December 19, 2016, By Eric Scholl, Multi-Clean

Ice melting compounds are used extensively in the winter months near the entrances of buildings to keep the ground from getting slippery, to ensure the safety of employees and customers.

The problem is, as people enter the building, the ice melt residue is tracked inside and onto carpets and hard floors. This creates cleaning challenges.

 

To understand the solution to this issue, we first need to understand the chemistry of ice melts.

Ice melts are water-soluble salts. They dissolve in water and reduce the freezing point of the water solution. For example, a water solution containing calcium chloride (the most common ice melt compound) would have a freezing point of -20 ^oF. Compare this to the traditional freezing point of water, 32 ^oF.

The result of using these types of salts to melt ice is the formation of a compound called calcium carbonate. We often refer to this compound as "hard water residue" or "limescale." It is the same compound that you often see and have trouble cleaning in restrooms.

If you need to remove tracked-in ice melt residues from floors, be sure to use a product recommended for the type of floor you are using it on.  Use only products where it specifically states that it is safe for carpets and hard floors. Dalco’s Orbit is a mildly acidic neutralizer that can be used for ice melt residue. It is safe for use on carpets.

Use the following procedures to remove stubborn ice melt residue your floors carpets:

Carpet

1. Dilute Orbit at a rate of 4 oz/gal of water.
2. Apply to the area using a pump-up spray or trigger sprayer.
3. Work into the carpet using a spotting brush.
4. Let the product stand for 5-10 minutes, then lightly agitate with the brush.
5. Re-apply with more Orbit, then extract or blot out the stain.

Hard Floors

For hard floors, Dalco ICE KLEEN is a non-acidic product designed to be used safely on all types of hard floors including finished (waxed) tile floors, rubber floors, granite, marble, ceramic tile, grout, sealed wood, polished concrete and entryway matting.  It quickly dissolves ice melt residue on floors. Use on virtually any floor not harmed by water!

1. For removing stubborn white stains on hard floors, dilute Ice Kleen at 2-4 oz/gal of water.
2. Apply to the affected area and let stand for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pick up or rinse away the solution.

For hard floors that are sensitive to acids, like marble and concrete, Dalco’s Ice Kleen is a great alternative that is effective against ice melt residues without harming acid-sensitive surfaces.

You can also follow these tips to help prevent the formation of ice melt stains:

Use good quality walk-off matting that includes a combination of wipe and scraper matting.
Use at least 15 feet of walk-off matting at entries. In winter months, consider using additional matting to keep floors dry.

Use Orbit daily to help prevention of ice melt deposits on hard floors.
In entry areas where ice melt tracking is likely to occur, mop floors regularly with Orbit. For daily mopping of finished or other hard floors, dilute Orbit at 1 oz/gal of water and mop floors as usual.

Maintain entrances outside the building.
Using ice melts is a necessity. Keeping areas outside just before entering a building as clean and ice-free as possible helps to prevent ice melt tracking.

 

November 22, 2016, By Mike Tarvin, Multi-Clean

When it comes to caring for carpet, one of the biggest issues that arises is spots or stains. A very common and troublesome type of carpet stain comes from beverages, whether it be coffee stains, red wine stains, or others like tea or sports drinks.

The problem with beverage stains on carpet is that they can be very difficult to remove, and they can often be larger volume spills, resulting in stains that are tough to eliminate and can often come back after they seem to have been removed.

 

Tannins

Many beverages, including colas, coffee, tea, and wine, contain compounds called tannins. Tannins are naturally occurring compounds found in many plant materials, and are responsible for the dark color of these types of beverages.

The problem with tannins is that they can be difficult to remove, meaning beverage stains can also be difficult to remove.
The secret to removing tannins lies in pH. Tannins have an alkaline pH, meaning they will be neutralized by an acidic pH and be easily removed. If you try to use a neutral or alkaline stain remover (as many general-purpose spotters are), it won't be as effective.

A very effective remover for coffee stains on carpet is a spotter based on hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide serves multiple purposes:

• It gives the spotter a mild acid pH, which allows it to effectively neutralize most beverage stains while remaining safe to the user (if used correctly)
• It reacts with carpet fibers to produce color-safe bleaching and brightening of the carpet
• It destroys odor-causing soils deep within the carpet and helps to deodorize the carpet while cleaning

  Dalco’s O-Force Ready is a ready-to-use hydrogen peroxide cleaner that is a great option for cleaning carpet, especially for beverage stains and the like. The peroxide eliminates tannins found in coffee stains and many other beverage stains, while also brightening and deodorizing the carpet.

Large Volume Spills

As you have probably experienced at one time or another, you often don't just spill a few drops of coffee on a carpet; it is usually a full cup that causes a rather large stain.

 

The problem with these types of larger volume coffee stains is that even after they seem to be removed, they come back over time.

This is due to a process called wicking. Wicking happens when the carpet pad is not properly cleaned and dried, leaving the soil deep within the pad underneath the cleaned carpet. Over time as the carpet pad dries, the soil is transferred from the soiled pad into the clean carpet. The stain reappears as the soil rises to the top of the carpet fibers.

 

Wicking is usually caused by improper spotting or cleaning techniques. It can be prevented by using the correct spotter (a mild acid peroxide-based product in the case of beverage stains) and thoroughly rinsing and drying an area after a stain has been cleaned.  Rapid drying of the stained area makes wicking less likely.



Red wine stains and older, set-in stains can be especially tricky to remove. For this, it is usually helpful to use the heat transfer method of spotting. To perform heat transfer:
 

1. Apply a spotter like you normally would. Extract or rinse the spot, leaving the carpet slightly wet but not overly wet.
2. Take a cotton towel, wet it, and wring it out so it is slightly damp. Place the towel over the stain.
3. Using an iron, apply pressure over the spot for 15-20 seconds at a time, moving the iron around frequently.
4. After 15-20 seconds, lift the towel and check if the stain still remains.
5. Repeat until the stain is removed.

By using the correct spotting product, and with the proper knowledge and a couple tricks up your sleeve, removing coffee stains, or any beverage stain, should prove much easier.

The "Spring Cleaning" Maintenance Checklist Not to Overlook at Your Facility
Spring is a great time to assess your facility and complete yearly maintenance for those tasks that get overlooked throughout the year. At Dalco’s latest seminar we went through five important maintenance tasks that may need extra attention this season. Industry experts went into detail with hands-on demonstrations for each of these topics so those in attendance could ask questions, try out processes and tools, and get refreshers on those maintenance jobs we leave for accomplishing once a year. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be digging into these five topics. You can expect to see each highlighted here on our website. 
Window Washing Over the winter months window cleaning gets taken off of the to-do list and dirt and grime tend to build up. That is why it is important in the Spring, once the sun starts shining through and everyone inside begins gazing outside again, that window cleaning returns to a priority on that list of tasks. Everyone knows when it needs to happen but finding the time and energy to get them done is another story. Don’t let dirty windows stand in the way of your business creating a good impression on the customers visiting your building. It can be a daunting task to take on window washing, especially if your facility has a large number of windows and maybe even on several floors. But it doesn’t have to be. Set down the squeegee and stop worrying about spots or streaks, employee injuries, or costly outsourcing anymore. A new window washing tool is becoming popular and changing the way we can wash windows. With a Pure Water system, your window cleaning will be more efficient, safer for your employees, and cost effective.  Unger’s nLite HydroPower Pure Water window washing system will help you get the job done.  Safe Work Experience
For reaching high windows and spaces, telescopic poles are lightweight and ergonomic while they eliminate the need for ladders. Keeping your employees safe and on the ground.  Efficient Use of Labor
The HydroPower system creates Pure Water by filtering minerals out of the water. This way there will be no residue left over on the windows, eliminating the need to squeegee or hand dry after washing. Environmentally Friendly
Using Pure Water eliminating the need for cleaning chemicals while window washing. This will not only decrease your supply costs but will also decrease the impact your facility has on the environment. Cost-Effective
By creating a safe and easy window cleaning process for yourself, outsourcing your window washing is a thing of the past, saving you the costly expense of hiring contractors.  Watch Unger's HydroPower window washing system video for a full demonstration.

With a Pure Water system, your window washing turns into a three-step process; rinse, scrub, let dry. It’s as easy as it sounds. Contact Dalco if you’d like more information or would like to request a free demo.

