Floor Consult

Whether you’re headed to your vacation home at the beach, lakeside or in the mountains, your first trip is likely to have your car loaded up with some or all of the following… kids, pets, boogie boards, beach chairs, fishing poles, tackle box, coolers, bed sheets, towels, toilet paper and the list goes on and on.  While you’re trying to fit all of this into your vehicle and realizing what a tight squeeze it is, remember… cleaning supplies to get rid of the must and dust that has settled into your vacation home during the winter months!

Have no fear… (1877)Floorguy is Here!  Before you leave for your lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer, take a few minutes to log on towww.1877floorguy.com, place your order for cleaning supplies and have it ship to your summer address.  This way, you won’t have to fit it into your car which leaves more space for lounge chairs, inner tubes, beach umbrellas, etc.  Don’t wait until you get there to buy it at the local grocer who will have a small selection at summer prices.  Shop smart at www.1877floorguy.com!

Check out our Top Picks for Summer 2010.  We’ve included products that take care of mold, odors and stains and convenient, easy to use items that will make cleaning your home away from home a breeze.  Then use our Shipping Calculator to estimate how far in advance you should place your order so it’s there when you arrive.  This feature is further explained in How Can I Reduce My Floorguy Shipping Costs Without Sacrificing Service blog.

Top Picks for Summer 2010:

Bona Spray Floor Mop with Refillable Hardwood Cleaner Cartridge will make cleaninghardwood floors easy with its all-in-one design, just pull the spray handle and mop. It’s that easy!  Comes with a Refillable Cartridge (we sell economical gallon size for refilling the cartridge) however, if you’re feeling kicked back and relaxed, you can order additional Hardwood Cleaner Cartridges for your mop.  Just replace it and you’re ready to go.  All we ask is that you, please, recycle the empty cartridges.

The same Bona Spray Floor Mop can also be used with theRefillable Stone, Tile & Laminate Cleaner Cartridge to easily clean hard surface floors in your vacation home such as stone, tile and laminate.

DuPont StoneTech Revitalizer Cleaner & Protector is a popular choice for cleaning and maintaining natural stone & ceramic tile surfaces often found in foyers, kitchens and bathrooms.  Available in spray or disposable wipes theRevitalizer Cleaner & Protector comes in two great scents, Cucumber and Citrus, and the built-in sealer protects the surface of the stone while it cleans for a worry-free surface.  No need to rinse.  Just clean and go.  This allows more time for you to enjoy fun in the sun!

Great for routine bathroom & kitchen cleaning, AquaKleenis a multi-purpose basin, tub and tile cleaner that effectively cleans even soiled grout joints.  The No VOC,water-safe formula is approved for use on ceramic surfaces, natural stone, tile, porcelain, grout, plastic, glass, fiberglass, cultured marble, metal surfaces laminate, and fixtures which will give you peace of mind that a guest staying at your house, while you’re not there, won’t use the “wrong” cleaner because it’s hard to go wrong with AquaKleen.

Grout-Aide is a great quick fix for grouted tile floors that have stains on the grout that just wouldn’t come clean at the end of last season. Or maybe the grout just looks dingy.  With very little effort Grout-Aide covers the stains and dries quickly.  Grout-Aide comes in 5 different colors.  More information on this product can be found in ourQuick-Fix for Dirty Grout blog.

Vital-Oxide is a must-have if mold or mildew has taken root or if you’re concerned about bacteria anywhere in your home. Eliminates 99.9% of bacteria on a wide range of surfaces in your home including counters, floors, mattresses, upholsteryand in the laundry.  Vital Oxide is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial disinfectant, safe for use around children and pets. Ready-to-use formula available in32oz Spray or Gallon Size.

Odorcide 210 is used alone, or with Vital-Oxide when a disinfectant is required, to neutralize and eliminate strong, adverse odors in the home.  Extremely effective and safe on a wide range of surfaces including wood, carpet, upholstery, laminate, tile. No residue, non-irritant, safe for use around people and pets.  Available ready-to-use orconcentrate.

