Teachers, staff, and custodial workers at an elementary school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, still talk about the day the school reopened from summer vacation in 2023.
The school year ended in May. Custodial workers stayed on the job for a couple of weeks, primarily to refinish floors, clean carpets, and wash down tiles in restrooms. Once they were finished, the school was totally locked down until the first of August.
A few days after reopening, teachers and other staff complained about a malodor emanating from several restrooms. The odor was so foul it filled the corridors and classrooms near the restrooms.
School administrators soon became concerned that the malodors were not only unpleasant but could be a health risk as well. However, they were baffled as to what was causing the odors or where they originated.
Custodial workers decided to re-clean all the restrooms, even though they had not been used for three months. This time, they used bacteria-killing enzyme cleaning products, which essentially eat odor-causing bacteria. However, the malodor problem persisted. Their next steps were to:
1. Check restroom air fresheners: Ensure any existing systems have functional batteries. A well-functioning system can help maintain a pleasant environment – at least temporarily.
2. Increase airflow: The school was air-conditioned. Administrators increased the amount of air flowing into the restrooms. They also increased airflow the old-fashioned way: they opened windows.
3. Check the janitorial closet: Odors can collect on mops and spread onto floors when mopped. Additionally, they looked to see if any of the cleaning solutions were releasing foul odors.
4. Increased cleaning frequencies. Instead of once per day, the problem restrooms were cleaned twice per day.
The outcome? Nothing worked; the malodors continued.
Looking for a solution, the custodial workers contacted a man they hoped would be their savior. This man had lived in Albuquerque for decades. He knew that due to the city's arid climate, water in the pipes below floor drains and faucets often evaporated in the hot summer months, causing malodor. Here's what he recommended:
1. Pour a few ounces of EverPrime into each floor drain.
2. Instruct the custodial workers to run faucets for a few minutes.
3. Re-mop all the floors, using plenty of water.
The procedure worked like magic. The water stored in the drainpipes no longer evaporated, preventing sewer odors from being released into the restrooms. Further, it proved effective regardless of climate conditions and lasted for months.
Problem solved—the savior's secret weapon? Everprime.
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