Blog

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What Does APPA Offer for Educational Organizations? How About BSCs?

Industry trade associations help teams stay on top of the latest trends, network with others in the cleaning industry, and provide a wealth of resources. There are a variety of trade associations, including ISSA and BSCAI, but APPA is definitely the big name in educational spaces. We’ve noticed APPA growing in importance for a variety of facilities teams. Over the past few years, their influence has grown from educational facilities to teams in healthcare, offices, Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

How the UMN Office of Classroom Management Skyrocketed Classroom Readiness from 41% to 95%

There’s nothing like a good success story — and the University of Minnesota’s Office of Classroom Management has an amazing one. The quality control data they’ve tracked over the years dramatically illustrates their team’s triumph. (So do the before-and-after photos!) Because their student team uses OrangeQC on campus, we got to sit in on a talk that UMN project coordinators Nick Pnewski and Jessica McCarty gave at the MAPPA 2019 conference. We’re excited to share Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

How UMN Empowers Student Employees to Do QC Inspections Across Campus (and What to Expect When You Manage Students)

The Office of Classroom at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus is focused on one thing: Making sure classrooms and informal learning spaces are ready for learning. They want everything to be all set when students and faculty come in: markers ready to write on the cleared-off whiteboard, presentation equipment working smoothly, no flickering lights or strange noises to distract students. Because just one problem can distract students or force the instructor to stop Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago
Neat rows of chairs in a clean classroom.

How UMN Trains Students to Do Inspections

The University of Minnesota’s Office of Classroom Management employs dozens of student employees to help maintain learning spaces across campus. (Check out our articles on How the UMN Office of Classroom Management Skyrocketed Classroom Readiness from 41% to 95% and How UMN Empowers Student Employees to Do QC Inspections Across Campus for the full story.) This is the final piece in our series on the OCM’s success story, and we’re going to drill deep into Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

The Most Important Metrics and Trends to Watch + Downloadable Checklist

Collecting great data is only the first step. Next, you need to use it. Too many teams do regular inspections, and then just let the data . . . sit. Or maybe they look at one metric without probing deeper to get the right insights. But when you know how to look at the data correctly, you’ll always have a pulse on quality levels within your facilities. What metrics should I be looking at? First, Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

Process Compliance Audits and How They Can Help Fight the Coronavirus

A process compliance inspection helps you ensure that the things you can’t see are being properly cleaned and disinfected. It helps get your entire team on the same page. Additionally, it’s a step you can take to assure your clients that you’re cleaning effectively. Why now is the time to inspect your process With the current COVID-19 outbreaks, it’s more important than ever to ensure your cleaning team is using the right process. Additionally, you Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago
A graphical rendering of the coronavirus. Photo courtesy of the CDC.

Common Questions and Coronavirus Resources for Cleaning Teams

Cleaning teams are on the front lines of helping confront the novel coronavirus pandemic. As the situation changes quickly, it’s not always clear where to find the right information. Here are a few questions we’ve heard within the janitorial community recently, as well as resources to help you find more information. What cleaning products can I use against the coronavirus? The CDC has compiled a list of disinfectants for use against SARS-CoV-2. A few tips Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

Inspecting the Inspector: How to Get Consistent Scores from Your QC Team

One inspector goes through an office and rates the carpets as a 3. Another comes through and gives them a 4. That might not seem like a big problem — but it is. It means you can’t trust that your data is telling the truth about your quality. Quality control data is only as good as your inspections, and consistent data is key to seeing the real trends going on in your facilities. The data you Read more…

By Gina Meeks, ago

What’s the Best Way to Use Pictures in Janitorial Inspections?

It’s amazing what photos can do for janitorial and facilities inspections. There’s just no better way to capture the conditions on-site, get examples to share with your team, and ensure that problems have been fixed. Plus, they’re fast! On the flip side, not every inspection needs a photo. Knowing when to include photos, what to capture, and how to organize that data will help your team communicate quickly and effectively. Why include photos with an Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago

Mark Heller Sees Healthcare Changing. Here’s How Facilities Teams Can Keep Up.

Mark Heller is the president of Hygiene Performance Solutions, a consulting and coaching firm. He works with hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other organizations to help them improve their cleaning and disinfecting processes. His experience as a healthcare executive — and advising other organizations — gives him incredible insight into the forces affecting healthcare housekeeping and environmental services teams today. We talked with Mark to hear his thoughts on why healthcare cleaning is unique, how to Read more…

By Rachel Matuch, ago