The "Spring Cleaning" Maintenance Checklist Not to Overlook at Your Facility

Spring is a great time to assess your facility and complete yearly maintenance for those tasks that get overlooked throughout the year. At Dalco’s latest seminar we went through five important maintenance tasks that may need extra attention at your facility this season. Industry experts went into detail with hands-on demonstrations for each of these topics so those in attendance could ask questions, try out processes and tools, and relearn those maintenance jobs we leave for accomplishing once a year. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be digging into these five topics. You can expect to see each highlighted here on our website. 

Pest Control
This is the time of year when bugs and insects start emerging from the woodwork. Pests can cause all sorts of problems throughout the season no matter what type of facility they show up in. Not only will having a pest infestation create a bad impression on those who visit your building but it also could cause them physical harm in unfortunate circumstances. The dangers are real, make sure you have your facility’s pests under control. 
 

• Bugs like cockroaches and flies are common pests and can carry many different kinds of bacteria such as salmonella. 
• Stinging insects have a more direct effect and send more than half a million people to the ER every year.
• Even the common mosquito carries deadly diseases that affect more than 2,000,000 people worldwide every year. 

After realizing that pests are a problem that can’t be left to their own devices the next step is to create a plan for keeping them out of your building. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends the use of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system to be utilized at all types of facilities. An IPM system is a process for preventing and getting rid of pests that begins with low-risk strategies and works its way towards insecticides for exterminating when needed.

An IPM system consists of four steps:
 

1. Setting Action Thresholds – A defined threshold will state the pest population level where their presence is a nuisance, health hazard or economic threat and thereby focusing the intensity of an IPM plan.
2. Monitoring and Identifying Pests – When pests are noticed make sure to begin monitoring the situation, taking note of pest population and type, the building areas affected, and the effectiveness of prevention and control methods tried.
3. Preventing Pests – First attempt to prevent the infestation from continuing. Removing conditions that attract pests (i.e. Excess trash, overgrown vegetation, dirty dining areas, standing water) and sealing or blocking pest entrances.
4. Controlling Pests - If the problem persists and action thresholds are exceeded move on to controlling pests by trapping, temperature treatment, physical removal and pesticide application.

When necessary, insecticides are an effective solution for getting rid of pests. Make sure to take caution when using them as they can pose risks when not used correctly. Always make sure to read the label and follow the directions posted for use and disposal. Using the correct kind of insecticide is important as well. There are many different types of insecticides to choose from and each works a bit differently to fit specific needs. The two main components of an insecticide are immobilization and fatalness, the insect in focus determines the correct combination of the two. Find out which kind will work best for your facility’s pest situation.

Questions to ask when deciding on an insecticide:
 

• What insects is it targeting?
• Can it be distributed inside or outside?
• Does it affect insects that fly, crawl or both?
• How mobile is the insecticide and how is it distributed?
• Can it be used in food processing areas?
• Does it leave a residual for continued control and for how long?
• What are the environmental hazards listed on the label?
• Can it be in an area where other animals are present?

The "Spring Cleaning" Maintenance Checklist Not to Overlook at Your Facility. 

Spring is a great time to assess your facility and complete yearly maintenance for those tasks that get overlooked throughout the year. At Dalco's latest seminar we went through five important maintenance tasks that may need extra attention at your facility this season. Industry experts went into detail with hands-on demonstrations for each of these topics so those in attendance could ask questions, try out processes and tools and relearn those maintenance jobs we leave for accomplishing once a year. This number three of the five topics we'll be highlighting that you can find on our blog.

Grout Cleaning
Taking the time to get a good look at your floors at least once a year is recommended. Flooring is a continuous project at most facilities and if a good floor maintenance program isn’t in place things can quickly get out of hand. But even with a plan in place, there is always one spot that can be troublesome for everyone, grout lines. Whether it’s in the bathroom or in the kitchen, grout has a way of sneakily turning into a mess.

The problem with grout is that it acts almost like a gutter, dirt and grime get pushed into these lines during the daily shuffle and even during daily cleaning if not done correctly. Grout is also porous so as days go by this dirt and grime being pushed around is continuously being absorbed, creating layers that are not easily extracted. And with that, we result in an image that this area is poorly maintained.

If you find yourself trying to tackle dirty grout lines there are several things you can try. It’s recommended that you start with the mildest process first and then increase the intensity as needed. No matter which level of intensity though, you should always be using this four-step process for restoring your grout to an acceptable level of clean.

Use of the correct chemical
When first beginning to work with grout start with the mildest chemical. This assures that the possible chemical hazard is increased to no more than necessary for you or your staff. Always use the necessary personal protection equipment when working with chemicals.

Peroxide or a standard multi-surface cleaner is at the mildest chemical level and may be all you need to help extract the dirt when agitated. If that doesn’t seem to be getting the job done, increase your chemical to an enzyme or bacterial based degreaser. In the case that you still need something more aggressive, you should try other degreasers or concrete restorers. Make sure you are not using acids or bowl cleaners as those will result in erosion and may even create larger pores in your grout.

Agitation of the dirty area
With most grout, no matter what chemical you are using the best tool to agitate will be some type of brush. Depending on the status of your grout, different tools will add different amounts of pressure, increasing the amount of agitation. A basic hand brush might work for some areas, where others may need the aggression of Autoscrubber, Square Scrub or Swing Machine. Another great tool to try would be a Kaivac, which is specially made for cleaning bathrooms and can come with many helpful accessories.   Recovery of upturned soil
After pulling up soil out of the grout it is important to recover as much as possible so that it doesn’t get reabsorbed and pushed back into the grout. The best way to do this is by using a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, as it can quickly and effectively remove all water and dirt that has been turned up. An Autoscrubber is also an effective way to collect turned up dirt as it has the same ability to collect excess water and grime. If you don’t have access to one of these machines though you can use a dry mopping process, scrunching the collected water and dirt into the mop bucket. Application of ample protection
To keep your grout in good condition after you go through the restoring process, there are sealers available. It is recommended that you use a penetrating sealer for the best protection. These are normally low maintenance sealers with reapplication on a yearly basis.


Daily maintenance is also important for keeping your grout clean going forward. The first step to daily cleaning of floors is to sweep. Dry soil is easier to remove than wet soil. You will also want to be wet cleaning with a disinfectant or multi-surface cleaner daily. Use a recovery system like an Autoscrubber or Kaivac machine if available. If not, using a double mop bucket approach with a hand brush handy for heavy traffic areas will get the job done. 

 
July 23, 2015, The "Spring Cleaning" Maintenance Checklist Not to Overlook at Your Facility

At Dalco’s latest seminar we went through five important maintenance tasks that may need extra attention at your facility this season. Industry experts went into detail with hands-on demonstrations for each of these topics so those in attendance could ask questions, try out processes and tools, and relearn those maintenance jobs we leave for accomplishing once a year. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve covered in more detail window washing, pesticides, and grout restoration. You can find each of these on our website.

Matting Maintenance

Winter months can really take a toll on your entrance matting. Without proper maintenance not only will your matting look dirtier but the rest of your building will decline in cleanliness as well. Matting maintenance can be tricky because you can’t always see how dirty your entrance mat may be. But mat is meant to hide and collect the dirt that is tracked in everyday so without proper care and removal it will fill up and not be able to do the job it’s meant to. Below are four components to effective matting maintenance.

Daily Maintenance is Crucial
To keep your mat working at its top performance daily cleaning is necessary. Entrance matting collects a lot of dirt throughout the day that will need to be removed. Vacuuming the mat works well to remove sand and dirt. After heavy rain or snowfall, though, using a wet-dry vacuum or carpet extractor will be more effective with removing excess moisture.

Spot Cleaning Especially Ice Melt Crystallization
Since daily deep cleaning is not necessary, spot cleaning becomes important. If you notice a stain or area that’s over soiled use a carpet spotter to remove the unwanted dirt. During the winter months, you will notice salt crystallization on specific areas of the mat. An easy way to take care of this is by extracting with electrically charged water or an ice melt residue remover.

A Monthly Deep Clean
It’s good practice to do deep cleaning maintenance monthly. By running an extractor over your matting with a power brush you’ll turn up even more hidden dirt than with a regular vacuum. This monthly maintenance may need to be completed more often if the mat is located in a high traffic area.

