Author: Liz Rouech

Maintaining a fresh and pleasant indoor environment is essential for the health and productivity of those within your facility. Studies show that smells can directly impact employees’ moods, which in turn affects their productivity. Advances in odor control technologies are revolutionizing how facilities maintain indoor air quality (IAQ). These solutions are helping keep facilities smelling fresh and free from harmful indoor pollutants.

Impact of Odors and VOCs

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are human-made chemicals emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. Although not visible to the human eye, these compounds can linger in the air, affecting the health and comfort of your facility’s occupants. VOCs are known for their strong odors and are commonly found in products such as cleaners and disinfectants. When released, they adversely impact your IAQ. Additionally, exposure to VOCs can cause eye, nose, skin and throat irritation along with headaches.

Key Practices for Maintaining a Healthy IAQ

The indoor air can be 2 to 5 times more polluted than the outside air due to lack of ventilation, making it crucial to address indoor pollutants for the health of your facility occupants. Reducing VOCs and controlling odors are essential to maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Here are several effective practices:

Use Third-Party Certified Products

One effective way to reduce VOCs is to use third-party certified cleaning products. These products undergo rigorous life cycle assessments (LCAs) to determine their environmental impact and ensure they do not contain harmful VOCs. Switching to third-party certified cleaning products can help your facility maintain a healthy IAQ.

Switch to Electrochemically Activated Solutions

PathoSans is at the forefront of odor control technology with its electrochemical activation (ECA) technology. This technology uses salt, water and electricity to create a sodium hydroxide cleaner, PathoClean®, and a hypochlorous acid sanitizer, PathoCide®These ECAs can effectively neutralize VOCs and sulfur compounds into odorless substances while containing no VOCs. Additionally, because PathoSans products treat odors at the cause, there are no fragrance additives or other chemicals that mask the odors as these can cause irritations to those with sensitives.

Routine Cleaning

Having a consistent cleaning regimen is crucial for controlling odors in your facility. Consistently maintaining and monitoring your IAQ can help prevent the buildup of harmful compounds. Additional cleaning help can help manage these cleaning demands effectively.

At GSF USA, our Écologique cleaning program, certified by Green Seal®, uses sustainable cleaning chemicals along with environmentally sourced consumables to help create a safer, more sustainable environment for our customers and their facility occupants.

Control Odors, Control your IAQ

Understanding and addressing the sources of VOCs and implementing effective odor control measures are essential to creating a healthier, more productive facility. By taking proactive measures to manage indoor air quality, such as switching your cleaning products, you can help ensure a more comfortable and safe environment for everyone in your facility.

At GSF USA, we’re proud to invest in a better method of cleaning and odor control with PathoSans. For more information, contact our offices here.

We’d like to take a moment to celebrate all our hardworking team members who are celebrating significant milestones and anniversaries at GSF USA in the 2nd quarter of 2024! We’re proud to have a dedicated team committed to providing our customers with a safe and clean environment.

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you for your ongoing efforts to help GSF USA grow and stand out as a leading building service contractor. We wouldn’t be where we are today without your hard work. Thank you!

20^th Anniversaries

Leticia C., GSF Indiana

Luis E., GSF Indiana

Leticia T., GSF Indiana

15^th Anniversaries 

Miguel C., GSF Indiana

Angela J., GSF Ohio

10^th Anniversaries 

Rabi A., GSF Indiana

Tomas C., GSF Illinois

5^th Anniversaries

Aline A., GSF Illinois

Abelardo B., GSF Illinois

Carlos C., GSF Illinois

Dulce F., GSF Illinois

Gregorio G., GSF Indiana

Florencio G., GSF Illinois

Frank L., GSF Illinois

Ibeth L., GSF Illinois

Alejandrino M., GSF Illinois

Aureliano M., GSF Illinois

Ruth P., GSF Illinois

Carlos R., GSF Illinois

Carlos R., GSF Indiana

Miguel S., GSF Illinois

Trena V., GSF INC

Isidro V., GSF Illinois

Rosa Z., GSF Illinois

 

Congratulations to our team members who are celebrating significant milestones and anniversaries at GSF USA! We’re proud to have a dedicated team that works hard to provide a safe and clean environment for our customers.

At GSF, it’s our mission to build a team of trusted cleaning professionals with enthusiasm to learn and grow. With training and opportunities for career development, our employees gain the skills that will further them within the commercial cleaning industry. Thank you to everyone for their hard work! We wouldn’t be where we are today without you.

