Switching to Manual Cleaning with Foam


19.02.2020

“It is possible to work in a more environmentally friendly way using conventional cleaning products, rather than ecologically certified products. The decisive factor: the cleaning method.”

In autumn 2018, P. Sonderegger AG switched to Wetrok’s foam method for maintenance cleaning. The company no longer cleans with buckets of water, but with a small foam bottle. Björn Sonderegger and Wetrok’s Head of Chemicals, Irene von Büren, reveal how much water the method saves, which steps can be completed in less time, and why foam cleans more effectively than liquid cleaning solutions.

Mr. Sonderegger, you have switched to the foam cleaning method for maintenance cleaning. Where did you get the idea to swap your buckets for foam bottles?
Sonderegger: We had been dissatisfied with the conventional bucket approach for some time. It has too many drawbacks. For example, a new cleaning solution would have to be mixed before each use, which often led to over-concentration. This lack of reliability prompted us to actively seek out alternatives.

 

von Büren: Many customers switch to foam cleaning for reasons of efficiency. Tests show that the foam method cleans a significantly larger surface area per hour than cleaning with a bucket of water, i.e. you can clean a larger area in less time. This method also has a considerable effect on personnel costs, which is by far the largest expense in cleaning.

Did you test the foam cleaning method in one of your properties first, or did you jump straight in at the deep end?
Sonderegger: In order to gather initial experience, one and a half years ago we switched over to the new method in two large properties for testing purposes. During this test period, it was essential that we involved our staff in the process – after all, it is they who work with the foam every day. We received very positive feedback – otherwise, we would not have gone through with the switch. Since the beginning of this year, we have gradually been making the switch in all properties.

How does the foam method work?
von Büren: It’s extremely easy! Simply fill the foam bottle with water and cleaning product up to the mark, screw on the lid and gently squeeze the bottle with your hands – this generates foam that can be applied to a cloth. The foam should be applied in the shape of a cross, as our tests found that this is the optimum way to wet the cloth.

In what areas does foam cleaning save time compared to the water-and-bucket method?
Sonderegger: Filling the foam bottles. We use them in buildings where there is no automatic dosing system installed. The bottles feature a dosing level indicator and are filled up in our warehouse in advance. This is both quick and simple.

von Büren: When using buckets, there are all kinds of additional tasks: The bucket needs to be repeatedly emptied and refilled with fresh water. Drying also takes up valuable time. By repeatedly immersing dirty cloths in the water, dirt accumulates in the cleaning solution. What’s more, excessive moisture in the cloth can lead to inadequate cleaning results on sensitive surfaces. As a result, these surfaces need to be dried after cleaning. These steps are no longer necessary with a foam bottle and the fact alone that drying is no longer necessary saves a considerable amount of time.

Which applications do you use the foam for?
Sonderegger: With the exception of floor cleaning, we have switched to the foam system in all areas of maintenance cleaning. This also applies to cleaning in private households, where the experience has also been positive since switching to foam cleaning.

von Büren: The foam provides considerable added benefits when cleaning offices and bathrooms in particular. Fingerprints and coffee stains can easily be wiped away using the slightly damp cloths. Meanwhile, in sanitary areas, the foam offers a decisive advantage: While sprays are sprayed directly into fittings and thereby have negative long-term effects on their inner workings, foam is not forced into openings under pressure, but remains outside and takes effect there. A factor that is not to be underestimated when it comes to value retention!

 

Does foam produce worse, equivalent or better cleaning results than the water-and-bucket method?
Sonderegger: We were impressed with the cleaning results from day one. From our subjective point of view, surfaces and sanitary areas are cleaner after using foam than after using a bucket and water.

von Büren: There is a simple explanation for the higher level of hygiene when using foam: When cleaning with a bucket, the dirty cloth is repeatedly dipped in the water – this not only leads to the accumulation of dirt in the bucket, but also on the cloth. The amount of dirt increases and is spread with every immersion.  When cleaning with foam, on the other hand, fresh foam is applied to a new, unused side of the cloth each time it is used. No contact with dirty cloths, no dirt distributed.

