Cleaning & Disinfecting

Facilities Operations Custodial Services provides an integrated Green Cleaning program and is in full compliance with all LEED certification requirements and LEED rating system.

The green cleaning is accomplished by using Green Seal® certified commercial cleaning chemicals such as our glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner and neutral floor cleaners, to name a few. Our green cleaning program is further enhanced by using only 100 percent recycled paper products in all restrooms. Most of the equipment we use in the custodial department (such as our HEPA certified vacuum cleaners) has green certifications related to filtration and/or water conservation. This is just a partial reflection of the department's green cleaning program.

Green cleaning is cleaning using products and procedures that are safe for the environment and do not emit any pollutants when used. Green cleaning is important not only for the environment and our planet, but for the health of the general public. Toxic chemicals have been shown to alter hormones and cause issues such as cancers, neurological disorders, weakening of the immune system, learning disabilities, allergies, infertility and more. By using green products that are free of synthetic fragrances, we can reduce allergies in the workplace, not to mention the potential risks of cancer, neurological disorders and more.

• 3M HB Quat Disinfectant Cleaner Concentrate 25A EPA registered and an EPA List N disinfectant for use against SARS-CoV-2. Hospital use disinfectant cleaner for use on hard, nonporous, inanimate surfaces of noncritical items. Rinse free. Kills hepatitis B virus (HBV), HIV, MRSA, VRE, herpes simplex I and II and other pathogens.
• Clorox 360 Disinfectant Cleaner used in the Clorox 360 Electrostatic Sprayer
  • EPA registered and an EPA List N disinfectant for use against SARS-CoV-2
  • Kills 99.9% of bacteria in 5 seconds
  • 44 organism claims: Kills cold and flu viruses, MRSA and norovirus in 2 minutes or less
  • One-step disinfecting
  • Eliminates odors
  • Sanitizes soft surfaces
  • Inhibits the growth of mold and mildew for up to 7 days

• 3M Neutral Cleaner Concentrate 3A Green Seal Certified, vinyl/vinyl composition floor cleaner
• 3M Glass Cleaner & Protector Concentrate 17A Green Seal Certified, glass, mirror cleaner
• 3M General Purpose Cleaner Concentrate 8A Green Seal Certified, cleans most washable surfaces
• ProRestore Mediclean Germicidal Cleaner Concentrate – Disinfectant, sanitizer, and deodorizer for use on non-porous surfaces. Can be used against SARS-CoV-2.  EPA registered

• Clorox 360 Electrostatic Sprayer – utilizes innovative electrostatic spray technology to allow Clorox disinfecting and sanitizing solutions to reach surfaces outside the line of sight, covering what conventional trigger sprays may miss, including the sides, underside, and backside of surfaces. It works by using an electrode to introduce an attractive charge to the disinfecting or sanitizing product and atomizes the solution, using an air compressor to generate a quiet, but powerful liquid flow. For interior use in any area.
• Advance All Cleaner XP – a touchless hard surface cleaning machine. The spray hose pressure cleans walls and surfaces, the scrub brush agitates hardened dirt surfaces, and a hand squeegee will clean mirrors. Used in restrooms and locker rooms.
• Advance Reel Cleaner – a touchless hard surface cleaning machine. Used in restrooms and locker rooms.
• Advance 15D Vacuum (H.E.P.A. filter) – dual-motor upright vacuum with the CRI (Carpet & Rug) Institute Seal of Approval, which signifies it meets the industry’s newest dirt pickup and filtration standards for vacuum performance. HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) vacuums differ from conventional vacuums in that they contain filters that are capable of trapping extremely small, micron-sized particles.
• Custodial staff have over 300 items in a combination of tools, equipment, supplies and chemicals available to them to tackle the various tasks they come across.