35^th Anniversaries

Ronnie T., GSF Indiana

25^th Anniversaries

Maria F., GSF Illinois

20^th Anniversaries

Yadira D., GSF Indiana

Aurelio G., GSF Indiana

15^th Anniversaries 

Guadalupe C., GSF Illinois

10^th Anniversaries 

Dora D., GSF Ohio

Angelica G., GSF Illinois

Abraham L., GSF Indiana

Maria L., GSF Indiana

Larry M., GSF Ohio

Emerita S., GSF Indiana

Angel T., GSF Indiana

5^th Anniversaries

Juan A., GSF Rockford

Jesus B., GSF Rockford

Marcos B., GSF Illinois

Lucila B., GSF Illinois

Ana B., GSF Illinois

Luis B., GSF Illinois

Donald B., GSF Rockford

Nancy C., GSF Illinois

Margarita C., GSF Illinois

Benjamin C., GSF Illinois

Lourdes D., GSF Illinois

Martha E., GSF Illinois

Ma E., GSF Illinois

Maria G., GSF Indiana

Iris G., GSF Indiana

Yesenia G., GSF Illinois

Nicholas H., GSF Rockford

Laura J., GSF Illinois

Christina L., GSF Rockford

Scott M., GSF Illinois

Maria M., GSF Indiana

Eloy O., GSF Illinois

Grace Abdu P., GSF Rockford

Lucia R., GSF Indiana

Montserrat R., GSF Indiana

Maria Del Rosario R., GSF Illinois

Gabina T., GSF Illinois

Rigoberto V., GSF Illinois

High-traffic areas, such as lobbies, entrances and common spaces, can be difficult to maintain. With 85% of people wanting to see visible evidence of cleaning in the facilities they visit, this brings an additional challenge. The constant foot traffic makes it difficult to maintain a spotless facility. However, with the right strategy in place, you can easily tackle these areas to help maintain your cleanliness standards within your facility.

Here are some tips to help maintain cleanliness in high-traffic areas.

Schedule Cleaning Times

Finding the right time to clean high-traffic areas in your facility can be challenging. However, creating a detailed schedule of when and where to clean can help maintain your cleanliness standards. Opting for less busy times, such as the beginning or end of the day, can help facilitate effective cleaning of these areas. Additionally, regular disinfection of these areas helps prevent the spread of illnesses, fostering a healthier environment for all occupants.

Outsource Additional Help

At times, the workload that comes with cleaning high-traffic areas might feel overwhelming for your cleaning team. Bringing in additional assistance through outsourcing can alleviate some of this pressure. These professionals can help ensure your high-traffic areas are thoroughly cleaned, even during peak hours. It can also free up your cleaning team to concentrate their efforts on other pressing tasks.

Use Automated Machines

Traditional floor cleaning consumes a significant amount of time in your cleaning team’s schedule, especially with the relentless demand for floor care in high-traffic areas. Automated floor cleaning robots offer a solution by operating autonomously, freeing up your team from hours of manual cleaning labor.

At GSF USA, we use robotic self-guided vacuums that can work autonomously for up to three hours, cleaning around 50,000 square feet per week. These robots allow you to work with their built-in AI platform to create a cleaning schedule that works best for your facility.

Train Your Cleaning Staff

Training your cleaning team is essential for helping maintain consistent cleanliness across your facility. During this training, clarify your cleaning expectations, outline proper procedures and define each team member’s role. As a facility manager, ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities creates smoother operations.

Tackle Cleaning with Ease

Implementing effective strategies can help your facility maintain its cleanliness standards despite the challenges brought on by constant foot traffic. By prioritizing these measures, tackling the complexities of cleanliness in high-traffic areas becomes easier, ultimately helping contribute to a healthier and more welcoming environment for all occupants.

At GSF USA, we care about cleanliness and the people who deliver it. Contact us to learn how we can support your facility’s cleaning needs.

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of schools are replacing carpet flooing with luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and other low maintenance flooring in an effort to reduce maintenance, repair and associated costs. LVT is attractive to schools because it is marketed as requiring little to no upkeep, but the reality is that the flooring develops scuffs, scratches, and wear over time. Traditional flooring cleaners and treatments will not resolve these issues. Finding innovative solutions to these types of problems is a primary aim for both Ecolab and GSF USA, Inc, a global cleaning services company. Ecolab and its distributor partners have served as GSF’s primary chemical providers for more than five years, delivering tools, training, expertise and products that have forged a strong relationship and created positive outcomes for GSF customers.

