At Newlife Cleaning Systems, we couldn’t emphasise enough how important continual development and improvement is.  We want to ensure that we are constantly, systematically keeping up-to-date with the certifications we need to hold, alongside updates on new industry laws and requirements.

As part of this, we hold the ISO certificates in extremely high regard, and currently have ownershop of the ISO 14000: 2004 and the ISO 9001. For this post, I thought it would be beneficial to discuss the ISO 9001:2008 certificate, and how our holding it can benefit our clients, and help to aid company and staff development.

This particular certificate places a strong emphasis on the arrangement and implementation of quality management systems within an organisation. For a company like us, the term ‘quality management’ can encompass a wide range of circumstances and services.

Firstly it places a high importance on delivery; making sure that we are completing our works to a high standard, no matter what the size or complexity of the task.  This is as applicable to the legal and industrial guidelines that are placed upon us, just as much as it is to how satisfied our customers are. We interpret this in a way that means we will never leave a job that is incomplete, or that a client isn’t 100% happy with.

There are a number of ways in which we do this, to help us to adhere to the ISO 9001, and to improve the service you receive from us.  This includes setting up a number of systems and indicators, which allow us to monitor our performance as a company, and gives our staff guidelines to work on.  Every cleaning service, and every individual process, has a very strict format on how it should be undertaken.  This includes specifying the correct chemicals, equipment and techniques that need to be used.  With this, key performance indicators will be specified, that will help us to check that we are doing our job correctly.  The results of these guidelines and checks give us points for development that we can work upon to keep improving our service.

If you would like further details on the ISO 9001: 2008, or any of our other certifications, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  You can telephone us directly on 0800 018 9099.

Helping you to get ready for work by smartening up your clothing, irons are the final hurdle in your washing and drying routine.  It’s very easy, therefore, to take advantage of this household friend- forgetting in the process that it needs to be cleaned regularly itself.  The combination of high heat in the iron, the electricity used to power it, and the added factor of water are essential reasons to keep the iron clean, so that it subsequently runs safely and efficiently.

To begin, it is essential to remember that when you begin to clean an iron, in most cases the appliance must be switched off, and allowed to cool.

The methods which enable you to clean the metal plate on the iron vary depending on which substance is stuck to it.

• Waxy stains do not require any specialist products, and require that the iron is turned on, in order for the substance to be removed.  You need to turn the iron on to it’s highest setting, and run it over some absorbent paper, such as newspaper.  The waxy stain should be displaced onto the paper, preventing it from leaving any lasting damage on your iron.

• Oily substances require the use of ammonia, which needs to be rubbed onto the metal plate with a damp, clean cloth.  After this, simply rinse the surface of the plate, to remove the oily stain.  It is vital that the iron is unplugged for the duration of this process.

To clean the inside of the iron’s vents and pipes, a more gentle touch is required.  Dip a pipe cleaner or cotton bud into the vent, and slowly lift out the residue from within the iron.  Ensure that you use something equally as soft, that isn’t too sharp, to avoid risking damage to the inside of your iron.

For all surfaces on the iron, including the handle, you can use a simple solution found in your kitchen cupboard.  On a clean, damp cloth add vinegar before wiping the surfaces; removing any visible dirt and grime.  If it’s been a while since you last cleaned your iron, you can mix a little baking soda with the vinegar before adding it to the cloth.  It’ll help you to remove tougher stains.

Vinegar can also be used to clean the reservoir of the iron.  Just pour an equal amount of vinegar and warm water into the iron and switch it on.  For about five minutes, leave the iron to steam, allowing the vinegar to reach the ducts through the steam.  After this time, remove the water and vinegar solution from the iron, and rinse with clean water.  Be sure to make sure all vinegar is removed before you start ironing!

The information can be found in full at the Creative Homewares website.

Keeping carpets clean in your premises can often be a difficult task- especially if they are areas of heavy traffic where spillages become almost a guarantee.  With thanks to the Daily Telegraph, and Reader’s Digest’s 1000 Ways to Save Money and Time, we have found a way for you to maintain the appearance of your carpets and upholstery, without having to invest in expensive cleaning products.  A range of different stains can be eradicated, simply by the use of cornflower from your kitchen cupboard.