Proper Storage to Prevent Tripping Hazards
You should always store your mats rolled up, clean and dry. When doing so make sure to roll the mat up with the top side on the outside of the roll. This way when you lay it back out the curve will be facing down and will nicely use gravity to flatten all the way out. If you roll it up backwards when you lay it out, the corners will be curving upwards and will serve as a much larger hazard and may never fully flatten out.  

August 6, 2015, The "Spring Cleaning" Maintenance Checklist Not to Overlook at Your Facility

At Dalco’s latest seminar, we went through five important maintenance tasks that may need extra attention at your facility this season. Industry experts went into detail with hands-on demonstrations for each of these topics so those in attendance could ask questions, try out processes and tools, and relearn those maintenance jobs we leave for accomplishing once a year.

Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve covered in more detail window washing, pesticides, grout restoration, matting maintenance and now LED lighting. You can find each of these in-depth blog posts on our website.

Lighting Maintenance

When was the last time you considered what type of lightbulbs you’re using in your facility? The lighting industry has been changing rapidly and if you’re not aware of the new efficiencies you risk missing a large amount of savings from your facility’s energy costs.

Incandescent light bulbs are a thing of the past, they can’t be found in stores anymore. In 2007 the Energy Independence and Security Act went into effect stating that light bulbs had to meet a specific level of efficiency, paving the way for new technology in light bulbs. First came Compact Florescent light bulbs (CFL) reaching a new high of energy efficiency. As of today, they hold the majority of the light bulb market, but it's expected to decline as problems and annoyances with the light bulbs arise. Now we have LED (Light Emitting Diode) light bulbs entering the market as the new and most efficient option on the shelves.

This is no small difference in efficiency either, we’re talking big savings. Below are four of the ways you will save money after investing in LED lights.

1. Significantly smaller electricity bill – it is simple math really. LED bulbs use 80% less energy to produce the same amount of light as other competing light bulbs. By using less energy, you will be charged for less energy.
2. Replacing light bulbs less often – LEDs last 27,500 hours compared to CFL bulbs that last 8,000 hours, and incandescent that lasted 2,000 hours.
3. Avoid extra labor costs for maintenance – Not changing bulbs as often means decreasing the time your employees spend on light bulb maintenance. This will free up more time that can be used more productively.
4. Bonus! Decrease your energy bill for air conditioning use – because CFLs and incandescent bulbs put out so much heat compared to an LED bulb, you actually will save energy by not having to cool down the area your lighting with air conditioning.

Along with these savings, most energy suppliers will provide rebates for using LED lighting. They know the energy savings and want to help make your initial cost of switching manageable. Make sure to check out the rebates you qualify for to help with the initial investment.

By: Phil Stark, Matting Product Specialist at First Impression Systems, Inc. 


It's a great time to think about matting for your facility, especially now with Winter in full swing. The best way to keep your floors clean from sand and salt is to implement a complete matting program. Not having one can be costly.

It's estimated that removing one pound of dirt after it has been tracked into a building can cost more than $600 in facility maintenance costs. This adds up quickly, especially if there is a heavy amount of traffic entering the building. Over a 20 day work period, with just 1,000 people coming through an entrance every day, a total of 24 pounds of dirt can be tracked into a building. That's a total cost of $14,400 for just dirt removal every month!



Luckily, there is a simple solution: entrance matting. An effective entrance mat program will be able to collect 90% of all dirt tracked into a facility. Now, I'm not just talking about having one small rental mat at your facility's entrance. This would only be slightly better than having no matting at all. Implementing a matting program that includes a combination of scraper matting and carpet entry matting will remove up to 10 times more dirt than just a single carpet alone, in turn reducing the monthly maintenance costs of your facility.



Entrance matting not only keeps the sand and salt contained in the front of your facility, but it also improves the image and safety of your building. Entrance mats are one of the first things guests see upon entering your building. What a great way to show them that you care about their safety and uphold the great image you want to portray.


The following three zones are crucial to an effective matting program.

Zone 1: Exterior

The best way to keep the sand and salt from tracking throughout your building is to never allow it to come in the door. An outdoor, covered entrance works best for this application if available. Use an aggressive duty scraper mat that can be laid down outside and has a low maintenance requirement. A great example of this is the 3M 9100. With its 'Z' style construction, the salt and snow will scrape off of shoes and will flow through the mat staying outside. A vinyl product like this line of matting is great for outside use because it is tough enough to withstand the heavy abuse of being the first contact with shoes and boots. It will be resistant to fading and other damage to the mat that happens with collection of salt and sand.

Zone 2: Vestibule 

For spaces in between the exterior and interior doors, it is most efficient to put matting that scrapes off the soil and absorbs the moisture. In many cases, inside a vestibule, there may be a recessed well, where the use of a heavy-duty fiber style mat is highly recommended. Using a fiber-based product is important because it will not shrink or expand due to the climate and moisture, therefore it will always be the perfect fit. A good option for this area would be First Impression's High-Performance 60-ounce product. This mat is tightly constructed and does not contain holes, which is necessary for this area to avoid becoming a trip hazard.

Zone 3: Lobby

In indoor lobby areas, the main goal is to collect the last remaining salt and moisture. Nylon fibers in matting offer the optimal performance to accomplish this. Another important factor when thinking about matting for a lobby is appearance. Having the ability to customize a mat at any length, shape and size to fit a specific facility's space and needs is key. A great product for this type of area would be Dalco's DM45 or DM52. Not only can these mats be custom-sized, they can also have an inlaid logo set into the matting for a very classy look.


Isn't it time you took another look at how investing in a matting program could save you money? When planning your program, considering these three zones and the type of matting for each will help you create the most effective entrance mat program for your facility.

• Reduce your cost of cleaning the rest of your facility
• Improve the image of your building and create more loyal customers
• Increase the safety for people entering your facility and reduce slip and fall costs

Don't know where to begin? Request additional information and a free facility audit from a Dalco Matting Specialist today.  

A Review of Dalco's Latest Carpet Care Seminar

Last week we had our last seminar of the year, the highly anticipated carpet care seminar. We had a full house, as many of our customers find this particular seminar really helpful for their staff. Keeping your facility's carpets clean doesn't have to be an unruly task as long as you know the following essential components as presented by Mike Tarvin from Multi-Clean.

The appearance and life of your carpet depend on the care it receives. Proper cleaning helps safeguard your carpet investment by keeping you from having to replace it before its time. The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) recommends four cleaning essentials for proper carpet care, we added a fifth with 'interim cleaning'.
Cleaning your carpet the right way does not have to be difficult. It is important to use the right methods, equipment and cleaning products. Using improper methods, equipment or products can result in faster re-soiling, the reappearance of stains, or more serious damage to your carpet.
Maintaining your carpets starts with prevention. Use good quality matting at entries to prevent moisture and dirt from getting on the carpet in the first place. Then clean and maintain your carpets using the following simple guidelines.

Dry Soil Removal: Regular vacuuming is the simplest and most important maintenance activity you can do to keep your carpet in the best possible condition. The abrasive nature of dirt and foot traffic can cause permanent damage and fraying of carpet fibers causing them to lose their resiliency.
Clean Up Spills Fast: The faster you clean up a spill, the less likely it will turn into a permanent stain. When a spill occurs, blot up as much as possible with a white towel. Then, spray plain water through a spray bottle onto the area and blot again. Repeat the process until the towel comes up clean. If you own a wet-dry vacuum, carpet spotting machine or portable extractor, use it to pull as much of the spot out of the carpet as possible.

Interim Capet Cleaning: When vacuuming or spot cleaning isn't enough, interim cleaning methods can be considered to keep a carpet looking good. The most well known interim method is old fashioned bonnet cleaning. This method can be modestly effective, but too heavy reliance can result in the spreading of dirt across a carpet without actually removing it. Newer, low moisture, interim methods are now available that effectively remove dirt and allow the carpet to be returned to service in as little as one hour. 



