CINCINNATI—Procter & Gamble Professional released the findings of its “Cleaning in a Down Economy” survey, which revealed that 85 percent of surveyed cleaning professionals have adopted a “doing more with less” approach in response to current economic conditions. P&G Professional launched the survey to gauge how decision makers managing in-house or contract cleaning services have reacted, and adapted, to recent business conditions.

SEDONA, ARIZ.—Sedona’s Kings Ransom Inn recently launched Green Suites International’s “EcoRoom Accommodation Program,” converting each of its 53 guestrooms into healthier, more environmental “EcoRooms.” The guestrooms will now feature more than a dozen environmental products. Kings Ransom Inn has also received a 4-leaf rating as part of the Green Suites Green Hotel Certification Program.

BOISE, IDAHO—ProTeam has earned the gold Seal of Approval/Green Label from the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) for seven of its leading vacuums, signifying that they meet the highest standards for carpet cleaning effectiveness and indoor air quality. Vacuums awarded gold pass a stringent testing process at an independent laboratory and meet three key performance criteria: amount of soil removed, containment of dust and dirt within the machine, and carpet fiber protection.

CANTON, MASS.—Pro-Link, Inc., a jansan marketing and buying group, has introduced a new line of cleaning chemicals called BioLink that are biobased and certified green. Biobased chemicals are made with natural, renewable resources such as soybeans, coconuts, and corn. The new line meets or exceeds the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s BioPreferred program’s minimum for biocontent.

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), a leader in innovative facility maintenance solutions, announces a new concept in cleaning. The DVAC 1 Pass Cleaning Solution combines multiple cleaning tasks into one to reduce non-productive labor time. The award-winning DVAC 1 Pass Cleaning Solution is a dolly-integrated vacuum.

NATIONAL REPORT—With advancements in controls technology and equipment design, washer-extractors (washers) are becoming increasingly more sophisticated and flexible. This is good news for hoteliers looking to save money in a recovering economy. In the race to gain new business, vendors are manufacturing higher G-force machines that spin off more water faster, allowing linens to dry in less time. In some cases, advancements have allowed rinse cycles and dryers to be eliminated entirely. While innovation has allowed vendors to squeeze just about as much water as they can out of the washing process, other advances, especially in software programming, are reducing demand for chemicals. Thanks to these efficiencies and others, payback time on today’s washers can be very reasonable, experts say—as short as one year to 18 months depending on model size. What size and type of machine to buy depends on a number of factors: number of rooms, types of items that will be washed, etc.

PLYMOUTH, MINN.—With the path to economic recovery still uncertain, all types of facilities—from healthcare and schools to hospitality and commercial office buildings—are feeling the budget squeeze for maintenance staffing and cleaning-equipment purchases. Floor cleaning is one area where productivity gains can help facilities deal with staff reductions and economic pressures. It is an inescapable fact that labor accounts for 90 percent of the cost to clean a facility. Even in times of reduced cleaning staff, there is never a choice to do less cleaning. There are, however, several strategies that can reduce the labor required for floor cleaning while maintaining or actually improving cleanliness standards. Now, more than ever, daily floor cleaning is critical as a cost-saving measure. Keeping hard floors and carpeted areas clean on a “maintenance” basis delays the need for more extreme restorative cleaning methods and, in turn, extends the life of floor surfaces.

RALEIGH, N.C.—In October, the Raleigh Convention Center joined an elite group of convention centers—those that have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. In Raleigh’s case, it earned LEED Silver, joining the Phoenix Convention Center, Spokane (Wash.) Convention Center Expansion, and the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., as LEED Silver recipients. The Raleigh facility earned the LEED designation a little more than a year after the center opened in September 2008. The Raleigh Convention Center is owned and managed by the City of Raleigh. According to Laurie Okun, director of sales and marketing for the center, it made financial sense to pursue LEED certification. “The costs were neutral,” Okun says. “It was going to cost just as much one way or another.”

PULASKI, N.Y.—A family-owned and operated business for over 30 years, HealthWay has launched a new line of green cleaning products designed to improve indoor air quality. The line is called terafore. A number of studies have drawn a link between traditional cleaning products and the substantial increase in the number of people—especially children—afflicted with asthma and allergies.

MINNEAPOLIS—Advance’s EcoFlex System introduces a new level of scrubber flexibility that ends compromises between green cleaning and the cleanliness of floors. Now available on the Advenger rider-scrubber and coming soon on additional Advance scrubbers, the EcoFlex System lets operators easily control the level of cleaning performance needed to scrub hard floors while using environmentally preferable methods.