CHICAGO—Selecting a new carpet extractor can be a harrowing experience for both a veteran carpet cleaning technician as well as a newbie or cleaning contractor just venturing into the carpet cleaning arena. Because of this, Doug Berjer with CFR (continuous flow recycling), manufacturer of professional carpet cleaning tools and equipment, offers the following 10 tips to select the right machine:1. Brand: Look for a brand that has been around for a while. In the carpet cleaning industry, quality brands last; inferior brands fade away.2. Type: There are two types of extractors: truckmount and portable. For multi-story locations and greater...

NATIONAL REPORT—Earlier this summer hand dryer maker Dyson Inc. released an e-mail linking to a video that demonstrates how one of its competitor’s hand dryers can potentially blow washroom air containing bacteria, viruses and even fecal matter onto your hands. Of its competitor’s hand dryer, the video said, “It sucks in the dirty air and blows it straight onto your hands so you think your hands are clean…but are they?” Other Dyson videos focusing on two other competing hand dryers make similar claims—that the two dryers just redistribute dirty air. Whether true or not, what the videos show is...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., in partnership with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), announced that its manufacturing plant in Taicang, China, is the first site in the world to be independently certified under the AWS’s global standard for water stewardship.The AWS Standard is an ISEAL-compliant framework developed to promote sustainable freshwater use and to evaluate water stewardship practices, developed through a four-year, multi-stakeholder, water roundtable process that included diverse business, public sector and civil society interests from around the world. This globally consistent and locally adaptable standard outlines a set of water stewardship criteria and indicators for how water...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added an AirRevive case study to its website. The case study details the successful refurbishing and re-commissioning of 167 fan coils at a Marriott hotel—a process that took 21 days.The hotel that runs at 98 percent occupancy year round needed to upgrade or replace their guestroom fan coil units. The units were not properly operating to cool and heat. This resulted in guestroom complaints, reduced guest satisfaction and the consumption of more energy for less return. The challenge for this airport property was the property could not...

ALBANY, N.Y.—A bill proposed by state lawmaker Ken Zebrowski (A08371) would ban smoking rooms within lodging establishments in New York. Zebrowski announced the legislation during a press event last week at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern—Mahwah, N.Y. He was joined by the general manager of the Crowne Plaza as well as by a representative of the American Lung Assn. The American Lung Assn., POW’R Against Tobacco, American Cancer Society and the American Heart Assn. have all expressed support of the legislation.Zebrowski told Green Lodging News that he was inspired to act because of his own experiences staying at hotels...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—Choice Hotels International announced that Comfort Inn will join Comfort Suites in implementing a 100 percent smoke-free policy beginning July 1, 2016, making Comfort the largest hotel brand in the United States to do so with more than 1,700 properties across the country. Becoming the largest hotel brand to provide a smoke-free environment reinforces the Comfort brand’s commitment to wellness and helping travelers feel refreshed while on the road.“This smoke-free initiative is the latest in a series of bold steps the Comfort brand is taking to enhance the guest experience and deliver the needs of today’s business and...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added an EcoRaider case study to its website. The case study details the results of a USDA study that measured performance of a green bed bug killer in infested housing apartments. Based on the field study by entomologists from Rutgers University, the report revealed that EcoRaider, a natural insect killer, shows strong effectiveness in eradicating bed bug infestations in housing apartments, comparable to a leading professional grade pesticide.The field study was conducted in a high-rise public housing apartment building in New Jersey with a known bed bug...

STOCKHOLM—Blueair, a leading indoor air purification specialist, will use the upcoming IFA Berlin 2015 electronics trade show running September 4 to 9 to unveil new smart connected appliances to help pollution-wary consumers efficiently tackle hidden airborne threats at home or work.“We will present a stellar lineup of new technologies, products and design bringing people the very latest and best of indoor air purification technology geared to enhance health and wellness,” says Karin Kruse, Blueair Head of Global Product Marketing.Kruse said Blueair’s new technologies embrace a number of clever functions that will warn consumers when their indoor air is becoming...

ATLANTA—With 12 confirmed dead and more than 120 cases of infection due to legionellosis, New York City Council last week adopted legislation that requires adherence to part of ASHRAE’s newly published Legionella standard.The legislation addresses registration and inspection of cooling towers. It requires owners to create and file a plan to maintain equipment to comply with Section 7.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.The standard provides minimum Legionellosis risk management requirements for the design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and expansion of new and existing buildings and their associated water systems and components.“Standard...

BOISE, IDAHO—Cary Thomas and Ruth Hurt, owners of QuickRinse.net, announced the launch of their first product, Quick Rinse, a new way to rinse showers during the cleaning process that is six times faster and uses up to 83 percent less water than the traditional method of rinsing with a cup. The Quick Rinse vinyl bladder, ideal for hotel housekeeping, is placed over an existing showerhead and is secured in place by a velcro strap. Just seconds after turning on the shower, water flows through the natural rubber tubing for fast, efficient rinsing. Quick Rinse is designed for all types...