Three can’t-go-wrong spot cleaners for carpet. All proven effective and easy to use to quickly remove stains from carpet.  Don’t worry if your son spills his chocolate milk, the dog has a little “accident” or your husband tracks grease in from the bbq.  Here are three convenient carpet spot cleaners to have on hand that can clean-up the mess:

Spot Shot removes both oil-based and water-based stains without leaving any residue or ring behind.

Capture Carpet Spot Eliminator works great on grease and oil based stains.

Host Dry Carpet Cleaner Shaker Pack is a dry carpet cleaner that absorbs stains, reduces allergens such as dust mites, mold and pet dander, has no drying time.

We’ve got many more fabulous floor cleaning & maintenance items at1877Floorguy.com, hundreds of products to keep your floors looking their best including equipment and tools, such as Bona Kemi Mops & Microfiber Covers and Manufacturer Supplied Care Kits such as Bruce Wood Flooring Maintenance Kit and Quick Step Laminate Cleaning Kit. We carry many hard to find floor care items so, if you don’t find what you need on our website, call us at 1-877-Floorguy (1-877-356-6748).

Thanks for taking the time to see our Top Picks for Summer Cleaning. Place your order today and take a 10% discount off your order by using coupon code “FGBLOG”.  We appreciate your business and wish you a Wonderful Summer!

I think you’ll agree that…Shipping is EXPENSIVE!  Shipping is IMPORTANT!  AND you’re a HAPPY Customer when our products ship to you in good condition and in a timely fashion.  We want to keep you happy by providing reliable delivery at the best possible price.  I am going to share with you some strategies you can use to improve shipping costs for the products you buy from us.

First, take a moment to find the Shipping Calculator located  on our“View My Cart” page by scrolling to the bottom of the page.  (At lease one item must be in your cart to be able to scroll.)  Our Shipping Calculator is linked directly to UPS and uses their rates based on weight, # of packages and destination.  This makes it easy for you to look at shipping cost before you place your order.

In order to maximize packaging opportunities and save money for our Customers we have figured out the right size boxes for each of our products and how many items per box create economy in shipping without sustaining certain damage en route to you.  You’ll notice, on our website, that most items are available in quantity discounts.  Minimum quantity for the price breaks correspond with the way our products are packaged because, for example, it costs less to package 2 bottles of 32 oz. Bona Pro-Series Hardwood Floor Cleaner than 1 so we pass the savings on to you.  In addition to the price break, your freight will be substantially less per item for 2 bottles than 1. (There is some difference due to handling and weight.)  The Shipping Calculatoris an excellent, easy to use tool that you can use to compare shipping costs for multiple quantities vs individual quantities before placing your order.

Our Customers have let us know that shipping cost is an important factor in purchasing decisions.  Customers also say that reliable delivery, without damage, is even more important.  Based on this feeback, we continue to ship our producst with UPS because they provide us and our Customers with the best record of successful deliveries, ease of order tracking and reliable estimates for transit time (also shown in the Shipping Calculator).  If damage does occur in transit, UPS has a system in place to promptly notify us of the damage so we can reship the order to you in the shortest amount of time.

Here’s what some of our customers have said about our shipments:

Amy in Buffalo, NY, “Good products, good prices. Shipping wasefficient and timely; the products were well-packaged.”

Miriam in Las Vegas, NV, “I received a confirmation email when I placed the order and another when the order was shipped. The email had a link to the UPS tracking website so I could see exactly when my products would arrive. The process was quick and easy.”

Mary in Newport, TN, “This was one of the easiest orders I have placed on line. The service was very fast and convenient. I received an E-mail confirmation immediately following placement of my order. The order was well packaged and it arrived as promised.”

In addition to quantity discounts, we offer FREE FREIGHT on orders of $150 or more.  If you place an order with $150 or more in products from www.1877Floorguy.com freight is FREE (valid for orders shipping within the 48 contiguous states).  To obtain Free Shipping enter the coupon code “FREESHIP” at Checkout.  If you only need a small amount of product, consider purchasing with a friend so you can both stock up on the floorcare products you need and share the benefit of free shipping.

