Spruce Industries Blog Page

CSI: Miami Out of Purell?

March 9, 2010 – 11:10 am by Hank Josephs
A couple of weeks ago I was watching an episode of CSI Miami, one of my favorite shows.  They had a scene in a hospital setting, as the camera panned the corridor, I noticed a Purell dispenser on the wall. As I’m trying to follow the plot and all the medical clues, I’m thinking "I wonder if the dispenser is empty", because I know not too many weeks ago, any one of my customer would have killed for just one case of Purell.  That’s how much in demand it was. It’s crazy how our industry dissects all walks of life, even my favorite T.V. drama and my problems transcend into a T.V. show!  I wonder what "H" would say?   "I guess they've been caught empty handed!"  (cue removal of sunglasses)

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4th Grade Teacher

March 8, 2010 – 11:28 pm by Linda McGowan
As a mother of 3 school-aged children germs and sickness are always a big concern for me, as they are for any parent.  However, it does put my mind at ease knowing that hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed in the classrooms, corridors, lunchrooms and restrooms of our schools.  Let’s face it - we all know that there are kids out there who are inclined to skip washing their hands... it’s just not "fun".  According to a friend of mine, Carrie, who is a 4th grade teacher, the kids love to use the hand sanitizer dispensers and will always find a reason to get out of their seats to use them!  To the children, it might be just an amusing diversion, but to caring parents everywhere it means healthier children in a healthier environment.

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Experience With Enzymes

March 1, 2010 – 11:07 pm by Leigh Tyluki
For decades enzyme based products have been an important tool in our cleaning arsenal.  While these products tend to have multiple uses, it is important to use them properly.  Let me give you two recent examples: I recently visited two school districts of mine and was reminded of how important it is to use our chemical properly.  At the first school, I was going over product usage and performance with the head custodian.  He proceeded to tell me the following.  He said, "The enzyme product we are using to eliminate four odor and deodorizer our bathrooms is incredible effective but it doesn’t appear to be a very good polish for metal fixtures."  I think you can image the look I had on my face. The second school I visited, I actually had a brief meeting with the principal.  They were having an issue with odors coming out of the bathroom and it ...

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Beware What You Ask For

February 23, 2010 – 7:07 pm by Gene Decker
Many years ago I had a sales manager who would tell his sales force to never tell your customer that something they were looking for was not available from your company; always check with the office first to be sure. As fate would have it, I had a large private Catholic school account which had a significant student body and extensive campus with a good number of buildings to supply. One day the priest (who was in charge of buildings & grounds) was taking me through a new facility that was recently built as a home for retired priests. As I toured the building, I proceeded to make my notes about cleaning equipment, towel, tissue and soap dispensers and the like that would be needed for furnishing the new home. After awhile, we got to this empty little room, as yet unpainted and not completely trimmed out. This, I was told, ...

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Two Pieces of Bizarre Information

January 30, 2010 – 4:31 pm by Daniel Josephs
I was just reading "The Week", a weekly magazine of world news and I came across two pieces of bizarre information: A Paid Tour of LA's Gang Turf and An Average Football Game is 11 Minutes of Football. That's right folks, tourists are paying $65.00 for a guided bus tour of Los Angeles' violence-filled gang turf.  Tour operators require customers to sign a waiver, acknowledging the risk of gunfire, before riding an unmarked bus in hopes of glimpsing real Crips, Bloods, and other gang members. And, all those hours that I have been glued to my couch on a Sunday afternoon watching Football, has actually been for only 11 minutes of actual football!  In the 174 minutes of an average football telecast, viewers see about 60 minutes of commercials, 75 minutes of players huddling or milling about between snaps, 17 minutes of replays - and just 11 minutes of actual football. After ...

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A Text For Help

January 20, 2010 – 11:31 pm by Daniel Josephs
I know that everyone has been following the tragedy that has taken place in Haiti, but I must relay that although its been over 7 days since the earth shook Haiti, I still can't pry my eyes away from the streaming images on CNN. And, after seeing that several people were found alive yesterday, despite the fact that they were buried under rubble for 7 days, there is only one word that comes to mind: Miracle. Even the medical experts who were recounting the incident on CNN this morning were dumbfounded as to how these people could survive for one week without food and water. They said, "It has been common knowledge to follow the rule of 4.  A human being can't survive 4 minutes without oxygen, 4 days without water and 40 days without food.  It is remarkable how these people survived over 7 days without water, let alone ...

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New Swine Flu Warning

August 6, 2009 – 12:54 am by Daniel Josephs
I know by posting this blog some people will think that I am just sounding the alarm to push inventory off the shelves into your hands - but it's not product I am worried about - it's the unwashed, germ-ridden, unclean, hands that concern me. Growing one's business versus being genuinely concerned about H1N1 is a fine line that manufacturers and distributors must walk. One wants to inspire intelligent action and knowledge, not incite fear to simply promote product. One wants to provide fact, and not theorize about fiction. It's the summer and everyone is relieved that the "Swine flu" has passed. People have read all they feel they need to read so why read and learn more? The answer to this question is: Read on to learn that H1N1 is not dead, is very much alive, and is stirring and growing in a way that many people don't know ...

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Another MRSA Health Warning

March 9, 2009 – 2:41 am by Daniel Josephs
I've got more MRSA news and it isn't good.  A new study by the University of Miami found that MRSA, the life-threatening, drug-resistant form of staph bacteria, has now made its way from human beings into both seawater and the sand. The study performed in South Florida found that 3% of the water sampled contained MRSA.  This doesn't mean everyone should avoid going in the water or playing in the sand.  Most healthy people will not get an infection from contact with bacteria in seawater but it does mean precautions need to be taken.  If you have an open wound, you shouldn't go into the ocean or a swimming pool. Just another thing to worry about besides JAWS.

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Paper Towels Beat Dryers - Hands Down!

March 6, 2009 – 11:38 pm by Daniel Josephs
A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Westminster, London showed that drying one’s hands with paper towels results in a significant decrease in the amount of bacteria found on one’s hands.  Great news for paper towels, bad news for both warm traditional air dryers and the new high-speed jet air dryers. If you choose to use a regular air-dryer, then just know that you are: (a) Running the risk of increasing the amount of bacteria on your hands (b) Potentially contaminating other washroom users by spreading germs (c) Causing harm to the environment which could be avoided The study further stated that if you were presented with the choice of using hand dryers or not washing your hands, the better choice is to NOT wash your hands.   To me, this is simply incredible and I therefore feel compelled to share this quote from Keith Redway, a Senior Academic in the Department ...

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Green Legislation for New Jersey Schools

March 2, 2009 – 3:22 am by Daniel Josephs
Green Legislation is coming to New Jersey Schools. If you are involved with schools in New Jersey you will be affected. In 2007, Acting Governor Richard Codey signed an executive order directing all state agencies to purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products. However, legislative regulations have not been adopted to clearly define product specifications. The NJSSA (New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association) has recent taken the lead to make Green Cleaning Legislation in Schools a reality.  For information or if you would like to contribute please contact the NJSSA. New Jersey Sanitary Supply Association Phone: 973-283-1400 Website: http://www.njssa.net

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