NATIONAL REPORT—While only a small percentage of hotels in the United States currently use steam cleaners in their daily cleaning, an increasing number of properties are discovering that steam cleaning is an effective way to disinfect, deodorize and clean while eliminating chemicals and using a minimal amount of water. Steve Marks, V.P. Sales for Vapamore, says steam cleaning goes hand in hand with other green cleaning methods and is ideal for the sanitizing and cleaning of mattresses, carpeting, drapery, furniture, grout, the coils in HVAC systems, any type of bathroom cleaning, and much more. “You can use it in the back...

PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, announced that it will align its operations and supply chain to the U.N. Global Compact’s Business Ambition for 1.5⁰C, and will work to reduce its carbon emissions by half by 2030 and to net-zero by 2050. The company is committed to doing its part in limiting the rise of global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 F) or less above pre-industrial levels, the limit deemed necessary by the U.N. to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. “Climate change demands urgent action, and it’s absolutely critical...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer is now offering an improved product with 50 percent longer life and an industry-leading seven-year warranty, without increasing the list price. Effective December 1, 2019, all XLERATOR and XLERATOReco Hand Dryers are warrantied for seven years; this covers all parts, and most importantly, the motor. Many other hand dryers on the market offer a lesser, more restrictive warranty, typically 1 to 5 years. William Gagnon, Vice President of Marketing and Sales at Excel Dryer recommends buyers thoroughly review the warranty of any dryer they are considering purchasing. He cautions, “Though some manufacturers offer longer warranties, a review...

ORLANDO, FLA.—A research study conducted on behalf of Clean the World by the University of Arizona (UA) showed a 100 percent bacterial contamination rate in refillable dispensers that contain shampoo, body wash, conditioner, hand soap, or lotion. Of 82 samples taken, 63 (76 percent) yielded bacterial numbers greater than 1,000 colony-forming units per gram of product (CFU per gram), and 40 samples (49 percent) exceeded 10,000 CFU per gram. According to The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, for non-eye-area products, counts should not be greater than 1,000 CFU per g or mL. An Executive Summary of the...

ATLANTA—Oxy-Gen Powered, a leader in innovative air-freshening solutions, has launched its Fab 30 urinal screens for men’s restrooms. Infused with high-quality fragrance and Neutra-Lox, a proprietary malodor eliminator, the screens eliminate rather than mask foul odors to keep urinals smelling fresh for 30 days. Fab 30 features a unique design to eliminate splashes and is available in 10 distinct fragrances that complement Oxygen-Pro air freshener scents for a total odor control solution. “Foul smells and urinal screens that don’t prevent splash-back can negatively impact the satisfaction of individuals using a facility’s restrooms,” said Andy Piucci, Vice President of Sales-North America,...

READING, PA.—To help businesses protect their customers and their brands from bed bugs, Rentokil Steritech, a Rentokil North America company and part of the world’s largest commercial pest control firm, is offering its on-site Bed Bug Symposium as a complimentary service to interested businesses. Bed bugs have become a prevalent issue across North America, impacting a variety of business types. In recent years, bed bug sightings and infestations have been reported in hotels, healthcare facilities, multifamily apartment and condominium complexes, schools and colleges, offices, public transportation, and more. However, many businesses do not have bed bug protocols in place and employees...

The Boutique Design New York (BDNY) and HX: The Hotel Experience trade shows wrapped up this past week at the Javits Center in New York City. While HX looked the smallest it has ever been, together with BDNY the two shows were formidable to cover. On my radar this year was what was newsy and new. Here then is what I found most interesting at this year’s shows: The Humble Co. featured its bamboo toothbrushes, natural toothpaste and other products. The toothbrush handles are made of easily biodegradable bamboo and the bristles out of nylon, a durable material that degrades...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Travelodge by Wyndham—part of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company with more than 9,200 hotels in over 80 countries—is building upon its 2019 growth momentum with the introduction of a new program in 2020 touting initiatives that streamline operations to drive value to owners while helping reduce the brand’s environmental impact. The adventure-focused brand, which has more than doubled its openings year-over-year as of the third quarter, has a history of eco-friendly efforts based on its strong concentration near many U.S. national parks. The new initiative, Travelodge + GO Green, aims to reduce overall waste...

NATIONAL REPORT—Many of us have concerns over how cleaning products are harming us and the environment. The chemicals in cleaning products have been proven to cause serious illnesses such as respiratory disease and cancer. And when these chemicals get rinsed down drains, they move into our ecosystem, where they contaminate and harm plants and animals. For this reason, many homeowners and businesses are using green-certified cleaning products for their daily cleaning needs. These products are sustainable and better for the environment than traditional cleaning products. It is easy for homeowners to control what cleaning products they’re using inside their own...

FRANKLIN, TENN.—Quore, an award-winning provider of workforce communication and engineering/housekeeping management technologies, is exhibiting at HX: The Hotel Experience Powered by AAHOA for the first time next week. Attendees visiting Booth 1220 will see innovative cloud-based solutions that help hotels operate more efficiently and improve communications between guests and staff by streamlining housekeeping, guest relations, engineering, and every other aspect of running a hotel. “We are eager to experience HX as a first-time exhibitor and network with hoteliers looking to optimize their operational workflows,” said Richard Bradbury, Quore VP of Strategy and Alliances. “Our customers continually say that implementing Quore...