Removing ink from carpets

Firstly, you need to mix the cornflower with a small amount of milk, the quantities of the mixture should be so, that it forms a paste.  Then apply the paste directly to the stain, and allow to dry- this could take anything up to a few hours- before you can revisit the stain.  Once the paste is dry, you simply need to brush it away from the carpet fibres, which should lift the ink stain away too.  Then just vacuum the remnants, to be left with a clean, ink stain-free carpet.

Removing blood from carpets and upholstery

Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and when they do you can prevent any damage to your upholstery with fast action and cornflower.

As soon as you notice the blood stain on the fabric, create a paste out of cornflower and water.  Apply the paste directly to the stain, and work the mixture into the fabric’s fibres.  Once this is done, leave the fabric somewhere warm and dry, where the paste will quickly be absorbed.  Brush away the dry mixture, to lift some of the blood.  If a stain still remains, repeat the process again.

The cornflower may not 100% remove the blood stain from the fabric, depending on how ingrained the stain is and whether the blood has dried or not.  It will, however, be the fastest solution you have to the task at hand.

In addition to the removal of stains, cornflower is also excellent at removing any unpleasant scents from carpets.  All you need to do is evenly sprinkle cornflower onto your carpet before you vacuum; it will remove unpleasant odours from the carpet with ease.

If these simple methods cannot clean your carpet, we have carpet cleaning services available, which will get your carpets looking as good as new.  Please visit the Newlife Cleaning Systems website for more details.

At Newlife Cleaning Systems, we understand that cleaning everyday household items can often be quite expensive.  Branded cleaning products, with the guarantee to polish metals, glass and other surfaces can be costly at a time of year, when every penny counts.

So, with the help of Daily Telegraph and Reader’s Digest booklets, named ‘1000 Ways to Save Money and Time’, we have compiled a series of blogs which will help you to use the products you already have in your home, to keep your appliances clean.

Cleaning a coffee maker

Many people don’t know this, but your kitchen coffee maker can be cleaned by a product that can be found in your medicine cabinet.  Alka Seltzer, used to settle your stomach after a heavy meal (or a heavy evening out) can help you to remove any coffee residue from your machine, and leave it sparking clean; resulting in a better tasting cup of coffee for you.

So how do you do it?

Firstly, fill the water chamber in your coffee machine with water, as you would do before using the machine to brew a pot.

Next, for a standard-sized coffee machine, add four Alka Seltzers to the water, and wait until they are fully dissolved.

After this, switch on the machine and put it through its regular brew cycle.  This will allow the Alka Seltzer solution to reach all of the pipes in the machine, and clean any coffee residue.

Once the cycle is complete, rinse the water chamber to remove any remaining Alka Seltzer from the chamber.  Then run another brew cycle using just water, to ensure all the Alka Seltzer has left the pipes.

Once this is done, you can use your coffee maker as normal, and it will be perfectly clean.

As Alka Seltzer is usually used to combat stomach acids, it can tackle the acids from coffee that cause stains and marks on the machinery.  The fact that the Alka Seltzer is designed for human consumption makes it perfect for cleaning the coffee maker, as there will be nothing within the tablet that can harm people if they ingest it.

Other uses for Alka Seltzer:

Cleaning hard-to-reach parts of vases, flasks, jewellery and sinks.  The Alka Seltzer bubbles reach places you can’t reach.

Diverging slightly from the usually quite serious topics on our blog, an article appeared on the BBC News website which warranted a mention.
It drew attention to one particular cleaner, who in a bid to do a thorough job, had ended up making a very valuable mistake.  Whilst cleaning the Dortmund’s Ostwall Museum , the cleaner damaged a piece of modern artwork, in an attempt to make (what they thought) was the area surrounding the piece, clean and tidy.

The artwork, named “Wenn’s anfaengt durch die Decke zu tropfen”, which when translated means, ‘When It Starts Dripping From the Ceiling’, was created by late German Modern Artist Martin Kippenberger.
When looking at the piece, it’s not hard to understand how the cleaner made a mistake.  The sculpture is composed of strips of wood, nailed together to make an unsteady structure.  Beneath that is a trough-like dish, which had been hand-painted with a patina effect.  The term ‘pantina’ describes a distressed, dusty and dirty appearance, which had been applied to inside the bottom of the bucket.  This looked, as the artist had intended it, like the marks left from rain water that had collected there, and then evaporated.

It was this patina effect painted on the trough that the cleaner had mistaken for dirt.  They then proceeded to scrub this effect off the dish, in order to remove the unsightly blemish.

