ProTeam Vacuums

We Recycle, Do You?

At ProTeam, we try our darnedest to make sure most everything we send out to the trash goes in the recycle bin. Our shipping containers are recyclable corrugated cardboard, our molded vacuum bodies are made from recyclable plastic resins, and everyone in our offices has a recycle bin next to their desk to make the bigger job of sorting and recycling easier. We have recycle bins for plastic, aluminum and paper products in all our breakrooms, lunch facilities and warehouse walkways. 

Our vacuums are made to last, and they do—for years—which helps cut down on our growing landfills. Our Four Level Filtration and HEPA Level Filtration systems help clean the air as you vacuum, so there is less potential for allergies and associated medical costs. With superior ergonomics built into every one of our machines, body strain is eliminated, and so is sick leave. ProTeam vacuums help you vacuum better, faster, and the time and money you save by incorporating our vacuums into your cleaning program can be allocated to other important areas of work. Plus, we have vacuums that are ideal for day cleaning, further helping you to cut down on utility use and utility bills. With fewer moveable parts on our vacuums, and with vacuum body parts and filters easily washable, it means fewer replacement materials and less to throw away. Put simply, ProTeam is committed to helping the environment through sustainable business practices and minimizing our impact on the environment. As Kermit so succinctly put it, "It ain't easy being green." But it's worth it!

Dust Mopping for the New Millennium

The "old school" way of pushing a broom across the floor in your school gymnasium or down the locker hallways is so, well, old school! Today's facilities require—no, they demand—better performing cleaning methods. The days of pushing dirt from one end of a hallway to the other, all the while stirring up microscopic dust particles into the breathing zone of building occupants, are over. There is a better mousetrap for pesky dust. ProTeam vacuums not only filter tiny particles smaller than the eye can see, they keep those particles locked inside the vacuum without rereleasing them into the air like other vacuums sometimes do. They also make the job less stressful on the cleaning worker. Using ProTeam backpack vacuums is proven to be more than 70% more productive and 40% more effective at capturing dirt than using a single-motor upright. An independent study done by the Quest Environmental laboratory in Colorado has determined that workers are far less encumbered using ProTeam vacuums than they are using traditional uprights when cleaning floor surfaces. If you would like to see the results of this study, by all means ask us. Send an email to customerservice@pro-team.com <mailto:customerservice@pro-team.com> and find out how you can make your facility a better place to work, study, play—and breathe.

Improve Cleaning Practices

Poor cleaning procedures, equipment and habits can inhibit the effective cleaning of buildings.

Workers thinking big need to think small when it comes to health and cleaning. Cleaning for appearance removes "big" visible soil rather than cleaning for health that removes "small" invisible bacteria, dust and airborne particulates and other micro, bio and chemical contaminates - largely the contributor to unhealthy indoor environments.

ProTeam vacuums capture soil and safely contain harmful particles, as well as prevent them from being reintroduced back into the environment. The improved air quality is the result of ProTeam vacuums' unique Four Level Filtration system. This system captures tiny dust mites, bacteria, and other particles - which can cause unhealthy air.

What is Team Cleaning?

Team Cleaning® is a flexible, efficient and cost-effective cleaning system for custodial operations. Team Cleaning applies the power of systems to reduce costs and maximize productivity. It offers solutions to the many challenges that managers face-through better deployment of labor, effective cleaning methods, improved appearance levels, and simplified training programs.

TEAM CLEANING TASKS ARE GROUPED INTO 4 DISTINCT FUNCTIONS

1) Light-Duty Specialist™ - Dusting, emptying trash, spot cleaning, etc.

2) Vacuum Specialist™ - Vacuuming carpets and hard floors

3) Restroom Specialist™ - Cleaning, sanitizing and restocking restrooms

4) Utility Specialist™ - Cleaning lobbies, spot cleaning, glass, mopping and scrubbing floors, etc.

Team Cleaning results in increased productivity, less equipment, clear-cut responsibilities, and easier supervision.

This system allows flexibility in staffing levels and in the size and complexity of the facility to which it is applied. The number of workers does not affect the Team Cleaning concept. In smaller buildings a worker may perform two or more specialists’ duties.

What to Look for in a Quality Vacuum Cleaner

Using the right vacuum is a positive step towards removing contaminants from more than just floors. Look for these features when considering a new machine:

• A powerful motor with enough air flow and static lift to unseat dirt from carpeting and upholstery
• Multiple levels of filtration for high capture rates of tiny particles to prevent dirt from leaving the vacuum
• Ergonomic designs are comfortable for the operators – backpack vacuums have been proven to work faster than uprights and cut down on repetitive motion injuries and muscle strains

Airflow:

Volume of air moving through the vacuum (usually described by manufacturers in cubic feet per minute). Airflow affects the amount of soil that can be carried along and contained in the vacuum’s filtration.

Lift:

The ability of the vacuum’s airflow to lift dirt (typically measured in “inches of lift”).

Filtration:

Capturing of soils, mainly responsible for reducing “particles out.” Filtration must be designed to work with airflow and lift so that the particles are stopped, but not the airflow.

Design:

Mechanical elements that can reduce airflow or allow dust to pass by a filter without being caught (for example, gaps in the vacuum body that allow dust to leak out).

