A 2006 study at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill charted the basic, elemental differences between two cleaning methods—zone cleaning with upright vacuums and Team Cleaning with ProTeam backpack vacuums—in two different buildings at the university. The UNC study scientifically measured airborne dust levels, fungal spore counts, bacteria levels and volatile organic compound (VOCs) emissions in the buildings.
Results from the study showed that with Team Cleaning hard floor dust levels dropped by half, carpet floor dust levels dropped by a factor of four, and fungal spore levels were reduced by 90 percent.
A standard four-person Team Cleaning crew is made up of a light duty specialist to dust and empty trash, a vacuum specialist, a restroom specialist and a utility specialist for miscellaneous tasks.
The University of Texas-Austin, with 11.4 million cleanable square feet, adopted a Team Cleaning program in 2001. Before Team Cleaning, the university used upright vacuums and paraffin-treated dust mops. The results were inconsistent.
“Backpack vacuums have made the most difference in our program,” says Sally Moore, associate director of custodial services. “They allow the vacuum specialists to maintain the same productivity level as the specialist emptying trash and wiping down surfaces. The multi-level filtration greatly reduces the amount of dust in the buildings, making healthier work environments for our cleaning workers, students, faculty and staff.”
When used in a system like Team Cleaning, backpack vacuums cover 10,000 square feet an hour, compared to 2,857 square feet an hour with uprights. This increased productivity means that workers can more effectively organize time to frequently tackle high-touch areas, like desk tops, light fixtures, doorknobs and other areas, and further improve health.
In any scenario, improving indoor air quality takes daily concentration on literally the microscopic details of a maintenance routine. In large, high-traffic buildings like offices, health care facilities and university classrooms, dust and allergens like microscopic dust mites, pollen, mold spores, cleaning chemical residue and other pollutants are constantly being churned throughout the space.
By focusing on indoor air with a green vacuuming program, you can boost cleaning standards, productivity, and even the health of building occupants and your cleaning team.