Unfortunately, by striving for cleanliness, the cleaner made a very costly mistake.  The piece was worth an excess of £624,000, in other words, over $1m.

Due to the death of the artist Kippenberger in 1997, the artwork cannot be restored to its original form, or appear exactly as the artist intended it.  However, the collector who had loaned the piece to the museum is willing to keep the artwork there, in its slightly altered state, until a decision can be made about the way to proceed.
This expensive error by the cleaner appears to be in breach of the instructions they were given prior to commencing work at the museum.  The daily cleaners, provided by a contractor, had been told strictly to remain 20cm away from the pieces in the showrooms.  The staff, according to the report, had been working in the Ostwall Museum since last October, so explanations for why this incident happened are still being searched for.

So as a cleaning contractor, what does this incident say to us at Newlife Cleaning Systems?

Firstly, it’s excellent that the cleaner was leaving no stone unturned, but this story shows that being thorough isn’t always the best thing…

Secondly, the incident seems to have occurred because the cleaner hadn’t followed instructions, or had missed out on an essential briefing.  So this story emphasises the importance of communication within such an organisation.

Finally, it’s a testament to artist Martin Kippenberger that his patina was so convincing that a cleaner felt the need to clean it!

For a daily cleaning service that won’t ruin any highly valuable goods, Newlife Cleaning Systems can offer all types of cleaning service, from specialist cleaning services to daily office cleaning services.  If you would like any more information about us, please contact us on 0800 018 9909.

On 27th September 2011, the BBC reported that there had been a development in window design which could have unprecedented benefits for every property owner.

Originally reported in the journal ACS Nano, this new type of window, which has been deemed the “Smart” window by industry professionals, instantaneously adapts as the weather changes.  When temperatures are high and the sun is out, the window darkens to cool the interior of the building and when temperatures turn colder, the window become more transparent in order to capture any heat it can from the sun.  This astonishing new development was created in South Korea, by scientists from the Korea Electronics Technology Institute and Soongsil University; Ho Sun Lim, Jeong Cho and Jooyong Kim.

Although there are already windows on the market which adapt to the changing weather conditions, they do not do so automatically, and are not cost-effective or environmentally friendly to run.  The adaptive windows currently on the market are powered by electricity; there are charged ions in between the panes of glass, which change the window from transparent to opaque when the electricity is switched on.  These windows therefore require manual operation by someone within the building.  Some of the existing models have also been deemed chemically unstable and quite complex to process and maintain.  Such windows can also be expensive to install and run, as they require additional electrical equipment.  These disadvantages stop the windows from being a viable option for many organisations, as they can become costly and inconvenient.

The new windows developed by the Korean Scientists will completely revolutionise the adaptive-window industry, and provide countless benefits to those that have them installed.  Unlike previous types, these windows contain a special polymer and counterions, a different type of particle to the ions found in previous windows, alongside methanol and other solvents.  The differences in components means that the windows can instantly, without intervention from a person, alter between transparent and opaque as the weather changes.

This instantaneous switch has great advantages to property owners.  Firstly, it makes the product highly convenient, as the windows do not need to be operated manually, allowing those in the building to enjoy the benefits without distraction from their other tasks.

These windows will also benefit the property owner financially.  They are being marketed as a great energy-saving product, as they will make savings on heating, lighting costs and air-conditioning bills.
As the windows dim as the sun shines, they reflect away much of the sun’s rays.  This prevents the interior of the building from becoming excessively hot, which therefore saves the property owner additional air-conditioning costs.
In the winter, when the windows are transparent, the clear windows allow as much of the sun’s light and warmth into the building as possible.  This means that those inside the building will benefit from the sun, and the heating and lighting facilities of the building will not need to be used as frequently.
The instant effects of these windows allows the building to benefit from energy-saving qualities immediately, and as frequently as possible.

As an energy and cost-saving product, these windows will provide any property owner with countless advantages that can’t be obtained by other windows on the market.  The Science Daily commented on the launch of this product, suggesting that this type of window could be installed anywhere, from skylights and windows in homes, to larger windows in conference rooms and offices.  The potential uses of this product, and the benefits that coincide with this, could therefore positively effect home owners, as well as commercial property owners; everyone who uses it could make a saving.

