Hantavirus is a rare but severe family of viruses primarily spread by wild rodents such as deer mice and rats. Infection typically occurs when people inhale airborne particles contaminated by rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. From a facility maintenance standpoint, the key concern is not the virus itself, but the conditions that allow rodent activity…
Why Mixing Bleach with Cleaning Chemicals Is a Dangerous Mistake In many facilities, there’s a common misconception: if a cleaner works well, adding bleach will make it even better—stronger, more effective, and capable of disinfecting. On the surface, it might seem logical. Bleach is widely known for its disinfecting power, so why not combine it…
Whooping Cough (Pertussis): What Facility and Jan-San Teams Should Know Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that continues to circulate worldwide. Caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, it spreads easily in shared environments—making facility hygiene, surface cleaning, and disinfection an important part of broader infection prevention efforts. For janitorial and sanitation…
When temperatures drop, indoor sports facilities, gyms, and training centers see a surge in traffic. More athletes inside. More sweat on equipment. More shared surfaces. And unfortunately—more opportunities for staph infections to spread. Staph bacteria are common on skin, but in crowded indoor environments they can easily enter through small cuts, turf burns, or irritated…
For years, enzyme-based cleaners have been praised as a safer, more sustainable way to tackle dirt, grease, and odor. But here’s a little-known fact: many products that were once marketed as enzyme cleaners were actually probiotic cleaners in disguise. The Marketing Story Behind the Label In the early days of “green” cleaning, manufacturers knew consumers…
Carpet cleaning is essential not just for aesthetics, but also for maintaining good indoor air quality and reducing health risks like allergies, asthma, and skin or respiratory issues. Here are some important carpet cleaning techniques that directly impact human health: Vacuuming (Frequent and Thorough) Purpose: Removes dust, allergens, pet dander, and dirt. Health Benefit:…
What Facility Maintenance Providers Need to Know About LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile) As the commercial cleaning industry evolves, so do the materials used in the facilities we service. One flooring trend that’s reshaping maintenance routines is Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT). Whether you’re bidding on new accounts or adapting your maintenance programs, understanding LVT is…
Why Diluting Glass Cleaner with Hard Water Leaves Glass Hazy When it comes to achieving streak-free, crystal-clear glass, even the smallest misstep can make a big difference. One common but often overlooked mistake is diluting glass cleaner with hard water. While it might seem like a harmless or cost-saving move, using hard water can actually…
When it comes to effective cleaning, water temperature plays a crucial role in diluting cleaning chemicals. Whether for household or industrial use, understanding how cold vs. warm water affects chemical performance can enhance cleaning efficiency, safety, and effectiveness. The Science Behind Water Temperature and Chemical Dilution Water acts as a universal solvent, but its temperature…
Keeping snow salt off luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is essential to protect its appearance and durability. Here’s why it’s important: 1. Avoiding Surface Wear Scratching: Salt particles are abrasive and can scratch the protective layer of LVT. Fading or Dulling: Salt residue may chemically interact with the flooring, leading to a dull or worn finish.…
Handwashing is on the rise, but there’s one industry where the issue of dry skin is nothing new. Janitors, custodians, and other cleaning professionals know the pain brought on by lathering up during the winter months. These jobs require employees to work with chemicals, damaging their skin. They also often find themselves touching germ-infected surfaces…
Winter Weather Floorcare Winter weather can be bad news for floors, and the task of maintaining them can be daunting this time of year. Salted roads and walkways are necessary for safety during winter storms, but the debris is often dragged inside and throughout facilities, causing a significant amount of damage. While these problems can…
It’s the time of year where friends, families, and coworkers gather around to celebrate the season and say farewell to the past year. When hosting these types of events, you may find yourself concerned about keeping guests healthy and safe when celebrating. Any get-together comes with the risk of spreading the cold or flu,…
Restrooms get a bad rap when it comes to germs, but even in a pandemic, your risk of catching a highly infectious disease is low. An Australian study found that unless you spend a substantial amount of time in a public restroom, the odds of catching COVID-19 are low. While it is true that things…
Last month we reviewed the benefits of ready-to-use products. While these products are helpful, there are plenty of advantages to concentrated products as well. While both have pros and cons, today we will talk about why you should stock some concentrated products on your shelves. Consider concentrated products from an economic standpoint. For example, when…
Why Choose RTU Ready-to-Use products, or RTU, can tackle cleaning tasks at the drop of a hat. But how do they work? And what are the benefits? Are they suitable for you? No measuring or mixing needed. It’s not false advertising; ready-to-use products are just that. These products are reliable. User…
From 2000 to 2019, there were 7,348 major natural disasters worldwide, killing 1.23 million people and resulting in $2.97 trillion in global economic losses1. And while 60% of small businesses don’t have an emergency plan2 for handling these situations, the numbers don’t lie – it’s necessary. A good emergency plan should have three stages. Preparation…
