The carpet cleaning and restoration industry long ago accepted the value of certifications and accreditations, both as marketing tools for a company and as an assurance that employees are trained and prepared to represent and protect the company. Work trucks and company websites proudly proclaim technician certification and company accreditations, whether it be from the IICRC, RIA, or another association.

With the COVID-19 pandemic creating a greater-than-ever need for cleaning professionals who are properly trained in pathogen response, many industry companies have further trained their staff through programs like the Global BioRisk Advisory Council’s (GBAC) Fundamentals program, which teaches infectious disease contamination control measures for outbreak situations. As the need for COVID cleanup rose with rising case numbers, so too did the number of untrained or improperly trained companies promoting themselves as COVID cleaners.

GBAC created its as a way for companies to distinguish their biorisk protocols from those who are unqualified. The process is thorough and allows restoration, commercial cleaning, and residential cleaning companies to know their processes protect employees from pathogenic dangers and protect the company from legal troubles. At the same time, it provides clients assurances that the company they hire will perform work properly and safely.

The GBAC STAR Service Accreditation Program isn’t for just any company. It requires a cleaning or restoration company to have established itself in the industry. Applicants for the program must have been in business for at least three years and already have in place systems that reflect the safety, practices, and communication plans of GBAC STAR’s 20 Program Elements.

The accreditation process generally takes place over several weeks, though completion time depends on the preparedness of the applicant. The process plays out in a straight-forward way.

After a company submits its application, it receives its handbook and implementation guides to help it develop the necessary procedures and protocols that meet the requirements. It then begins demonstrating compliance with the 20 Program Elements.

Accreditation also requires at least 5% of front-line staff, as well as one front-line supervisor for every 10 technicians, to complete the GBAC Fundamentals Online Course. The course is included in the accreditation fee for the required number of workers.

When a company has the needed documentation to prove its compliance with program aspects, it submits the documentation to the program’s Accreditation Council for review. Once compliance is confirmed, the company receives its accreditation certification documents, marketing materials, and a listing in the GBAC STAR Directory.

Overall, the accreditation process shouldn’t be a difficult one for a well-run cleaning or restoration company that is already following proper protocols and has safety procedures in place. GBAC STAR Service Accreditation offers an industry business that is serious about its cleaning, disinfection, and infection-prevention program a way to prove commitment to its clients and staff.

For more information on GBAC, read “A Look at GBAC and Its Rising Cachet,” or visit .

For all of you who decide the program is right for you, I wish you luck!

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade, including six years with Cleanfax. Reach her at��amandah@issa.com.

The post Committed to Being the Best appeared first on Cleanfax.

Some people know what they know; some know what they don’t know; and some don’t know what they don’t know. If you work in the restoration industry, here is something important to know: Because of the interaction with building materials, restoration is one of the occupations most at risk of exposure to asbestos, a known carcinogen.

Many are surprised to learn that asbestos is not illegal in the U.S. In fact, it is still used in small amounts and often is found in building materials shipped from other countries with higher allowable limits.

Despite this, there are some in the industry who either know they are not knowledgeable enough about asbestos (and choose to stay that way) or do not know they should be better educated on the issue. This article aims to fill in some gaps in general asbestos education and to encourage those reading it to seek out further education and training if needed.

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This is part of a larger series on PALMS (Look for more articles in this series in upcoming issues.), which is an acronym used to discuss these contaminants of concern:

• PCBs/Pandemic
• Asbestos
• Lead/Legionella
• Mold/Metals
• Silica

I first developed the PALMS acronym during my work testing and supporting restoration and remediation efforts following the 9/11 attacks. At Ground Zero, it was mindboggling trying to test for everything. Eventually, the list of 300 elements shrunk to what was referred to as contaminants of concern. The PALMS acronym arose from those contaminants of concern because, with all the regulatory oversight at Ground Zero, it was clear this list was the list for use on any project. The list has evolved in the time since to keep up with changing concerns. By recognizing and eliminating each of the contaminants from the list prior to beginning a restoration project, we can ensure the safest site possible.

Asbestos testing should always be performed before a restoration project begins. One does not want to be unpleasantly surprised by the presence of asbestos and have your work or well-being permanently damaged. Unknowingly disturbing asbestos-containing material* (ACM) is hazardous to health of all who breathe it. The EPA says there are more than 3,000 construction materials that could contain asbestos, but the Restoration Industry Association (RIA) narrowed this to a list of the 30 most relevant to the industry, often referred to in the field as “The Dirty 30.” (See sidebar.)

Knowledge of asbestos serves only to benefit a restoration company.

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Awareness and testing

Testing for asbestos is not where preparedness begins. Recognition of potentially hazardous materials is where a project must start. To this end, all restoration professionals should have, at minimum, asbestos awareness training (more on this later) to instill in them the knowledge necessary to recognize presumed asbestos-containing materials (PACM), which must then be tested by a qualified professional.

Those qualified to test for asbestos vary in name by location and certifying body. For example, I am an accredited inspector for asbestos according to the EPA; in New York state, I am a certified asbestos inspector; and in New York City, I am a certified asbestos investigator. Regardless of the name given to them, a qualified professional is necessary to test for asbestos when PACM are present on a jobsite. If an individual is not available to test—or a company chooses not to or forgets to test—then all material must be treated as if it contains asbestos. When material contains or is presumed to contain asbestos, only asbestos abatement-trained, certified professionals may interact with it.

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Responsibility and consequences

In a way, there are many parties responsible for ensuring suspect materials are tested for asbestos. The facility owner is ultimately responsible for all that happens in their facility, but they will often claim ignorance—that they did not know to do it or that they thought the contractor was handling it. Likewise, a contractor might claim they believed the materials had already been tested.

Image courtesy of Mark Drozdov.

However, if a restoration company begins a project without testing and does not treat suspect material as PACM, that company is then responsible and subject to the consequences, both legal and moral, that arise. Sometimes people make honest mistakes where asbestos is involved, but not knowing the law does not alleviate them from taking legal, proper steps.