The question, “Is there a way to reduce the shipping cost on my Floorguy order?”
The Answer is “Yes”…

Helpful Notes:

If you have any questions about our shipping policies as you place your order, call 1-877-Floorguy (1-877-356-6748) to speak with one of our courteous, knowledgeable Customer Service Agents.  Our “Thank You” for reading this blog post is coupon code “FGBLOG” for a 10% discount off your order. (This discount does not apply if you are using the “FREESHIP” coupon code. Sorry…only one discount per order:)

The trend is obvious when you view the manufacturer links in Part Ito this blog. Manufacturers are “greening” their manufacturing processes and their business cultures. Each touts the strides they have made towards environmental stewardship using words like “reducing VOCs, sustainable resources, recycling, improving indoor air quality.” These are all great steps towards a better environment that are measured by organizations that award approvals and certifications as a way for consumers to interpret the progress.

Let’s continue our look at greener cleaners for different types of floor coverings with hardwood & laminate cleaners as our next stop …

As part of the “all natural” Mohawk Floorcare Essentials line, approved by DfE, Mohawk has included a non-toxic Hardwood & Laminate Floor Cleaner made from natural, renewable ingredients. When a product, like this one, is given the DfE Approved label, it indicates that the product, not only, contributes to a lesser impact on both human and environmental health, it also works as well or better than other cleaners in its class.

Bona, a company focused on wood floor care, continually strives to launch effective products with lesser impact on the environment. They do this by using recyclable materials in production and by developing non-toxic formulas, minimizing the harmful effects on people and downstream water pollution. Bona, a leader in the industry, offers a waterborne hardwood floor cleaner that is non-toxic, GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified, GREENGUARD Certified for Children & Schools, fulfills LEED points and meets CHPSand CA 01350 criteria for indoor air quality. The Bona cleaner is safe for the floor, family and environment and is effective in keeping your wood floor clean. In my home I use the Bona Spray Mop and Cleaner Refill Cartridges and my experience with this product has been great.

Moving on to Tile & Grout Cleaners…

Mohawk Floorcare Essentials has a Tile & Grout Cleaner. This, like the rest of the product line, is DfE Approved, made with natural ingredients and non-toxic.

Host Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System, which we took a look at in Part I for carpet cleaning, has also been used successfully to deep clean grouted tile floors. The Host website has a good illustration of this. A test area is recommended before full use. Typical use is commercial or institutional. Host products are Green Seal Certified, EPP Approved and LEED Qualified.

Several new acronyms and organizations have been introduced in the sections above. Here is what they mean to you…

GREENGUARD Environmental Institute focuses on indoor air quality.GREENGUARD is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that establishes standards and testing for indoor products. Their goal is to improve public health by helping manufacturers build safer products that will not pollute the air with harmful levels of dangerous chemicals or particulates. GREENGUARD awards several types of certification. GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified indicates that a product performs well in testing for low chemical emissions.GREENGUARD Certified for Children & Schools maintains an even higher standard for low-emitting interior use products and materials adhering to the performance guidelines in California Code Section 01350 (CA 01350) pertaining to indoor air quality. A product that meets CA 01350 is also LEED qualified and CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) approved.

CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) helps to facilitate high performance learning environments that are not only energy and resource efficient, but also healthy, comfortable, well lit, and containing the amenities for a quality education. CHPS and CA 01350 are considered to be leaders in improving indoor air quality standards.

I hope this blog leaves you more informed than you were before and gives you resources to use in determining what products are safest or most environmentally friendly. There is not one clear-cut answer because there are many approvals and certifications by various organizations and government agencies. Consumers need to use their best judgment in deterring which manufacturers or products are really doing something responsible for our environment and which are just blowing a lot of hot air (pardon the non-ecological idiom). There are many good products out there, several are mentioned in this blog and in Part I to this blog. My advice is to read labels, check websites and ask questions to draw conclusions about what is most effective in helping you to meet your “Green” goals.

