sign of damage, whether it’s a dent, a scratch, or even a hole. HDPE has an impact resistance that’s almost 60 times greater than that of other plastics and even metal, meaning it won’t scratch or dent, leaving you with a reliable material that you won’t have to replace any time soon.

Standing Up to the Elements

You’d be surprised at the amount of damage caused by humidity and moisture, especially when it comes to the materials that you choose in your bathroom, where these two elements are a constant presence. Most plastic partitions have a foam or core interior, which over time, becomes tainted by the moisture and begins to sprout mold, resulting in a foul smell and a significant drop in air quality.

HDPE, on the other hand, can stand up to humidity and moisture because it’s a solid piece of plastic with no soft and foamy inner core. Installing HDPE in your facility’s restroom will not only prevent mold from growing on/in the plastic, but it’ll help keep your air quality in good standing. You’ll save yourself from a costly replacement by using HDPE stalls and partitions.

Easy to Clean

One of the major benefits that HDPE has over other materials is that it’s very easy to clean. Other materials will not only absorb germs, but when there’s graffiti present, the piece requires a paint job. Not only does this add to the costs, but it brings your air quality down due to VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions. HDPE doesn’t require any strong expensive cleaning products or paint. Any smudge, dirt, or even spray paint can simply be wiped away, saving you both time and money on your maintenance and cleaning.

Was this article helpful at showing you how you can save on maintenance costs by implementing HDPE in your facility? If you want more information, you can always download eBooks like Choosing Bathroom Materials or The Professional’s Guide to Commercial Bathroom Renovations and Remodels, from your friends at Scranton Products.

Just Say NO – To Germs!

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When it comes to a career in the healthcare industry, fighting against germs is an everyday challenge. Even with the all of the quality control measures hospitals and clinics take on a daily basis, germs still present an ever-present risk to good health. We can’t address all the surfaces healthcare workers and clinicians come in contact with every day, but we do have a solution for storing lab coats, scrubs and uniforms. Tufftec healthcare lockers provide an answer for minimizing MRSA, germs and mold due to its non porous HDPE surface.

 

HDPE – Naturally Germ Resistant Surface

While these lockers are designed to meet the healthcare industry’s needs for storage, Tufftec lockers not only meet that need, but exceeds it by creating lockers built from germ-resistant HDPE. The solid core makeup and properties of HDPE provide that much needed bacteria resistant surface that is impermeable to moisture. Since no moisture can permeate the surface, the locker surface can resist bacteria and provide a clean environment to store clothing.

Testing shows that within 24 hours 98% of MRSA bacteria naturally dies off of Tufftec HDPE Healthcare lockers without the use of any cleaning solutions. *

 

*Testing conducted by SiTU Biosciences LLC by the ISO 22196 methods

 

Heavy Metal Not The Right Choice For Healthcare

Outside of the scientific research that makes the case for using an HDPE product, the low maintenance and sustainability provided by HDPE are clear benefits that a traditional metal locker cannot boast. The lockers are impact and dent resistant, making them a better choice than metal in the busy healthcare industry. The 100% recyclable, HDPE materials withstand the harshest daily use, while remaining virtually maintenance free.

Read more about how Tufftec healthcare lockers were the right choice for a new patient care facility in Missouri.

How to Get Rid of Bathroom Odor in Your Facility

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Foul odors in the bathroom can make for an unpleasant experience. Unfortunately, due to moisture and humidity, these odors can end up sticking around for a long time. As a facility owner or manager, you’ll want to ensure that you take every step toward reducing those smells as much as possible. Here are a few tips and tactics on how to get rid of bathroom odor in your facility. 

Air Fresheners

Plug-in air fresheners are handy to have around. They consist of an electric plug and a disposable capsule that’s filled with a scented liquid. When plugged in, these devices will sporadically spray throughout the day, which results in a continuously pleasant smell. You could also get motion-activated air fresheners, which would provide a fresh scent every time someone walks by it.

Adjustable air fresheners are a cost-effective way to get rid of bathroom odor. These cone-shaped air fresheners feature scented gel inside the capsule. You can adjust the strength of these air fresheners to make the scent milder and longer lasting. 