At the end of the day, these mistakes could be considered criminal because we are dealing with health and safety. People have been imprisoned, faced large regulatory fines, and been found legally responsible financially for various missteps involving asbestos.

Often, when people make these mistakes, they try to make things better or hide or change the narrative of what happened in an effort to protect themselves, but this only makes matters worse, as they are then venturing into fraud.

Training and working

All restorers should understand asbestos basics, which include what are considered hazardous materials, the restrictions associated with dealing with those hazardous materials, and the implications of not handling the situation properly.

Asbestos awareness training is not only important for restoration professionals to have, but also is required by law. It is the minimal requirement of training and understanding necessary to perform the work, and every restoration technician and supervisor should have it. Awareness training teaches how to spot hazardous materials, allowing a technician to know when testing must be performed before work can begin—in order to protect themselves, building occupants, and the company.

Image courtesy of Mark Drozdov.

Anyone can get trained in asbestos abatement. There are no prerequisites, and training generally takes only four days for technicians and five days for supervisors. Training consists of learning federal, state, and local regulations; proper abatement techniques; PPE best practices; disposal requirements; and more, as well as participation in hands-on exercises for varied aspects of the work.

However, restoration companies looking to add asbestos abatement to their service offerings should first and foremost realize that asbestos work is a completely different business, and no one should take it lightly. While asbestos abatement training is fairly straightforward, the work itself is not so easily added. One cannot simply go through a training program and begin providing the service the next day.

All personnel involved in the abatement process must be trained and certified. Supervisors must be designated and receive advanced training and certification. Specialized equipment is required. The company must put in place protocols, receive licensing, and acquire needed insurance. Again, asbestos abatement is a different business from standard restoration work.

Asbestos abatement work requires organization and planning. Companies must always have a plan of attack to prevent any inadvertent spread of asbestos-containing material dust. The work also requires permits for each individual project. Companies must file plans for the work with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). The AHJ on a given job could be the municipality, the state, and, depending on the quantity, the EPA.

When PACM is recognized by a restoration company, and qualified testing confirms the presence of asbestos (or testing was not performed, leaving suspect materials to be treated as asbestos-containing by a certified firm), the restoration company cannot legally disturb those materials. ACM is often not throughout an entire building (i.e., it could be the floor tiles; pipe, boiler, or duct insulation; a wall in a boiler room; etc.), so the traditional restoration company can generally continue with caution performing most of their work as long as the asbestos-affected areas are properly isolated and there is no crossover. Again, only asbestos-certified firms are permited to handle ACM.

Restorers and their obligation

According to the Mesothelioma Center, there are more than 39,000 asbestos-related deaths in the United States alone each year. Nowadays, it is simply unacceptable and illegal for a restoration professional not to have awareness-level training regarding asbestos hazards. This basic training can save countless lives—those of staff, their families (due to secondary exposure), and building occupants.

When I present my yearly PALMS update, there is always a large crowd in attendance. Some might wonder what there is to discuss yearly about well-established hazards. At the 2021 update in February, there were more than 100 high-level professionals in the field, people who do this work every day, still learning new things.

Asbestos work is a highly regulated area, and restorers should feel neither intimidated by it, nor overly confident that they know everything. There is not a single person who can claim to know everything about the subject. Proceed with caution and consult with experienced, licensed professionals to ensure there are no mistakes.

* According to OSHA/EPA, material containing more than 1% asbestos is asbestos-containing material (ACM).

Look for more articles in this series on PALMS in future issues of Cleanfax.

Mark Drozdov is known for his diverse work in environmental, health, and safety projects worldwide including HazMat remediation; industrial hygiene; hazard/risk assessment; and compliance training, certification, and audits. He actively contributes to the AIHA/RIA/IICRC Crisis-Response Joint Task Force, IICRC Board of Directors, ISO infection control and EHS standards, and AIHA government relations. Drozdov’s PALMS program is the go-to method for dealing with contaminants of concern. He has received multiple awards and commendations, including for his work at Ground Zero. Connect with him on LinkedIn or email him at mark.drozdov@cooper.edu. ��

Amanda Hosey is the managing editor of Cleanfax. She has worked as an editor and writer for more than a decade, including six years with Cleanfax. Reach her at��amandah@issa.com.

The post What to Know About Asbestos appeared first on Cleanfax.

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I had made a number of investments with other peoples’ money where I effectively limited my upside—and, importantly, my risk—before I first began seriously considering acquiring a small, private business. During my path to ownership, I started taking notes on what I was experiencing and what I was learning. They helped me improve the acquisition process, both in terms of streamlining the hunt and minimizing mistakes.

This multi-article series aims to serve a wide variety of situations. It is both for someone first considering buying a business and someone who has built a track record of acquiring companies. This first article provides an overview of the acquisition process, with the articles that follow diving into drafting a letter of intent, conducting due diligence, and general tips for a smoother overall buying process.

Buying a business is certainly more art than science. By this I mean, no matter what others may say, there is no generic, cookie-cutter recipe of steps to take in buying a small business. That said, I am attempting to provide some guidance as to what might help those in the process based on my experiences. This is by no means an attempt to be a definitive resource guide, but rather a handful of hopefully beneficial advice.

I will start from the assumption that an interesting business has been identified. Finding a target is a significant part of the challenge and requires a separate, lengthy discussion. (See sidebar for a quick guide to choosing a business to buy.) Also, for the purposes of example, throughout this series, I will refer to the seller as Jane and the buyer as John.

Getting answers

A good first step in the acquisition process is to review financial statements and any business plan or description. After that, it is appropriate to have a meeting—whether in person, via video chat, or by telephone. Even if schedules and geography permit an early face-to-face meeting, I typically like to first schedule at least a phone conference. I do this in the spirit of expedience and not wasting time since the business is still fairly unqualified at this point.[/one_half]

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One of the first questions I like to ask Jane is “Why are you selling the business?” Her response to this question can give early insight into the success you might have with the business and the selling process:

• If she is young and has had the company for less than five years—yet claims she is burned out or wants to pursue other interests—skepticism is warranted.
• If she offers no compelling reason, and you sense she is merely entertaining offers but has no real desire to sell (unless she receives a “can’t refuse” price), you may well never reach an agreeable price.
• On the other hand, if she is 70 years old, has run the company since she founded it at the beginning of her career, and has no children who can take the reins, then a rationale of retirement sounds legitimate.

