XL Academy recently had the privilege of facilitating on-site IICRC Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (CCMT) certification courses and exams for two of our customers and the feedback from their team members who participated in these sessions has been nothing short of exceptional. Instructor Bill Luallen’s expertise and teaching style made a significant impact, leaving a […]
Guides & Checklists
Flooring Pre-Maintenance Checklist
Job site evaluations are crucial before beginning any floor care project. By getting answers to as many questions as possible, your team’s effectiveness and efficiency will improve, positively impacting overall job performance. The answers can determine the chemicals used, the cleaning procedures, and/or how many technicians are needed for the job. Do not ever assume […]
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Floors Maintained with Bleach
It’s still common (even in this day and age) to have custodial personal take it upon themselves to do what they think is right. We often see this phenomena when a company goes to do a strip and finish for a new client or even an existing one. Mopping with bleach will leave the “salt” […]
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Get Serious About Company Culture
Company culture has been a trending topic in the corporate arena for a few years now, and it’s not exclusive to large corporations and the white collar professional. The “culture” of a company is essentially the organization’s personality. Company culture consists of many elements, including your organization’s mission, work setting, ethics, expectations, values, and goals. […]
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Case Studies
Grout Sealant Gone Wrong – A Case Study
In this case study, Matt Tylman of DFS Green in Phoenix discusses how his team turned around a grout sealant project gone wrong. Learn more about the challenge he faced and the chemicals and process he used to solve the problem.
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Guideline for Using Vital Oxide® in Cleaning & Disinfection of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Contamination in Commercial, Institutional, and Home Environments
Vital Oxide has demonstrated effectiveness against viruses similar to 2019-nCoV on hard non-porous surfaces.
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Suggested Procedures
Guidelines for Using Vital Oxide in HVAC Units
Vital Oxide is EPA approved for use in HVAC units to kill mold and mildew. In this XLN Suggested Procedures PDF, you’ll learn the step by step process to use Vital Oxide in commercial HVAC units.
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How to Continue Being a Trusted Service Provider During Today’s Challenging Times
In the commercial floor care industry, we are seeing the effects of COVID-19 in a couple of ways. First, our customers are sending non-essential personal to work remotely from home, if possible. Second, we are being asked to assist our customers with disinfection and sanitization procedures. What do these two things mean for us? Our […]
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Guides & Checklists
How to Read Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
Discover XL North’s essential guide to Safety Data Sheets, a must-read for anyone involved in handling chemicals. This guide simplifies the complexities of SDS, covering identification, hazard recognition, and safe handling practices to ensure you can manage chemicals safely and effectively. Perfect for professionals at all levels, it’s your key resource for understanding the critical […]
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How to Remove Releasable Sticker & Adhesive Residue from Floors
XL North’s Bill Luallen is back with a quick tip on how to remove the adhesive residue that stickers can leave on floors. More and more businesses are using way finding stickers throughout their facilities to direct traffic according to social distancing guidelines. While these stickers help promote safety in the workplace, adhesive can be […]
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Ice Melt in July: The Science of Wicking
Are you familiar with this carpet cleaning scenario? The last snowfall melted a couple of months ago, summer’s here, and your crew is performing second quarter contracted cleaning of local bank branches. At the first location they inspect the facility, bring in equipment, pre-spray, scrub, and extract. They take photos of a job well done […]
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Industry-wide Changes Are Coming for Commercial Resilient Floors
Mark Bischoff from Starnet shared his insights with me about the upcoming changes in resilient flooring that will significantly impact commercial flooring professionals. As the President and CEO of the world’s largest network of full-service independent flooring contractors, Mark’s understanding of the industry is unparalleled. His comprehensive experience in the flooring business is evident in […]
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Interview with James Parker Burnett, GM, Vital Solutions
Chemistry is essential to proper floor care, but the diverse selection of products available on the market inevitably makes for a large, often unorganized, chemical inventory in work vans, trucks, warehouses, and storage rooms. James Parker Burnett, General Manager with Vital Solutions, recalls the early days of Vital Oxide. “About 10 years ago, Vital Oxide […]
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Interview with Mark Warner, Education Manager, ISSA
Training As a Passion Mark Warner is currently the education manager for ISSA‘s Cleaning Management Institute. His extensive background in floor care spans over three decades, with two of those spent in training and education. “Being involved with training and sharing information, I learn every day as well as try and teach others every day,” […]
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Interview with The Moisture Testing Guy, Carl Bredl
Carl Bredl has been in the flooring industry for 35 years and the depth of his experience is impressive. Beginning as a union installer in 1985, he started with carpet, and eventually ventured into hard surfaces, including vinyls, rubber, wood, laminate, concrete repair, epoxy mitigation systems, and resinous flooring. He’s known as “The Moisture Testing […]
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Join Bill Luallen for IICRC RFMT Certification Course & Exam
Need IICRC RFMT certification for yourself or members of your team? Don’t miss this opportunity to get certified! XL North’s Bill Luallen will be the instructor for the upcoming IICRC Resilient Flooring Maintenance Technician course and exam hosted by Restoration Academy in March in Indianapolis. RFMT training isn’t just for floor care technicians. The education […]