Discusses ways to make carpet maintenance in schools easier and effective for keeping carpeted areas in schools attractive and long lasting. Covers cleaning tips for basic spills, ideas for staying on top of stains, and suggestions for eliminating odors. (GR)

Discusses terrazzo floor care after installation, and on a daily, weekly basis, and semi-annually basis. Cautionary notes on the types of cleaners to use are provided. (GR)

Shows how faster, more efficient machines can help maintenance staffs keep schools and universities clean and manage maintenance tasks more efficiently. (GR)

Examines tested techniques that can keep a school's carpeting in good condition. Cleaning with hot water extraction, removing spills and spots, handling emergency cleanups, and cleaning soft surface flooring are addressed. (GR)

Discusses the issues to consider when selecting floor-care chemicals, including the floor-finish systems for hard-surface floors and the care of carpeted floors. Provides thoughts on cleaning chemical usage and environmental awareness. (GR)

Discusses the creation of an effective carpet vacuuming program by combining area usage assessment and vacuuming requirements with a scheduling plan. Also explains vacuum cleaner suction and filtration and how it makes custodian work more efficient. A complementary article discusses creating an effective floor-maintenance plan for resilient…

Discusses a step-by-step process for building a cleaning services mission statement that can help guarantee that the service performance meets an organization's expectations and needs. The importance of communicating what quality level is expected, developing standards and corresponding labor models and work assignments, and validating the process…

Argues that carpets do not contribute to student complaints of respiratory problems, allergies, and asthma as long as they are properly cleaned with high-efficiency microfiltration bags. Discusses contributions to mite problems made by smooth floor covering compared to carpeting. (GR)

Explains how well-defined cleaning and maintenance standards helped a community school system resolve problems with custodial staff apportionments. Cleaning time, frequency, and cleanliness levels are combined to create a formula that helps economize custodial care. (GR)

Discusses the ways equipment innovations can help schools clean more effectively and improve staff performance. Provides advice on cleaning strategies and types of equipment used for different areas, including tips for buying vacuum cleaners that fit the school's needs and conserve budgets. (GR)

Discusses techniques to help create clean and inviting school locker rooms. Daily, weekly or monthly, biannual, and annual cleaning strategies for locker room showers are highlighted as are the specialized maintenance needs for aerobic and dance areas, running tracks, and weight training areas. (GR)

Provides advice on developing an effective floor and carpet-care program for public schools. Considers eight primary elements: writing cleaning procedures; establishing accountability policies; providing quality-assurance guidelines; making daily and periodic assignments; developing a continuous quality-improvement program; providing on-going…

Explains how a team cleaning approach can be cost-effective and efficient means of school maintenance. Assigning staffing responsibilities and work schedules are addressed and the advantages of using a team system are explained. (GR)

Presents cleaning profiles for educational facilities that help clarify and quantify the cleaning process, thus aiding labor allocation and addressing contract specifications as well as verifying standards through quality assurance. Strategies cover various cleaning levels from overall spotlessness to constantly utilized areas only affording…

Explains how establishing a cleaning and maintenance program for floors and carpets makes schools safer and more attractive, including recommendations for cleaning that help maintain good air quality. The problems of shorter summer opportunities for cleaning are highlighted. (GR)