ProTeam Vacuums

Process Cleaning for Healthy Schools (PCHS) Makes ProTeam Backpack Vacuums a Preferred Product

Process Cleaning for Healthy Schools (PCHS), an innovative new cleaning method, has named ProTeam backpack vacuums preferred products, signifying that they meet the highest standards for cleaning in education facilities.

PCHS trains custodial workers with a standardized workflow and cleaning specialization based on a detailed plan for daily and deep cleaning. It was founded by Rex Morrison who, after working at Washoe County Public Schools in Reno, Nev., adapted the principles of Team Cleaning into a Team/Zone-cleaning process targeted at K-12 schools.

By implementing ergonomic tools, green cleaning agents, a streamlined workflow, and timing and logging tasks, Morrison was able to save the Washoe County Public School District thousands of dollars in the first year. Now many schools and even commercial cleaning operations have implemented PCHS’s remarkably effective method.

In order to achieve those huge savings, Morrison first realized that the general lack of measurable standards in the cleaning industry is unacceptable. If he couldn’t figure out exactly how his staff cleaned and how long each task took, then he couldn’t improve their methods and practices.

Industry standard tools like the upright vacuum make it more difficult for custodial workers to clean with consistent times and results. By replacing the worn-out industry standards with innovative, ergonomic alternatives such as ProTeam’s powerhouse backpack vacuum, the Super CoachVac, Morrison was able to shift the focus of his cleaning program from cleaning for appearance to Cleaning for Health.

“The impetus behind the expansion of Process Cleaning was our tools—ProTeam backpack vacuums, microfiber, and spray-and-vacuum machines,” says Morrison. “Take one away and we could not do what we do. Basically, there’s no way we could find any type of effective time management with an upright or dust mop. We needed a way to clean better and faster than we had in the previous mindset.”

After Morrison achieved success with PCHS, other backpack vacuum companies approached him, asking him to exclusively use their product for process cleaning. When he tested the other backpack vacuums, they didn’t live up to the hype.

“Every company had great claims, but either the CFM wasn’t high enough or the backpack would break down. If you want a vacuum you can kick, drop, work day in and day out and it keeps on running, there’s no other choice. I’m 100 percent for ProTeam. They’re the only way to go. Nothing out there can compete.”

Not only is the Super CoachVac faster to maneuver around classrooms crowded with desks and chairs, but its powerful suction captures 43 percent more dirt and dust than other vacuums. Four Level Filtration filters 99.9 percent of impurities down to 1 micron in size. (A micron is about 1/70 the width of a human hair.)

“The national average in K-12 cleaning is 21,000 square feet per person, but we were able to bring that up to 27,000 square feet,” says Morrison.

Cleaning for the health and safety of building occupants rather than just for appearance, Morrison’s cleaning program had some unintended, but beneficial, side effects. Average daily attendance went up by 6.5 percent. Many schools receive funding based on daily attendance and could greatly increase their resources by implementing a system like PCHS’s with ProTeam’s backpack vacuum.

“We don’t clean for appearance anymore, we clean for health. We can go to any school district and guarantee cleaner, more germ free student and staff spaces in less time.”

To learn how Process Cleaning can benefit your school, visit www.PC4HF.org or contact Rex Morrison at 775-530-8933 or rexpc4hf@att.net.

Bed Bug Elimination Integrates Vacuums

Pest control professionals integrate multiple techniques in the overall bed bug control program. Vacuuming, steam treatments, freezing, mattress and box spring encasements and residual treatments are all part of bed bug management in the 21^st century. The toxic solution no longer makes the cut due to regulatory and health concerns.

“IPM essentially employs non-chemical technique and strategies together with treatments to control a pest,” said Hedges. “IPM relies heavily on client cooperation to achieve many of the nonchemical strategies. They need to prepare for the service and address things like laundering or drying bedding and other items that might harbor bed bugs at high heat.”

Vacuuming offers an immediate way to reduce bed bug populations. With an IPM tool kit, attachments provide a greater reach into crevices and even vibrating tools to unseat deep-rooted pests from mattresses or furniture. However, as Hedges remarked, vacuums will not remove all eggs “nor can they remove bed bugs that are hiding within cracks and voids, so it’s only one of the many strategies used.”

In an effective pest management vacuum, high-powered suction combined with multi-level filtration is essential. For example, a backpack with four-level filtration and a HEPA filter can capture and contain up to 99.97 percent of particulates down to 0.3 microns in size—including dead and live specimens, and allergens like cast skins and fecal matter.