Extraction Deep Cleaning: Extraction Cleaning is still recognized as the only deep cleaning method for carpets. Use a good quality extractor that applies a cleaning solution and then picks up the soiled solution. Use a cleaning chemical that is safe for stain-resistant carpet and is designed for extraction cleaning. Avoid cleaning products that can leave a sticky residue that can attract dirt and cause carpets to get dirty faster after cleaning.
Extraction Cleaning Tips
 

• Pre-Spray Traffic Lanes: Areas that are heavily trafficked and visibly dirty should be pre-sprayed before extracting to give cleaning chemicals more time to loosen up dirt. When extracting these areas, make one pass dispensing the cleaning solution followed by a pass with just the vacuum.
• Use Proper Dilutions: Read the label and follow dilution recommendations. Using more than necessary won't make your carpets any cleaner. 
• Use Warm-Hot Tap Water in the Extractor: Using warm or hot tap water improves cleaning performance.
• Allow Carpets Ample Time to Dry: Don't allow people to walk on carpets until completely dry. To speed drying, promote airflow with a fan.

Following these steps will make your carpets look good and make them last for many years to come.

 


Additional Carpet Resources:
How to remove ice melter residues form carpet and hard floors.
How to safely clean up blood or other bodily fluid spills.
How to remove urine stains and odors.

The Ebola outbreak has taken a predominant spot in the media this past month, so much so that the flu and cold season has almost been forgotten about. Though the spread of Ebola should be taken seriously, in actuality, the flu brings a much larger risk every year. Comparatively, the flu causes an average death toll per season seven times as large as Ebola has caused in its most recent outbreak in West Africa.

The flu can have such a great effect because of the way the virus spreads between people. While Ebola can only be spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, the flu spreads through every contaminated cough, sneeze and unwashed hand. This makes catching the flu much more likely, which takes us away from our everyday lives.

“It’s that easy?” you may wonder. This knowledge can make the idea of protecting your facility from germs and sickness daunting. Lots of people come together in your building every day – and, yes, some of them are sick. Without the right precautions, your employees and customers risk catching a cold or flu every time they enter the building. What you also may not realize is that on top of spreading illness, the cold and flu can quickly add up unwanted costs as well for your facility.

So how do you combat the spread of illness in your facility?

Create a cleaning program that focuses on “hot spots” throughout your facility. These are areas that many people come in contact with every day, making them likely places for others to pick up cold and flu viruses. Some of the most contaminated surfaces are not always the most obvious – including keyboards, break room and restroom faucet handles, water fountains, door handles and vending machine buttons.

Help your employees avoid catching a cold or flu in the first place. You can help keep your employees healthy by reinforcing the wash, wipe and sanitize protocol. In Kimberley-Clark’s Workplace Wellness Intervention Study, it was found that implementing this kind of protocol can reduce the spread of germs in the workplace by 80 percent.

Make sure to provide your employees with the tools necessary - the materials and products, as well as, a support program - to help them stay healthy. Your facility doesn’t have to become a hotbed of germs during this cold and flu season. Contact us to learn more about an easy-to-implement program that can help you reduce germs and boost wellness this cold and flu season.

Recently, an Account Manager at Dalco asked if we were prepared to handle a heavy amount of secondary label requests due to the recent GHS deadline of June 1^st, 2016.

Don’t panic! You will all be glad to know that according to the compliance department of one of our key vendor partners, secondary labels do not need to be updated by any deadline.  All current secondary labels will meet the new GHS compliance standards unless the actual hazardous material has changed. 


Question:  Are customers required to change out secondary labels to meet the new GHS standards?  Are we, as a distributor required to send out only GHS compliant secondary labels after the June 2016 deadline or are we okay to use up our pre-GHS stock?

Answer: "Employers are only required to change secondary container labels if the hazard of the product has changed.  In most cases, our use dilutions were not hazardous before and are not now under GHS.  So, in most cases, the old label will be fine.  

As indicated in the OSHA guidance, workplace labels are not required to have full GHS labeling with the new pictograms.  So, even for a Ready-to-Use product where the product might be hazardous (ie: it was corrosive before and still is now), the old label is still fine.  But, if it was simply an irritant before, with no PPE required, and now it is considered corrosive to eyes or skin, with PPE required, they will have to update the label to accurately reflect the hazard information on the primary label. These requirements will be the same after June 2016 when customers are required to have their Hazard Communications Programs updated." – John Heyer, SealedAir Diversey Care


This indicates that unless the product’s hazards have changed under the new GHS standards, the old secondary label will comply with diluted product that comes from a newly labeled concentrate product. Make sure to double-check all of your new SDS documents for any changes in chemical hazards and PPE requirements.

All that being said, in the case that someone specifically wants to have the newest secondary labels, we can provide those.  Just contact your Dalco account representative and we can have them ordered.

So, now you have the full scoop.  For any other GHS related questions don’t hesitate to contact us at Dalco or you can visit our GHS resource page for more links and information.


Have an industry related question? Dalco can help you answer it, contact us with our Ask an Expert form or our customer service chat line.

January 14, 2016 at 04:14pm
Ice melt. A necessary evil? Or just a misunderstood tool?
During the winter, if you’re in an area that gets snow or has temperatures that drop below freezing you know the necessity of deicing sidewalks and roads for the safety of people walking and driving. It’s been the solution used since before you can remember, yet do you know how ice melt actually works? Many people don’t fully understand the science and therefore are using the wrong type of ice melt and even applying it incorrectly. This can lead to misuse and common misconceptions about ice melt products.

Have you heard any of the following statements before?
Read on to find out just how misleading these ideas may be.

1. Heavy application of ice melt is necessary to melt all snow and ice present.

UNTRUE!  This is the way most people think ice melt
products work, melting away all snow and ice present by heavily covering the affected area and walking away. They’re incorrect! Ice melt products are meant to be a two-step process. The first step is to separate the ice from sidewalks and roads to make removing ice easier. The second step, ice removal, is vital and as you will read, many additional misconceptions result from skipping this step.

The science behind deicing is not focused on melting the ice but instead, each particle is meant to bore a hole through the ice to reach the concrete. Then with the correct amount of moisture, it creates a brine solution that can spread out underneath the ice, breaking the bond between the ice and the pavement. This allows for easy removal of ice manually.

2. Using ice melt will ultimately lead to damage of concrete sidewalks.

UNTRUE! A common problem in areas that deal with cold weather and snowfall is damage to roads, bridges and sidewalks throughout the winter season. Usually the blame gets placed on the heavy use of salts when deicing. This conclusion is misleading. Although salts, when used in excess can deteriorate concrete it’s not the salt itself that’s causing the damage, but it can accelerate the natural process.

The main force of damage to concrete is nature; water and the freezing temperatures. The process happens like this.  When unsealed concrete is exposed to water, either from rain or snow and ice melting, it absorbs moisture. Next, every time temperature drops below freezing the absorbed water will refreeze causing expansion within the concrete. This results in the affected concrete breaking or with commonly seen flaking.

To combat this natural occurrence, make sure your concrete has had time to cure and has been sealed. There are, in addition, ice melts out on the market that have additives to help prevent this absorption while deicing. Also, always use ice melt moderately and as directed.

3. Coming into contact with ice melt is harmful to pets and unavoidable.

UNTRUE!  Another worry about the use of ice melt, especially in residential areas, is the harm it may cause to pets while walking outside. It’s important to know that when ice melt is used correctly, as explained in misconception #1, the need to worry about pets is drastically reduced. However, not all people are aware of the correct way to use ice melt so you should always use caution when walking your pets.

To prevent irritation from contact with excess ice melt, make sure to wash off residue that may appear on your pet’s feet after contact, practice good grooming by trimming excess hair from footpads reducing accumulation, and avoid sidewalks where you can see excessive salt use. Again, as long as you are applying and removing ice melt as directed there is no need to worry about your pets.

4. Using ice melt will cause the surrounding vegetation harm and eventual death.

UNTRUE!  Many people believe that the use of ice melt will always have a negative impact on surrounding vegetation. While it is true that Chloride (found in ice melts) can cause damage to vegetation normally in the form of Chloride Toxicity and salts can cause dehydration, this usually happens with overuse of a deicing product.

To reduce the risk of damage, make sure to follow package directions and remove snow and ice from the sidewalk promptly. If Chloride Toxicity should occur, applying water in the Spring or when temperatures return to above freezing can dilute the Chloride in the soil and reverse the toxic conditions.   

By: Cali Sartor, Director of Marketing, Spartan Chemical Company, Inc.

It’s an exciting time for brewers as the craft brewing industry is becoming more popular every day. This year the growth rate of craft breweries outpaced that of commercial breweries. According to FastCasual magazine, it was estimated that craft beer revenue has grown at an annualized rate of 19 percent reaching a total of $4.2 billion over the last five years and now forecasts put the segment at $6 billion by 2019.