Custodial Services takes care of the following areas:

• Restrooms/Locker Rooms
• Classrooms/Class Laboratories/Auditoriums
• Libraries/Study Rooms
• Public Areas/Lobbies
• Kitchens/Breakrooms/Lounge Areas
• Conference Rooms
• Stairs/Landings
• Offices
• Health Clinics   

Notes:

* Custodial staff do not clean dishes, coffeemakers, toasters, water coolers, computers, keyboards, monitors, media equipment, books, personal memorabilia or items, and lockers, etc. Watering plants are the responsibility of the occupant / department.

**Requests to clean microwaves, refrigerators, or lockers should be placed with Facilities Work Management and includes a charge.

***Request to shampoo fabric furniture such as sofas, chairs, or cubicles should be placed with Facilities Work Management and includes a charge.

****Please allow two weeks advance notice for specialty cleaning.

Restrooms and locker rooms are cleaned and disinfected daily using disinfectants which are EPA registered and are on the EPA’s List N for approved use against SARS-CoV-2. Below is the regular routine.  During semester breaks a detail cleaning is performed using the Advance All Cleaner XP or Advance Reel Cleaner.

• Clean and disinfect and/or enhanced high touch disinfecting:
  • Toilets
  • Urinals
  • Flushers
  • Sinks
  • Counter tops
  • Faucets
  • Partitions
  • Mirrors
  • Dispensers
  • Doors, frames, door handles
  • Trash containers
  • Ceramic Walls
  • ADA stall handle bars
  • Door latches
  • Baby changing tables
• Refill supplies
  • Toilet paper
  • Paper towels
  • Soap
• Collect trash
• Sweep/Mop floor
• Dust AC Vents
• Machine scrub floor – performed as needed

Classroom, class laboratories and auditorium cleaning is performed in the evening after scheduled classes are finished. The areas are disinfected using disinfectants which are EPA registered and are on the EPA’s List N for approved use against SARS-CoV-2.  

There are also disinfectant wipes available in all classrooms for use throughout the day.

In addition, the following are performed daily

• Wipe down writing boards
• Repositioning of furniture
• Trash removal
• Dust mop or sweep floors 

Other items addressed on a pre-determined frequency or as needed are:

• Vacuum/Dust mop/Damp mop floors
• Dust light fixtures (exterior of fixture only)
• Clean trash receptacles
• Clean interior windows
• Spot removal of carpet stains
• Carpet extraction
• Remove chewing gum
• Dust blinds
• Burnish/Polish floors
• Strip and wax floors
• Shampoo fabric furniture

In all libraries and study rooms, approved disinfectant wipes are provided so that students, faculty and staff can wipe down their tables and chairs.

Public areas and lobbies are considered high touch areas because the surfaces are touched regularly by many different people. These areas are disinfected often using disinfectants which are EPA registered and are on the EPA’s List N for approved use against SARS-CoV-2.

The disinfecting focus points include:

• doors, door frames, door handles
• ADA buttons
• tables and chairs
• front desk counter and window
• telephones
• windowsills
• water fountains and buttons
• elevator call buttons (inside and outside of elevator)
• stair rails, chair rails
• light switches
• lobby trash cans

In addition, the custodian

• Collects trash and removes recyclable materials
• Sweep, mop floor, or machine scrub floor

For kitchens, breakrooms, and lounges we remove trash twice a day, restock the soap and paper towels as needed, and wipe down doors and door frames.

On an “as needed” basis we

• Spot clean surfaces, see below for occupant responsibilities 
• Clean / disinfect sinks 
• Spot clean trash receptacles 
• Dust mop or sweep floors / damp mop 
• Clean exterior light fixtures 
• Clean interior windows 
• Dust blinds 
• Remove carpet stains 
• Burnish/polish floor
• Carpet extraction 
• Strip and wax floor

The following items are the occupants’ responsibility 

• Dishes 
• Coffeemakers 
• Toasters
• Water Coolers
• Microwaves – requests for custodial services to clean are billable 
• Refrigerators – requests for custodial services to clean are billable

Conference rooms trash is removed daily and weekly all surfaces are cleaned and disinfected using disinfectants which are EPA registered and are on the EPA’s List N for approved use against SARS-CoV-2.