If vacuuming in a location that might harbor bed bugs, it’s vital to dispose of the filter before leaving the location. If using a backpack vacuum with four-level filtration, the intercept micro filter can be removed and sealed in a tied-off plastic bag for proper disposal, while the other internal filters can be washed and dried at high heat after every use.

“A backpack vacuum provides convenience and ease of use,” noted Hedges. “It provides excellent suction for removal of bed bugs from surfaces, and the HEPA filter helps capture any potential allergens that are dislodged from surfaces during the process.”

To learn more about the bed bug problem and potential control strategies, visit www.Terminix.com/bed bugsolutions/.

 

Cleaning for Health

A clean appearance is important, but a clean indoor environment is critical. ProTeam is a longtime partner with the American Lung Association to educate the public on the importance of healthy indoor air quality.

Studies show that the increased air flow and suction of ProTeam vacuums capture 79% more dust particles than other models, which literally makes the air cleaner.

A recent study by Dr. Michael Berry showed that using properly filtrated vacuums as part of a regular cleaning regimen helps dramatically reduce the levels of allergy and asthma triggers. Schools participating in Dr. Berry’s tests showed a 46% decrease in overall student absenteeism.

This is due, in large part, to ProTeam’s unique Four Level Filtration system.

With Four Level Filtration, ProTeam’s vacuums are effective at filtering 99.9% of particles up to 1 micron and larger. This includes dust mites, pollen, pet dander and mold. A micron is a unit of measurement used by the cleaning industry to describe extremely small particles. For example, a human hair is 70 microns, dust is anywhere from one to 105 microns, and bacteria is three to ten microns.

ProTeam also offers HEPA and ULPA filtration systems to filter even smaller particles up to .3 and .12 microns respectively.

With Four Level Filtration, the air stays cleaner, furniture collects less dust, and the operator can work without breathing unhealthy air.

In addition, all of ProTeam’s vacuums have been approved by the Carpet and Rug Institute for the Vacuum Cleaner and Indoor Air Quality Testing Program, exceeding their stringent requirements for soil removal, dust containment and carpet appearance retention.

A&M Cleaning Solutions Multitasks By Vacuuming for Health

A&M Cleaning Solutions in Zeeland, Michigan performs commercial and residential carpet cleaning and janitorial services for a wide range of clients, from credit unions to community halls to homeowners. Dave Hanson, A&M owner and operator, selects the equipment for his business based on cleaning for health and productivity. A few years ago, after extensive research, he chose the ProTeam® Super CoachVac® backpack as the sole vacuum for the company’s day-to-day work.

“The difference between the backpack and the upright is day and night,” says Hanson. “We have clients with a lot of carpet, and now we can go in and get it done, with no challenges.”

Two key focuses drive Hanson’s business: multitasking and green cleaning. With such diverse customers, spaces and job assignments, his equipment needs to be flexible and efficient, with a green bent.

“The productivity of the ProTeam backpack pays for itself in a week or two weeks,” says Hanson. “It goes around office furniture, chairs, you can get around just about anything. It makes you clean better without doing a whole lot of extra work. That’s the definition of productivity.”

When A&M Cleaning Solutions gives green cleaning presentations to clients, they mention the educational partnership ProTeam has with the American Lung Association, and often hand out the vacuum company’s Cleaning for Health literature. ProTeam’s filtration technology helps to eliminate dust and allergens. Exclusive Four Level® Filtration traps particulates down to 1 micron in size, and HEPA filtration models extend that extraction level to 99.97 percent down to 0.3 microns in size.

“Every tool that we go in with adds up to a quality clean. When I open up janitorial closets and see those commercial uprights with paper thin filters, I know I have an immediate advantage, because I can use a HEPA filter on a backpack that cleans better in half the time” Hanson says. “We have an upright as a back-up that we’ve never had to use, and we no longer use a dust mop at all. We’re not spreading dust around anymore.”

A&M also saves on upkeep and maintenance costs. In two years, they’ve never had any downtime or issues with the vacuum, and have only had to replace filters and a floor tool head. Now, as the business expands, Hanson will soon add another Super CoachVac to his cleaning arsenal.

Dublin Schools Use Cleaning System for Health, Productivity

Dublin Unified School District serves 6,500 students spanning 11 sites in Dublin, California. When Mike Zureich came to the district as Director of Maintenance 10 years ago, he wanted to bring up the productivity level of his staff and the health of entire school system.

Zureich brought to Dublin a philosophy and methodology for cleaning that he perfected at nearby Pleasanton Unified School District, where he was named Cleaning Manager of the Year nationwide in 1990. He adapted the Team Cleaning system to work for the variances of schools. Using the job cards, standards and specialists of Team Cleaning, this system has the “Weekly Five.” On Monday, the specialists dust. On Tuesday, they do door-glass and walls. On Wednesday, they clean student desktops. On Thursday, they spot clean floors and carpets. And on Friday, they wipe down white board trays.