As this industry experiences rapid growth, it’s important for brewers to take a step back and make sure sanitation processes and products are all in line. As most are aware, bacteria can wreak havoc on a brewer’s process and cause spoilage, off-flavors, and a generally bad beer. But with proper sanitation, contamination can be easily avoided.

Contamination can infiltrate from a number of sources

From the Brew Process
Bacteria is resourceful and prolific. Throughout the brewing process, everything that comes in contact with the yeast must be sterilized or else risk inconsistency and off-flavors in the batch. A brewery’s sterilization list should include the kettle, mashturn, tanks, lines, heat exchanger and even storage areas.

In the plant, vessel surfaces are particularly important to pay attention to. Any recurrent contamination may indicate the presence of a biofilm, which is difficult to clean as it can bind strongly to the vessel. So, get ahead of it and always keep your brewing plant properly cleaned and sanitized!

From the Outside Environment
Microorganisms are always present in the air. They can also be introduced to the environment by insects or pests. Proper cleaning of the entire brewhouse environment helps to reduce the risk of outside contamination, helps avoid pest infestations and decreases the opportunity for bacteria to thrive.

Sanitation is the key to consistency and good flavor

The craft beer industry is fortunate from a safety standpoint that no pathogens can survive in beer because of the normal alcohol content, bitterness, carbonation, and pH level. However, as shown before, sanitation should be the first step in a consistent brew process and must be repeated throughout the process to ensure a great batch every time.

There are two components to a proper sanitation program; cleaning and sanitizing. Cleaning proceeds sanitation and prepares the way by removing organic/inorganic residues and microorganisms from the brewery equipment.

When choosing a cleaning agent, remember that they are offered in two types, alkaline-based or acid-based. Both work by breaking the soil into fine particles, holding them in suspension so they can be rinsed away.

Alkaline detergents are best for removing organic soils like oil, fat protein, starch and carbohydrates.

Acid detergents are best for the removal of beer stone, water scale, and aluminum oxide.

Sanitizers reduce the surface population of microorganisms and prevent microbial growth on the brewery equipment. Remember, sanitizers are only effective if the surface has been completely cleaned and rinsed.

Chlorine-based sanitizers are effective for broad-spectrum germicidal action on tanks and kettles used in the brewing process.

Specialty sanitizers, such as PAA (peroxyacetic acid) or iodine are recommended for sanitizing fermenter and brew tanks, as well as the heat exchanger and parts sanitation.

So, contamination prevention has been covered but what about keeping track of and checking the condition of brewery equipment throughout the brewing process? Brewmasters can use ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) readings to detect contamination on tanks. This process detects the organic proteins found on surfaces and can be used to highlight areas for additional cleaning and sanitation, as well as a standard process, check to ensure no bacteria exists in the brewing process.

Spartan Chemical offers a BrewCheck™ Sanitation Program which includes a complete line of cleaners and sanitizers, SSOP (sanitation standard operating procedure) support, employee safety training, and local deliveries and support from our local distributor Dalco.













Still have questions? A sanitation expert from Dalco can audit your facility and recommend the right products and programs for your process and your budget. Contact Dalco today!

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October 2, 2015 at 01:00pm fresh    /freSH/
adjective
   1.  not previously known or used; new or different
       synonyms: new, recent, original, different, innovative

As 2015 begins its final stretch, Dalco prepares customers for the cold months ahead. ...That sounds like the beginning of a news article.  The thing is, it wouldn’t be surprising news.  Dalco strives to prepare customers for winter every year… and spring, and summer, and fall. In fact, preparing customers for any situation is part of Dalco’s core focus. One of the ways we do that is by asking the right questions and taking the time to assess each of our customer’s unique challenges, bringing solutions to the table that allows them to shine.  Another way we support our customers is by inviting industry experts to provide education, innovation, and solutions.

In the next few weeks, Dalco will be hosting its final Customer Appreciation and Vendor Exposition of the year. The theme throughout 2015, “Helping you grow with fresh ideas” was supported by many educational seminars and product demos displaying some of the newest technology and science in the facility maintenance industry today.  By showing off everything from auto-floor scrubbers that run themselves, shatterproof and energy-efficient LED light bulbs, new improvements to “cleaning with water” technology, and tech programs that can optimize your workforce, Dalco splashed their customers with fresh approaches to keeping a clean and healthy facility.

Of course, if you’ve ever attended one of Dalco’s Customer Appreciation and Vendor Exposition events, you know that we always have fun as well.  Dalc-o-lympics created quite the excitement this year. Customers from all experience levels battled against the clock to complete 6 different cleaning challenges.  Names were being drawn throughout the day for door prizes.  “Grannies” were coming out of janitor closets to teach valuable product inventory lessons during one of our training seminars. And of course, customers had the chance to meet our vendor manufacturing experts to discuss product solutions.

Did you miss it? Dalco Fun and seminar trainings are not over for the year yet!  If you want to make sure you hear about Dalco’s upcoming training and customer events, register here to receive our email notification. For more information about Dalco’s full line of services contact us here or if you’re already a customer of ours contact your Dalco sales representative.  

P.S.  The Farmers’ Almanac Winter Weather Forecast predicts a very strong winter in the Midwest.  Be ready for our next season. Have you ordered your ice-melt yet?

August 14, 2015 at 01:28pm Learn what needs to be done yet at your facility in preparation for the June 1^st, 2016 GHS deadline.

With the past June 1^st, 2015 deadline Globally Harmonized System (GHS) standards are well on their way to being the new norm. This last deadline was for all manufacturers of chemical products that fall under OSHA’s regulation. As you continue to order chemical products you will notice new labeling and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accompanying them when delivered and possibly new safety standards specified for some of the products you’ve used in the past. This deadline marked phase two of four in OSHA’s GHS implementation plan where manufacturers have reclassified all of their chemicals and created new GHS formatted labels and safety data sheets.

Upon deliveries, you may still see the old Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) labels on products if ordering from a distributor. This is okay. Distributers of chemical products have a deadline of December 1^st, 2015 to relinquish all of their HCS labeled chemicals. You, as an employer using chemical products, have until the last deadline to deplete or re-label these chemicals with the end goal of having all new GHS labeled product in your closet by June 1^st, 2016.

With next year’s deadline for employers comes new responsibility. According to MSDSOnline, some compliance initiatives are now more in the hands of the employer. The following list is hazcom protocol you should be taking responsibility for at your facility. For even more detail OSHA’s GHS guide is a good resource.

SDS Documents

Obtain safety data sheets for each hazardous chemical used in your facility. After the deadline, this is a continuous process as you may be sent newer versions from manufacturers. Also, ensure that safety data sheets are readily accessible to all employees. Depending on what is appropriate at your facility this may entail an SDS binder in a central location or SDSs organized electronically. If you receive an out-of-date SDS after the final deadline it is now considered to be the employer’s responsibility to actively secure a correct GHS version. Also note, there are certain non-hazardous chemicals (i.e. hand soaps and sanitizers) that have the option to update or continue to use the existing MSDSs.

New Hazard Training
Once you’ve obtained all updated SDSs from chemical manufacturers it is necessary to read through them and compare them to old MSDSs. Because of the reclassification step of the latest deadline, safety precautions and chemical health hazards may have changed. If changes have been made, your employees will need to be trained on all new safety concerns.

Workplace Labels
Keep all labels on chemical product containers, as well as, label all refillable or secondary bottles with the correct chemical label with which they are being filled. Once the final deadline hits, all chemical products you receive at your facility should be labeled with the new GHS compliant product labels. Having bottles properly labeled is important to ensure employees are aware of all potential hazards.

Personal Protection Equipment
Since some of the hazards and safety precautions may have changed with the reclassification of specific chemicals, take time to study any new personal protection equipment needed based on those new hazards. Training Protocol
Everyone in your facility who will be using any hazardous chemical products must be properly trained. This includes addressing ways to detect the presence of hazardous chemicals, GHS hazard communication program and imagery, health hazards from each chemical, as well as, specific safety precautions to be taken when using each chemical. Training is a continuous process to be conducted as new chemicals are introduced, as new chemical hazards are classified and as new employees join your staff.

