Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 23rd October 2025 Issue no. 1183
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
 International News
Products ISSA appoints Kim Althoff executive director as John Barrett transitions to Emeritus role
Microsoft tips: Millions of PCs set for landfill after Windows Update, warns green tech pioneer
Thank Your Cleaner Day: Recognising the essential role of cleaning professionals
Interclean Shanghai 2025 – less than a week away
New robot floor cleaners respond dynamically to foot traffic in commercial spaces
Built for big messes and bigger expectations: new Facility Pro pre-moistened Towelettes
Sofidel further expands its production capacity in the US
Smart washrooms go live at Beijing Daxing International Airport
Service robots see global growth boom: cleaning robots show highest growth
BSCAI announces 2025 Clean Awards and Scholarship recipients
The unusable washroom - Tork and Publicis London spotlight barriers to inclusive hygiene
Navigate modern cleaning challenges with help from Tennant's free webinar series
Minnisota State Park has far more than ‘the bear necessities’ says Cintas
Comac Deutschland: a new subsidiary, a new beginning
|
Welcome to the Cleanzine
A few weeks back we ran a piece by Optimum FM Solutions’ Andrew Taft, titled: ‘Why your operations managers shouldn't be carrying out cleaning’. I must confess that when I first looked into what Andrew was saying, I was surprised. My daughter, who’d worked for a cleaning contractor every weekday evening through college 20 years ago was sat next to me, so I asked her. “Oh yes – it happened at least once a week – sometimes more,” she said. She explained that most of the team had been with the contractor for ages and enjoyed what they did, but that since many were working part-time to fit around, say, raising families, and sometimes worked across different contracts and for different employers too, their other commitments would often get in the way – and, knowing it was just (in their case) a two-hour shift they’d be missing, they felt confident that the rest of the team would be able to cover. And then there were the bouts of sickness that got in the way, which tended to require a new recruit or two and would sometimes involve someone being transferred from another site, since the newbies couldn’t get to the site where they were needed, so a fair bit of ‘jiggling about’ could be required along with extra training sessions.
Of course, as they were absent, the team members didn’t realise that it was the manager who generally had to step in, since, (like most cleaning businesses) the contractor was having to run a tight shift and everyone was already working flat out.
I knew when I joined the industry many years prior, that those running the contracts had something of a nightmare ensuring cover was provided when team members weren’t available to work, but it never occurred to me that it would be the managers who’d have to step in. Naive or what?
In his piece, Andrew revealed that he was aware that operations managers are spending up to 60% of their time carrying out cleaning. I was gobsmacked to learn that, bearing in mind how far the industry’s come over the years. And of course it’s so much more than just about losing the difference between a manager’s pay and a cleaner’s pay, (£30,000-ish per manager?) – many times over in most cases - but the fact that it might lead to a loss of confidence by the client. They may be impressed seeing the manager doing the cleaner’s work on the odd occasion, since it shows an ‘all hands on deck’ type of commitment, but if it’s happening as often as Andrew’s contacts says it is, then perhaps it smacks of bad planning, or the like. If you missed his words of wisdom, you can find them here.
 This Week's News
CLEEN study drives 34% drop in hospital-acquired infections
Known as the CLEEN study, the NHMRC Investigator Grant-funded clinical trial was conducted at Gosford Hospital and led by Avondale University's professor of health services research and nursing and Honorary Professor at the University of Newcastle, Brett Mitchell, from HMRI's Infection Research Program. It found that enhanced cleaning of shared medical equipment resulted in a 34% drop in hospital-acquired infections. Chicopee and Sontara announce unified strategy under Magnera
This initiative marks a significant step in aligning both brands under a unified vision, reinforcing their market leadership and enhancing their ability to serve global customers with enhanced focus and agility.  Brain study reveals that cleaning is an unexpected mood booster!
Clorox's new Good vs. Good experiment in the Middle East aims to clean up some of the myths around what truly makes us feel good. And the brand has taken a bold step to prove it - through neuroscience with consumer insight, and the results are both surprising and refreshingly relatable. Waste to Wonder Worldwide: 20 years of successful corporate 'waste' redistribution
The process is simple: Companies contact the organisation when they are refurbishing, downsizing or consolidating offices. A site survey is carried out and a clearance is scheduled. But while the costs are comparable to those of traditional waste contractors, the difference lies in the destination: where others recycle or scrap, Waste to Wonder redistributes.  Free webinar: Cost, Control, and Coverage… choosing what HR to own vs. outsource
From payroll and recruiting, to benefits and compliance, owners are facing the same question: what should we manage internally, and what's better handled by outside experts? Europe's EcoCleans arrives in Miami - its US launchpad!
Founded in 2015 and with a proven business model in Europe, EcoCleans aims not only to build robust operations in Miami, but also to pave the way for a franchise expansion across the US. As such, it is seeking strategic partners who share its vision of transforming the cleaning sector with an ecological, profitable and positively impactful approach.  Clean up volunteers find disgusting mess in Loch Lomond lay-bys
Organised by The Friends, which helps to look after the special qualities of the National Park area, the event was the charity's third 'MAD' day this year with another two to follow. Wray Bros celebrates 40 years in the cleaning & hygiene industry
From humble beginnings in 1985 Liverpool, brothers Graham and Mark Wray began selling reclaimed rags and wipes from Oxfam under the business name 'Willy Wiper,' before rebranding to Wray Bros.  The Cleanzine Archive Search We keep an extensive archive of news stories and product information that have featured in past issues of The Cleanzine. If you would like to run a search of the The Cleanzine web site using the search tool below please just go ahead by entering in the name of the person, product or company or any other key words that you are looking for. How to contact us at The Cleanzine:
|
 REQUEST THE CLEANZINE HERE The Cleanzine is broadcast
every Thursday. You may receive it FREE each week by
clicking the link above. Hospital Hygiene 
Our weekly updated Hospital Hygiene features current developments and product solutions cleaning and hygiene industry manufacturers are coming up with. Read More. Recent UK News
BCC says 'better-targeted cleaning' is needed to reinforce new handwashing standards
Cleanology's annual charity fundraiser raises record £34,000 for The Hygiene Bank
Genesis Biosciences continues team growth with new appointments
Gareth David appointed as head of sales at Robert Scott
Several first-timers to exhibit at Manchester Cleaning Show 2026 As the UK's second-largest cleaning industry event (after its flagship London Cleaning Show), the Manchester Cleaning Show will be welcoming an impressive line-up of first-time exhibitors in 2026, demonstrating the show's expanding reach and appeal. Currently, the organisers are expecting more than 2,500 attendees across two days of intensive product sourcing, live demonstrations, industry education and valuable networking opportunities. Excellence, determination and dedication at Environmental Cleaners Military Awards 2025
SBFM extends partnership with PureGym
Sodexo celebrates 600-plus colleagues reaching long service milestones
Winners celebrate success at BICSc Awards
Why your operations managers shouldn't be carrying out cleaning
Chemanglia awarded Royal Warrant
Events & Exhibitions INTERCLEAN ISSA Cleaning & Hygiene Expo Hygienalia ISSA Show North America Horecava The Cleaning Show Clean-Tech Expo Cleaning Expo INTERCLEAN The Workplace Event |
You can also follow us on X (Twitter) 
