When was the last time you stayed at a hotel with a PTAC and noticed an extra air filtration cover over the PTAC? You most likely have not experienced this but at a trade show earlier in the year I discovered a company, RZ Industries, that makes an air purifying filter that attaches to the front of the PTAC. Called the RZ AIRflow, it improves the air quality of the guestroom by removing 99.7 percent of airborne particulates from inside and outside. The system uses carbon filters and a HEPA filter. There is no added noise when using the...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer has upgraded to electrostatic HEPA filtration, which is an optional feature for their XLERATOR hand dryer models and is now available in its newly expanded, surface-mounted, ADA-compliant ThinAir Hand Dryer product line. ThinAir is a high-efficiency model that includes all the standard enhanced features—including adjustable sound, speed, and heat controls—while also protruding less than four inches from the wall to adhere to ADA regulations. ThinAir dries hands in 14 seconds, operates on 950 watts, and helps facilities qualify for several LEED Credits and WELL Points. The upgraded HEPA filtration system uses electrostatically charged media, which allows for increased airflow and attracts...

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—UMF|PerfectCLEAN introduced QUICKtab, a unique, touchless disinfectant tablet dispensing system, at the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 2023 Annual Conference in Orlando. With its innovative features and unparalleled convenience, QUICKtab is set to transform the way one dispenses disinfectant. With QUICKtab, there is no need to handle disinfectant tablets. Hygiene specialists never have to handle tablets while dispensing or using Klorese ready-to-use (RTU) tablets, which are ideal for hospitals, hotels, schools, and universities. “The latest addition to our comprehensive infection prevention program, QUICKtab ensures that environmental services (EVS) hygiene specialists stay safe while decreasing the risk of infections throughout their facilities,” said UMF|PerfectCLEAN CEO George Clarke. “QUICKtab is...

FAIRFIELD, CONN.—ASHRAE announced the approval for publication for the first-ever pathogen mitigation standard. It was developed at the request of the White House, prior to the expiration of Title 42 COVID public health emergency. An AtmosAir representative was on a committee that completed the standard. ASHRAE’s 241-P: Control of Infectious Aerosols, outlines requirements for buildings to reduce the risk of disease transmission in indoor spaces. One highlight of the standard is the use of equivalent clean air, as opposed to just outside air. This means buildings using advanced air cleaning technologies will be able to bring in less outside air and...

Bradley Corp. just released the results of its annual Healthy Handwashing Survey. What is really no surprise—thanks to the years of Covid—Bradley found most Americans are so averse to encountering germs in public restrooms that they go out of their way to avoid surfaces and touchpoints in these shared spaces. According to the survey, 62 percent of Americans use a paper towel as a barrier to avoid touching flushers, faucets, and doors. Women are even more likely to use the “paper towel as a glove” approach, with 67 percent taking this evasive measure. Others employ sheer physicality to steer clear...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added Force of Nature to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Cleaning Products/Disinfectants/Laundry category. Force of Nature is a toxic-free multi-purpose cleaning and disinfecting brand that is safe for guests and staff and saves up to 80 percent of cost versus traditional toxic cleaning products. The company’s portable appliances use electricity to convert tap water, salt and vinegar into an all-in-one cleaner, deodorizer, sanitizer, and EPA registered hospital-grade disinfectant as effective as bleach. Force of Nature uses a 60-year-old industrial technology called electrolyzed water, to create two new ingredients: Hypochlorous Acid (the disinfectant)...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.—Businesses that fail to keep their restrooms clean and maintained are unwittingly flushing away customers’ repeat business and sales. According to the Healthy Handwashing Survey from Bradley Corp., almost 60 percent of Americans make it a point to stop at a business and will spend more money at the establishment if they know it has clean and maintained restrooms. In fact, those age 25-44 are even more likely to shell out more cash based on the condition of a business’ restroom. Conversely, there are negative business repercussions for experiencing a restroom in poor condition. More than half of Americans say an unclean...

VISTA, CALIF.—During the pandemic, we learned several good restroom habits that kept us healthy. However, public health officials are concerned that many of these protective measures are now being tossed out the window. “Even when restroom surfaces look clean, they may be little more than a Petri dish,” says Klaus Reichardt, CEO and Founder of Waterless Co., Inc. marketers of no-water urinals. “With so many surfaces, counters, knobs, and handles in public restrooms, it’s hard not to come in contact with surface contaminants.” Making matters worse, toilet and urinal plume—the releasing of germs and bacteria into the air when toilets or urinals are flushed—continually...

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA—CodeSteri, a leading provider of disinfection solutions, announced the launch of PlaClin-M, a device designed to help ensure a clean and safe environment in offices, commercial establishments, and public spaces. CodeSteri started from the Korean government project to combat new infectious diseases by the incumbent professor and MD of Hanyang University Emergency Medicine, Seoul. PlaClin-M uses advanced plasma technology to quickly and effectively disinfect any surface and space in a matter of minutes. CodeSteri, with a $4.2M grant from the Korean government, developed PlaClin after five years of R&D efforts with top experts in related fields commencing from 2015 when Mers hit Korea...

CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIF.—As we enter a post-COVID era in commercial cleaning, it is important to note that some schools and commercial facilities are beginning to forget all they learned about effective and thorough cleaning. This includes realizing the value and health benefits of green cleaning, according to Steve Ashkin, long known as the “Father of Green Cleaning.” “Every day, I hear about organizations cutting back on their cleaning staff or asking their workers to clean more square feet in the same amount of time,” says Ashkin. “Asking fewer workers to do more in a shorter amount of time is a setup...