Hazcom Program
OSHA already requires facilities to have a written hazard communication program detailing all chemical products used and safety procedures. Review your hazcom program as this next deadline approaches and make sure that it is still current and meeting its objectives with the new GHS in place. Revise your program as necessary when conditions have changed in your facility like new chemicals or hazards. Compliance is your responsibility.


Preparing your facility to be compliant with the new GHS standards can be confusing. Setting up a training program so that your staff can work efficiently and safely can be daunting. At Dalco we have a team of experts that is capable and experienced working with all aspects of chemical usage.  We want to help you make this transition easy and effective. We also have relationships with the world’s most trusted chemical manufacturers and can bring you the support you need. Contact us and we can help you start the process, ensuring your employees are safe and well trained.

If you’re a facility manager, you understand the importance of staying on top of floor maintenance. But how much do you think about your floors?  Do you ignore them or take them for granted?  Or do you take the time to learn about new techniques, innovative products and systems as they reach the market?

Whether carpet or one of the many hard floor options, a properly planned and executed floor maintenance program is key to having well-kept floors while saving time and money. A floor care program consists of a regular floor care cleaning schedule, quality products and properly trained staff.  Not convinced? Here's how those three elements of a good floor care program will reduce your costs.

3 Elements in a Floor Maintenance Program That Will Save You Money
 

1. A Consistent Cleaning Schedule that cycles in mid and deep cleaning and restoration. Restorative maintenance is expensive.  By failing to keep a consistent cleaning routine in play, dirt and grit will tear down a good floor finish fast, leaving your floors looking dingy and dusty.  The longer your floor is left unattended, the more damage occurs.  If left too long, even restoring (stripping and re-coating) won’t bring back the beauty of the floor's original state. Your best option would be to replace the floor.  A regular floor care program will avoid deep damage, and with a routine scrub and recoat program, the need to strip down to the bare floor can be strategic and not reactionary.
2. Proper cleaning agents and equipment.  Not all chemicals and equipment are created equal so resist the urge to “bargain” shop.  You may pay more upfront for quality products, but in the long run, you’ll use less chemical and your finish will be more durable.  A more durable finish generally means it will last longer on your floor. A longer lasting floor finish = longer cycles between complete refinishing = reducing labor hours = the boss thinks you’re a Rock Star…
3.  Having a well-trained staff is an essential piece of a good floor care program.  You've spent a lot of money on your floors.  You've probably invested in floor equipment.  Don’t drop the ball now by not ensuring your floor care staff are properly trained.  Untrained staff can lead to costly mistakes to your floors, your equipment, or to themselves.  Additionally, no matter how well your floor care plan is designed, without trained staff to carry it out, it will not succeed. 

Training doesn't have to be cost-prohibitive.  In March, Dalco hosted its annual customer “Hard Floor Care” seminar.  Presented by 3M and Tennant Co, customers took time to learn about low maintenance floor finishes for vinyl flooring, great stripping tools, tips and tricks, and what is hot on the technology side of things.  If you missed this info-packed session, don’t wait until next year, call your Dalco Rep.  You can schedule a one-on-one floor assessment or even request an onsite, facility-specific training session with your staff.  We’ll bring the teachers and tools, you provide the floors. 
 

 

 

 

At Dalco, Floor Care is a serious business.  The decision on floor care doesn't have to be scary or a potentially expensive science experiment. With products and equipment from the most trusted brands in the world available to Dalco customers, our professionals have the tools to assess the floors of your facility, and recommend "First in Class" options!

What you need to know as a trainer.

Industries and jobs are always changing. It's these changes that affect your company's ability to develop and grow. That is why keeping your workforce on top of all of these changes, by advancing their knowledge and skills with training, can be a challenge but is a crucial part of business. Training is an essential component to retain employee efficiency, effectiveness and job satisfaction.

This makes training a continuous process and we realize that to succeed, companies pull trainers from many different roles in a company. That is why last month, here at Dalco, we hosted a "Training the Trainer" educational seminar to give all types of training staff the resources for effective training. Whether you are employed as a trainer, a manager that takes on the task of training your staff, or a coworker stepping in to train a new hire on the go; we wanted you to know what makes up an effective training method to help you succeed. Spartan Chemical's Training Expert, John Schauff, Director of Government Services & Training, presented at our seminar about best practices to utilize while training employees. As I expand on below, five training practices make up the fundamentals of a good training technique.

1. Get to know your audience.
Knowing your audience is a necessity when training. Each employee is unique and will learn slightly differently than others. Being able to tell how your audience is going to react to your training will help you effectively reach each employee. Three main qualities will create differences between employees that you'll need to pay attention to while training: their current knowledge of the job, their experience level in the field and their individual learning style.

Job knowledge - Already knowing about the company or job will be an advantage to current employees or those moving positions within the company. New hires will need the extra company background information and more specific information as pertains to department goals, building placement and coworker assistance.

Experience level - Different experience levels will affect your specific task training. Employees that come from a history of similar jobs will have more knowledge of basic tasks. What these employees may think of as commonsense may be completely new to another less experienced employee. Make sure not to make assumptions about which tasks are simple or more difficult.

Learning style - By covering all learning styles in your training procedure you can make sure that no one is left behind. Knowing how each employee will learn best will help you direct that type of training towards them, providing the most effective training. Some employees will pick things up with dialog and others will need to see the process or try it out themselves.



2. Use open dialog and relatable content.
When first discussing the training content, it's best to create a dialog with those you're training. Having open conversations will help an employee relate to the subject matter. After your explanation, crate this dialog by asking open-ended questions to get employees thinking critically about the subject. You may be surprised by the questions and other relevant topics that come up. Also, providing examples of situations that may occur on the job or in everyday life will help make topics relatable and easier to understand.
 
3. Demonstrate how to perform each task.
By providing a demonstration of your training task you are utilizing the visual aspect of learning that is important for many people. this helps reinforce the training that has been previously discussed. When walking through the motions and steps of a particular task, make sure to lead by example in order to provide the best outcome. Pay attention to detail as some employees will not have the same experience and may not know what other employees consider commonsense.

4. Implement immediately and then repeat, repeat and repeat.
After demonstrating, have each employee walk through the process themselves. Implementation in a real situation and practice completing the task are the most effective ways to accomplish learning retention. Continue to practice the task as many times as is necessary for accuracy. Repetition creates a natural tendency in everything we do.

5. Ask for constructive feedback.
Always remember to ask your employees for feedback on how you're doing as a trainer. This is the best way to fine-tune your training technique and improves the training experience for other employees. By taking both compliments and concerns seriously and adjusting training processes appropriately, you will ensure that you are receiving the most constructive feedback form employees.

These five practices will help you be a more effective trainer within your company. It is good to be aware that not all training can be provided from within a company. It's always helpful to look for other outside training opportunities for your employees that you might not have the expertise to train from within. Keep an eye out for industry conferences, seminars and webinars. At Dalco we are proud providers of all different types of training within the facility maintenance and janitorial industry. You can count on us for on-site training, equipment and chemical demos as well as educational seminars on all sorts of topics. Contact us today to find out about our upcoming training happening near you.

 

Three key benefits of investing in cleaning that can increase your business' bottom line

Budgets have been tightening across most industries, but universally employees that work within facility maintenance witness this more than most because cleaning tends to be the first budget affected. With a growing social need for cleanliness, it can be hard to accommodate this call for a higher quality of work while companies are continuously reducing the time and funding allocated to these tasks. So how do we combat this? By teaching the ability to quantify and communicate the unidentified returns facility maintenance brings to every company's bottom line. 

It is time to stop thinking of cleaning as an expense and instead begin to think of it as an investment.

The American Institute for Cleaning Services, ISSA, is the leading worldwide association dedicated to supporting the cleaning industry community. They recently completed a study, The Value of Clean, which explains why reducing a facility maintenance budget can have dangerous effects. Not only do reductions risk accumulating additional personnel costs but it even can cause missed potential revenue from customers.

The following key benefits expose the necessity to support investing in a facility maintenance program at your facility.

Benefit #1: Increases employee productivity and reduces company personnel costs

There is a significant cost to every employer when employees are absent because of illness or if employees come to work sick. Investing in cleaning will decrease these occurrences by protecting employees’ health. This will reduce personnel costs due to fewer requests for sick leave. It will also help retain employee productivity that may have been otherwise compromised due to being sick at work.