SITUATION

Soon after schools within the districts that GSF serves began installing LVT flooring, the company noticed recurring dirt and wear in certain areas. “Everybody thinks that there’s no maintenance involved with these LVT floors, that you just put them down and don’t have to worry about it,” said GSF Branch Manager Steve Lusk, who oversees two school districts in the West Chicago area. “But we started noticing dirty traffic patterns, where it looked like the dirt was just grinding into the floors.” LVT floors are made up of several layers, including a clear “wear” layer at the top. Fine scratches in that layer, especially in doorways, hallways and other high-traffic areas, cannot be removed with traditional flooring cleaners or waxes.

GSF Branch Manager Grant Mackall said the floors could be cleaned, but they ultimately lost the sheen they had when new. Replacing floor sections would result in significant and unsustainable expense to the schools. But leaving the floors as they were would reflect poorly on the schools’ image. “We went to our supplier, North American Corporation, with the problem and they worked with Ecolab to deliver a  solution,” Mackall said.

SOLUTION

Ecolab introduced GSF to a new product specifically designed to protect and maintain LVT floors, as well as laminate and other low-maintenance flooring. No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector cleans and repairs minor scratches in these floors without adding gloss or a flooring finish. The solution fills imperfections in the wear layer, keeping floors looking new and protecting them from future wear and tear. The daily-use cleaner is easy to use, requires no additional training and can be applied with existing custodial equipment, whether it is diluted in a mop bucket or used in an auto floor scrubber. Following a demonstration of the product, GSF introduced it to schools with immediate success. No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector quickly became the go-to solution for any school transitioning to LVT floors.

RESULTS

Upgrading to LVT flooring is a costly investment, one schools hope is worthwhile given the promise of less maintenance and repair. It’s GSF’s goal to help its partner schools protect their investment in modern flooring, and Ecolab’s solution is making that happen. “If schools didn’t have a solution like this, one that’s not only cleaning, but also repairing the floor, they’d be looking at replacement costs,” said Ecolab Technical Account Manager Chris Walter. “And the replacement costs would be astronomical.” It’s estimated that average daily cleaning using a basic cleaner and floor finish would result in twice the flooring repair costs compared with using No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector alone.

How a school looks is important to students, parents, and faculty. GSF and Ecolab have also been able to help deliver an image everyone can be proud of. The companies have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from schools utilizing No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector. Lusk called it a game changer. “Before we started using the product, you didn’t see that sheen tile floors should have,” Lusk said. “Now with the restorative capabilities of No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector, floors definitely have a natural sheen and it lasts longer.” GSF expects the need for the product to rise as LVT continues to become more popular. “It’s nice that we’re able to take No/Low Maintenance Flooring Cleaner and Protector to a school with luxury vinyl flooring and utilize the product to help them maintain and protect their investments,” Mackall said. “We’ve found it to be a great product.”

 

Click here to download a PDF of this case study.

The heart of our company is in our team members who are committed to clean! At GSF USA, our employees continue to find new growth opportunities through educational programs and learning the latest techniques in the cleaning industry. Each day, they come to work ready to embody GSF’s mission through their hard work and loyalty to the customers they help.

Every quarter, we celebrate those who have reached new milestones and significant anniversaries at GSF. We are proud to recognize our staff’s dedication to providing a clean and safe environment for others! Thank you, and congratulations to the employees below who are celebrating milestone anniversaries in Q1 of 2023!

20^th Anniversaries

Juan Pablo A., GSF Indiana

15^th Anniversaries

Noel A., GSF Indiana

Randall S., GSF Indiana

10^th Anniversaries

Roberto A., GSF Illinois

Martha C., GSF Indiana

Blanca G., GSF Indiana

David H., GSF Illinois

5^th Anniversaries

Maria C., GSF Indiana

Jose C., GSF Illinois

Cody L., GSF Rockford

Magaly L., GSF Indiana

Juan M., GSF Indiana

Stefanie M., GSF Illinois

Adrian R., GSF Illinois

Ana T., GSF Illinois

At GSF USA, our heart lies with our staff members who keep our company going and our customers happy. We hire individuals who not only embody our vision and goals but continuously seek growth and career development opportunities. Studies show that companies that prioritize employee satisfaction and engagement are 21% more profitable than their peers. When your employees feel good about coming to work, it reflects the culture of the company and the work that is done.