It is important to understand and believe the seller’s position because:

• You do not want to go after a business that the seller wants out of because it is a perceived train wreck.
• You will have a better sense of deal terms she will find acceptable.
• An unmotivated seller frequently backs out of the deal even late in the game.

A few other questions to the seller might be helpful. Knowing the length of time the company has been on the market will provide a hint as to the difficulty in closing the transaction. If Jane has been trying to sell her business for over a year, it might mean her price is too high or the business has some problems. Since it is possible she simply has poorly advertised the availability of the business, you would benefit from asking her if she has received any previous offers.

In addition, you might want to investigate whether she has tried to sell the business to a competitor and ask: If not, why not? And if so, why did a sale not happen? It is possible that a strategic buyer does not view the company as valuable.

You should also determine Jane’s specific responsibilities and the extent of her involvement. Note that in virtually every small business, the owner—assuming she is active—is the chief or only salesperson. She also may be involved in most areas of the business including bookkeeping.

Whatever the situation may be, a replacement for her and her responsibilities should be found. In this piece we will assume that new owner John will be full-time active and handle the responsibilities Jane currently does (and then some). The same logic applies to the individual brought in to manage the company on John’s behalf, should he choose to play a less active role and hire someone to run the firm.

When a meeting between the buyer and seller does occur during the acquisition process, it can be very beneficial to meet with the employees in as informal a setting as possible. In doing so, you can learn a significant amount about the company, the employees’ collective morale, and their individual capabilities.

However, since most small business owners are very nervous about causing apprehension in their team, they often do not even inform staff that the company is for sale until very late in the process. In many cases, buying a business where you have had few, if any, interactions with the employees is a risk you may simply have to take. You may not know if you want them to stay, and, conversely, they may not know if they want to stay with you. One potential mitigating factor is to have a price adjustment included in the agreement with the seller in the event a key employee leaves during the first three months.

Making an offer

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Once some preliminary financial information has been reviewed and a company has been visited, it may be time to make an offer. This involves drafting a “letter of intent,” which is also known as a “term sheet.”

While this step may sound intimidating, it is recommended that a lawyer be engaged to create this document—particularly if this is your first time through the process. If done properly, the offer is wholly reversible as the offer should be completely contingent on satisfactory due diligence, a discussion of which is found later in this article.

It is important to note that any required down payment should only be made if it is deposited into a dedicated escrow account and considered fully refundable immediately should the transaction not occur for whatever reason. There are few worse situations than a deal that falls apart and then requires the buyer to take legal action to obtain his deposit.

Trying to reach an agreement early in the acquisition process can save you a lot of time, energy, and money because often the seller’s expectations for her business are way out of line with the buyer’s valuation. Specifically, making an offer is done through submitting a letter of intent with fairly detailed information that outlines the following:

• The total purchase price
• The portion of the purchase price that is in the form of a cash down payment
• The terms of the purchase price’s balance (referred to as a “seller’s note,” which is money paid over the next several years) such as the interest rate and the payback schedule
• The work and specific action requirements of the seller during the transition
• Some key accounting issues, such as specification of a stock sale versus an asset sale—and in this case, if there are any assets such as cash or accounts receivable not included (See sidebar for a note on sale types.)
• Any other important

As a general rule, the letter of intent should be comprehensive enough so that all major terms envisioned at the time are addressed but not so detailed that it takes a team of lawyers and weeks to execute it. Two or three pages is sufficient. Bear in mind that likely little is known about the target company (and possibly the industry) at this time, so expect changes and additions to be made to the deal terms when the transaction is consummated.

You may benefit from requiring a reasonably short timeframe, say one week, for the seller to execute the term sheet in order to decrease the risk that she uses your offer to shop the deal with other potential buyers. Furthermore, I recommend obtaining an exclusive look at the business (a “no-shop provision”) once the letter of intent is accepted. That way, the seller cannot entertain other offers while you are conducting your investigation. In exchange, a timeframe for due diligence can be added so as to not bind the seller for an unreasonably long period of time to do a deal only with you (should you choose).

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Doing due diligence

While it is difficult to estimate the length of the due diligence period, 3-6 weeks for a small business is the norm. This assumes Jane is available to respond to John’s information requests in a timely manner. If the industry is foreign to the buyer, the business is complex, or outside financing from investors or a bank is needed, then a longer period of time may be warranted. From a practical standpoint, a buyer should not be concerned about having inadequate time for due diligence because, if the process is moving along, he will most likely be able to obtain a short extension from the seller.

Now it is time for our buyer John to roll up his sleeves and begin the real due diligence process. Here we assume that what John learns about the business and the industry—as he continues to peel the onion—confirms what the owner (and/or the broker) has previously disclosed. That does not mean he should not probe and probe deeply. The buyer should remain very skeptical when digging into the company’s operations, finances, employees, partners, customers, competitors, and industry.

John must be prepared to pay the price offered under the terms specified if the business truly is in the condition advertised, but it is important to note that the offer is contingent on the buyer’s satisfaction of due diligence efforts. I have never seen a transaction go through that is exactly the same in the end as specified in the initial letter of intent because results of the due diligence process necessitate making some adjustments. Common changes include:

• Lowering the price because the actual or projected profitability is not what was divulged
• Lengthening the timeframe of the seller’s note payback because the capital expenditure needs are greater than anticipated, resulting in less cash generated from the business to pay the seller
• Increasing the owner’s transition period because getting up to speed will take longer than

I am not advocating a bait and switch strategy; rather, if the buyer is professional about documenting findings and conveying concerns, he is justified in requesting needed changes. At the end of the day, once the letter of intent has been accepted, the leverage switches from the seller to the buyer. If changes are warranted, to show goodwill (or out of necessity), the buyer might consider sweetening for the seller some of the terms that are less important to him, such as the interest rate on the seller’s note.