Tips:

• Implementing appropriate cleaning procedures while taking note of high touch areas will reduce the risk of spreading illnesses between employees
• Focusing on a healthy hygiene initiative for employees will show an investment in employees’ wellbeing and help maintain their productivity

Benefit #2: Retains customer base and improves customer satisfaction

A critical factor of doing business with a company in most consumers’ eyes is the cleanliness of the building and the atmosphere this creates. Establishing a clean facility will provide your customers with a comfortable environment, therefore, keeping them in the building for longer periods of time. It also makes a positive impression that will keep them coming back.

Tips:

• Utilizing a complete facility cleaning program will increase the appearance of the whole building, sustaining a positive impression with customers
• Setting up a proactive matting and floor cleaning program will help avoid costly slip and fall incidents within your facility
• Making restroom cleaning and maintenance a priority is essential, as most consumers will avoid a business if they encounter dirty restrooms

Benefit #3: Extends the life of building assets and postpones replacement costs

When maintenance and cleaning get pushed to the back burner assets like carpeting or hard flooring can take a turn for the worst. Fortunately, even just a slight increase in investment in cleaning can greatly extend the use of building assets for several years.

Tips: 

• Setting up a maintenance program will increase the life expectancy of building assets, which will stretch the initial cost over more usable time
• Utilizing an appropriate floor cleaning program will prove a return on investment from postponed replacement costs alone

 

By investing in your cleaning program you will begin to see the effects these benefits have on your company’s bottom line. To begin evaluating your facility for improvements you can make in your cleaning program today and in the future.




Need some direction? Dalco representatives are trained to help you find the best cleaning practices and programs specific to your facility. If you are interested in a complimentary facility audit contact a Dalco representative for more information.

Check out ISSA’s full study that explains even more benefits of investing in cleaning.

 

Every year Dalco participates in a food drive to support our local food shelf. As a large distributor in the Midwest region, we feel as though we have a strong presence as well as a responsibility in our surrounding communities. This past March, Dalco fundraised alongside others participating in the Corporate Food Drive Challenge and donated food and hygiene supplies to Ralph Reeder Food Shelf.

In addition to donating food and hygiene supplies, Dalco employees participate in raising money for Ralph Reeder with our “Dalco Café”. Each week a different department takes their turn bringing lunch, potluck style, for anyone to enjoy for a small donation. This year we were excited to be able to donate a total of $4,600 and 400 lbs. of food and hygiene products.





We are proud to support such a great organization. The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf began as a way to provide families within the school district, who needed the extra help, with food. As the needs increased, so did the services they provided. Today it has grown to support a much greater area and can provide a shopping-like experience and other services such as case management and crisis referral, Operation Joy during the holiday season, nutrition and health education, and much more.

If you'd like more information about how your company can get involved within their surrounding community you can find resources on Corporations Feeding America website. Using these resources, you can join many other companies that are now also participating and helping in their communities.

Dalco Enterprises, Inc. and B. Miller Products, Inc. combine local relationships with robust product and service lines to bring local businesses the best in facility maintenance solutions and support.
Dalco is excited to announce that on April 4^th, 2016, an agreement was signed to acquire B. Miller Products, Inc. a supplier of industrial, commercial and institutional maintenance products. B. Miller has been serving the northern Minnesota and Wisconsin market since 1960 creating lasting customer relationships by putting customer service and support at the heart of their business.

As with B. Miller, Dalco pushes for having personalized customer service and quality employees to support our customers. This acquisition will combine our strengths and those of B. Miller in order to sustain and improve the level of service current customers are receiving. With B. Miller’s long term customer relationships and Dalco’s comprehensive product lines and robust service teams, this combination will help businesses in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin shine.

“We are pleased to announce that Dalco has teamed up with B. Miller Products to provide customers an even more comprehensive line-up of facility supplies, equipment, repair services, training and a wide array of maintenance solutions,” commented Dalco Enterprises, Inc. President, Ted Stark III. “B. Miller has been a formidable and friendly competitor in the northern market for many years and has built many long term customer relationships which Dalco is pleased to begin supporting and doing business with.”

Dalco is a family-owned and operated company with over fifty years of service to the Upper Midwest market. With this acquisition, we now have distribution centers located in Hibbing, Duluth and Rochester Minnesota; La Crosse, Marshfield and Eau Claire Wisconsin; and Marquette Michigan, with our corporate office and distribution center in Minneapolis/St Paul Minnesota.

Facility solutions distributor awarded “Distributor of the Year” from innovative hand hygiene product manufacturer.

Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis based Dalco Enterprises, Inc. was selected by GOJO as their Distributor of the Year for 2015. At Dalco’s 24^th annual vendor appreciation event on February 18^th, GOJO’s sales team; Kevin Affeldt, Patrick Noonan and Jay Shearer, presented the award to Dalco’s owners; Ted Stark III, Pete Stark, Rod Dummer and Dalco’s VP of Sales, Scott Johnson.

“We are honored to receive this award as GOJO has many great partners to choose from,” commented Dalco’s VP of Sales, Scott Johnson. “These awards only show up when great results have been achieved during the year.  We hope to be on the receiving end of the GOJO award as often as we can.”

Dalco and GOJO began working together in 2009 to bring their customers the best in hand hygiene products. After achieving several years of exponential growth with GOJO, a valuable relationship was established that will continue to provide their shared customers with innovative hand hygiene solutions.

“The intention of both distribution and manufacturing is to deliver great products and great service to our customers but not all distributors or manufacturers consider each other throughout the process,” explained Johnson. “Dalco and GOJO understand the importance of each other’s role and decide to work together to deliver great service to our shared customers. Because of this, GOJO has received ‘Vendor of the Year’ recognition at Dalco 3 of the last 5 years and now Dalco has received this ‘Distributor of the Year’ award from GOJO.”

GOJO is a leading manufacturer of skin health and hygiene solutions for “away-from-home settings.” They serve a variety of markets with a broad portfolio of products under the GOJO®, PURELL® and PROVON® brand names.

About Dalco Enterprises, Inc.: Dalco is the Upper Midwest’s largest facility solutions distributor, providing coverage in Minnesota and select areas of Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan. Founded in 1959, Dalco has been helping their customers shine for well over 50 years. Dalco strives to create clean, safe, healthy and productive workplaces and facilities with everything they do. Utilizing their highly experienced staff, Dalco focuses on providing efficient facility solutions, quality products and in-depth training to make sure their customers succeed.

March 10, 2016
At Dalco, the relationships we have with our manufacturer representatives are highly valued. Building relationships and supporting each other is critical to the success of both Dalco and our vendors and ultimately the success of the services we work together to provide our customers. To celebrate these relationships, every year Dalco recognizes one manufacturer in particular that excelled over the past year.

For 2015, Dalco selected Tennant as their Vendor of the Year. Members of Dalco’s leadership team; Ted Stark III, Rod Dummer and Scott Johnson, presented the award to Tennant’s Commercial team; Rick Cobian, Adam Russ and Dennis Kortsha, at their 24^th annual vendor appreciation event on February 18^th, 2016.

“This award is both a privilege and honor to win given the number of high-quality key vendors that Dalco works with including 3M, GOJO, Rubbermaid, Sealed Air, SCA, Kimberly-Clark, Berry Plastics, Spartan Chemical and Georgia Pacific,” commented Tennant Commercial Manager, Rick Cobian.

The process for selecting Dalco’s Vendor of the Year has been developed to gather the opinion of the company as a whole. Dalco representatives from every department and multiple locations rate each Key and Core Vendor on 16 different criteria. These criteria examine the manufacturers’ focus on product and process innovation, distributor security and representative relationships and support.

Dalco and Tennant have been working together to bring their customers the best in environmental equipment for over 20 years. Tennant is a long-term valuable partner that is committed to achieving significant growth with Dalco consistently. This year Tennant excelled in bringing innovative cleaning technologies to the table, as well as, initiating extra support for the Dalco sales team to accomplish great sales growth for the year.

"Equipment and repair are a significant piece of the facility solution we offer our customers and we feel Tennant provides innovations, quality and the best overall value for our customers' needs," commented Rod Dummer, Executive VP of Sales and Marketing at Dalco Enterprises. "We are proud to be associated with such a quality company as Tennant, who shares our corporate values and we are proud to honor their team and organization this year with our 'Vendor of the Year' award."   