This exciting new development for property owners, and those responsible for maintaining the windows on buildings, follows last year’s development in the creation of liquid glass.  This fine spray reduces the cost of window cleaning for property owners, as once it is applied it protects them from every-day damages and scratches.  At Newlife Cleaning Systems, as we provide window cleaning services to many types of property in many different industries throughout the UK.  We find it encouraging that developments such as this are taking place, as they will save the much-needed funds of the many organisations we work with.

Sources:
The original BBC article can be found at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-15076773
The article in Science Daily can be found at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921132346.htm

When you walk into any high-end  hotel, restaurant, clothes shop or even supermarket, you enter with  certain expectations.  You hope to receive an excellent level of service from smartly dressed staff and you expect the environment to be spotless.  These factors make places like this a pleasure for consumers to visit and makes them return time after time.

In the economy we are in, most business owners in industries such as these cannot afford to make drastic, all-encompassing changes to improve their standing; costs to refurbish are too high, and often staff turnover is so great that extensive staff development isn’t an option.  One small, affordable change can be made, which will make a real difference to the overall appearance of their business; their floor polishing routine.  This claim may sound dramatic, but when you’re next in a Marks & Spencer’s Food Store, or if you visit a five star hotel like the Hilton you will notice; the floors have a reflective shine that enhances the overall presentation of the room.

This shine can be achieved in several ways, although most business owners turn to contract cleaning companies, who take away the hassle in exchange for hefty invoices.  An alternative, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to achieve this type of shine, is through the use of diamond polishing pads.  Diamond polishing pads are specialist floor cleaning pads which contain minute diamonds.  The hard diamonds in the pads effectively remove dirt and give a standard of polish that other polishing pads cannot; they can improve soiled and scratched floors beyond recognition.

Diamond polishing pads are a very economical way for businesses to make quick and drastic improvements to their flooring, because they do not require any change to the cleaning routines already in place.  Existing equipment can be used as normal, as the pads can attach to most wet and dry scrubber driers, burnishers and high speed floor polishers.  No new machinery is required to make the pads work, and the cleaning staff do not need any specialist training to use them; removing two  substantial financial burdens from the business owner.

With diamond polishing pads, the business owner is only steps away from achieving an enviable floor shine equivalent to their top-end competitors.  The pads come in a variety of textures, which when utilized correctly, give a deep-clean to scratched, dull and damaged surfaces, giving them a glossy shine.  Once their floor has undergone one deep-clean, regular cleaning with the pads is enough to maintain the shine; the daily work time does not need to increase, so the inconvenience to the business owner, staff and public is also minimised.

The diamond polishing pads would be an investment into a business’s future, rather than a one-off purchase, because they are very adaptable.  They can be used on several  types of flooring; to maintain the surface of terrazzo, reverse scratches on stone and granite, and even polish concrete.  This means they could be used one more than one surface and in different areas, maximising their output for the business.  They are also constructed to be extremely durable, in order to withstand the friction caused by dry burnishers, so can be used several times; making even more out of the investment.

The business could also improve their green credentials by using diamond polishing pads, as they do not require the use of harsh, or dangerous chemicals; detergent and water can achieve an immaculate finish.  This creates a safe, more pleasant place for staff and public to operate in, and is advantageous to the environment and the atmosphere.

A business’s decision to change the cleaning pads on their polishers and scrubbers to diamond polishing pads is small, but can have a big impact.  Whilst their cleaning routine, staff, and time remains  the same, the quality of shine is unquestionable; improving the overall appearance of the building and creating an environment that appeals to consumers.

For more information, visit: http://www.diamondpolishingpads.co.uk/

National cuts in government funding for the public services, trickling down through our local councils, has left many sectors feeling the pinch.  This has resulted in vital services, once provided by the council, becoming the responsibility of the individual sector in question.  For many, outsourcing these services to specialist companies has become the best solution.

Tyneside schools are a prominent example of this; alternative arrangements for cleaners had to be found when the council gave intent to remove this service in April.  Instead of having in-house cleaners, many opted to use the services of cleaning companies.

Barry Sleightholme, Business Development Manager at Newlife Cleaning Systems, has worked closely with some of these local schools to provide them with new cleaning services.  He explains why outsourcing cleaning has become a viable option for these services.

What are the benefits of outsourcing cleaning?
The main benefit is that you are releasing your cleaning department to another company, who is professionally qualified to provide you with everything you need.  You can expect a high level of delivery, quality, and uniformity with a contractor’s service.  Alongside this, every issue surrounding this department becomes your contractor’s responsibility.  This can include any staffing issues, the standard of cleaning, the procurement of products and supplies and the organisation of the whole operation.  With someone else taking responsibility for all of these tasks, you and your staff can focus on other duties.