Every two to three weeks or as needed, the rooms are vacuumed and the surfaces are polished. Annually the carpets are shampooed, and the floors are stripped and waxed.

Stairs and landings daily service includes the removal of trash and the disinfecting of the stair rails. They are swept and mopped weekly. As-needed, gum is removed, the exterior of a light fixture is cleaned, cobwebs are removed, and interior windows are cleaned.

Office trash is collected twice a week while the cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, dusting, and vacuuming are on a two- to three-week cycle.

On an as-needed basis blinds are dusted, interior windows are cleaned, and spots are removed from carpets.

Carpet extraction and floor restoration is performed annually.

On request, fabric furniture will be cleaned for a fee.

Office occupants clean

• Computers
• Keyboards
• Monitors
• Media Equipment
• Books
• All personal items

Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces and objects. Cleaning works by using detergent based chemicals and water to physically remove germs, dirt and impurities. Cleaning helps reduce the number of germs that can lead to infection; however, it does not necessarily kill any germs.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department cleaning is accomplished by using a variety of supplies and tools with the use of Green Seal® certified commercial grade chemicals such as for example glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner and neutral floor cleaner. Aside from cleaning surfaces other tasks included under this term are trash removal, floor cleaning, dusting, sweeping, and carpet vacuuming.

Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.

Sanitary surfaces can be created either by removing germs (cleaning) or killing germs (disinfecting).There are a few different methods used to achieve a sanitary surface but In the Facilities Custodial Services Department sanitizing is accomplished by applying a commercial grade product labeled as Sanitizer to objects and surfaces upon completion of a cleaning process and allowing it to sit for the appropriate dwell time (contact time) as indicated on the products label or product Technical Data Sheet. A dwell time, or contact time, is the amount of time the manufacturer has determined, through laboratory testing, that the disinfectant should remain wet on a surface. Sanitizing is usually mostly done in food service preparation areas such as for example at the Hospitality management kitchens.

Disinfecting destroys or inhibits germs, bacteria and virus on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs, bacteria and virus on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting a surface means that chemicals are being used to kill germs.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department disinfecting is accomplished by applying a commercial grade product labeled as EPA approved Disinfectant to objects and surfaces upon completion of a cleaning process and allowing it to sit for the appropriate dwell time (contact time) as indicated on the products label or product Technical Data Sheet. A dwell time, or contact time, is the amount of time the manufacturer has determined, through laboratory testing, that the disinfectant should remain wet on a surface. The Facilities Department uses a variety of disinfectants that are not only EPA approved but are listed on the EPA’s “N” list for approved disinfectants for the use against SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19). In addition, the disinfectants we use are effective against many other bacteria and viruses such as Norovirus, Hepatitis, HIV, MRSA, VRE, Herpes Simplex I and II and many other pathogens.   

Decontamination is the process of decreasing antimicrobial presence in an area or on a surface and refers specifically to a confirmed Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) contamination, where the purpose of decontamination is to make an area safe, by physically removing toxic substances.

In the Facilities Management Department decontamination for purposes such as mold remediation, asbestos abatement and confirmed covid-19 exposure decontamination are outsourced to qualified, licensed and certified vendors.

Green cleaning is cleaning using products and procedures that are safe for the environment and do not emit any pollutants when used. Green cleaning is important not only for the environment and our planet, but for the health of the general public. Why does this matter? Toxic chemicals have been shown to alter hormones and cause issues such as cancers, neurological disorders, weakening of the immune system, learning disabilities, allergies, infertility and more. By using green products that are free of synthetic fragrances, we can reduce allergies in the workplace, not to mention the potential risks of cancer, neurological disorders and more.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department green cleaning is accomplished by using Green Seal® certified commercial cleaning chemicals such as for example our glass cleaner, all-purpose cleaner and neutral floor cleaners to name a few. Our green cleaning program is further enhanced by using only 100% recycled paper products in all restrooms, solar powered faucets, low-flow water saving urinals, and automatic flush valves. Most of the equipment we use in the custodial department (such as hour HEPA certified vacuum cleaners) have green certifications related to filtration and/or water conservation. The above is just a partial reflection of our green cleaning program. The Facilities Custodial Green Cleaning program is in full compliance with all LEED certification requirements and LEED rating system.