“My first year at Dublin, we cleaned the gym, and came out with 10 garbage cans full of dust, like black snow,” says Zuriech. “Our program is preventative, rather than crisis oriented. It’s not as costly. We have minimal problems with equipment, staffing, standards and health. We clean every classroom every day. We don’t skip. ProTeam backpacks are a part of that.”

Zureich started buying ProTeam® backpack vacuums for the district as soon as he started, and eliminated the dust mops and uprights the school had been using.  With exclusive Four Level® Filtration, the backpacks serve to eliminate 99.9 percent of dust and allergens down to 1 micron in size. The ergonomic fit and ease of motion with the ProTeam backpack allow maintenance staff to clean faster and more efficiently than ever before.

“The difference with Team Cleaning and ProTeam is huge,” says Zureich. “Productivity is so high and so consistent. And in the 10 years I’ve been at Dublin, we haven’t had to replace any backpacks.”

ProTeam and Health Clubs

 ProTeam vacuums are the top choice for many Health Clubs around the nation for our productivity, efficiency, durability and versatility. Don't take our word for it, below is a quote from Robert Natale at Capital Cleaning Contactors, Melville, NY.

“Gyms and health clubs require a rugged, tough, durable vacuum. Many of the clubs we service are open 24 hours, so there are thousands of people in there at any given moment. Workout equipment is constantly manufacturing dust and collecting hair, so a vacuum is used up to five or six hours a day. We now clean over 300 health clubs in the US and Canada, and rely on ProTeam backpacks exclusively. The original (ProTeam) vacuums we purchased over two years ago are still in daily operation. I would recommend ProTeam to anyone who wants good, solid, reliable equipment.”

–Robert Natale, Sales Manager at Capital Cleaning Contractors, Inc.

Take advantage of ProTeam's commitment to Cleaning for Health today.

Finding & Attacking Asthma Triggers: "Clean Vacuuming"

Many allergens and irritants eventually will settle on hard surfaces and carpeting throughout the school. Carpet is a well-known “sink” for dirt, animal dander, pollen, dust mites, and other asthma triggers. These same triggers also can be found on hard flooring, which now comprises about 69 percent of space in new K-12 facilities.  A clean vacuuming strategy can help schools reduce asthma triggers by removing (rather than redistributing) the dust in a building by vacuuming surfaces with an efficiently filtered vacuum cleaner.

Looking for a Lead-Safe HEPA Vacuum?

The ProTeam Linevacer HEPA backpack vacuum is ideal for applications when clean air in a controlled environment is critical such as cleaning medical facilities, clean rooms and computer labs, and meets the EPA’s definition of a HEPA Vacuum under the Lead Safety Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (EPA RRP Rule). 

The Linevacer HEPA is equipped with a unique Four Level filtration system which utilizes a certified HEPA filter as the last filtration stage. The certified HEPA filter is 99.97% efficient at filtering particulates down to 0.3 microns in size and is designed so that all particulate drawn into the vacuum is expelled through the HEPA filter with no air leaking past it. 

The Linevacer’s ergonomic design allows for quick and easy cleaning of floors, walls, ceilings, furniture and fixtures. The 50’ power cord increases work space productivity while the integrated tool belt keeps accessory tools within your grasp.

Change How You Vacuum

The proper vacuuming regimen using the right vacuum can make a significant impact on campus health and cleanliness:

• Versatile backpack vacuums are proven to clean twice as much area as an upright vacuum - with easy to reach attachments they are best suited for cleaning under desks, upholstered chairs and dusty bookshelves
• A cleaning program calls for daily vacuuming of high traffic areas such as hallways, auditoriums and classrooms - vacuums that operate at sound levels under 70 dB are suitable for day cleaning
• Quality, ergonomic CRI-certified vacuums with highly efficient filtration play an integral role in the green campus movement

Cleaning Worker Benefits

What ProTeam backpack vacuums do for the cleaning professional...

• ProTeam backpacks use less than half the energy and effort to clean the same area as an upright.
• Wearing a backpack vacuum reduces stress on joints due to the natural walking motion.
• With a backpack vacuum you vacuum upright instead of hunching over with reduces lower back pain.
• Wearing a backpack vacuum results in less body stress due to the use of larger muscle groups.
• ProTeam backpack vacuums remove more soil without stirring up dust that would cause you to breathe unhealthy air.