Drafting the purchase agreement

After completing the due diligence period, if John is still comfortable moving forward, it is time to draft the purchase agreement and any other closing documents. At this point, if a lawyer has not been involved in the acquisition process, the buyer most certainly will want one. Unlike the letter of intent, in which the buyer typically writes the document, it is less clear as to which party writes the first draft of the closing documents. Factors into that decision include:

• Speed: Which side’s lawyer is more available?
• Cost: The buyer might end up with a higher bill if he drafts the documents and the deal falls apart.
• Leverage: The party who drafts the agreement generally has the leverage.
• Thoroughness of the letter of intent: If there are a number of previously unaddressed terms, controlling the process will benefit the buyer, as he can initially propose those

Finally, John will need to decide which corporate structure is most appropriate for the situation. This is a lengthy topic best handled via the input of legal counsel. Either an LLC or an S corporation, where there are no corporate taxes but the owner is shielded from personal liability, is generally recommended.

Expect the documentation process to take several weeks and possibly longer. If time is critical, legal papers can be drafted concurrently with the due diligence process. However, they likely will need to be amended if the deal terms change, thereby increasing legal fees. More importantly, the buyer could be stuck with a large bill if the transaction does not close.

Facing potential problems

As you find yourself moving along through this acquisition process, you should listen to your instincts and stay on guard against issues that could arise. While nervousness and anxiety are normal emotions experienced as the process unfolds, if at any time you gain the sense that you should not move forward with the purchase, seriously consider calling off the process—or at the very least altering the terms.

One area I pay a considerable amount of attention to is the financial performance of the business from when I first started looking at the company. If the business’ sales or profitability is deteriorating or is not performing relative to the seller’s plans, you should be concerned. It is common for the owner to claim that she has not been able to adequately focus on running the business during the due diligence and documentation processes, but you should be very careful here.

Some of the best deals are the ones not done, so there is no shame in calling off a deal at any point even if considerable time and money have been put into it. That will be a small amount lost relative to buying a bad business or buying a business on unfavorable terms.

Look for three follow-up articles in this series in future issues of Cleanfax. Find a more detailed explanation of the letter of intent’s key elements in part two, and for more on the due diligence process, see the third installment. Lastly, the fourth article will offer a list of buying tips to help save time, energy, and money during the acquisition process.

David Grossman is President of Renue Systems Inc., a global franchisor and operator of specialized deep-cleaning services businesses to the hospitality industry. He can be reached at david.grossman@renuesystems.com with more information available at .

The post The Art of Business Buying appeared first on Cleanfax.

A client called us to an assisted living facility where a gentleman had attempted suicide in his bathroom. His roommate alerted the staff, and he was saved. We mopped our way into the full bath and proceeded to clean the walls with two applications of antimicrobial. The project took a foreman and two cleaning technicians in Tavel suits, rubber gloves, and pipe. The towels were put in triple black bags and put out with the facility’s waste management, and the water was put down the toilet. As you can see, all surfaces responded perfectly.

For an opportunity to win a gift card worth $250, send your images and a brief 100-word description on how you obtained your results to Amanda Hosey, managing editor, at amandah@issa.com, or submit via Facebook Messenger at . Contest rules available by request.

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Though often used interchangeably, sanitizing, disinfecting, and sterilizing are different types of antimicrobial applications. Sanitizers reduce bacteria; disinfectants kill bacteria; and sterilizers kill and reduce new creation of bacteria.

Read more at cleanfax.com/antimicrobial-difference.

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Researchers know dirty little secrets about the haphazard cleaning habits of ordinary citizens. Forty percent of people, for example, can’t remember when they scrubbed the refrigerator. A quarter can’t recollect washing the bed linens. What’s more, they know they’re slouches at upkeep: One in four believes they don’t clean properly, and one in three admits they don’t clean often enough. Many people are confused and conflicted about cleaning. Experts in the area are so well informed on the topic that they teach other cleaning professionals how to do it. Major training and skill levels are critical weapons in the COVID-19 fight. That’s because normal cleaning—the kind we all do at some point—is worlds apart from COVID-19 cleaning—treating areas at risk for exposure to this devastating virus.

Disinfection myths

There is a huge difference between ordinary cleaning—the activity performed by any person using a variety of��off-the-shelf��cleaning products to remove substances from surfaces—and what is required to treat areas that may harbor dangerous pathogens like COVID-19. The possible presence of COVID-19 requires teams that have extensive training, use proper equipment and protection,��employ EPA- and FDA-approved��products, and follow exacting procedures. Professionals are��highly��qualified to effectively treat these at-risk areas.��There are simply too many variables and complicating factors for most people to do an efficient job themselves.

To illustrate this point, let’s debunk five common misconceptions about ordinary cleaning methods versus COVID-19 cleaning:

MYTH

Deep cleaning is a good way to treat surfaces that may have pathogens.����

TRUTH

Deep cleaning, consisting of scrubbing, strong cleaning products, keen attention to tight or hidden areas, etc.,��may remove some germs, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, but it also may leave behind particles or spores that could begin to grow and reproduce at a later time.

MYTH

Disinfectants are good cleaners.��

TRUTH

Many disinfecting products do not remove debris, dirt, and biofilms. Surfaces first must be cleaned with detergents and surfactants, which break up, trap, and remove dirt and debris by encapsulating them prior to applying a disinfectant.

MYTH

Disinfectants can be left on surfaces to provide long-term protection.��

TRUTH

These substances, more often than not, will require wiping from surfaces after their dwell time has been met. Furthermore, if they are applied to a food-preparation surface, they must be rinsed with water afterward. A sanitizer is recommended for food-prep surfaces.

