Master Care is proud to say that we have been Green certified by Canadian Green Sustainability Program.  This program was designed for Canadians, by Canadians!

The CGSP knows the Canadian standards and regulations as it is designed for Canadian businesses.  Through the CGSP, we have been trained to look beyond the conventional cleaning methods to create a clean AND healthy environment.   Through this program, we have be taught cleaning consistancy while removing harmful and toxic chemicals from buildings.  Our associates are commited to the well-being of the building environment and the occupants within it.  This program will have such a powerful influence that it will ultimately lead to a more earth friendly environment for everyone.

Because of this certification and our commitment to “go green”, Master Care Janitorial has been awarded the contract for one of the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Standards buildings in the lower mainland.  The LEED certification is an internationaly recognized, third party certification.  It recognizes projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance.  By having this CGSP certification, we at Master Care Janitorial are in a position to deliver high quality, efficient service with a superior standard of professionalism and environmental consciousness.

Constructing and operating buildings consumes a great deal of natural resources and produces a large volume of waste.  Using eco-friendly facilty services, such as those of us who have been CGSP certified, can help in Vancouver’s mandate to improve our environment and have carbon neutral buildings by 2020.

A very simple way to save money is making sure the cleaning crew is properly trained.  If they know how to clean effectively and efficiently, they will be in and out in no time!  They should have all of their tools on hand, have their color coded cloths to reduce cross-contamination and use the top down cleaning method.  Since time = money in the janitorial field, you couldn’t get an easier way to save money!

Another cost savings idea, is encouraging your customers to switch to automated or no touch dispensers.  Your customers can save money in product and maintenance by having a set about of soap or paper towel dispensed at each use.   Less product used + less need to consistantly check on the dispensers = save money!

Ever looked into using foam soap rather than liquid soap?  Foam soap is more “eco-friendly” because it is thinner, it uses less product to do the same thing and uses less water to rinse off your hands. This reduces your supply and cleaning costs as it doesn’t drip and clog drains either!

Finally, instead of using a mop and bucket application of cleaning products to the floors, use a good bucketless mop or a microfiber mop!  This reduces the amout time needed to clean the floor, reduces the amount of product and water used, reduces drying time and reduces danger to the public. 

These are 4 very simple ways to help both the customer and the janitorial company to save money. Contact you company and ask for these cost savings ideas, or a better idea…just call us!

Touch-free soap dispensors are used in high-traffic commercial facilities such as airports, restaurants, universities and hospitals.  By using touch-free technology, these facilities can now control the amount of soap being dispensed by each patron.  This not only reduces waste, but it also allows for reduced maintenance visits by prolonging the life between refills.   All of these factors lead to cost savings for the facility!  As different facilities require different types of soap, it is essential to evaluate what would work best for you.  For regular public bathroom usage, it is recommended to use a foaming type of soap. Foam soap not only uses a smaller dose size, it also uses less water to wash it off, which helps with water conservation!

The touch-free paper towel dispensers uses the same idea.  Instead of having someone manually pulling more napkins than one needs, the touch-free system dispenses a controlled about of product, again, reducing waste and thus reducing cost.  These dispensers can be programmed to dispense only enough towel as one needs to effectively dry their hands.  You can also program in a delay between dispensing, as people don’t generally want to wait around for an “extra” sheet.  As towel manufacturers and types vary, so do the dispensers and their abilities so do your research or call Master Care Janitorial and Facility Services to ask about what product works best for you.

When reducing consumption is a priority in public restrooms, there are significant savings to be had by implementing touch-free soap and towel dispensers. The cost of the units themselves are not too expensive, making them an even more attractive purchase for facilities. The return on investment is also often recognized quickly in the declining overuse of soap, paper towels, energy and water consumption.  You couldn’t get a better argument than that for the enviromnent as well as for your bottom line! 

Sodium chloride (or rock salt), is the most common . Beware though,  in extreme cold (such as below 7°C, or 20°F),  it has limited effectiveness . It can also damange vegetation and be corrosive to steel, certain building materials, and concrete sidewalks.

Calcium chloride is similar but more effective than sodium chloride. It removes moisture from the air and can work at extremely low temperatures. However, it is usually more expensive and also can damage nearby vegetation.

Magnesium chloride Similar, but less corrosive and safer than calcium chloride.

