Effective commercial cleaning is all about using the right equipment and cleaning methods. Every year, more and more cleaning professionals turn to ProTeam backpack vacuums and Team Cleaning® because they’re seeking constant improvement.
This pursuit led Michigan State University to overhaul its cleaning approach in 2009. And in 2022, the institution made another significant change — all in the name of Cleaning for Health®.
Michigan State University sits on nearly 5,200 acres in East Lansing, Michigan. The campus has approximately 50,000 students and employs more than 15,000 staff and faculty. Cleaning a university of this size is no small task. However, Brandon Baswell, the Campus Service Manager, has been leading MSU’s team of 300 cleaning professionals for about 20 years.
Baswell is a Certified Educational Facilities Professional or CEFP. This certification demonstrates extreme dedication to quality facility management. In 2009, Baswell was seeking something different; he wasn’t satisfied with the results he and his team were getting.
“We clean 13.9 million square feet,” stated Baswell. “Efficiency is key, especially with 60,000 plus people coming and going every single day.
“When you consider one of the 115 buildings, we are responsible for is MSU’s stadium, you can imagine the challenges. Maintaining a building accommodating more than 70,000 fans is no small task.”
For years, Baswell and crew relied on upright vacuums and dust mopping for cleaning floors. When an industry peer at the University of Michigan told Baswell about their shift to Team Cleaning, his interest was piqued.
“The results I heard about sounded too good to be true,” Baswell remarked. “I started researching, and everything I had been told was verified by others. So, we made the switch to Team Cleaning and ProTeam.”
MSU’s cleaning team ditched uprights and dust mopping for good when they bought hundreds of Super CoachVacs®.
The switch required training employees in the four areas of Team Cleaning:
The results were astounding with staff properly trained and new equipment in hand. Baswell said, “We cleaned faster, we cleaned more, we cleaned better, and we had less downtime.”
The divide-and-conquer approach of Team Cleaning was perfect for MSU. Everyone had clear expectations about their assigned tasks, and buildings were cleaned faster. But one of the most significant impacts on efficiency was the speed at which the team could vacuum.
“Adding these backpack vacs meant we could do a better job in less time,” stated Baswell. “Right out of the gates, we documented a 15% increase in efficiency, all with improved results.”
The significant improvement in efficiency meant Baswell’s staff could reassume work that had previously been outsourced due to lack of time. “When you can take on more tasks without compromising quality, well, that says a lot,” said Baswell. “Team cleaning and ProTeam changed everything for us.”
It’s one thing for cleaning staff to recognize improvement; it’s something else entirely when building occupants see a positive impact on their health. The cleaner air and lack of dust immediately impacted students and staff.
“From the start, we had people share about their asthma symptoms going away indoors,” stated Baswell. “The air inside was much cleaner because ProTeam’s filtration system is so good. Nothing seems to escape these vacuums.”
Years of using uprights had made Baswell’s team used to many maintenance needs. Equipment downtime was commonplace, and repairs were routine. That all changed with ProTeam.
“We have had very few maintenance concerns with these backpack vacuums,” Baswell said. “And each iteration gets even better. It’s tough to measure, but the decreased downtime of these vacs definitely impacted our increase in efficiency.”
Since adopting backpack vacuums and Team Cleaning, MSU has made two additional switches in vacuum technology, all with ProTeam. They converted their fleet from the Super CoachVac to the Super Coach Pro® in the mid-2012s, and now they have a fleet of more than 400 of the GoFit® Series 6-qt backpack vacuums.
“We were happy with the initial switch to ProTeam,” Baswell remarked. “And yet, every iteration of technology they put out gets better.”
Two specific features of the GoFit stand out for Baswell. He said, “The new FlexFit® Harness System is easy to adjust and gives everyone a chance for a custom fit. And the new body sits nice and close to the user.”
An unexpected yet welcome improvement on previous backpack vacuum models is the cord management system of the GoFit. “The cord is so secure,” stated Baswell. “It prevents accidental unplugs that can lead to arching or damaged cords.”
“My job is to maintain clean and healthy spaces for everyone on campus,” Basewell said. “When you consider the impact Team Cleaning and ProTeam have had on our Cleaning for Health and efficiency, it is the only way to clean.”
To learn more or schedule a demo, visit us at proteam.emerson.com.
