cleaning floor use technology also equipment hotels

Hi-tech hotels cleaning up the industry### Forget mops and elbow grease and the traditional spray and wipe…Hotel and resort cleaning has moved with the times and is embracing newtechnology as quickly as it arrives.Even before the tentacles of COVID-19 reached into every corner and crevice ofthe world, hotels had begun waging a ‘smart’ war to ensure the higheststandards of cleanliness.One of the frontline weapons in the fight for hotel hygiene is theelectrostatic spray gun; a large handheld device that shoots a spray ofdisinfectant onto almost everything that a hotel customer might touch.The frequent blasts of disinfectant reassure guests that any germs are blownaway.The electrostatic application causes droplets of both the disinfectant andantimicrobial cleaner to produce a fine mist that wraps around all surfacesand coats it in a way that human hands simply cannot touch. The droplets aresaid to cling to a surface with a force that is 75 times stronger than thepull of the Earth’s gravity.The electrostatic sprayers overcome any of the issues associated with thetraditional spray and wipe method; namely time, overuse of the chemical andpossible cross-contamination.And no matter what angle cleaners disinfect a surface from, the disinfectantclings to the entire surface and does not need wiping off.The Electrostatic sprayers take about 70 percent less time than conventionalspray and wipe and uses 65 percent less chemical.A number of hotels also use ultra-violet light for the sanitisation ofsmartphones and tablets shared by hotel employees. It has been used fordecades as a powerful, rapid and chemical-free disinfection method. The UVlight emitted deactivates the DNA of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, destroyingtheir ability to multiply and cause disease.Rochak Karki, the Executive Housekeeper of Sydney’s InterContinental Hotel,says his team uses electrostatic sprayers in their 509 guest rooms to do deepcleaning, “providing at extra sense of safety for our guests”.“We are very thorough with the cleaning of all high-touchpoint areas, lightswitches, remote controls, all the chrome fittings, fan switches, doorhandles, bedside tables, kettles and hair dryers,” Mr Karki said.“The electrostatic sprayers have become essential pieces of equipment forhotel cleaning. We also use them for deep cleaning five to six times a day inpublic areas, including lift buttons, chairs in cafes and the front desk.”Mr Karki said his staff go through “an extensive check list for rooms and allpublic areas, lifts, lobbies, stairwells etc,” based on the InterContinentalHotels Group’s 5-S Ways of Clean.“All the chemicals we use are TGA approved and made for the COVID cleaningpurpose,” he said.His staff use commercial scrubbers and buffers for the hotel’s marble floors.“High speed commercial scrubbers are the only way to go in a large hotel,” MrKarki said. “We use battery-operated scrubbers, so chords do not becometangled – that is safer for everyone – and we use a gas-powered, very high-speed buffer which is very effective.“Using the scrubber and buffer are by far the most efficient and effectiveways to keep the marble floors clean and polished. To sanitize them we usedisinfectant in our scrubber.”Mr Karki said his cleaners used white pads in the scrubber on marble surfacesbecause it was favourable to the stone tiles but used brown and black pads inpool areas which had granite surrounds.The hotel’s vacuum cleaners used in rooms operated off mains power.Colour-coded microfibre cloths were used in different areas of the hotel andwere always single use.“At the end of the day they are all collected by the room attendants andbrought down for washing and they are disinfected for the next day,” he said.Technology continues to bring about change in the accommodation sector.Some hotels are also looking at nano technology to create a stay clean film onobjects it is applied to. Whether that is to keep mirrors shiny, showerscreens grime free or sinks and toilets squeaky clean; the nano technologyfilm reduces routine cleaning times and eliminates the need for expensivecleaning agents to tackle tough stains.Robots have also been pitched to hotels as a novelty to welcome guests as theyarrive.But the best use of robots is to help clean the miles of floors in a hotel.Robot vacuum cleaners are available for commercial use and can be left tofinish up a room by housekeepers when they move on to the next room.They can also clean public spaces.Robot vacuum cleaners save housekeepers time and are programmed to bediligent.They will clean under the bed every time and brush up the carpet whether it isdirty or not.Industry perspectives on cleaning floors with scrubbers and polishers…Damon Couper, Capital Equipment Hire, says:“Cleaning equipment is necessary to maintain a high standard of cleanliness,hygiene and the professional image required for guest-based venues, especiallyin today’s climate.“Like all capital equipment purchases it is important to understand thecurrent technology on offer, the suitability to your application andrequirement. Prior to purchasing, always consider the size of the area andtime allocated to clean. Type of floor surface, different surfaces requiredifferent cleaning methods, i.e., correct choice of brush/pad to gain the bestperformance. Also consider the type of common stains to ensure the mostsuitable cleaning agent is used.“The correct machine configuration is needed for simple, effective cleaningand to gain the most from your scrubber dryer. It is vital to partner with asupplier that can provide the latest technology along with a focus onproviding responsive after sales support that can be relied on throughout themachine’s lifecycle.”What are the latest innovations in brush technology?