What is a green floor cleaning product? Is it about a manufacturer’s efforts to conserve natural resources and recycle? Does it mean that the floor cleaner will help you to conserve water or energy? What will be its effect on indoor air quality? Is it safe when it comes in contact with your skin?

The more I’ve researched the vast topic of “green”, the more certifications and approvals I find. This “bit of information” I planned to share in my blog just kept getting bigger and bigger so I’ve decided to break it down into smaller bites for you. This is Part I. Look for Part II coming soon!

Manufacturers of floor cleaning products are changing what they make and how they make it. As products change to meet consumer demand for “green”, industry and government have introduced a range of certifications, approvals and standards. It can be difficult to navigate through the acronyms and organizations that certify and approve products so here is a guide on a few that I’ve come across. I am not endorsing any one certification, merely summarizing the information so you can draw your own conclusions and better understand what each means.

Green Seal Certified, EPP Approved, LEED qualified, and DfE Approved are “green” approvals I came across while looking into environmentally friendly carpet cleaning products. The organizations behind these approvals and certifications also evaluate other types of products as you’ll see in my next blog. “Green” takes on different meanings, depending on the type of approval or certification and the goal of the certifying organization.

Host Dry Extraction Carpet Cleaning System is a full line of carpet cleaning products from spot cleaners to 6lb or 12lb boxes of cleaner used in the Host Dry-Clean Machine. These Host products are Green Seal Certified, EPP Approved and can contribute points for LEED qualification. The inherent nature of this dry carpet cleaning system conserves water because none is needed, conserves energy because water doesn’t need to be heated and fans don’t need to be run for drying the carpet because the carpet never gets wet. Host Dry Carpet Cleaning System reduces the risk of mold and allergans, often associated with wet-carpet cleaning, thereby producing better indoor air quality.

Shaw R2x Green Stain & Soil Remover is a carpet spot cleaner that is DfE Approved by the EPA (different approval than Host) and intended for use on stain resistant and wool carpets and water safe fabrics.

Mohawk Floorcare Essentials is a line of “all natural”, non-toxic products including Carpet Stain Remover, Carpet Care Kit and Odor Eliminator. These carpet cleaners, like Shaw R2x, are DfE Approved.

What does all of this mean to you?
Green Seal Certified and EPP Approved (Environmentally Preferable Purchasing) both focus on the impact that manufacturing and materials used have on the environment.

Green Seal Certified means that evaluation has been conducted by the non-profit organization, Green Seal, and that the product reduces impact on the environment and on human health based on its use of raw materials, manufacturing process and recycling or disposal methods for the product. Green Seal Certified also indicates that the product works as well as or better than others in its class.

EPP Approved (Environmentally Preferable Purchasing) tells you the product has a reduced impact on human health and the environment when compared to other products that serve the same purpose. This comparison applies to raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, use, reuse, operation, maintenance, and disposal. The primary purpose of EPP Approval, given by the Federal EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), is to help agencies across the federal government comply with green purchasing requirements. The EPA website publishes a list of approved products. My experience has been that the list can be difficult to navigate so you may want to check the manufacturer’s website first if you’re looking for a specific product.

LEED qualification is geared primarily towards commercial buildings. LEED, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is an internationally recognized green building certification system aimed at improving building performance as it pertains to energy savings, water efficiency, reduction of CO2 emissions, improved indoor environmental quality, and responsible use of resources and sensitivity to their impacts on the environment. LEED provides building owners and operators a concise framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. Floor cleaning products that are EPP approved also meet LEED requirements.

DfE, Design for the Environment, focuses on a product’s direct effect on people and on the use of sustainable ingredients. DfE is another EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) program that works with environmental organizations and industry. DfE’s, “Safer Product Labeling Program” promotes protecting families and the environment. Individual products are evaluated for their impact on both human and environmental health and for their ability to perform as well or better than other products in their class.

That’s all for this blog. Stay tuned for Part II –Hardwood & Laminate Cleaners, Tile & Grout Cleaners, GREENGUARD, CHPS, CA01350…