The phrase “First, do no harm” originates from the Latin phrase “Primum non nocere” and is most famous for being part of the Hippocratic oath doctors take. While floor care is certainly never as critical as emergency situations encountered in the medical field, the concept of “First, do no harm” does have application for us in building maintenance.

If you have been in the cleaning industry for any length of time you have probably heard the term “cleaning green” roughly a billion times. Literally. Today, the word “green” has changed colors and become little more than white noise. It seems that everyone is labeling everything they possibly can as “green” in a race to market products to the industry.

The difference between success and failure often comes down to the smallest details. For example, the 1986 World Series may have had an entirely different outcome if the ground ball that made its way under the glove of Bill Buckner in game six had been stopped.