Potassium chloride  A high concentration of this compound makes it harmful to plants but it is effective at preventing ice buildup on walking surfaces. It is also less corrosive than some of the other ice-melt compounds already mentioned.

These compounds work by helping to break the bond between the ice and the surface, allowing it to be more easily removed.  No matter which ice melt compound is used during your winter property maintenance, for best results it should be applied before snow or ice accumulates.  They can still help though, with limited effectiveness, if applied after snow or ice has accumulated.

Once you determine which is the proper compound for your facility, you must be aware that these ice melts can affect your interior floors as well.  Ice melts can leave a residue that can damage the floors in your building or home.   Ensure you or your cleaning professional removes and cleans all mats, sweeps floors and removed the ice melt debris off your floors regulary so it does not sit for extended periods of time.  

 Though there are pros and cons to using the ice melts, it is a necessary evil for winter property maintenance and for the safety of all who come on to your property   With proper selection of products, proper use, and quick removal, the benefits of these products can far outweigh their drawbacks.

4. Fridge and Dishwasher!  Take a look at the edges of the doors and rubber cushioning that surround it.  It quickly fills up with mold and mildew because we do not regulary think to clean it.  It is as simple as using your all-purpose cleaner and a sponge, and then make sure to dry it.  It will prevent the mildew buildup.

5. Kitchen Garbage Container!  When was the last time you cleaned your kitchen garbage?  Of course we put a bag in it that we take out regularly, but we do touch the containers handle everyday, with our dirty, germ ridden hands.  Maybe it is time to take it outside (or in the bathtub or laundry sink) and give it a good wash.  Soap and hot water do wonders in getting it clean.  Then, ensure that is it dry before putting another bag in it.

6. Knobs and Handles!  We clean our microwave, stovetop, counters, but do we spend any time cleaning the knobs and handles on our appliances and our cupboards?  Use a clean cloth, and a toothbrush to get in the small crevices, and a good cleaner and go over every handle and knob in your kitchen.  You will thank me for it!!

So there are some areas where germs hide in our kitchen.  Let’s keep ourselves, our famlies and even our co-workers healthy by keeping our kitchens, cooking utensils, and appliances clean.

There are a few areas of your kitchen that you may need to spend some time on.  We know you wipe your counters and clean the floors regularly as these are whet “look” the dirtiest.  But, maybe it is time to focus your attention on some bactieria ridden areas that we may overlook.  Here is where germs hide…

1. The cleaning cloth! – When was the last time you cleaned that cloth? What about that sponge you use multiple times a day? The one you clean your dirty counters with. The best way to clean it is of course soaking it in bleach (3/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water), but putting it in the dishwasher or the microwaving a wet sponge in the microwave for 1 – 2 minutes also does the trick! Launder your cotton cloths or microfibre cloths (without fabric softener) often.

2. Chopping boards & Utensils! – Plastic chopping boards and utensils can be sanitized in a dishwasher, but special attention must be paid to a woodent chopping board.  Try using baking soda and lemon juice to clean & deoderize.  A good scrubbing with hot soapy water does a lot of good too.

3. Sink & Tap! Just think about what goes in the kitchen sink! Clean your sink daily with hot soap and water (with a clean sponge or cloth, or a nylon sponge).  Sprinkle baking soda around a wet sink and clean thouroughly. Or, fill the sink with a teaspoon of bleach and a gallon of warm water.  Use that water to clean the taps and around the outside of the sink as well.

So, there is Part 1 of helping you find the germs that hide in your kitchen.  Tune in next week for more tips!

You want to find the best deal, which you may believe means finding the lowest price.   Are you looking for someone to come and and dust, vacuum and clean the bathrooms?  It’s not rocket science, so really – how much should you be spending?  But beware- – here is where “you get what you pay for” is very accurate. There is a difference between the price vs cost of quality cleaners.

There are a few things you need to take into concideration.  First of all, if you are looking for consistancy, reliability and quality, you should not only be looking at the Price but the Cost of the companies in question.  Do your companies have a good management team, good infrastructure and good customer service?  Do they respond to your questions and concerns?  Companies that provide these should have competitive pricing, but are more than likely not offering the “rock bottom prices” .  Also, those lowest price companies more than likely don’t pay their cleaning crews a fair wage so how much quality would you really be getting from people who aren’t paid well? Here is where the price vs cost comes in.  Remember that about 70% of what you are paying for is for their wages.   Then there is administrative costs, customer service costs and cleaning products cost, among other things.  You don’t want to put time and effort into finding the lowest price company, then having to find another when they do not live up to your demands.  

