Johnson’s Cleaners Launches ‘Greener’ Cleaning Programme

October 30, 2008 Posted by Katie in : Cleaning News, News, environment , 1 comment so far

Britain’s biggest dry cleaning company has chosen two Cheshire branches for the first step of their new £20m `GreenEarth’ programme.

The branches have been rebranded and refurbished at a cost of £80,000 and will this weekend re-open with the latest environmentally-friendly cleaning technology.

GreenEarth is a US- patented cleaning system which uses liquid silicone cleaning solvents derived from sand, giving it minimal environmental impact. And if all this wasn’t enough, it will be available at the same price as standard cleaning as well.

GreenEarth has no harmful waste products and is said to be kinder to clothes and skin than traditional methods of dry-cleaning.

Gary Knox, environmental brand manager said:  ‘It is the company’s intention to roll out the GreenEarth initiative across our entire estate over the next two years.’

‘The investment in each of the shops is in the region of £40,000, which includes a new fascia, new machinery and marketing.’

The re-launches follow its coat hanger recycling campaign launched earlier in the year – which called on customers to take the chain’s distinctive yellow hangers back to their nearest branch.

Johnson’s is also committed to a 5% reduction in energy consumption each year until 2010.

Health Secretary Attacked Over Contract Cleaning Plans

October 22, 2008 Posted by Katie in : Cleaning News, Contract Cleaning, News, Total Clean Services , add a comment

The conservative party has attacked health secretary Nicola Sturgeon, over plans to ban NHS bosses from putting more hospital cleaning services out to contract.

The Tory MSP said: ‘It was disingenuous, misleading and wrong of the SNP health secretary Nicola Sturgeon to infer that external cleaning contracts were to blame for recent outbreaks of hospital acquired infections.’

’She should concentrate on practical measures which would make a difference and not waste time on misguided political ideology.’

Ms Sturgeon told the SNP annual conference in Perth that she is banning hospitals from contracting out anymore cleaning and catering services.

She said she was setting ‘very tough’ new targets to cut rates of C difficile, and added that ‘the very highest standards of hospital cleanliness’ would be required to meet this.

She added: ‘A letter will issue from my department to all health boards advising them that from now on there will be no further privatisation of hospital cleaning and catering services anywhere in Scotland.’

Chemical Free Cleaning

October 17, 2008 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning News, News , add a comment

With the increase of environment awareness and the green wave of environmentally friendly products, cleaning products manufactures are been forced to find “green” alternatives in order to develop chemical free products to meet the demands of an environmentally friendly market.

The German manufacturer of cleaning systems and products Karcher has developed an effective cleaning method 100% chemical free, using nothing but steam.

The Karcher SV 1802 steam vacuum cleaner efficiently removes dust, dirt and grime from all kinds of surface including carpets, PVC, natural stone and tiled floors.

The SV 1802 don’t use a bag to collect the dirt, it uses a water filter instead. An additional water container allows picking up any spilled liquids over all kinds of surfaces and a series of special filters guarantees an environmentally friendly cleaning service.

Other companies are investing their money to develop chemical free cleaning products using renewable, non-toxic, phosphate free and biodegradable ingredients. The idea is to develop cleaning products that are gentle on the planet and on the people.

Mother who is Given a Mansion by the Council, Complains That it’s too Big to Clean

October 9, 2008 Posted by Katie in : Cleaning News, News , add a comment

Toorpakai Saindi and her seven children have moved in to a 7 bedroom house by the local council, who is paying the £12,000-a-month rent.

Son of Toorpokai said: ‘My mum has said she is not happy because the house is so big and she doesn’t like cleaning.’

He added: ‘We are very lucky to live here. If someone gave you a lottery jackpot, would you leave it?’

Including the rent, the family receive £170,000 a year in benefits.

Apparently his Mother is able to claim so much because all her children are in full-time education and she is unemployed. The family arrived in Britain seven years ago after obtaining UK visas in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Your thoughts on this story please??

Hospitals Warned Not to Over-Dilute Their Cleaning Chemicals!

October 6, 2008 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning News, News , 1 comment so far

Hospitals have been warned not to dilute cleaning chemicals too much over fears that it could boost antibiotic resistance in bacteria.

A US study found bugs that survive disinfectant contact can become more difficult to kill.

They evolve new defences which allow them to ‘pump’ cleaning chemicals and antibiotics out of their system.

The NHS has recently met a target for the reduction of MRSA cases, but the rise of antibiotic resistance remains a problem.

Doctors have been told to use antibiotics sparingly, as overuse can allow harmful bacteria to develop resistance, but the new research suggests that some cleaning chemicals may also cause a problem.

Dr Glenn Kaatz, who led the study, said that if bacteria in hospitals were exposed to ‘biocides’ – antibacterial chemicals – repeatedly, they could build up this resistance, and even contribute to hospital-acquired infections.

However, Dr Adam Fraise, a consultant in infection control, said that the important thing was for cleaning staff to use chemicals in the recommended concentrations, and not to water them down more than required.

‘They can be used in very very high concentrations, and provided this happens, then bacteria will be killed, and therefore not have the opportunity to acquire this resistance.’

‘There are guidelines for cleaning staff about this in the NHS, and they need to be followed.’

Nurses Encourage Cleaning, to Help Prevent the Spread of C-Difficile

October 2, 2008 Posted by Administrator in : Cleaning News, News, Total Clean Services , add a comment

Hospital patients and visitors have been targeted as part of a campaign to reduce the number of cases of C difficile.

As part of the disease’s awareness week at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, banners have been placed around St Luke’s Hospital to raise the profile of the bacteria that causes diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever.

Infection control nurses manned stalls to give advice to patients, visitors and staff about what they could do to stop the bug in its tracks.

Clinical nurse specialist in infection control, Alison Hunt, said: ‘Patients should make sure they wash their hands with soap and water after they have been to the toilet and before all meals.’

‘They should also make sure their visitors do the same as well as washing their hands before and after visiting the ward.’

‘Visitors should not visit if they have diarrhoea themselves.’

It is part of the trust’s hospital hygiene turnaround programme aimed at reducing the number of hospital-acquired infections.