Is Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) Real?
by Jeff May, May Indoor Air Q: Is Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) real? A: Yes, SBS — aka, too-tight building syndrome — is real and exists when poorly-ventilated indoor spaces “bottle up” pollutants from materials used in building/furnishing a [...]
What are PFAS?
PFAS are organic compounds that do not occur naturally but are found in a variety of products and even in human blood. These pervasive, persistent, “forever” chemicals have been linked to cancer and other diseases. Cleaning products that may contain [...]
An Exercise in Professionalism: How Clean is Clean?
The purpose of this exercise is to develop a method or methodologies to enable cleaning professionals to determine a level of cleanliness by objective measurement. The criteria include: Realistically define the study area to be cleaned, plus the cleaning [...]
Master the Art of Evidence-Based Cleaning with Indoor Health Council
In the age of information, it's not just about cleaning; it's about cleaning the right way. At Indoor Health Council, we're not just thinking about the present. We're focused on a BHAG – a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Our [...]
What American Janitors Can Learn from Japan
In Japan, it is common for workers to engage in various exercises or stretches before starting their workday. These exercises are known as "radio calisthenics," and they are often done in groups, either outdoors or in the workplace. Radio calisthenics [...]
Extending Hygiene Practices to Transform Indoor Spaces
Indoor spaces are three-dimensional, so why is cleaning typically one-dimensional, relegated to surfaces? In part, it’s because: 1. Many in the industry focus on visible soil rather than whole environment contamination because that is what many were taught and what [...]
Building Better Content
The graphic shows a method used by Egyptian builders to level and plumb the Pyramid at Giza. Similar techniques are used today. Writers and educators today – like their ancient counterparts – use methods to ensure content is “on the [...]
Bridging Theory with Practice, A Word About Certification and our LMS
Indoor Health Council will award certificates based on successful application, i.e., to students who demonstrate mastery of both knowledge and practice. Our Learning Management System (LMS) helps ensure both goals, while providing a video record of training [...]
People Who Clean are at Risk
People who clean buildings face exposure to unhealthy elements such as inhalable dust and chemicals, skin exposure to cleaning solutions and disinfectants, noise from equipment, contact or inhalation of chemical residues and mixtures of these residues. Reducing these exposures will [...]
Why is Cleaning for Health Not Widely Practiced?
Cleaning for health, also known as "health-based cleaning" or "hygiene-focused cleaning," is a cleaning approach that prioritizes the safety and health of workers and occupants through an ergonomic process enabling the removal of soil and harmful microorganisms, [...]