Did you know that July is carpet cleaning month? If the thought of maintaining or cleaning a carpet overwhelms you, you’re not alone. At MISCO, we know carpet care and have some tips and tricks that can make carpet care easy. Carpet matting at the entrance to facilities is the first step you can take…
Before cell phones, it wasn’t uncommon to find a magazine rack or newspaper in the bathroom. Nowadays, people tend to carry their bathroom readers around with them in the form of their smartphones. While it’s made things more convenient, it can lead to a higher transfer of bacteria & viruses. In a survey conducted by…
As the weather warms up, tick season begins. Many employees may find themselves moving to work outdoors, and tick prevention becomes a priority. According to the CDC, tickborne disease cases more than doubled from 22,000 in 2004 to 48,000 in 2016. Ticks are known to cause Lyme disease, but they also cause Rocky Mountain spotted…
It’s been a year without a lot of public outings. Many people had to give up going to see the newest films or plays at the theater. Thankfully, movies and shows are starting up again and, if done correctly, they can provide a safe and fun experience to make visitors feel welcome. How can these…
After the long winter, Spring is finally here. This is commonly the time of year when the spring-cleaning itch makes itself known. Below we’ve listed four areas often left out of the annual deep clean. Pillows Whether it’s a decorative throw pillow or where you lay your head at the end of the day, dead…
When the pandemic began a year ago, we were constantly reminded of the importance of handwashing. There were how-to videos (like ours) and even websites that turned favorite songs into handwashing timers (found here). Though it has been a long year, the pandemic is still ongoing and handwashing is still just as important. Clean hands…
Winter weather brings unique dirt and cleaning problems – inside! When not handled properly, these problems will cause real long-term damage to facilities and can make people sick. Floors Take a Beating! When preparing for a winter storm, we typically salt our walkways, driveways, and sidewalks to make them safe and slip free. And hopefully,…
Cleaning and disinfecting protocols have become the top priority during the Coronavirus Pandemic. But if you’re new to the cleaning industry or are finding yourself responsible for disinfecting procedures for the first time, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. A routine is everything. The first thing you’ll need to do is develop a cleaning…
The coronavirus is still here and has invited itself to Thanksgiving dinner. Unfortunately, many experts believe this makes celebrating a traditional Thanksgiving more unsafe than usual. But this doesn’t have to mean the feast is canceled. Virtual Celebrating On November 26th, consider going virtual. If your annual guests are immune-compromised or visiting…
Fall has arrived, and with it come seasonal allergies. To top it off, flu season is also just around the corner. Despite being in the middle of a pandemic, we still have to deal with seasonal sicknesses. Anyone with allergies knows it was already tough enough to distinguish between a cold and something less serious.…
Last month we talked about traveling safely in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now we’re going to talk about staying safe once you reach your final destination. Hotel rooms and rental homes, according to experts, pose a similar risk of transmission, however they are both safer than staying with family or friends. It’s easier…
Whether you’re traveling for business or you simply miss hearing “Are we there yet?” on repeat, you may find yourself on the go for the first time in months. Summer is here and some restrictions have relaxed leaving many people to ask themselves, “How can I travel safely?” The first thing you will need before…
With health in mind, cleaning has become an important daily routine for new reasons. The task can be overwhelming when you consider all of the terms that are out there – cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing. We’ve already discussed the differences in sanitizing and disinfecting, but what about all-purpose cleaners? Our products are all formulated for…
When it comes to germs, people fear the toilet seat, but there’s actually something a lot more personal that you should be concerned about. You carry your cell phone around, keeping it close, and press it next to your face, but did you know that it has more germs than a public toilet seat? In…
The Difference Between Self-Quarantine, Self-Isolation, and Other COVID-19 Related Terms Social distancing, self-quarantine, self-isolation, quarantine, isolation – you’ve seen these words everywhere lately, but how do they differ and which one should you be practicing? We’ve been told that social distancing can help slow the spread of COVID-19, which will reduce the number of those…
March Madness is an annual tournament played each spring in the United States. For those unfamiliar with the tournament, it’s when the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball teams compete. This single elimination challenge has 64 college teams playing against each other for the winning title. That’s a lot of basketball and a lot of wear…
We’ve all have the pleasure of walking into a public restroom only to find a visible surprise left for us on the seat, usually in the form of a yellow liquid. Unfortunately, other than avoiding public bathrooms altogether, these incidents are inevitable. Some restrooms provide paper covers to help keep users clean, but it’s not…
Flu Season VS. All Ya’ll After the holidays, you may have returned to work only to discover several of your coworkers are sick. The odds are, the festive season got to them. Holiday gatherings are known to spread germs, but this year the Norovirus is spreading faster than usual. The number of outbreaks is 67%…
