It’s not often that something truly new is invented that dramatically changes the cleaning process, so when ADVAP introduced its Ladybug with the patented TANCS® dry steam vapor disinfecting system 10 years ago, we knew we had a revolutionary product but that we also had a responsibility to educate cleaning professionals and consumers. After all, military-invented bleach, ammonia, and similar chemical solutions had been the standard for generations, certainly long enough for them to create a space in our memories as the “smell of clean.”
But as science often does, it shows us better, safer, healthier, easier, and faster ways to accomplish the tasks that are integral to our lives. The ADVAP Ladybug with TANCS® is
- Better at penetrating soils and microbial films, resulting in a truer clean
- Safer to skin, eyes, nostrils and lungs than high-VOC chemical cleaners – even the “green,” “natural,” and “organic” ones with scents that re-contaminate indoor air
- Healthier because more soil and microorganisms are removed and there are no chemicals in use to leave residues behind accidentally
- Easier to use than the old standard “spray-and-wipe” method of cleaning, which requires multiples: spray, dwell, wipe, rinse, dry and sometimes repeat
- Faster to disinfect in 2-7 seconds as opposed to 2-10 minutes for most disinfectants – plus the dry steam vapor cleans at the same time, reducing 2 steps (cleaning then disinfecting) into one.
Practice Your Photos
To ensure that you capture clear, well-lit photos in a high resolution format, let’s make sure your camera settings are ready. Whether you are using a digital camera or the camera in your smart phone or tablet, navigate to the settings and adjust for these levels:- Flash: Auto
- Filter: None
- Unsharpened pencil
- Dollar bill or quarter
- Battery (with the size visible in the photograph)
- Hand
- Physically farther away – to give perspective of the soiled area within the larger space
- About halfway in between those two shots – this shot often includes enough soiling detail and spatial awareness for a great contrast in the after photograph
Prepare Your Clients
If you don’t already have a photo release written into your standard service agreement, this may be the time for you to add and implement that. And if you’re not ready for that step, gain permission from clients before taking photos to take photos and use them for marketing purposes using a simple 1-page release like this one.Find Your Scene
Arguably, the trickiest part of any before-and-after photo contest is finding the best “before” situation, especially when you don’t always know what you’re walking into. In general, the places that get the most visually dirty and go neglected for the longest times are “wet” places:- Bathrooms – especially kids’ bathrooms
- Kitchen sinks
- Exterior door frames
- Sliding door tracks
- Refrigerator door handles, grills, and especially the seal around the door
- Oven interior
- Outdoor grill
- Deck or porch floor
- Grout
Prepare Your Before-and-After Photo Submission
Use a free photo app on your smart phone or table to create your before-and-after photo. We’ve found these to be widely adopted for just this kind of use, easy to use, and available free from iTunes and GooglePlay:- Photo Grid
- Pic Collage
- Before After Collages
FAQs
Q: Can hydrogen peroxide and vinegar be used together as a disinfectant?
A: Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar may reduce germs when used separately and consecutively on a cleaned surface, but they should not be mixed in one bottle. Cleaning businesses should clean first, use proper dwell time, and avoid calling the method a guaranteed disinfectant unless the product and process meet applicable disinfectant-label requirements.
Q: Why should surfaces be cleaned before using vinegar or hydrogen peroxide?
A: Soil, grease, and debris interfere with germ reduction. For professional cleaning, remove visible soil with a detergent, rinse or wipe as appropriate, then apply any disinfecting or sanitizing step according to the product instructions and required contact time.
Q: Is this a safe green cleaning method for professional cleaners?
A: It can be positioned as a lower-toxicity germ-reduction method when used carefully, but technicians need training on surface compatibility, ventilation, storage, and never mixing chemicals. Vinegar can damage stone and other acid-sensitive surfaces, while hydrogen peroxide can lose strength when exposed to light.
Q: What should cleaning companies tell customers about natural disinfectants?
A: Use clear language: natural products may help reduce germs, but not every natural cleaner is an EPA-registered disinfectant. Customers should understand the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, dwell time, and product label claims.
