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December 2011 Specials & Information
Christmas New Year Trading hours. - We will olny be closed weekeneds and public holidays. There will be limited deliveries on 28th, 29th & 30th December. The workshop will be open on the mornings of the 28th & 29th December. We will be closing at 3pm on Fridays 23rd and 30th December.

Gel Liquid Bleach It sounds like a contradiction - gel and liquid - but this is exactly what this product is, a “thick” liquid that is designed to be used in bathrooms where the product needs time to work on the surface. It is a combination of Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) with Sodium Hydroxide (an alkaline) which results in a very strong cleaner with great disinfecting action. It kills mould, removes soap scum, dirt and cleans the drains all in the one action. Being a gel it clings to walls in showers and bathrooms and the bowl in toilets. For maximum disinfection Gel Liquid Bleach should be allowed to work for 10 minutes then lightly scrub and rinse.  Available in 1ltr squeeze bottle for $7.15 inc GST and bulk 5ltr for $19.80 inc GST.

Fly and Insect Season. They say it will be a wet summer which means lots of flies and puddles that are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. We are stocking the traditional products such as Aerogard odourless low irritant personal spray, Mortein Low Allergy Fly and Mosquito Killer, Mortein Fast Knockdown Multi Insect Killer, Black Flag Blowfly Strength, Mortein Lure N Kill cockroach baits, Mortein Flea Bombs and Execute bulk insect spray. Something a little bit different is Pysect an automatically dispensed fly and crawling insect spray. We have a Pysect starter kit comprising of 1 automatic programmable dispenser, 2 cans of Australian made Pysect natural pyrethrum spray (enough for 2 months) and  a battery that will last about 11 months all for the incredible value of $88.90 inc GST if bought separately it would be $102.74. Pysect is approved for use in food processing areas and protects approx. 170³m forming an invisible barrier to keep out insects. And for greater value in spring autumn and winter an air freshener can be used in the dispenser.     

Sandpit Sanitiseris a sanitising solution to treat sandpits in child minding centres, pre-schools and domestic yards. The active ingredient is used to kill bacteria with the chemical then being rapidly broken down by organic matter and soil to leave no active residues. Wetting agents ensure even distribution of product into the sand. At $11.14 inc GST for 5 ltrs it is inexpensive protection.

Please note: New Bank Details
Effective immediately we have new bank account details for all direct deposits.
BSB: 062 690 (CBA - West Gosford)
Account number: 1015 2958
Account name: Nivernais Pty Ltd t/a The Cleaning Supply Shop

Tax and cleaning
We have been talking about “green cleaning” for many years and it looks like it is about to become a bigger issue. The Government has announced a “green building scheme” offering substantial tax breaks to building owners who increase their 2 star or lower energy efficiency rating to 4 star or higher rating. Phrases in the government paper on the scheme include “operational impact on the environment” “emissions reductions targets” and “improved energy efficiency” - sound very similar to phrases used when talking about “Carbon Tax” and how we must reduce our energy consumption. To qualify building owners must have their building assessed before and after renovations using the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). Part of the assessment is ongoing auditing and this is where cleaning will be further effected. Once the building has been upgraded with better lighting, more cost effective air conditioning etc they are going to look to other green costs such as Good Environmental Choice accredited toilet consumables and vacuum cleaners that are quieter and use less power and possibly cleaning during the building’s operational hours, which means battery powered scrubbers with no trip hazard leads and will the “tea lady” concept return for cleaners in offices. Look at shopping centres - it is quiet accepted for cleaners to work during open hours and factory cleaning during operation is common. This means safer chemicals and cleaning trolleys with lockable compartments For interesting reading www.climatechange.gov.au.

Dry Wonder
A popular method of dry cleaning carpets in Europe is by using highly absorbent granules. Dry Wonder is sprinkled onto the carpet at 50g (half cup) per sq. metre, agitated into the pile, left for an hour to allow the dirt, dust and stains to be absorbed and then vacuumed. It has a pleasant fragrance, disinfects the carpet and can be used on upholstery and mattresses. 1kg is only $40.70 inc GST

Colour Code There seems to be some confusion as to the correct colours to use when colour coding cleaning products. The colours to be used in various areas are only guidelines except in healthcare where they have been set. In a factory for instance you can use what you like. BUT it makes sense to try wherever possible to use the healthcare colours to reduce confusion. The healthcare colours are - General areas - blue, Bathroom areas - red, Food areas - green, Infectious control - yellow and Operating Theatres - white. So outside of healthcare yellow and white can be used in specific areas such as the warehouse or cool room and black is available and often used in transport areas.  

