It might seem a bit strange to find an article advocating green cleaning in a publication whose readers already understand the merits of cleaning and operating their facilities in a more environmentally preferable manner. This is even more true when discussing the value of green cleaning to the lodging industry, which has been at the forefront when it comes to implementing green cleaning. However, the truth of the matter is that there are still a number of negative perceptions about green products—specifically green cleaning products—that make it hard for some hotel administrators to accept them. In fact, some distributors of...

WEST CHICAGO, ILL.—Hasek Communications L.L.C., the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Tornado Industries/CFR Corp. as a Founding Sponsor. Tornado Industries is a provider of commercial and industrial cleaning equipment. The company’s are created to maximize cleaning efficiency and speed, minimize the impact of cleaning on indoor environments, and reduce the total cost of cleaning. The all new CK 14/1 Pro combines affordability, superior airflow, the benefits of an enclosed bag system, on-board tools, and true HEPA filtration for healthier indoor air quality.CFR Corp. designs and manufactures a complete range of eco-friendly carpet cleaning systems and high...

NEW YORK—Barclay the Bee has landed in the InterContinental New York Barclay’s guestrooms with a question—“to wash, or not to wash”? The hotel’s friendly messaging mascot is highlighting an important aspect of the InterContinental New York Barclay’s sustainable initiatives—water savings—with a new “Don’t Wash” symbol and fun in-room message delivery. A Bee-shaped cut-out sign designed to sit in a holder on nightstands features Barclay the Bee holding a message advising guests of the hotel’s commitment to every-other-day sheet and towel washing. Guests who desire every day service simply remove the bee card from its holder and place it on...

CARSON, CALIF.—Pest Barrier introduces Cimi-Shield to the pest control industry. Cimi-Shield kills bed bugs on contact, has no odor, is non-staining, hypoallergenic and leaves a non-toxic residual in cracks and crevices, and on fabrics like mattresses, box springs, furniture, drapes and carpeting. Independent tests show that the FIFRA 25(b) formula kills for up to 12 months.Cimi-Shield’s active ingredient, Residulen, is derived from soybean oil. All Cimi-Shield elements have been independently determined to be among those defined by the Federal Insecticide Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) section 25(b) and are Generally Regarded As Safe, (GRAS). Though Cimi-Shield presents no harm to human...

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO—Indoor air quality (IAQ) problems can vary from season to season. But many people, especially those with allergies, are most impacted during the hot summer months. And the hot weather often makes them more susceptible to other respiratory problems. When it comes to IAQ, cleaning professionals can either protect it or make it worse. Enviro-Solutions, a manufacturer of green cleaning products, offers the following “Top Ten Ways Cleaning Workers Can Help Protect Indoor Air Quality This Summer” and keep indoor air clean and healthy. 1. Select cleaning products that have been certified and proven-Green by a leading certification body.2....

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Cintas Corp. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Cintas recently introduced its first air-conditioning (A/C) coil cleaning service for the hospitality industry. Certified as a “Green Process” by the Green Clean Institute, ChemTron Coil Cleaning by Cintas enables hoteliers to lower their energy bills, extend the life of A/C units and improve indoor air quality. Users of the PTAC cleaning service increase air flow by up to 28 percent and reduce energy consumption up to 17 percent.ChemTron Coil Cleaning by Cintas goes above and beyond...

AKRON, OH—GOJO Industries, Inc. has introduced its new GOJO LTX touch-free soap dispenser. LTX is a dispensing system designed using life cycle assessment principles. The LTX Dispensing System for GOJO soap and next-generation PURELL Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer is engineered to be a reliable and easy-to-service touch-free soap dispenser while offering sustainable design and operation. Life Cycle Assessment calculates and tracks the environmental impact of a product throughout its life. The decisions GOJO made when designing the LTX touch-free soap dispenser led to a reduction in life cycle impacts, including reduced smog emissions by 62 percent, global warming gases by...

PHOENIX—Best Western International is rolling out its “I Care Clean” program throughout 2012 that will bring advanced cleaning technologies used in hospitals, such as UV wands and black lights, to the more than 2,100 Best Western hotels in North America. As part of this I Care Clean program roll-out, housekeeping staff at Best Western hotels in North America will be empowered to exceed customer expectations in an entirely new way using several tools to clean guestrooms and common areas. The tools include:• Ultra violet (UV) sterilization wands. Wands from Purelight are used to sterilize “high touch points” in the...

OREGON, OHIO—Fruit flies can sustain themselves on a vast range of nutrients and can live on sink or floor drain slime, a sour mop or from fermenting food in the cracks of the floor. Blackhawk Tool and Machine LLC introduces ECO-TRIO, designed to stop fruit flies where they breed with a three product system comprised of ECO-DRAIN, ECO-SINK AND ECO-FLOOR. They attack the cause of many kitchen problems, rather than the effect, and offer a solution to the age old fruit fly and grease build-up problem. Beginning with ECO-DRAIN, it features a delivery mechanism which continuously releases a proprietary all-natural...

Spring cleaning, at least for the hotel and lodging industry, typically has more to do with evaluating the facility’s current cleaning tools, products, and processes than actually performing special cleaning projects. With this in mind and because more and more properties have transferred to green cleaning products and systems, we are finding that many hotel and housekeeping managers are asking what’s new in green cleaning during the spring cleaning season. Green cleaning is evolving as it continues to grow. Along with the development of chemicals and products that are sustainable as well as green, one new area of interest is...