MYTH

Disinfectants treat surfaces as soon as they are applied.����

TRUTH

Disinfecting solutions must “dwell” undisturbed for the appropriate amount of time to treat surfaces. If they are removed prematurely, surfaces may not be adequately treated.��Disinfecting solutions must be allowed to dwell according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

MYTH

Any disinfectant treats pathogens effectively if left on surfaces long enough.����

TRUTH

Cleaning professionals should evaluate surfaces, possible contaminants, and product safety to select the most appropriate product.��For instance, organic materials can rapidly decrease the effectiveness of disinfectants. This further emphasizes the importance of cleaning prior to applying the disinfectant.

Image courtesy of Paul Davis Restoration.

New COVID-19 cleaning additions

The last 12 months have been tumultuous and challenging for many; however, innovation continues as new ideas, concepts, and products have been introduced and marketed for COVID-19 cleaning. A word of caution: These new products may often not be vetted by the EPA or CDC yet (or may never be). Be sure not to not fall victim to marketing claims that have not been independently verified by a governing agency. Keep the EPA’s List N bookmarked for easy access.

Having said that, I am excited to see what the future brings. I fully expect to see new products and technologies being tested and vetted by the EPA or CDC down the line. Our industry, and many others, stand to greatly benefit from new concepts and products. However, until the EPA or CDC has a chance to validate new items, we must continue to perform our daily operations under procedures that have been documented and proven to be effective.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, professionals have learned to adapt and become more flexible in day-to-day operations. This is a 24/7 industry, and unique requests are not uncommon. Professional cleaning teams have worked extensively to manage the needs demanded throughout these difficult times. The importance of clear communication and delivering on expectations is paramount.

Cleaning professionals are the best partners for property owners seeking to protect tenants, employees, and customers from virulent pathogens like COVID-19.��This type of cleaning and application of a disinfectant can quickly become complex and overwhelming to those who are not appropriately trained and equipped, so make sure your employees are ready for the challenge at hand and that your clients know the risks of attempting the work themselves rather than calling on you.

Matt Wildt holds university degrees in economics and emergency management and has been a project manager in the mitigation and restoration industry for 12 years. He is an IICRC Approved Instructor and serves as a technical trainer for Jacksonville, Florida-based .

The post Worlds Apart: Deep Cleaning Versus COVID-19 Cleaning appeared first on Cleanfax.

Whether it’s apple pie, lavender, ocean breeze, or pumpkin spice, we all have a favorite fragrance. What method do you use to have this fragrance greet you when you enter your home or office? Bowls of potpourri? Plug-ins? Candles? Powdered carpet deodorizers?

Powdered carpet deodorizer users likely do not know that most are made from abrasive substances. In fact, some of these deodorizers, if used for an extended period of time, can actually cause a carpet to soil rapidly, lose its dimensional stability, and delaminate. Studies have shown that vacuuming only removes about 65% of a typical powdered deodorizer. And these products are not just harmful to your carpet—they damage your vacuum, too.

Components of powdered carpet deodorizers

There is a variety of substances found in powdered carpet deodorizers, and many are abrasive, such as baking soda, calcium carbonate, sodium silicate, and hydrated silica (sand).

Baking soda, the most common ingredient in these deodorizers, in addition to being great for baking, is also a water-soluble abrasive. It is a natural and green product that can be used to clean countertops and glass stove tops. It is also an environmentally friendly alternative for removing graffiti and restoring the appearance of old buildings.

Calcium carbonate is dissolved rock. It comes from limestone and is one of the substances found in hard water. As a common ingredient in antacids, you may even chew a tablet or two of calcium carbonate to relieve heartburn.

The abrasiveness of powdered deodorizer causes traffic-lane graying in which the soil scratches carpet fibers until they are lighter than the rest of the carpet.

As you know, the goal of cleaning carpet is not only to improve the carpet’s appearance by removing visible soils, but also to remove embedded abrasive soils and stop the deleterious effect these soils have on carpet fibers. As such, it’s alarming to see people intentionally spreading abrasive soil—powdered deodorizer—on carpet. This abrasive soil scratches carpet fibers, making the carpet appear lighter in color in the trafficked areas and causing the fibers to lose their luster. This creates��a condition known as traffic-lane graying, which makes a carpet look unduly worn.

People use deodorizers in different ways. I know of some small business owners who sprinkle the carpets in their offices with powdered deodorizers to test that the custodial staff is vacuuming a specific area. I also know of hotel housekeeping departments that use them on a routine basis to freshen the air.

Aerosol air fresheners, the most common product people grab to freshen the air quickly, may be no better. They start out in the air but will eventually fall—right onto the face of the carpet, possibly leaving a sticky, soil-attracting residue. Even plug-in style deodorizers evaporate and become airborne oil,��which leaves an oily film on everything, including the carpet. And there is, of course, a myriad of problems caused by burning scented candles.

The popularity of these products is only increasing. Global retail sales of air-care products (air fresheners) are forecasted to reach $11.7 billion by the end of 2021. In the United States alone, the demand for spray and aerosol air fresheners is expected to reach $3.94 billion in revenue by the end of 2021. That number is staggering. Smells sell! People want the air they breathe to smell fragrant, but they should know about the realities of using these products.

Effects of deodorizers on carpet

Many common powdered products come with the narrative of being green and safe to use. While this may be the case, the main ingredient of most powdered carpet deodorizers is sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). Sodium bicarbonate is an abrasive that is hydrophilic (water loving), hygroscopic (moisture absorbing), and water soluble. This means it tends to stick to carpet fibers and then scratch them every time they are walked on.

Scratches on Plexiglass from powdered carpet deodorizer testing.

To test this phenomenon, I took two popular brands of powdered deodorizer, sprinkled them on Plexiglas, rubbed the powders with my fingers, and then wiped the glass clean. The scratches left on the Plexiglas were astonishing. (See images on page 23.)

These deodorizers will have the same effect on plastic carpet fibers, including nylon, polyester, triexta, and olefin. Further, the abrasiveness of the powder can also harm the plastic parts within vacuums.