 Machine service V breakdown repair
Did you know that some vacuum cleaner motors are made to work for only 100 hours? This is why some machines have a 12 month domestic but 3 month commercial warranty. The old model Rocket Vac motor was rated at 600 hours and the new XP Rocket Vac motor is rated at 1,000 hours. How can you tell when a motor is “wearing out” - a good indicator is the length of the carbon brushes. If the carbon brushes wear out the spring and clip holding them in place can touch the commutator destroying the segments and blowing up the motor. Did you know the performance of a vacuum cleaner can be instantly increased by up to 90% by changing the filters and dust bag. By getting your machines serviced so that the carbon brushes and filters are checked the likelihood of a breakdown is dramatically reduced. If you use a back vac 2 hours a night 5 days a week it should be serviced every 12 months. If a carpet cleaning machine is used 6 hours per day 5 days per week that is nearly 800 hours in 6 months and if your machine doesn’t work neither do you. We are well trained to service our vehicles regularly but we forget the tool that enables us to afford the vehicle in the first place. Breakdown repairs are always more expensive than a service and we test and tag all machines that are serviced and repaired for the cost of a tag. Book in your machine and we can have it serviced in a couple of hours. Drop it in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon and carpet cleaners winter is the quiet time so now is the time to get your machines ready for summer.

Maintaining low maintenance vinyl floors. By far the most widely sold vinyl flooring is the low maintenance type that is pre sealed in manufacture. It is called low maintenance not because it doesn’t need cleaning but because it does not require polish and the associated tasks such as stripping and resealing and constant buffing.  Without going into the technical reasons, the floor can be damaged by too much buffing. There are many examples where the cleaning process can be reduced by developing a maintenance program suited to the flooring and conditions. An automatic floor scrubber works very quickly cleaning the floor with clean water and recovering the dirty water in the one process. It reduces the amount of chemical being used, leaves the floor dry reducing slip hazards and removes dirt and stains that deteriorate the flooring. Similarly, mopping with microfibre reduces the amount of chemical required and leaves the floor almost dry. Low maintenance floors are not designed to have a high gloss so scrubbing or mopping is all the maintenance required with the occasional buff to bond the surface. Neutral pH detergents are essential and the water can be warm but not hot and most important the floor must be swept regularly to remove sand and grit than can scour the surface. We can design a maintenance program  to suit your floor and environment - just give us a call.

 New Handle There are areas where a timber handle is required - around power lines, near furnaces, etc and where the cost of an aluminium handle can’t be justified. But finding good quality timber handles has been getting harder. Oates have released a Bamboocomposite handle. Bamboo is plentiful, very strong but hollow so they have made a bamboo handle with timber inserts. The result is great quality, strong and light but with a good “timber” feel and inexpensive at $4.18 inc GST for the 1.35m x 22mm and $5.72 inc GST for 1.5m x 25mm. In stock now!  

Cleaning Slip Resistant Floors. With the increasing trend of slip resistant floors being installed, cleaning techniques have to be adjusted. In the past slip resistant floors were usually only found in kitchens where there was good drainage. Slip resistant tiles, pavers, vinyl and impregnated floors can be almost impossible to mop and hosing may not be an option, so the use of machinery may be the only solution. A consideration is that the resistance from the tiles means that a traditional rotary action brush machine may have too much surface area to allow the motor to turn, so a cylindrical brush is required. There is a smaller surface area and the bristle tips are able to get into the uneven surface. Then we have the problem of porous tiles allowing the dirt to penetrate into the pores and the rough nature of the surface does a great job of cleaning the soles of shoes. A sub surface sealer has the ability to offer protection from stains without changing the slip resistance. By holding the dirt on the surface it is easier to clean. Microfibre flat mops with “scrub” inserts have also proven effective to pick up spills, cotton mops tend to shred leaving fibre on the floor.

Mould Removers The recent high humidity and wet weather has produced perfect conditions for MOULD. There are a number of proprietary products to remove mould but an understanding of what causes it can help to get rid of it. Mould is a spore that grows in damp dark places. It dies when exposed to sunlight or when the moisture sources is removed. High humidity can be the moisture source so as the humidity drops the mould should start to disappear. Bleach kills the mould spore in most circumstances, but be careful when using bleach and never mix it with other chemicals.