What made Wetrok develop the manual foam cleaning method?
von Büren: The foam cleaning method replaces two traditional methods: the bucket-and-water method and the spray cleaning method, both of which involve undesirable factors: The spray particles in the air when spraying (aerosols); and the time-consuming, suboptimal hygienic handling and high potential for incorrect dosing when using a bucket of water. The foam cleaning method was almost a chance discovery – but it was the only one that eliminated all these negative factors in one fell swoop.

How important was sustainability in the decision to use foam?
Sonderegger: As an ISO 14001 (environmental management) certified company, sustainability was essential to us in the decision-making process. The foam cleaning method allows us to reduce the use of cleaning products significantly: by more than 50 percent in sanitary areas, in fact! Among other things, the foam adheres better than conventional liquid cleaning products in toilet bowls, meaning we need less chemicals per toilet.

von Büren: Our tests confirm this statement: Compared to buckets, the foam method uses 90 percent less water and 30 percent less chemicals. This is because not a drop goes unused: With the bucket method, the remaining water and chemical mixture are emptied from the (often over-concentrated) bucket after use. The foam bottle, on the other hand, is placed back on the shelf as is, and can be used again the next day. This example proves that even with products that are not ecologically certified, you can clean in an environmentally friendly way simply by adapting the cleaning method. Sometimes even more so than with ecological products.

For service providers, employees are the most important resource. How important a role did user safety play in your decision to switch to foam cleaning?
Sonderegger: A very important role! We employ staff from over 20 different countries, which often results in language barriers. Thanks to the very simple dosage and application of the foam, we are able to eliminate sources of errors and considerably reduce the error rate (e.g. over-concentrating). In addition, the small foam bottle is more portable, flexible and ergonomic for staff to use.

von Büren: The foam method is a shining example of user safety. Foam does not produce spray particles that can enter the airways, there is no need to carry a heavy bucket of water around and there is no need to strain the joints by wringing cloths. In addition, unlike buckets, foam bottles do not pose a trip hazard.

Some of your employees have been working for Sonderegger for up to 20 years. Were the changes well-received by these employees?
Sonderegger: That’s a very interesting question. It did indeed prove difficult to convince some of the “old hands” of the new method. But that was less about the foam itself, and more about switching from a wet cloth to a slightly damp one.

von Büren: The reason for the slightly damp application is the synergy effect between the microfibre cloth and the cleaning chemicals. If the cleaning chemicals are only slightly dampened with foam, rather than wet, the microfibre cloth can pick up the maximum amount of dirt, ensuring better cleaning results – in considerably less time.

How and where was the new method taught?
Sonderegger: We trained our employees in a two-step, train-the-trainer process. First, the team leaders were trained by Wetrok specialists. Then, the team leaders passed on their new knowledge to the employees in the respective properties. One thing in particular became clear during training: The foam makes the working environment much safer.

Does the foam method have any drawbacks?
Sonderegger: Yes and no. While in the past, cloths were washed an reused, now they are replaced with new ones. As a result, our textile consumption has increased somewhat.  However, this is a logical consequence of what we wished for: a higher level of hygiene.

von Büren: Increased textile consumption can indeed be a consequence. Nevertheless, a microfibre cloth has eight usable sides. Ideally, cleaning staff should use the entire surface area of the cloth (all eight sides) using an optimal folding technique.

What makes foam a modern, sustainable cleaning method?
von Büren: It’s the only cleaning method that effectively meets four increasingly important requirements: an efficient work approach, environmentally friendly cleaning, improved safety for cleaning staff and a high level of hygiene.

According to your company history, your business effectively started life in a garage. Your grandmother started offering private cleaning services, out of which the company P. Sonderegger AG was formed several years later. What would she think about modern methods like foam cleaning?
Sonderegger: When my grandmother founded the company, professional cleaning was still in its infancy. However, even then, she was a pioneer who liked to try new things. So I like to think she would also have given foam cleaning a chance.



“When I first heard about foam cleaning, I didn’t know what to make of it. Without further ado, I took the foam bottle home with me and put it through its paces. I have been a ‘foam fan’ ever since: I don’t have to wipe tables or washbasins dry after cleaning, or wring out cloths anymore, and the foam bottle is quick and easy to fill. Compared to cleaning with a bucket, the foam method is much faster and leaves me more time for other tasks.”
Sandra Moser; laundry, cleaning and warehouse employee at P. Sonderegger AG