In the cafeteria, the biggest threat may not be the kid that wants to eat your French fries or what is truly inside a hotdog.  A recent study conducted by Dr. Charles Gerba and the University of Arizona in a K-12 school system found that the germiest place at school is the cafeteria table.

Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed classrooms and common area surfaces at six schools in a K-12 school system to determine the relative numbers of total heterotrophic bacteria and coliform bacteria on frequently touched hard, non-porous surfaces.

… The article goes on later to recommend how to keep a cleaner classroom…

• Disinfect hot spots: Even if a classroom starts out clean, germs can – and do – build up all day. In fact, evidence of Influenza A virus was found on 13.6% of swabbed surfaces in the morning and jumped to about 50% by the afternoon(3). That’s why teachers should implement a routine of frequently disinfecting germ hot spots in the classroom, like desktops and doorknobs, with disinfecting wipes, as directed.  This can help supplement what the custodian is already doing.

• Arm them with the right tools: Parents should consider bringing teachers hand sanitizer or canisters of Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes to help make clean-up easier.

• Avoid Touching Surfaces in the Bathroom: Parents should teach kids to use paper towels to press the flush lever on the toilet and when turning water faucets on and off. If there are lids on the toilets, kids should learn to put them down before flushing.

• Walk the walk at home: children may be bringing more than just homework home to their families.  That’s why it is important for parents to adopt the same routines at home, such as wiping down frequently-touched surfaces like the remote control, countertops, phones and light switches.

As you can see, if not maintained and cleaned properly, the schools that are supposed to be educating our students could very well contribute to making them sick. So what can school staff, janitors, teachers, and even students do to cut down on cross contamination and make school a safer place to keep on learning? Let’s look at a few easy things that can be done…

Unger Enterprises has developed a desk & table cleaning kit, which can make the process of cleaning and disinfecting surfaces much faster for the worker. This unique way of cleaning can remove up to 96% of surface bacteria while using less chemical than traditional methods. The dual-compartment bucket seperates the cleaning solution from the dirty solution, which greatly reduces cross contamination and ensures that clean solution is used on every surface. This unique system allows the cleaning worker to clean up to 4 times faster than traditional methods! Click here to see a full literature sheet on this unique product from Unger.

The article mentions that teachers and cleaning staff should focus on disinfecting hot spots on a routine basis.  Athea Laboratories # 1566 Surface Sanitizing wipes provide a quick and easy way for school staff to sanitize hot spot surfaces. These wipes provide a signifcant improvement in efficacy over a spray bottle and rag, and are a much more convenient solution in this fast paced environment. Athea’s surface sanitizing wipes have a 1 minute kill claim on most common food borne bacteria, and they do not require rinsing which makes them an ideal product for use on school cafeteria tables and other common touch points. Please see this literature sheet for more information.

Studies have shown that only 53% of students wash their hands after using that bathroom and only 18% actually use soap*. Purell, America’s #1 leading instant hand sanitizer, kills 99.9% of most common germs that make you sick. Providing Purell in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, and other common areas is a great way to reduce the spread of illness in the school environment. In fact, in a recent study conducted in schools, absenteeism caused by illness was an astounding 51% lower in classrooms that used Purell regularly and implemented a hand hygiene educational program versus classrooms that did not.

GOJO has also recently launched the world’s first Green Certified instant hand sanitizer. This product is made with 100% naturally renewable ethanol and is fragrance and dye free. Green certified Purell can be a great addition to any school’s green plan, while helping to fight the spread of cold causing germs. GOJO also makes green seal certified soap, and they have a wealth of educational resources located at http://education.GOJO.com .  To learn more about GOJOs total solutions for the education environment, please click here to download our education brochure.

Market Advantage Plus has been representing the leading manufacturers in the cleaning industry for the New England marketplace since 1966. We have the experience and expertise to provide you with practical and effective solutions for cleaning schools as well as any other type of facility. If you are interested in learning more about our products or would like to discuss your cleaning needs further, please call us at 508-543-3605 or e-mail info@marketadvantageplus.com .

For full promo details, please click on the picture or here to download the PDF summary. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 508-543-3605 or info@marketadvantageplus.com .

Studies have shown that 1 out of 4 people don’t wash their hands after using the restroom. Also, of those who do, 46% of them don’t wash their hands long enough to be effective. As a result germs on hands are easily transferred to other surfaces all over our buildings.

GOJO is introducing the Purell Perfect Placement program. A recent study showed that by strategically placing a Purell dispenser by the exit door to the restroom, there is about a 23% increase in usage. This small change can help create healthier buildings as well as enhance the image of a facility. Please see the video below for more info.