Sodium bicarbonate’s hydrophilic and hygroscopic properties make that little box of baking soda inside the refrigerator act like a mini, nonelectric dehumidifier; it removes moisture from the air inside the fridge. Low-humidity air carries less odor, which is why most odors in your home or office diminish during the heating season when the air is drier. Odors are plentiful, however, in the summer months when the humidity is higher.

Sodium bicarbonate easily dissolves in water, such as when a carpet is being cleaned with hot water extraction. During cleaning, the sodium bicarbonate from the deodorizer dissolves, but as the carpet dries, the sodium bicarbonate turns back into a powder and appears as a white film over the surface of the carpet (since carpet dries from the bottom up). Correcting this issue is a challenge. Vacuuming alone will not remove it, and several encapsulating acid rinse treatments might be needed to remove the contaminant from the carpet.

Over time, some of the sodium bicarbonate and sodium silicate also sifts into the backing of the carpet. The water-loving properties and alkalinity of the sodium bicarbonate and sodium silicate powder will break down the latex adhesive used to laminate the carpet backings together and could cause the carpet to lose its dimensional stability and even delaminate. In the field, I have, consequently, found higher-than-normal pH readings in the carpet in both trafficked and untrafficked areas and high-pH residue on the bottom of the vacuum.

Sodium bicarbonate’s abrasiveness can damage vacuums and leave on them a high-pH residue.

Using aerosols to freshen the air is convenient and just fine as long as they do not leave a residue. Because of gravity, anything sprayed into the air will eventually land on the surface of the carpet and other items in a building. A smart tip for you and your customers is to spray an air freshener on a mirror and let it dry to test its potential effect.

It is possible to freshen the air in a building without harming people, furnishings, carpet, or vacuums—and without creating resoiling issues. Professionally cleaning carpet with hot water extraction that follows the ANSI/IICRC S100 Standard for Professional Cleaning of Textile Floor Coverings is the proper way to deodorize carpet, and with more and more people working from home and sheltering in place, now is the perfect time to market that professional carpet cleaning is good for both health and appearance.

Powdered deodorizer ingredients can cause carpet to delaminate and can lead to unusually high pH and alkalinity.

The bottom line

If your customers (or you) want to use a deodorizer, the goal is to find a product that claims to be nonabrasive and that will not damage the carpet fibers or the backing. Options are now available in which up to 98% of the product can be vacuumed out of the carpet, which is appealing when compared to a typical deodorizer’s 65%.

In my own home, I simply bake some cinnamon rolls or bread to make it smell good. It may not be the best thing for my diet, but it smells great without impacting my carpet. I also purchase sachet packets, typically found near the florist area or laundry aisle at the grocery store. I just sprinkle the contents of the sachet on the carpet in a small area and vacuum it up. With the sachet contents in the HEPA filter bag of my vacuum, spreading my favorite scents around is a breeze.

Mark Violand has been in the cleaning and restoration industry for more than 40 years. He is an IICRC-certified carpet inspector and approved instructor. His reputation precedes him as Northeast Ohio’s go-to floorcovering inspector, working for carpet, resilient, wood, and laminate manufacturers and floorcovering retailers. He teaches the Carpet Cleaning Technician, Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician, and Carpet Repair and Reinstallation Technician courses and serves as chairman of the ANSI/IICRC S800 Standard and Reference Guide for Professional Inspection of Textile Floorcovering. Contact him at mark@mark4floors.com.

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Everywhere you look, individuals, government agencies, schools, universities, and even private companies are going green.�� As we hear news about global warming and how we are polluting our own environment, more and more people are concluding it is of utmost importance that we all do our part in saving our planet, not only for our present generation, but also but for generations to follow. For businesses, sustainability has also become an important distinguishing factor for customers.

What does going green mean?

The term “green” or “going green” long ago entered our vocabulary, but few really know what it means. Going green means implementing principles that minimize the use of nonrenewable resources and seek to prevent air, water, and ground contamination and other activities that degrade the environment. ��

According to the United States Green Building Council, buildings worldwide account for 17% of fresh water withdrawal, 25% of wood harvest, 33% of CO2 emissions, and 40% of material and energy use.��

Going green is simply changing the way we build, operate, and maintain buildings to reduce the negative impact they have on our environment. For cleaning professionals, that means evaluating our own processes and products for sustainability and environmental impact.

Many small business owners and individuals feel that they are too small to make an impact on the environment; however, this is simply not true. A single quart of motor oil, if disposed of improperly, can contaminate up to two million gallons of fresh water. A 1/32-inch leak in a faucet can waste up to 6,000 gallons of water a month, or 72,000 gallons a year. Seemingly small infractions can have huge consequences, which means seemingly small changes can have a huge positive impact.��

Green stone restoration��

Traditionally the restoration, repair, and maintenance of stone and terrazzo surfaces uses chemicals that are harmful to the environment and to people in general. For example, polishing compounds contain harmful acids,
solvent-based cleaners and sealers emit harmful VOCs, and many cleaning and restoration chemicals contain carcinogens and other toxins. The procedures used to restore stone surfaces also produce a copious amount of waste and use large amounts of fresh water.

I am currently working with a stone restoration company that is taking steps to eliminate all these harmful chemicals and processes. This company has developed methods to restore, repair, and maintain stone surfaces using no harmful chemicals. As a matter of fact, the restoration and polishing of marble, granite, limestone, and terrazzo uses no chemicals at all. Here is how we made stone restoration a green process:

• The floor is ground and resurfaced using a fixed diamond abrasive and water. These abrasives are similar to sandpaper but differ in that there is no grit removed or left behind on the floor. The diamond abrasive is fixed to a pad, and no chemicals are used at all.
• The water used is recycled and reused in a specially designed system.��
• Super fine abrasives are used to polish the stone or terrazzo. These abrasives contain no harmful chemicals.