One of GSF USA’s more recent clients, Germantown School District, which is comprised of four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school, chose GSF USA to maintain their schools and help prioritize the health and safety of those who enter it daily. “Germantown School District chose GSF USA because of our strong culture and ability to grow and develop our people. They were drawn to our innovative approach to chemistry and technology and the trust they’ve built from our work in multiple other school districts. Simply put, we deliver on what we say we’re going to do,” said Vice President of GSF USA, Kurt Kuempel.

There are so many roles to fulfill at GSF, each one offering opportunities for growth and advancement. When asked about his role as GSF’s Wisconsin Branch Manager, Mark Streitmatter said, “My favorite part about my job is that every day looks different. I get a chance to train and develop people while promoting to our team that this is more than just a job; it’s an opportunity to have a career.” A chance to advance in the workplace is important, not only for employee retention rate but also to help motivate people to want to expand their skill sets. At GSF USA, over 50% of Operations Managers were developed and promoted from within the company.

Another client, U.S. Cellular Plaza, chose GSF USA because of how its team structure stood out from other contractors. Creating a culture of employees that love what they do and show it through their work is an added value that customers appreciate. “GSF’s culture is unique in the industry because we empower our teams to be able to do the work,” said Kuempel “, We spend a lot of time training and developing at ‘GSF University’ and teaching them to be held accountable for the work that they do every day.”

Providing high-quality and sustainable cleaning solutions is at the core of GSF USA’s mission. This means that employees prioritize being well-trained in how to professionally clean each area, use cleaning equipment and supporting one another to ensure that the facilities they work in are getting the services they need. “Sustainable cleaning is important to our customers, so they know they’re coming into a building that has everything from good indoor air quality, to being properly clean and disinfected and creates a welcoming environment,” said GSF’s Director of Educational Services, Scott Mackall.

Our employees’ stories show that at GSF USA, we stand behind our mission. We view our staff as more than just people we hire, but as a team that we care for, support and want to help grow. Offering educational programs, onsite training and advancement opportunities is just the beginning of the core of our values and the heart of our company. Want to join our team? Check out our job openings!

CHALLENGE

Germantown School District in Wisconsin is comprised of four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school as well as Germantown Virtual School for students grades 6-12 living in the state of Wisconsin. More than 3,700 students are enrolled at the district, which has a goal to “Empower and Inspire Every Student to Success.”

The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased cleaning and disinfecting and the use of new equipment like electrostatic sprayers to address SARS-CoV-2. However, many conventional cleaning chemicals contain ingredients that can create unsafe conditions for cleaning professionals, students, staff and visitors. Germantown School District began looking for a better way to clean that would adequately protect against pathogens of concern while also prioritizing occupant safety and environmental sustainability.

SOLUTION

Germantown School District selected GSF USA, a global cleaning services company, to oversee its cleaning program. GSF’s Green Seal®-certified Écologique cleaning program swaps traditional and potentially caustic cleaning chemicals with safer electrochemically-activated solutions (ECAS) from PathoSans®. ECAS are made with an on-site generation system using salt, water and electricity.

PathoClean® is a cleaner/degreaser and PathoCide® is a sanitizer/disinfectant. GSF USA operates two generators and 15 satellite units across the district’s buildings. Employees fill spray bottles with the cleaner and disinfectant. Staff can also safely use the disinfectant with equipment like electrostatic sprayers to quickly disinfect classrooms, hallways and bathrooms.

“Switching from multiple cleaning chemicals to two easy-to-use solutions from PathoSans greatly streamlines the cleaning and disinfecting process,” said Mark Streitmatter, Branch Manager, GSF USA. “The two solutions take care of the majority of the cleaning needs of the district and do not create safety risks because they are made with three simple ingredients.”

RESULTS

With the help of GSF USA and PathoSans, Germantown School District can be confident in:

Cleaning performance. The PathoClean cleaner has reduced the buildup of detergent residue on surfaces throughout the school that are common when using traditional cleaning chemicals. Meanwhile, the fast kill time of the PathoCide disinfectant helps GSF’s employees quickly yet effectively disinfect surfaces. The two products enable GSF to clean for health and appearance, making Germantown School District inviting and safe.

Good indoor air quality. Many cleaning chemicals release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and cause eye and lung irritation. The district previously had to have a separate disinfectant that was compatible with electrostatic sprayers, since the droplet size can impact health and safety. Now, the school has two solutions that are compatible with all surfaces and equipment, do not contain added fragrances or other caustic ingredients and do not emit VOCs. This supports better indoor air quality (IAQ).