“Most machines available today have a large selection of pads and brush types.These optional brushes/pads provide different cleaning performance and aresuited for various floor types. Orbital technology has been recentlyintroduced on some models, an oscillation action, which provides excellentcleaning.”What about power?“Over the past couple of years, most manufacturers are offering machinespowered by Lithium-ion batteries. The benefits offered are the size and lightweight of the battery power pack and the ability to recharge in a reduced timewith extended life expectancy. The introduction of Lithium-ion batteriesallows manufacturers to design and manufacture more compact scrubber dryersolutions, delivering the benefit of more manoeuvrable cleaning solutions andintroduce micro scrubber dryers for areas such as restrooms and hard to reachareas without the need of a power cord.“In some instances, fast chargers allow for reduced machine down-time and moreproductivity. Housekeepers can even purchase two sets of batteries so one isalways charging while the other is operating, achieving a far more efficientcleaning process.“Cleaning machines designed for large areas such as carpark and/or largeexternal common areas are available in battery, LPG or diesel power sources.Models are now available in a hybrid configuration to reduce emissions andfuel consumption.”Damon’s tips:“Housekeepers should consider the benefits of double-scrubbing floors formaximum cleaning performance and maintaining an optimal average speed whenoperating polishers or scrubber dryers to gain uniformed cleaning results.“My top tip for is to investigate the advantages of hiring polishers and floorscrubbers rather than outright purchasing, to avoid the large capitalinvestment. Renting modern cleaning equipment has many benefits, low weeklycosts, often inclusive of maintenance and access to an extensive range. Theadded benefits of partnering with specialist cleaning machine companies, theability to increase the amount and/or type of equipment required for thosepeak periods or upgrading when your cleaning requirements or applicationchange.”Future tech options?“Optional dosing systems ensure the correct amount of cleaning agent is usedin your scrubber dryer, these have become a popular feature to save costs andcleaning resources.“We are also seeing new developments in robotic cleaning technology. It is anew innovation in the cleaning industry but one that will no doubt become amajor influence in the coming years.”Daniel Pisaniello from Godfreys says:“The purchase of commercial floor cleaning equipment should be viewed as aninvestment rather than an expense. To optimise return on investment, thequestion to ask yourself is, ‘which is the right machine for the job?’.“The equipment best suited to your unique floor cleaning requirements alwaysachieves the highest return on investment and is therefore a more prudentinvestment, even when factoring a greater asset price.”What are the benefits of each style of polisher?“The two main types of floor polishers are swing polishers and straight-linepolishers. The traditional swing polisher will polish most types of soft floorfinishes and can also be utilised for polishing and soft grinding differentfloor types such as ceramic, travertine, terrazzo and polished concrete whenutilising diamond floor pads.“For high-speed polishing there is the straight-line electric and battery-operated units. These units are suitable for larger areas and for floors thatrequire a high-speed polisher that generates an increase in the amount of heatand friction on the floor finish, providing a greater gloss rate to the floor.This will also assist with the proper cure time needed for high-speed floorpolish. Keep in mind using the right floor pads will maximise performance andend results.”What are the latest innovations in brush technology?“Brush technology has evolved over the past decade moving towards orbitaltechnology especially for deep cleaning. One of the obvious benefits is thatit makes edge and detail work much easier and faster, floors are cleaner in asingle pass. Dual random orbital action quickly and efficiently attacks dirtfrom multiple directions. Orbital cleaning machines fixed pad drivers allowthe entire pad surface to clean your floor.“Floor care cleaning, stripping, and finishing are synonymous with time-consuming, labor-intensive and costly work.“Oscillating floor machines oscillate the typically rectangular-shaped paddriver in small quarter-inch circles between 2,250 and 3,500 revolutions perminute. The quicker revolutions allow staff to clean more deeply and quicklywhen scrubbing floors.”Daniel’s tips:“Always remember, with cleaning, 95 percent of the cost is labour. Therefore,the question is often not whether to buy a cleaning machine, but what sizebest suits your needs and achieves the highest return on investment.“Ensure floors are vacuumed and swept before you scrub and/or polish the floorsurface. Scrubbing or polishing a dirty floor can create an increase of soilwithin the floors pores and lessen the lifespan and appearance of any hardfloor polish.”Future tech options?“Management systems are now available to enable those who manage a fleet ofmachines across different sites to monitor everything that happens to themachines. The data is collected, transmitted, and converted into informationthat is used to improve coordination, optimise performance and increase fleetefficiency, while maintaining benefits over time.“This service provides a complete and up-to-date overview of the status ofeach machine, which can be viewed online, any time, on any Smart device. Thissystem helps to optimise machine use, increase productivity by avoiding wastedtime and preventing unforeseen events from occurring whenever possible.”