Many stone restoration and janitorial companies use floor finishes to achieve a high luster on the stone or terrazzo surface, but these are both harmful to the environment (due to chemicals) and can actually detract from the floor’s appearance.��

Most finishes do the opposite of what they are designed to accomplish. They become a dirt magnet and tend to show wear and scuff marks in a very short time. This increases the amount of maintenance needed and the cost for daily maintenance. Additionally, all floor finishes must be stripped off at some point. The chemical strippers used are caustic and can cause damage to the stone or terrazzo, not to mention the environmental impact. Once the old finish is removed, it must be disposed of. Most of these waste finishes are considered hazardous waste.

A green stone and terrazzo restoration process, on the other hand, has no negative impact on the building environment or the occupants since no chemicals or finishes are used. Additionally, green processes improve the appearance of floors and save on maintenance costs. I have conducted experiments that show a coated surface will attract more dirt than a surface restored using a green system. The maintenance requirement after the stone or terrazzo is restored is reduced by as much as 50% or more, saving on labor costs and keeping harmful chemicals out of the environment.

Frederick M. Hueston is the owner of , a leading consulting and training firm specializing in stone, tile, and other surface failures. He is the host of the weekly radio/podcast, the Stone and Tile Show. He is an author of over 35 books and hundreds of articles on stone and tile restoration, maintenance, fabrication, installation, and failures. Contact him at fhueston@gmail.com.

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The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ������ý, the worldwide cleaning industry association, helps industry professionals prepare for, respond to, and recover from biorisk situations. To help us understand GBAC better, we met with Patricia Olinger and Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, executive director and director of GBAC, respectively, and asked some questions being asked by the global cleaning industry.��

Who is behind the Global Biorisk Advisory Council?

We are a group of passionate people who realize it takes a team to help anyone—be it an organization or a business of any size—to be prepared for, respond to, and recover from biological threats, biohazard situations, and real-time crises.��

We offer response management, education, training, certification, and crisis consulting for situations involving biological hazards and infectious diseases where environments require a much higher level of cleaning, disinfection, and restoration.

The two of us lead GBAC, along with Jeff Jones, who is known throughout the industry as the founder of forensic restoration, and we are backed by a scientific advisory board made up of experts from across the spectrum of biorisk cleaning specialties.��

Why is the team’s mission so important?

Increases in population growth and mobility have enhanced infectious disease transmission and intensified the difficulty of interrupting disease spread. Control of viral disease spread requires a clear understanding of how viruses are transmitted in the environment.��

For centuries, people assumed infectious diseases were spread primarily by the airborne route or through direct patient contact and that the surrounding environment played little or no role in disease transmission. Until 1987, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Hospital Association focused on patient diagnosis due to the belief that hospital-acquired infections were not related to microbial contamination of surfaces.��

Over the years, studies have changed the perspective on viral transmission. Viruses are the most common cause of infectious disease acquired indoors. The rapid spread of viral disease in crowded indoor establishments, including schools, daycare facilities, nursing homes, offices, and hospitals consistently facilitates disease infection, illness, and death. Yet, fundamental knowledge concerning the role of surfaces and objects in viral disease transmission is lacking, let alone knowledge of all microbial disease transmission. Further investigation, therefore, is needed.

How is GBAC helping make spaces safe from infectious diseases like COVID-19?

We understand that infectious diseases involve actual loss and threat of significant harm to innocent communities where people get sick, lose income, and suffer emotionally. Our team works with industry organizations to prioritize a high quality of work and a compassionate recovery approach to ensure a comprehensive cleaning, disinfection, and infection-prevention process:

Prepare: We help organizations prepare and provide staff with education and training for infectious disease prevention and containment.

Respond: We provide education and training on how to conduct risk assessments and contain, monitor, and eradicate infectious disease agents to protect a facility’s customers, visitors, employees, and the community at large.

Recover: We help develop and implement recovery plans to get facilities reopened confidently and safely, with particular attention paid to preventing future crises.

How does GBAC help the industry?

Supporting the cleaning industry is our highest priority. We’re here to help fill gaps in knowledge and training. Right now, we are doing this through three programs.��

Most important to the restoration industry is the GBAC STAR Service Accreditation. This program certifies cleaning service providers’ preparedness for helping their customers as highly informed cleaning professionals. We ensure providers are trained for combating infectious diseases using appropriate cleaning protocols, disinfection techniques, and work practices.

The GBAC Academy provides education, training, and certification for professionals—from front-line workers to managers, directors, and executives—to implement infection and contamination control measures for infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, flu, norovirus, hepatitis, rhinovirus, adenovirus, astrovirus, rotavirus, etc.

We also offer GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation, which certifies a facility staff has established and is implementing and maintaining the industry’s highest standards for cleaning and disinfection of infectious disease agents and are empowered to do their jobs safely and effectively. Some notable GBAC STAR accredited facilities include Hyatt hotels, the Kentucky International Convention Center, and the Tucson Airport.��

How does GBAC STAR affect the cleaning industry?

GBAC is a qualified network of experts and partners who are prepared to respond to any event involving an infectious disease crisis. The council is composed of international leaders in the fields of:

• Pandemic and infectious disease outbreaks
• Biorisk management
• Biosafety and biosecurity
• Crime and trauma scenes
• Hoarding conditions and unsanitary dwellings
• Unattended deaths
• Bioterrorism and the deliberate release of bacteria, viruses, insects, fungi, or toxins that can kill or disable people, animals, and crops
• Mass casualty incidents that include active shooter situations, terrorist acts, explosions, natural disasters, vehicle accidents, and mass transit mishaps (planes, trains, ships, buses).

What is the primary goal for 2021?

We like to refer to this as a BHAG, or “big hairy audacious goal.” Google it—this is a real term.

Our aim in 2021 is to offer the entire cleaning industry resources to ensure buildings are clean and safe from infectious diseases. The GBAC team is looking to achieve this by empowering essential front-line cleaning staff; building partnerships with businesses that provide cleaning, disinfection, and restoration services to residential and commercial markets; and leveraging the resources for education and training from manufacturers of cleaning products and cleaning equipment.