Raise Your Business Indoor Air Quality With the Right Vacuum

As the concept of green building becomes more defined, business owners are beginning to see the value of clean air. An investment in a quality vacuum can result in LEED-EB points. Sure it’s good PR, but it can also reduce sick days, raise morale and productivity and improve the chances of hiring staff.

How an Office Gets Sick

According to the EPA*, the main reasons for poor indoor air quality in office buildings are:

• Not removing pollutants such as asbestos, tobacco smoke, and mold
• Inadequate design, maintenance or operation of ventilation systems
• Unanticipated uses or poorly planned renovation of the office space that does not conform to the original building designs

Cleaning Tip

Look for claims that give some substance to [an environmentally-safe product claim — the additional information that explains why the product is environmentally friendly or has earned a special seal.

Watching the Bottom Line

Businesses that use quality vacuum cleaners benefit from numerous cost savings from their facilities maintenance budget.

• Backpack vacuums clean more area in less time, reducing the need for large cleaning staff
• Can pay higher wages, which translates to lower employee turnover rates
• Consider a vacuum cleaner with a generous warranty on parts, labor and repairs — better machines mean fewer costly repair bills
• Vacuum should meet LEED-EB guidelines on proper powered cleaning equipment; must be CRI Green Label certified, be ergonomically designed and operate at 70dB or less

It's that time of year again

ProTeam is locked and loaded for the NRA show in Chicago, May 16-19. You guessed it, the National Restaurant Association is hosting its annual food and equipment trade show in the Windy City. We are showcasing our restaurant vacuums that are designed specifically to combat the challenges of cleaning eating environments. Come see our demo in booth #4459 and find out how we can help you keep your money where your mouth is.  A lower cost of ownership with a cleaner facility? Now there's a daily special you'd like to see everyday. 

ProTeam backpacks make a lasting impact

Some vacuums tell stories. Consider, for example, a QuarterVac that came into ProTeam for repair recently.  The vacuum was 21-years old, one of the original lightweight backpacks ever made.

“As you can imagine, we don’t have parts to repair a 21-year old vacuum,” says Steve Shideler, a repair technician with ProTeam. “This vacuum is in awesome condition and still works, but the suction wasn’t quite enough anymore for the wood floor installer it belongs to.”

That installer is Bob Bassett, the owner of Executive Hardwood Floors in Boise, Idaho. He inherited the backpack 15 years ago from a friend in the industry, and has used it on nearly every project since. Routine maintenance was all it took to keep it going (and going and going). After cleaning up from sanding and installation jobs, he would take the lid off his vacuum and blow out the contacts with an air compressor to remove fine dust. He also emptied the filter regularly and kept the vacuum hung up in his trailer when on the move.

“The vacuum is just killer,” says Bassett. “It took a lot of abuse, and it’s been through quite a bit. The friend who gave it to me did the same stuff I did. I knew the vacuum was old but I didn’t think about it.”

The 21-year old vacuum is now in the ProTeam archives, along with a handful of other classics. Bassett received a reconditioned SuperCoach for his years of loyalty and old-school donation.

IBS Services Group, a commercial cleaning operation in Manhattan and Long Island, recently told us of a similar story. Soon after the IBS opened for business in 1988, they bought one of the first ProTeam backpacks.

“I think we have number 13,” says Owen O’Mahony, vice president of IBS. “And we still use it on a daily basis.”

Get the vacuum that makes history, and quick work of any cleaning challenge. Learn more about our vacuums at Pro-Team.com.

Win clients with free ProTeam materials

A new client pitch is your opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack. So how do you win the work? Emphasize your productivity and commitment to Cleaning for Health with free ProTeam brochures. A version of our “Cleaning for Health” guide is specifically designed for building owners, and offers a science-based, visually interesting and easy to follow look into how cleaning impacts indoor air quality and the overall environment. We also offer materials targeted for different markets, like our American Lung Association co-sponsored pamphlets, “Vacuuming and Cleaner Indoor Air for Schools” and “Big Buildings, Microscopic Problems.” When you let your clients know that you use only the best equipment and offer added benefits like improved indoor air quality, you’ll win their business and keep them loyal for the long term. Win more work today. Download our educational brochures now at pro-team.com, or call ProTeam customer service at 866.888.2168 to ask for free hard copies.

The Facts of Four Level® Filtration

What you can’t see can hurt you. That’s why ProTeam is committed to Cleaning for Health using our unique Four Level Filtration process. You may have heard the phrase before, but how does the process work in the real world? Let’s take it from the viewpoint of a microscopic dust particle. A ProTeam vacuum’s high-powered motor creates incredible suction—lifting deep-rooted particles from a carpet or other flooring surface. A dust particle then faces the first line of defense, the Intercept Micro Filter. This is the green disposable filter that’s specially treated to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. Most particles stop there, for good, but if a lucky dust particle happens to get through, it faces the surrounding Micro Cloth Filter, then the Dome Filter, and finally, the Exhaust Filter. This process traps 99.9% of particles 1 micron or larger, including dust mites, pollen, pet dander and mold. Our HEPA filters and models are efficient at capturing 99.97% of particles .3 microns or larger, including bacteria and yeast. So dust, well, bites the dust better with ProTeam’s Four Level Filtration. Our filters are now available to buy online.