More is Less

Reducing man hours by using equipment that saves time has always been important to me. Unfortunately, the cost of equipment usually hampers our efforts to obtain it and we spend more man hours on cleaning than would otherwise be necessary.

If money can be earmarked for such equipment, the results are obvious. I read an article about a school in Horton, Michigan where the custodial department purchased $38,000 worth of equipment to streamline their work and to save money. This was a one time expense. Notice the results.

"The gym floor used to take four people eight hours to clean. Now, two people do it in two hours. Hallways are scrubbed in 15 minutes rather than 45 minutes."

"Bathrooms are sprayed with hands-free disinfectant to eliminate scrubbing time."

"Consultants also taught new techniques and helped the department establish benchmarks. Custodians even received uniform shirts."

I've talked before about the benefits of purchasing equipment that saves time. For example. In the high school, we regularly clean 19 bathrooms nightly. Most have several toilets or urinals. We also clean two locker rooms every night. I ponder on the savings and time that could be attained if we were to purchase a machine that one person uses to spray down the bathrooms and that creates a hands-free cleaning system. Less potential for sickness, quicker cleaning time, a deeper cleaning and all done by one person thus allowing others to concentrate on other areas of the building.

I know that the economy limits us, but I hope this isn't an idea that is brushed under the carpet. I'd like to be more efficient and have an even cleaner school in the near future by the implementation of equipment that saves time, man hours and money.