Infection prevention through cleaning and disinfection is a requirement now and will remain critical in ensuring our buildings are healthy and safe for all. GBAC can help the cleaning industry—and your company—do just that, now and into the future.��

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If you want to grow your restoration and remediation business in 2021, you’ll need a profitable digital marketing engine that delivers new business month in and month out on autopilot, but getting it right can be confusing and expensive.��

I know first-hand how hard it can be, but the payoff is well worth the effort. When I finally dialed my digital marketing in, I was able to grow and sell my restoration business quickly. That’s why I am on a mission to help other restorers get their internet marketing right and accelerate their lead flow in 2021.

Restoration digital marketing ‘holy grail’

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the best way to get free leads from the internet. It’s the “holy grail” of digital marketing because it can bring in calls every day for free.��However, ranking for top search terms in large cities is highly competitive and requires a huge amount of time and expertise—or money if you choose to hire an expert to improve your rank.��

Despite the inherent complexity of SEO, there are a few simple steps you can take right now that don’t cost a penny and can drive free leads immediately. Based on feedback from hundreds of SEO experts and thousands of ranking reports, I have created the 2021 SEO formula for restoration and remediation companies.��Here are three steps to implement today to get real results, real fast.

Step 1: Choose your battleground

Google page one is the battleground where you and your competitors will fight for rankings. Page one is broken down into two main categories: paid and free. The top of the page is reserved for paid Google Local Services and Google Ads. The rest of the page is free and up for grabs through SEO. This is where you will find the “organic results” such as websites, Wikipedia entries, and Facebook.

For local service searches, Google creates a “Local Pack” section in the middle of the page, below the paid ads and above the organic results. The Google Local Pack or “Three Pack” consists of a map and a list of three local businesses relevant to the search. The Local Pack is also free and up for grabs when it comes to ranking on Google page one. I recommend you focus on the Local Pack as your battlefield because it’s the quickest and easiest place to win clicks and calls from Google searches.����

Step 2: Build your fortress

According to a 2020 survey of hundreds of SEO experts conducted by Whitespark, there are seven factors that determine your Local Pack ranking, but not all factors are created equal. The survey showed that 49% of your Local Pack ranking was determined by just two factors.��

The most important factor is your Google My Business (GMB) listing. This is the listing that is tied to the Local Pack. The second most important factor is your reputation—specifically the quantity and quality of reviews listed on your GMB.

Because the top two ranking factors are both tied directly to your GMB, it’s critical that your listing is optimized, it is 100% complete, and you consistently get positive reviews posted there.��Use these three tips to optimize your GMB:��

Choose the right primary GMB category. Get this wrong and no one will find you. You must select your category from their list, so make sure you pick the one that is best for your business. If you do water, fire, and mold I suggest your primary category should be “water damage restoration service.” Don’t choose “contractor” or “building restoration service.” If you focus primarily on fire, I recommend “fire damage restoration service.”
Google updates their list from time to time, but at this point, there is no category for mold.�� The closest they have is “environmental health service,” which is not ideal. If you are solely a mold remediator, I still recommend “water damage restoration company.”��

Choose only relevant secondary GMB categories. The old formula was to “stuff” the categories with as many services as possible, regardless of relevance.�� Don’t do this; it will hurt your ranking. Today it’s best to select only the categories that apply to your business. Go update your GMB categories now. Add all the relevant categories and remove any services that don’t apply.��

Include the correct keywords in your business title. An exact match of the category and search terms in your business title is the best way to rank at the top of the page. In real-world tests, it beats everything else. Change your business title from Frank’s Fast Flood Fixers to Frank’s Water Damage Restoration Company and you will shoot right to the top.�� Add a location name to the mix—like Frank’s Water Damage Restoration Company of Miami—and it’s a slam dunk for that city (as long as your physical address is in Miami).

This strategy raises a few questions: First, can anybody do this? What if we end up with 20 nearly identical business titles? What are the rules?

The fact is there is nothing stopping everybody from doing this other than Google’s terms of service—which are important to follow.��Google requires the business title in your GMB listing to match the business name or “doing business as” (DBA) name you have registered with the state.��So, if you want to improve your rank, change your business title—but make sure you follow Google’s rules.��In a big city where the payoff of better rankings could be huge, it might make sense to rebrand and change your company’s name with the state.

You may be asking yourself, does anybody police this?�� Can I get away with bending the rules?�� The answer is yes… until someone reports you, and then you will have to prove to Google your business title is legitimate.

Step 3: Storm the castle

The fact that changing a business title has the biggest impact on Local Pack rankings promotes keyword stuffing and cheating, and it appears that Google does nothing to verify the business title until it is reported by others.��

So, if you are playing by the rules, how can you stop your competition from cheating?��Report them.����

You know who your competitors are; you know their company name and location.��Search in Google right now and open the expanded list of map results.��Check to see how many GMB listings violate Google’s terms.��You can have a direct impact on your rankings by making sure the competition is playing by the same rules.��Google doesn’t verify business titles automatically, but they will if you notify them of a problem, which you can do with the “Suggest an edit” feature. Here’s how:

Check the search results of GMB listings for any with business titles that don’t match up.

Click on the offending listing and you will see a clickable “Suggest an edit” under the basic info.

When you click, you will be given two options:
1) Change name or other details: Use this feature when reporting business name, keyword stuffing, or city stuffing violations.
2) Remove this place: Use this feature when reporting duplicate listings, fake listings (like a virtual office or non-existent business location), and lead generation sites.

Beat the competition

Don’t let your competition beat you to the punch when it comes to digital marketing. Implement the 2021 SEO formula for restoration and remediation companies today. It’s the first step toward getting your digital lead generation machine firing on all cylinders.

Nathan Big is the founder and CEO of Bulletproof Restoration Marketing and a former restoration business owner. He is an author, speaker, and host of “The Bulletproof Restorers” podcast.��Big uses his 20 years of experience as a restorer and digital marketer to help restoration and remediation companies get their internet marketing right. For more information, visit restorationmarketers.com or call 435-255-3112.��

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