 The tip does the work!Sweeping is probably the most basic task in cleaning and a few hints can make it an easy task. There are many types of brooms with millet, hair, java, bassine, some of the natural fibres and nylon in different forms as the most popular synthetic. They all have their uses. Millet brooms are traditionally used to sweep bulky items such as leaves, stiff nylon for heavy items like gravel, java (though rarely seen) and flagged nylon is great for fine dust, and rubber is very good to sweep human hair. But with all these fibres the secret is the tip of the strand. The tip does all the work because sweeping is a flicking action. Once the strand has laid over, the broom is useless so always store a broom with the head up. Pushing away from you is usually easiest but you must work to a pattern and don’t sweep to a doorway because that is where a draft will be.   

 

Graffiti Removers
Removing graffiti can be simple to extremely difficult. It can be as simple as removing spray paint from a window that can be achieved with a blade scraper or as difficult as removing engine enamel from a sandstone wall. This is very difficult because engine enamel cannot be removed with heat by steam etc, sandstone is extremely porous so the paint soaks into the stone, and it’s appeal is the natural look so over painting isn’t an option. We have a range of products for different situations including So Safe Yellow for painted surfaces and Blue for concrete and masonry, Good Bye Graffiti & GR 200 for professional use. It is important to try and identify the product used and the surface to be cleaned. Marking pen can sometimes be removed with a solvent such as Orange Solv soaked in a rag and dabbed onto the graffiti. Spray paint may require a paint stripper if the surface defaced will not be damaged by the paint stripper. Removing spray paint on a colour bond door for instance requires a product that will strip back one coat at a time and there are pressure washers that use “soft sand blasting with bi-carb soda” to remove paint. For areas such as tiled walls in restrooms and other smooth surfaces we have Graffiti Wipes. Try to remove the graffiti as soon as possible and don’t spread the paint or ink . If it is an ongoing problem consider sealing the surface with a sub surface sealer that will stop it penetrating and make it easier to remove.

  

 Hand Dryer - V - Paper Towel
We are often asked for a cost comparison between electric hand dryers and paper towel. We recently came across this article from a drier manufacturer. “The average consumer uses at least 2 pieces of interleaf hand towel to dry their hands. The is at a cost of approximately 5cents. Cost per thousand dries using paper towel is $50. An automatic Medeclinics hand dryer uses 2.2kw of power each hour, electricity costing approximately 10cents per hour. Costs per thousand dries using Mediclinics hand dryer is $1.53.” To be taken into consideration is the initial cost of the drier approx $600 plus installation. A hand towel dispenser is about $35.00 plus installation. Another issue is the cost of removing the waste hand towel and the storage cost and ongoing time taken to purchase the hand towel. Alternatively from the paper manufacturers is a recent study showing that the action of wiping with a hand towel removes a large  number of germs not removed with soap and water. In fact the study said that wiping hands is nearly as important as washing hands and they say that the warmth of a hand dryer aids the growth of bacteria that is then spread by the blowing action.

Custom Mats 
We can have your name and logo printed onto a quality entrance mat for a lot less than you may think. A recent mat had a silver logo on a black mat. Looked fabulous and worked out cheaper than 12 months of rental mats.

Why have an entrance mat?    

  •  70 - 80% of all dirt, dust and grime in public buildings is tracked in from outside and spread through the floors of the buildings.
  • The cost of removing 1kg of dirt from a modern building in the USA is in excess of $1,300. Of that only 5-10% is spent on supplies and equipment, the rest is labour.
  • It takes only 1,500 people entering a building where there is no mat to remove 42% of the floor finish. Carpet is similarly effected in terms of wear and unsightly appearance.
  • One good 1.8 x 1.2m mat will save 2-4 times its cost in labour in just one month. If a mat costs $120-$150 and collects .5kg of dirt it will save $600-$700 in labour
    Information supplied by Mat World

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just released by Edco the Economy Window Cleaning Kit containing:-
1 x 14”/35cm Edco T-Bar & Washer complete
1 x 14”/35cm Edco Stainless Steel Window Squeegee complete
1 x Microfibre Glass Cloth
All for only $20.90 inc GST and if you need a window cleaning bucket to go with it - all for $33.00 inc GST - GREAT VALUE!!