Won’t the quality of work decrease?
The quality is more likely to improve when you outsource your cleaning.  Contractors promise an excellent result, which they then go to great lengths to maintain.  They ensure monthly site inspections from the area manager, who makes sure that the cleaning is at the highest standard possible.

It is also this area manager’s job to respond to any concerns or feedback you have, so you have direct contact with them at all times.  When speaking to the schools we worked with, we found that they preferred this instant contact with the company, as they found that queries they had with public sector cleaners had to travel through a number of official channels before they were answered.  Through direct contact, any issues with staff or damaged equipment can be resolved immediately through a phone call, which keeps the standards at a consistent level.

Will the cleaning staff I currently employ be out of a job?
No, they will instead become employees of the cleaning contractors you outsource to.  There are laws in place to protect them from loosing their jobs, or any of their employment rights, if you choose to outsource.
TUPE Regulations, Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) are in place to protect their rights.  This law states that employees’ contracts and job titles must not be altered at all if you hire a contractor to run the department they work in.  The contractor must duplicate the employee’s contract exactly and keep every detail the same.  For example, when we worked with the schools, many of the cleaners previously worked for the council, and had benefits which were unique to the public sector.  When we became their employers, we duplicated these job benefits in full.
This included the matching of existing pension rights, by working with a national provider which possess the required GAD certificate, to facilitate LGPF comparables.
The contractors also become responsible for any CRB clearances, holiday cover, sick cover, payroll, pensions, administration and HR- including disciplinary and grievance issues; every staffing issue becomes the contractor’s responsibility.

What services will I receive if I outsource my cleaning?
Usually, you will receive two different types of cleaning from your contractor.
The first is daily cleaning, which maintains the day-to-day appearance of the building.  When working with the schools, we provided cleaners in the mornings or afternoons depending on their requirements, during term time.
The second is deep-cleaning, which is more extensive work that takes me a bit longer.  This could be anything from stripping the floor, to kitchen extraction, window cleaning or external grounds maintenance.  Working with the schools, we found it best to do this in non-term time, but cleaning contractors will always work with you to find what is best for your company.

What if there was a service I needed that my contractor couldn’t supply?
If your contractor couldn’t provide something in-house, they can usually provide a sub-contract supplier for you, who you could deal with directly.  For example, none of our window cleaners are trained abseilers, but we work with companies who have them, who could provide some if they were needed.

Can it really be cost-effective to outsource to a private company?
When you consider all that outsourcing can include, you will find that it can truly be a cost-effective option for your company.  A way we cut the overall costs for the schools, was to look at some of the extra services that they were paying for, to see if we could provide them more cheaply.

For example, the schools were spending additional funds on paper products, such as toilet roll and paper towels, as well as soaps and hand creams.  We have access to these products, so we helped the schools make a saving by providing them at cost price.  We also assisted them with water management; by controlling the water tanks in the urinals, water costs can be reduced by 80%.  Finally, we helped the schools we were working with to cut down the costs of security.  The school was charged by the council each time the police were called to a break-in; I reduced the costs by using one of our security suppliers, who was available to visit the building after break-ins.

These little adjustments can be made within any public sector, and result in big savings overall, making outsourcing cleaning as cost-effective as it is high quality.

If you are interested in outsourcing your cleaning department, or would like to know more, Newlife Cleaning Systems welcome your enquiries.  You can visit www.newlifecleaning.com, telephone 0800 018 9099 or contact Barry Sleightholme in confidence on 07720 461 582.

Desperately excited, grossly indignant or quietly indifferent- everyone had their opinion on the recent Royal Wedding. The luxurious celebration was watched by two billion people, whilst tens of thousands flocked to the mile and a half procession route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, to try and catch a glimpse of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

With the world watching the streets of London, it is important to spare a thought for the people who made them look impeccable. The clean-up of London’s streets, both prior to and after the event, was organized and executed with military precision. Here’s how it was done…

The initial clean-up began weeks before London was flooded with visitors from across the globe. The subways leading to and from Westminster tube station were scrubbed vigorously with detergent and wire brushes. This was done by criminals, convicted of minor offences, who chose to volunteer for the duty rather than receiving a prison sentence. This project was organised by Westminster Council through the Community Payback scheme.