• Improved suction performance
• Larger mouth opening for picking up large debris
• Scrubber feature enables users to better agitate dry spots on the floor
• New design allows air to flow more easily through the tool, creating less drag

There are two Xover tools which can be ordered individually for use with existing vacuums, or as part of new kits that have been created when ordering a new vacuum. Please see this sell sheet for full details, item #s, and pricing.

Users can combine the Bagger with Unger’s nifty nabber tools for a fast and ergonomic way to dispose of trash on their grounds. These tools can eliminate the need for the worker to bend over and lift objects providing a safer and faster way to clean. Please contact our office at 508-543-3605 or info@marketadvantageplus.com if you would like any more info. The PDF of the sell sheet can be downloaded here. Also, Unger has also made a section of their site available with more info and training videos. Please see this link for full details.

Andersen Frontier Mat

Frontier mats are vinyl loop scrape mats with drain through capability. They are ideal for use in outdoor applications as well as for locker rooms, showers, and around pools, saunas or hot tubes.

Frontier mats are 3/8” thick and available in standard sizes as well as custom lengths and rolls up to 60’ long in 3’ and 4’ widths. And they are available in Dark Grey, Brown and Blue colors.

These mats are easy to clean by shaking or hosing clean. The loop design allows or quick drying.

To view or print the sales flyer please visit the following link for the Frontier Mat.

For more information, samples, and literature sheets, please contact Market Advantage Plus at 800-564-6320 or e-mail us at info@marketadvantageplus.com .

Andersen Frontier Mat In Use

School administrators aren’t just working to keep kids healthy in the classroom. They want to stop the spreading of germs on the trips back and forth to school as well.

John T. Cyr & Sons bus company worked with the schools it serves to come up with a plan to keep its school busses clean. Drivers must spray seats and surfaces down with disinfectant twice a day. They are also encouraged to use hand sanitizers and limit contact with students. RSU 19, which does its own bussing, has a similar policy for its drivers. Superintendent William Braun is especially concerned with keeping bus drivers healthy, because he only has three substitute drivers.

“If my bus drivers became infected and I lost eight or ten of them, I may have trouble providing the transportation system” Braun told NEWS CENTER.

Braun says if several drivers call in sick, the remaining drivers will have to double-up on bus routes. RSU 19 had an H1N1 and seasonal flu clinic Wednesday afternoon. Those students who didn’t receive the vaccines Wednesday will be able to receive it when the district gets more units of both H1N1 and seasonal flu in next week.

Are you missing any opportunities to sell to schools, universities, and local businesses? Everyone is looking for alcohol based hand rubs, but what about disinfectant cleaners? Misco’s Elements line of chemicals makes green cleaning simple. Alco, Misco is about to launch their new Ag24 Silver Disinfectant and Deodorant which has gained a lot of attention in the news lately ( Barrows,  European Investor, Street Insider, and the Wall Street Journal ). This exciting new product has a 30 second kill time on several bacteria, a 24 hour residual, and the lowest toxicity rating available (category IV). For more information, please contact our office or your sales rep.

Interesting article from our vacuum company, ProTeam vacuums:

Basic math for a tough economy

Want the bottom line on productivity? Go for solid numbers. A ProTeam vacuum will instantly shave costs from the first use. When used with a cleaning system, a ProTeam backpack vacuum can clean up to 10,000 square feet an hour, a ProTeam canister up to 7,940 sqare feet, and a dual-motor upright up to 3,240 square feet. Compare that to a competitive canister, with an average of only 2,500 square feet an hour, or an upright, at just 2,850 square feet. On average, our backpack saves $20 an hour over a commercial upright. At this rate, it’s easy to recoup your investment. So for good productivity, think a ProTeam upright; for better, go with a ProTeam canister; and for the best performance, nothing beats a ProTeam backpack.

We are all trying to do more with less in today’s economy. Why not make your workers more productive with a ProTeam backpack vacuum and reap the savings of increased productivity without needing to hire more workers ?

Also, from now until December 31st, 2009 end-users can use this coupon to receive an additional $10 per vacuum rebate directly from ProTeam. Please contact us at our office or call your Market Advantage Plus sales rep for more info.

Now there’s a simple way to reduce the spread of germs. It’s effective, easy to implement and affordable. It’s PURELL® at work. Current CDC guidelines recommend alcohol-based hand sanitizers for use when a complete hand washing with soap is not available. Put a PURELL Pal or PURELL Desk Caddy on the desktop where the germs are.

PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer helps reduce the spread of germs that may cause illness. In fact, studies have found that making PURELL® readily available can have a dramatic impact on absenteeism due to illness. When you add up the costs of each unscheduled abscence, it’s easy to see why PURELL® is such a smart investment.

PURELL® on every desktop pays for itself with a reduction in absenteeism costs.

For more information on Workplace Wellness and studies documenting results using PURELL®, visit GOJO’s official Workplace Wellness website.

Contact us for more information on PURELL Instant Hand Sanitizer Products