DIRTY FACTS
Did you know?

LABOR

  • “It is estimated that 90% of building maintenance cost is labor.” (Cleaning Management)
  • The estimated cost of removing a single pound of dirt from a modern building can ex-
    ceed $600. (International Sanitary Supply Association)
  • “A dollar spent keeping soil out of a building will save 10 dollars in removing the soil
    once it’s inside.” (Cleaning & Maintenance Management)
  • 39% of all custodial time is devoted to floor care maintenance. (National Executive
    Housekeepers Association)


APPEARANCE

  • “91% of shoppers select a store to shop in because of its appearance.” (Progressive Grocer)
  • When asked, “What’s the first thing you look at when judging cleanliness?” the most popular
    first response of consumers was “Floors” (42%). (CDI Research, 1991)
  • “A 10-year long study released in 1999 also underscores the importance of entranceways,
    finding that students, when visiting colleges, largely based their selections on the appearance
    of the campus – specifically entranceways, restrooms and the grounds.” (Cleaning & Mainte-
    nance Management)
  • When customers choose a restaurant, cleanliness ranks at the top for fast-food destinations.
    (Restaurants & Institutions, 1994)


STATISTICS

  • A buildup of .042 inches of dirt on a heating or cooling coil can decrease efficiency by 21%.
    (Environmental Protection Agency)
  • Dirt and dust cause nine out of ten system failures. (Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service)
  • 100 grams (1/4 pound) per day per 1000 people can be tracked into a commercial building
    during dry weather conditions. Twelve times as much dirt is tracked in during wet weather
    conditions based on field tests conducted by BST Laboratory over an 11-month period.
  • Up to 24 pounds of dirt can be tracked in by just 1,000 people coming through an entrance
    over a 20-day work period. (ISSA)
  • 30% of the dirt tracked in is trapped in the first 3 feet of a typical mat, 85% of the dirt gets
    trapped within a 15-foot length of typical matting. (ISSA)
  • “We estimate that only about 10% of the dirt is removed from mats with a vacuum cleaner.”
    (Georgia State University Test)
  • Studies show that one square yard of commercial grade carpeting can accumulate one
    pound of dirt over a one-week period and up to twice as much during inclement weather.
    (International Sanitary Supply Association)
  • A major source of indoor air pollutants is street dust, carried in on shoes and captured in car-
    peting. (“The indoor Clean Air Quality Challenge”, Spray Technology Magazine, 1993)