The rest of the preparations and post-wedding clean-up were organized by Westminster Council’s waste management & cleaning contractor. They tackled the clean-up with the efficiency you can expect from a contractor; utilizing their resources and staff to get the job done, whilst causing minimal disruption to the public.

A ‘deep cleansing’ of the route was undertaken on the night before the Royal Wedding. This involved using a 15 strong team of cleaners to remove every piece of litter from the procession route. They were assisted by a small Johnston C40 sweeper to do an initial clean, which was then followed by a large Johnston 600 sweeper. After this, they gave the route one final polish with high pressure jets to make sure it was spotless. A statue cleaning team from Westminster City Council worked to rejuvenate the Royal Tank Regiment, Women at War and the Gurkha Soldier statues, which were to be passed by the procession.

On the day of the Royal Wedding, the contract cleaning staff began their work at 2.am; they prepared the procession route by giving it one final sweep. They then laid sand down in places where the horses were likely to slip, and ensured that two gritting machines were placed at strategic intervals on the route. During the royal procession, the contractor’s street cleaners waited until the procession passed by and then immediately entered the area to remove any litter and sand that was left in the wake of the procession, returning it back to it’s spotless state.

Around busy transport stations, they placed an additional 40 sweepers, to keep these densely attended areas neat and tidy. Other cleaners walked amongst the crowd throughout the day, picking up litter left by the public. After the celebrations were over, it didn’t take long for the cleaning team to return the streets of London back to normal.

Regardless of the views on the cost of the Royal Wedding to the public, Westminster Council’s cleaning contractor did an excellent job of preparing for it, and making the city look like it had never happened afterwards. Their exact planning, extra available staff, countless machines and unlimited equipment made the clean-up an unmitigated success.

If you would like to know more about how a contract cleaner can make cleaning up after your event more hassle free, Newlife Cleaning Systems can help you. To make an enquiry telephone 0800 018 9099 or visit www.newlifecleaning.com for more information.

While the streets of London are definitely not paved with gold the pavements the streetscape of most of Britain’s towns and cities including Borisland appear to be suffering from a virulent attack of measles or chicken pox.

Next time you’re in a queue or simply ambling along window shopping cast your eyes downwards and play the game of counting the number of bits of trodden in chewing gum that you can see. Yes all those black or white stains are simply trodden in gum, spat out by Joe Public and there are millions of them out there.

This scourge is increasing exponentially as anti-smoking initiatives drive people to change their habits but older habits die hard and just like ciggie butts used to be discarded without a thought so it is with gum despite the exhortations’ on the packaging.

It has been estimated that the ongoing clean up war against gum costs local authorities – that is you and me the taxpayer, between £150 – £200m a year to remove. Even then the effectiveness of the removal is only visible for a matter of days.

Also this cost doesn’t take into account the disruption caused by the use of steam cleaners, pressure washers and the esoteric range of chemicals used to dissolve the offending staining. There is also the initially unseen damage caused to block paving and the de rigueur expensive pavoirs s by the ‘blowing out’ of the sand between the blocks. This causes the loss of the integral strength of the walkway leading to slumping and movement of the actual blocks themselves which in turn is further exacerbated by the weight and torque of mechanical street cleaning sweepers leading to ruts and potentially expensive ‘slips and trips’ claims.

The answer may be at hand though with the development of a new form of chewing gum polymer which it is claimed does not effect the chewability or ‘mouth texture’ of the gum and which doesn’t require any changes in the actual production process of making the ‘chewie’ This last point is crucial if there is to be any form of take-up by the major international manufacturers who are governed by the bottom line and the need for affordability with such a spur-of-the-moment purchase.

These new polymers, if adopted, will lead to gums which are either easier to remove using simply water and abrasive action or which will degrade within 6 months to a fine powder. These benefits are not restricted solely to hard surfaces but are also effective on clothes, shoes and hair which will delight any mother who has children.

Approved by U.S. food safety authorities and currently going through the final stages of European approval it is hoped that the product could soon be adopted by the big names in the gum world such as Wrigley or Kraft. Alternatively, if the take up requires extra momentum, we could take a leaf out of the 10 year old, successful Singaporean method of addressing the problem and simply make the import and sale of non-medicinal gum illegal and backed up with heavy fines.

Columbus Dixon Jan 2011