Stable chemical supply. The PathoSans solutions are produced in house and on demand with easy-to-source ingredients. This means GSF will always have readily available supply of cleaner and disinfectant, eliminating any disruptions in the cleaning process.

Its commitment to sustainability. Because the PathoSans solutions are made up of water, salt and electricity, they are not harmful to the environment. Additionally, eradicating the shipment of cleaning chemicals to the district’s buildings eliminates the greenhouse gases associated with the transportation of these supplies.

“We’ve been impressed with the never-ending supply of cleaner and disinfectant that the PathoSans generators provide,” added Streitmatter. “The system makes inventory management much easier, as we just need to ensure that we have salt at the ready to continue producing the electrochemically-activated solutions.”

New hires are always an exciting addition to a facility. While most employees usually come with skill sets and prior knowledge of their own, it’s still important to help them learn the ropes and set them up for success. Every facility runs differently, making the first few weeks a critical time to assist new employees and familiarize them with what expectations they need to meet. This provides them with support as they transition into a new job and ensures that as a facility manager, you clearly state the cleanliness standards. Here are three tips for successfully onboarding new cleaning professionals.

Familiarize with Cleaning Procedures

Every facility has its own cleaning procedures and protocols that they follow. Even if your new employee has previously cleaned professionally, it’s still important to share with them how often the facility needs to be cleaned and the specific cleaning procedures for your company. If your facility is smaller, there may be tasks that only need to be done weekly or monthly. On the contrary, there may be tasks, such as taking out the garbage or mopping floors, that need to be done daily. It’s also helpful to share with your new employees the specific cleaning methods that the facility follows. For example, if you have a morning maintenance crew that is designated to restock the restrooms while the night-time maintenance crew is designated to clean the restrooms, that should be relayed to new employees to keep a steady routine in place.

Learn the Facility

Take time to help your new employees get comfortable with the facility. Especially if it’s a large facility, it will be useful for them to know where supply closets are, how many restrooms there are, the best times to clean certain rooms and which parts of the building they will need to focus on cleaning. Providing them with a map of the facility or a cleaning route can help familiarize them with the layout. It may also be helpful to have new employees shadow employees who have more experience. With any new job, it takes time to learn the ins and outs of the building, as well as where things are. However, it’s important for cleaning professionals to know the layout of the facility to ensure that they aren’t accidentally skipping over critical areas.

Equipment Training

Facilities use different cleaning equipment and products depending on the type of flooring they have, what tools are appropriate for the building and the types of chemicals that can be used. Make sure your new employees know where to find the equipment they may need to clean, how to maintain that equipment and how each piece of equipment should be used. Misuse of cleaning equipment or mixing the wrong chemicals together can lead to facility damage that becomes costly to repair. Providing all your employees with proper training in equipment usage can help to avoid injuries, damage and ensure that a proper job is done each time.

Providing Initial Support

Taking time to help successfully onboard new employees helps them feel welcomed and more confident in their role and  allows facility managers to set expectations from the beginning. When employees are provided with a strong support system, it reflects in the work they do and leaves a lasting impression on customers.

Our people are our superpower at GSF USA. Day in and day out, they show up to keep our customers’ buildings looking their best. Our teams are committed to learning the latest techniques for cleaning for health and working alongside innovative equipment to make cleaning more efficient and consistent.

We are proud to have a team made up of both seasoned professionals and those new to the industry who are dedicated to making a difference. Each quarter, we celebrate those who have reached key anniversaries with GSF.

Thank you, and congratulations to the employees below who are contributing to GSF’s mission, celebrating milestone anniversaries in Q3 and Q4 of 2022!

25^th Anniversaries

Alberto J., GSF Indiana

20^th Anniversaries

Uriel C., GSF Illinois

Elvis O. GSF Illinois

Renee P., GSF Ohio

15^th Anniversaries

Ofelia A., GSF Indiana

Troy B., GSF USA President

Maria B., GSF Indiana

Miguel F., GSF Indiana

Odilia F., GSF Indiana

Fidel M., GSF Indiana

Jesus R., GSF Indiana

10^th Anniversaries

Carlos A., GSF Indiana

Lorena C., GSF Indiana

Marcos G., GSF Indiana

Sergio G., GSF Indiana

Kurt K., GSF Illinois

Gabriel L., GSF Indiana

Tyrone M., GSF Indiana

Macario R., GSF Indiana