Custodial Frequently Asked Questions
Do you use sustainable products and practices?
Yes we do!
- Our routine cleaning solutions from 3M are Green Seal Certified and come in sealed bottles of concentrate that only dispense through a dilution control system. This prevents direct contact with concentrates and properly dilutes the product every time.
- Our Diversey floor finish stripper is Green Seal certified and safely dispenses from their RTD bottle at the proper dilution without any manual mixing.
- The 3M scrubbing pads that we use on our floor machines are Green Seal certified.
- All of our mops, dusters, cleaning pads and cloths are laundered microfiber for maximum performance and reduced waste. They withstand many multiple uses and launderings.
- We use the Green Guard certified practice of never spraying product into the air but instead only down directly onto our cleaning cloths.
- Our plastic waste and recycle liners are made from 85% recycled content, are custom sized to fit our receptacles perfectly, and are UL ECOLOGO certified.
- Our GP brown restroom paper roll towels are Green Seal Certified made from 100% recovered material and at least 50% post consumer recycled content. Our GP toilet tissue is EPA compliant with at least 20% post consumer recycled content.
Do you use any robotic equipment?
After many demos of different robotic machines on the market we have finally found one that we believe will be viable for our needs. We have two long term trials in process right now using Cenobot Robotic Scrubbers. One is in Keller Hall on East Bank, and the other is in Hanson Hall on West Bank. Both can be found on second shift autonomously scrubbing public corridor floors.
Do you provide cleaning products to increase efficiency and effectiveness?
We provide the best products we can find to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our people. A few examples:
Our custom made D-Handle tool with attachments for dusting and wiping.
Battery powered back pack vacuums for cord free movement and efficiency.
Dual compartment mop buckets used with microfiber flat mops for faster mopping.
Rider battery powered equipment for larger floor surfaces - both vacuums and scrubbers.
Do you provide training to new custodial staff?
We provide a full week of training to every newly hired custodian in our Custodial Training Center. This includes everything from policies and information about working here at the U, to knowledge of our products and equipment, to an understanding of cleaning science, and finally to hands on work on most all aspects of the job. Once out in their teams the support and training continues from supervisors, leads, and co-workers. We do our best to set up our people for success in their new job!
How many people work in custodial services on the Twin Cities Campus?
Our crews consist of nearly 500 fulltime custodial staff and 30 supervisors. Over half of the supervisors also oversee portions of maintenance in their assigned areas. We also employee student workers in varied quantities throughout the year. Most frontline staff are grouped into team cleaning squads led by a lead who performs the Utility Tech position on the squad.