If you are looking for a cleaning company that treats their cleaners well, has a strong infrastructure, and will guarantee your satisfaction, give Master Care Janitorial and Facility Services a call!    You will not be disappointed!

The best thing you can do to prepare yourself for your holiday guests is walk through your space like you ARE a guest!  What do you see?  Grab a paper and a pen and make notes as you walk from room to room as a guest might do.  The front door, the coat closet, the hall ledges, the rugs, the powder room etc.  Look up.  Look down.  Sit down.  What would you notice if you are in somebody else’s house as a guest?  Looking through a “guests” eyes will tell you where you need to concentrate your efforts.

Grab a box or a laundry basket and walk through the spaces, removing all of the objects that create clutter or do not belong.  Remove those socks, stacks of newspaper, hair brushes, toys, mail etc. and place them in the box.  Next, walk back though with the box and place the items where they belong! You will be surprised at how quickly you have just tidied your space! 

Finally, concentrate your holiday cleaning efforts on places where your guests will go, and don’t focus on things like the bathtub (that is what the curtain is for!).  Get that kitchen sparkling clean and don’t forget to give your house a fresh smell by lighting cinnamon candles, or by baking a pie -(home-made or frozen!).  The wonderful aroma will give the feel of a fresh clean house.

If all else fails…give us a call!  We can do your holiday cleaning for you!

Happy Holiday Time!

There are 6 of us in the house making the mess, and only one (me) that seems to be doing the deep cleaning…does this seem wrong?  Shouldn’t I share the cleaning duties so it is not all on my plate?  Let’s think about this.

When you are in an office setting, there are many people that work there, make messes, create dust, bring in dirt, use the washroooms etc.  If they all cleaned up after themselves, this world will be a wonderful place.  The thing is, there are things that just NEED to be deep cleaned and attended to with a little more care than a general cleaning.  For instance, the bathroom!!!  Eventually the hair on the floor (no one picks that up!), the ring around the toilet (no one cleans the toilet after every use), the soap scum in the bathtub and the water stains on the glass shower door need to be dealt with.    If we were all so lucky as to have someone and do this for us, that would be great! But then there is reality.  So, time to train the cleaning team!

I will get someone to go around to all of the toilets and put the cleaner in the bowl.
I will get another one to spray the inside of the bathtub/shower with cleaner.
I will get another one to remove all of the items from the counter to “prep” the area for cleaning.
I will get the last one to remove all floor mats, towels etc. and put them in the wash.

Now, since I am a bit of a stickler for detailed cleaning, I have my area prepped and I am ready to clean.  It actually goes by a lot quicker when I can just concentrate on cleaning.  Guess what – all 3 bathrooms were cleaned in 30 minutes….just when my timer went off!  It is always nice to have clean bathrooms!

Have fun cleaning!

So it’s cleaning day – the task is overwelming!  How did it get this bad?  I don’t have the time or energy to do this!

Cleaning your home or business efficiently and effectively is something most of us have not been taught.  Some of us are good at it, some of us (okay most of us) are really bad at it.  Now, the fact that we are not good at it bodes well for those of us in the cleaning industry, ie.  Master Care Facility Services.  So I thought I would share some quick tips on reducing the number of stressful, time-consuming cleaning days and make your life a little easier and your surroundings a little bit cleaner.

First tip I can give you (though you may not want to hear it) is clean frequently!!!  The more frequently you clean, the less effort it will take.  Plus it will keep things like mould, bacteria and pests from hanging around.  This doesn’t mean clean the bathroom and vacuum every day,  this means wiping down the counters each time you use them, picking up the papers that collect on your counter and finding a home for them (orgainizing…that’s a whole other blog I will have to tackle),  sweep, dust a room.  Those kind of effortless things that really take maybe a minute of time, but which we would rather not do right this second.  This type of frequent cleaning will lead to less clutter laying around and less dirt to track around the house or office.  Sounds easy!  Why don’t we just do it?  If you spend just 5 minutes a day tidying, dusting or wiping, your house will always look neat and clean. 

Remember, if you tackle the small jobs and clean small messes before it becomes big, you have just reduced your effort to keep your house clean!