Home Cleaning & Maintenance

Cleaning & Maintenance

From the housekeeping department, where green cleaning is considered and implemented, to engineering, where mechanical systems are maintained and fine-tuned, hotel operators have implemented innovative products and processes to save energy and minimize the impact on the environment. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Home Cleaning & Maintenance
From the housekeeping department, where green cleaning is considered and implemented, to engineering, where mechanical systems are maintained and fine-tuned, hotel operators have implemented innovative products and processes to save energy and minimize the impact on the environment. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

ClearWater Study: Cold Water Laundering Extends Linen Life

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—The industry’s first extensive, independently conducted study to determine the ability of cold-water ozone laundering to extend the useful life of linens—a major expenditure among hospitality, healthcare and numerous other institutions—reveals a resounding advantage versus traditional hot-water methods.California-based ClearWater Tech LLC recently released the results of a six-month study conducted by North Carolina State University’s Physical Testing Laboratory—College of Textiles. Dr. Jan Ballard, extension specialist and supervisor of the Physical Testing Laboratory, directed study procedures.Testing utilized EcoTex ozone technology and its application format in comparisons with traditional laundering of pillowcases and terry towels. EcoLab supplied chemicals...

Telkonet to Introduce EcoCentral Virtual Engineer

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc., whose complementary business divisions include EcoSmart, an intelligent energy management technology solution and EthoStream, one of the largest high-speed Internet access providers in the world, will be introducing and demonstrating its new EcoCentral Virtual Engineer cloud-based command center at HITEC 2013. HITEC, the world’s largest hospitality and technology event, is being held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis from June 25 to 27.“We are excited to have a significant presence at this year’s HITEC event,” said Jason Tienor, Telkonet’s CEO. “Energy management demands in the hospitality industry have skyrocketed and we’re eager to demonstrate the...

Ecolab Releases 2012 Sustainability Report

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab released its 2012 Sustainability Report, which highlights how the company helps customers in the food, healthcare, hospitality, energy and industrial markets reduce environmental impacts, operate efficiently and improve safety. The report also details Ecolab’s performance in line with its operating principles, which encompass economic progress, environmental stewardship, safety and social responsibility.“Sustainability is core to Ecolab’s purpose to make the world cleaner, safer and healthier,” said Ecolab chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. “Our true impact is realized by helping customers meet sustainability goals at more than one million locations worldwide. Our team of more than...

Betco Announces Transpare Certified Products

TOLEDO, OHIO—Betco Corp. announced that five of its sustainable products are now certified and featured on Transpare. Transpare provides information on key environmental, health and safety attributes of commercial cleaning products. Transpare provides purchasers with a way to easily select cleaning products that are appropriate for their facility occupants and that meet the environmental goals of their organizations. Betco is featuring the following five sustainable products on Transpare: Betco One Step, Clario Green Earth Foaming Skin Cleanser, Clario Clear Foaming Skin Cleanser, Green Earth BioActive Solutions Devour No Rinse Multi-Surface Floor Cleaner, and Green Earth Peroxide.Betco products serve numerous markets...

National Energy Technologies Adds New Air Purifiers

PHILADELPHIA—National Energy Technologies LLC is releasing a new product line that saves energy by purifying air. Along with the need to remove smoke, odor, allergens and bacteria, mechanical air purification reduces the need to vent massive amounts of conditioned air to the outside. This system utilizes four advanced technologies as well as fan driven filtration for maximum effectiveness.Smoke and odor as well as spring allergies can be difficult or seem impossible to control with conventional air filtration. Bars and restaurants that still allow smoking are eager to attract and protect nonsmoking customers. Fortunately, recent advancement in air purity on...

Agaia Introduces Evolve Natural Cleaning Technology

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Agaia, Inc. introduces Evolve, a commercially viable, all natural cleaning technology that the company says significantly outperforms chemical cleaning products in consumer, commercial and industrial markets.Evolve’s Active-Capture technology proactively captures and breaks down or emulsifies soils, odor causing bacteria, grease, grime and virtually all other unwanted contaminates at the molecular level in seconds, leaving no dangerous residues behind on the surfaces cleaned or in the environment.“Evolve represents one of the most significant advances in cleaning in the last 100 years,” said Agaia, Inc. CEO Benjamin Shell. “Our consumer, commercial and industrial strength products can be used to...

Willard InterContinental Implements Silver Bullet Technology

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Willard InterContinental and top D.C. property developers-owners including Carr Properties, joined with Silver Bullet, a water treatment company, to introduce a system that increases building sustainability. The new patented technology creates hydrogen peroxide (natural non-toxic biocide) when injected into water, killing all bacteria, removing scale and preventing corrosion. The technology cuts water usage, electricity and toxic chemical delivery, storage and removal.“We appreciate the opportunity to be among the first commercial entities in the nation’s capital to utilize this cost-effective and environmentally sound commercial technology,” said Patrick Birchall, general manager of the Willard InterContinental.Silver Bullet estimates the historic,...

Hoses Can Leach Phthalates, BPA into Water, Study Finds

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—High levels of hazardous chemicals were found in garden hoses for the second year in a row. Researchers at the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Ecology Center found phthalates and the toxic chemical BPA in the water of a new hose that had been sitting outside in the sun for just two days. Findings include BPA levels of 0.34 to 0.91 ppm in the hose water, a level that is three to nine times higher than safe drinking water standards. The phthalate DEHP was found at concentrations of 0.017 to 0.011 ppm in the hose water, which is two...

Understanding GS-51, Which Covers More Than 20 Product Categories Related to Laundry Care

Since its founding in 1989, Green Seal, a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., has developed standards for more than 375 categories of products and services, from paints and adhesives to cleaning products. These standards are designed to address the environmental and social impacts of a product using a lifecycle approach—considering everything from the raw materials used to make the product to the manufacturing process and the product’s eventual disposal. This evaluation involves independent, third-party testing protocols using state-of-the-art scientific technologies that are internationally accepted. One of Green Seal’s latest standards applies specifically to the hotel and hospitality industries for...

Study: In Hotels with Smoking Rooms, Nonsmoking Rooms Also Tainted by Smoke

SAN DIEGO—Nonsmoking rooms in hotels operating a partial smoking ban don’t protect their occupants from tobacco smoke, reveals research published online in Tobacco Control. Non-smokers should give hotels that allow smoking in certain rooms a wide berth, say the authors, and instead choose completely smoke free hotels.The researchers analyzed the surfaces and air quality of rooms for evidence of tobacco smoke pollution (nicotine and 3EP), known as third hand smoke, in a random sample of budget to mid-range hotels in San Diego. Ten hotels in the sample operated complete bans and 30 operated partial smoking bans, providing designated nonsmoking...