Enhanced cleaning means performing a routine cleaning more frequently for a targeted area. This could be because a targeted area suddenly receives additional traffic, is extremely dirty or has an increased exposure to germs, bacteria and viruses. During an outbreak of infection or an unusual increase in the incidence of a particular organism, enhanced routine cleaning is recommended.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department enhanced cleaning is accomplished by increasing the cleaning frequency of the targeted areas. If the purpose of the enhanced cleaning is to aid in an outbreak of infection this enhanced cleaning would include disinfecting the targeted areas upon completion of cleaning as well.

Routine cleaning is the practice of cleaning areas on a regular basis with specific intervals. In other words, the same cleaning tasks are performed on a predetermined frequency in a predetermined area.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department routine cleaning is accomplished by creating task frequency charts for all the areas we service. Each area (offices, restrooms, classrooms, labs, public areas, athletic facilities, stairways, elevators, etc.) has its own set of tasks and the frequency in which it must be performed. Each task also has its own set of procedures, tools and chemicals needed to complete the task. Frequency is determined by following industry standards for maintaining specific areas and could occur multiple times per day, daily, every other day, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly etc. based upon recommended standards and available labor force.

Deep cleaning is not a scientific concept and likely means something different to individual businesses or consumers.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department this term is often used to describe a specific or specialty cleaning task that is only performed quarterly, semi-annually or annually and performed by custodial workers that are specifically trained for those tasks. For example, deep cleaning carpet would refer to the process of performing carpet extraction; deep cleaning a floor would refer to the process of stripping and waxing a floor; deep cleaning marble or terrazzo would refer to polishing that surface using a diamond pad; deep cleaning of fabric furniture would refer to using specialized upholstery cleaning equipment, etc.

Detail Cleaning refers to the process of cleaning all surfaces in a specific area.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department detail cleaning is often driven by a specific customer request based upon a specific occurrence and is performed on a one-time basis as requested. Example of a detail cleaning would be preparation of an office for a new occupant where we detail clean the furniture inside and out, wipe down all walls, clean the blinds and vacuum and shampoo the carpet. Another example would be to detail cleaning an area for construction dust clean-up after a renovation project.

High touch cleaning refers to the process of disinfecting surfaces that are regularly touched by many different people and disinfecting those surfaces on a highly regular basis.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department high touch cleaning is accomplished by disinfecting these surfaces on a regular basis using an EPA approved disinfectant spray or an EPA approved disinfectant wipe. Surfaces commonly considered to be high touch areas are mostly located in common and public areas and include surfaces such as door handles, handles, knobs, common work stations, study stations, light switches, counter tops, service desks, water fountains, hand railings, operating buttons, elevator buttons (inside and outside of cab), manual dispensers, manual faucets, trash container lids, telephones in classrooms and public areas, ADA buttons and handle bars, etc.

Misters and fogging systems deliver very small droplets that passively deposit on surfaces based on the direction of spray and the effect of gravity, which may result in uneven coverage. Spray/wipe methods are also time consuming, labor intensive and provide the least consistent coverage. Electrostatic delivers charged droplets that are actively attracted to surfaces, including the back sides and crevices of surfaces regardless of the direction of spray for complete wrap-around disinfection coverage.

In the Facilities Custodial Services Department electrostatic disinfecting is done with the use of the Clorox Total 360 system: https://www.cloroxpro.com/products/clorox/total-360/.