About Dalco Enterprises, Inc.: Dalco is the Upper Midwest’s largest facility solutions distributor, providing coverage in Minnesota and select areas of Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan. Founded in 1959, Dalco has been helping their customers shine for well over 50 years. Dalco strives to create clean, safe, healthy and productive workplaces and facilities with everything they do. Utilizing their highly experienced staff, Dalco focuses on providing efficient facility solutions, quality products and in-depth training to make sure their customers succeed.

April 6, 2015

One in five Minnesota households with children has a hard time getting enough healthy food to their tables. Nearly 250,000 children in Minnesota live in poverty. There is no corner of the state where hunger does not exist. (1) 

Do these statistics surprise you? Look around. Would you know if the person sitting next to you at work, standing by you in line at the bank, or sitting in the car one lane over finds it a daily struggle to put food on the table for their family? We don't know and that's why it's important to help those in need when you are able.

During the month of March here at Dalco, we've been participating in a food drive in support of our local food shelf. As a large distributor in the Midwest region with several branch locations, Dalco has always supported reaching out to the surrounding communities when and where we can. So when our President, Ted Stark III, heard about the Food Drive Challenge through other business professionals in the Minneapolis area, he was excited to get Dalco involved. Now, every march, Dalco works as a team to donate food, funds and hygiene supplies via The Biggest Giver: Food Drive Challenge. All proceeds collected from each location are donated to a food shelf in that specific area. For Dalco's headquarters, Ralph Reeder Food Shelf (based out of Moundsview, MN) is the recipient.

This year the March drive was coordinated by a group of employees who really stepped up. With some new ideas, employees had more opportunities to gift cash donations as well as their food donations. One idea that was a big hit was the creation of the Dalco Cafe. Each week different departments took turns bringing "potluck style" lunch to share with co-workers and customers (for a small donation of course). We are proud to say that, as a company, we were able to donate a total of $4,900 and 4,250 lbs. of food and hygiene products.

Dalco donates one month a year to focus on the needs of our community. We'd like to recognize the local food shelf we work with who works tirelessly to help assist all year round.

The Ralph Reeder Food Shelf began as a way to provide families within the school district, who needed the extra help, with food. As the needs increased, so did the services they provided. Today it has grown to support a much greater area and can provide a shopping-like experience. The food shelf now provides not only non-perishable foods but also frozen meats, fresh milk, garden produce, hygiene items and cleaning supplies. They also have other services like case management and crisis referral, Operation Joy during the holiday season, nutrition and health education, and much more.

Some highlights of 2014 for Ralph Reeder (2):

• Provided 377,000 lbs. of food to families in need
• Supported 5,191 households throughout the year with donations
• Helped many kids in need, as just under half of the individuals served are children

If you'd like more information about how your company can get involved within their surrounding community you can find resources on The Biggest Giver: Food Drive Challenge website. Using these resources, you can join the hundreds of other companies that are now also participating and helping in their communities.

(1) Hunger Solutions, http://www.hungersolutions.org/hunger-data/
(2) Moundsview Schools: Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, https://www.moundsviewschools.org/Domain/75

January 6, 2015
As 2014 comes to an end, many things give us reason to reflect. From the opportunities that we came across to the people that helped us along our way. Here at Dalco, we'd like to thank our customers and vendors for all of their support throughout the year.

As a Facility Maintenance distributor, Dalco gets to work with many great and innovative manufacturers that allow us to bring our customers the very best solutions. Today, we'd like to take a moment to recognize our vendors that received awards this past year that were significant within our industry.

Tennant
Tennant has been recognized as the strategic cleaning partner for the Minnesota Twins, enhancing the Twins' public commitment to water conservation and environmental sustainability. In the September 2014 edition of Sanitary Maintenance, it was noted that "more than a dozen Tennant cleaning machines will now be used to help keep the LEED-certified, open-air ballpark cleaner, safer and healthier for employees and fans."

Other Tennant awards and acknowledgments:
Tennant T12 Compact Rider Scrubber wins Good Design Award in the Industrial Design category from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design
Acknowledged in PRSM magazine with an article on retail equipment ownership
Acknowledged in Chain Store Age magazine with an article on innovations in retail floor care

Orbio
At the ISSA/Interclean trade show this year, Tennant was presented with the 2014 ISSA Innovation Award in the Dispensers Category for the Orbio os3 System. By being compact and simple to use, the os3 makes cleaning processes more efficient, is easy to train, and helps improve health and safety. Karla Leis, Vice President and General Manager of Orbio Technologies Group states, "Our customers appreciate the design of the system. As the OSG product category grows, Orbio Technologies will continue to assist our customers and partners in realizing the many benefits that come with adopting the Orbio os3 and moving toward OSG, the inevitable future of cleaning."

Sealed Air Diversey Care
Also at the ISSA/Interclean show this year, Diversey Care was presented with an award form Green Seal acknowledging their commitment to sustainable leadership. Dr. Ilham Kadri, President of the Diversey Care division of Sealed Air Corp, writes in her recap of Diversey Care's role at ISSA, "We must work to develop solutions that solve our customer's key issues and help them attract additional business while creating a better way for life. We accomplish this by introducing solutions that make cleaning easier without compromising safety, sustainability or cost-competitiveness."

SCA
At the CDP Climate Leadership Awards seminar, SCA was recognized once again as a leader in DCP's Climate Disclosure Leadership Index, achieving the highest possible score of 100. A high score indicates good internal data management and understanding of climate-change-related issues affecting the company, "The manner in which we conduct our operations constitutes our competitive edge. SCA is once again recognized for the great importance we place on corporate responsibility," says Kersi Standqvist, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at SCA.

Keystone Marketing
Congratulations to Dean Gatzmer and Steve Skytte with Keystone Marketing for being awarded Representative of the Year by Big D Supply. They are a great support, providing for several of our manufacturers.

We look forward to another great year working with our vendors to bring you the best in innovation, solutions and service. In the next couple of months, we will be presenting our Vendor of the Year award, recognizing one of our vendors that went above and beyond this past year, helping us bring our customers the very best support. Make sure to check back for this recognition.

October 2, 2014
On behalf of our entire staff at Dalco Enterprises, we'd like to extend our gratitude to our customers and vendors for participating in our Customer Appreciation and Vendor Exposition events all year.

In September Dalco hosted our final trade show of the year. Once again, this grand finale brought together hundreds of customers and vendors to meet and greet as well as to share industry trends, discuss facility solutions and participate in educational seminars. We truly appreciate the trust you have placed with us and will continue to strive to be different from all of your other vendor partners: to bring you innovation, to provide you with solutions, to help protect your budget with programs and products that meet your needs and help make you shine. Our 2014 goal was to help you "rediscover" The Dalco Difference.

Educational Seminars are an important part of Dalco's program. Throughout the year, we offer a variety of subjects to assist you and your staff to become more proficient. Our trade show gives us the opportunity to host many important seminar topics all together and this year was no different.

Seminar #1: Our first of three, titled "The Dalco Difference", outlined all the programs Dalco offers to customers at no additional cost. Many of these value-adds can be overlooked or forgotten. Dalco's VP of Sales, Scott Johnson, walked the attendees through all the best-kept secrets at Dalco that bring value to our customers every day. 

Seminar #2: Rebecca Grupp from Dalco's vendor partner Sealed Air - Diversey Care, presented "Environmental Hygiene" which covered the subject matter of infection prevention. While this topic can seem overwhelming, Rebecca demonstrated how the simplest "good practices" can greatly improve the health and cleanliness of your environment, while some of the most commonly repeated "bad practices" can be devastating. The difference is understanding the basics.

Seminar #3: Always a highlight of our trade show, the "Industry Innovations" seminar was led by four of our leading vendor partners.

1. Ecolab's Donnell Slettedahl and Saumya Verma demonstrated the features and benefits of using a chemical dispensing system.  By utilizing a "mobile" unit, additional benefits can be realized that can save you tons of time and money. 
2. Joelle Roberts of Georgia Pacific educated participants in the newly revised ban on Styrofoam. Understanding the ban and your facility's options will put you a step ahead of your competitors.
3. Jay Shearer, representing Impact, outlined the products available to become compliant with the new GHS program. Is your facility ready?
4. Plastic can liners are plastic can liners, right? Not according to Dean Gatzmer, representing Berry Plastics. In this session, Dean explained how knowing the difference between bags and choosing accordingly can help you avoid costly and messy mistakes.