Deodorizers

Deodorizers can be a powerful ally in helping you defeat the awful smells in the bathroom. Luckily, there are a wide variety of deodorizers out there that come in various forms like oils and gels. These chemicals can easily be applied with various cleaning products like brushes, sponges, and mops. Apply a coat of a deodorizing solution to your bathroom and see if it’s effective in combating those odors. 

Re-Caulk Your Tiles

An industry secret on how to get rid of bathroom odor is replacing the caulk between joints, seams, and tiles. This absorbent material could be the reason behind the foul smells that linger in your bathroom. If you notice that you’ve cleaned your bathroom, and it still has odors, there’s a strong chance that you’ll need to replace your caulk. You should remove the original caulk with a razor blade or X-ACTO knife before you apply the new caulk to your tiles and seals.

Invest in New Stalls

It may not be obvious, but the bathroom odors could be coming from your stalls. Laminate, steel, and wood stalls can absorb these foul bathroom odors over time. When absorbed, the smells will continue to emanate from the materials inside the stalls. If you sniff out the problem, and rule your stalls as the culprit, it may be time to get new stalls that are more resistant to these odors.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a durable material that’s not only resistant to stains, dents, and graffiti, but it can help increase the quality of your air. Normal bathroom stalls are susceptible to moisture and humidity, which is why they absorb smells. HDPE is impervious to the atmosphere in the bathroom, so it won’t absorb the odors.

 

Do you want to learn more about how to effectively clean your commercial bathroom and have it smelling fresh? Download our eBook, the Commercial Restroom Cleaning Checklist, today.

Are You Prepared for Flooding?

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No one wants to think about a flood, but they are a very real part of the phenomenon that is nature. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, flooding is the nation’s most common natural disaster. During the early weeks of spring, as the temperatures start to warm up and the snow starts to melt, the ground may still be frozen in spots, while other ground surfaces become saturated. Along with the snow melts, drenching rains and ground saturation, streams and rivers become swollen and spill over onto roadways, and into cities and towns. In other areas, burst dams, hurricanes and storm surges can cause catastrophic flooding.

Flooding can have serious consequences to buildings and what’s inside them, causing structural damage; affecting electrical wiring, as well as heating and cooling systems; saturating walls and floors, leading to mold growth and contamination; and damaging and contaminating furnishing and equipment.

No matter where your school is located, be prepared for flooding. This is particularly critical if your school is in a low-lying or coastal area, near water, or downstream from a dam – areas that can be in the pathway for raging floodwaters.

Mitigate Damages After A Flood

You may not be able to stay out of the path of those waters, but you can prepare your school facility for the aftermath and mitigate long-term cleanup

According to the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, the following measures may help mitigate the impact of a flood on your school building:

  • Improve site drainage
  • Provide sump pump back-up power
  • Maintain or replace check valves in sewer lines
  • Provide off-site computer backup
  • Elevate or flood-proof mechanical and electrical equipment
  • Consider locating library facilities on a second story or higher level if possible

Select Furnishings Materials Carefully

In addition to these recommendations, to avoid damage to furnishings, consider selecting materials that are impervious to water and that can easily be cleaned and decontaminated.

School lockers, for example, can become a total loss to the school or require extensive repair and maintenance if they are not made of a strong, durable water resistant material. Currently, the only school hallway locker material that is not affected by water damage is Scranton Products high performance HDPE lockers.

Fully-fire rated for use in school hallways, Scranton Products Duralife Lockers® are manufactured from solid core high performance HDPE (high density polyethylene) and are impermeable to moisture. The solid core construction and non-porous surface means that no mold or mildew will grow inside or outside the lockers, and the lockers will never rust, corrode or delaminate. When cleanup is required, Duralife Lockers® are fully power-washable and steam-cleanable. In addition, Duralife Lockers® are GREENGUARD Gold Certified for use in school facilities, and are manufactured using recycled materials and are 100% recyclable, supporting a healthier environment both inside and outside of your school facility.

For more information on how Scranton Products Duralife Lockers® can help mitigate your school’s response to a serious flooding event, contact us today. To learn more about the sustainable and bacteria resistant properties of HDPE, click here to view our Continuing Education Center.