Check here for upcoming events, training opportunities and up-to-date cleaning techniques.

Cleaning procedures and information

• Restroom Cleaning Procedure (PDF)
• Waterless Urinal Procedure (PDF)
• Falcon Waterfree Urinal Procedure (PDF)
• Carpet cleaning procedure (PDF)
• Spot selection guide (PDF)
• Twister Floor Renovation Procedure (PDF)

Custodial Services events

• Photos from 2008 Custodial Awareness Training
• The 28th Annual Training and Employee Recognition Awards (2008)
• Additional photos from the 2008 event: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4
• The 29th Annual Training and Employee Recognition Awards (2009)
• Additional photos from the 2009 event: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Custodial Services Institute of Cleaning

• Institute I (PDF)
• Institute II (PDF)
• Institute III (PDF)
• Institute IV (PDF)

Departmental information

• Custodial Services rules
• Custodial Department Medical Cleaning Procedure (PDF)
• Custodial products at University Stores
• Material safety data sheets for Custodial chemicals
• PPE guide for Custodial chemicals
• Student-employee information

Links

• MSU Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety
• MSDS-SEARCH National Repository (search engine for material safety data sheets)
• Corporate MSDS search engines
  (This list does not represent all products or companies used by MSU.)
  • 3M Worldwide
  • Betco
  • The Clorox Company
  • The Fuller Brush Company
  • Hillyard, Inc.
  • Johnson Diversity
  • Orange Sol
  • Procter & Gamble
  • Spartan Chemical Company, Inc.
  • Triple S

Memos

• Dirty mop swirls
• Custodial Services awards program
• Shift transfer procedures
• Absence and tardy reporting

Overtime Equalization Posting

Click here for the current equalization posting period report.

How to reduce dirty mop swirls

Mopping your floor with a neutralizer solution is very effective at slowing the deterioration of your finish due to the alkalinity left by ice melt/salt.

Wet mopping your first floor entry areas with a neutralizer will help remove the salt, but neutralizer is not a cleaner. Once you have treated these problem areas, you will still need to clean your floor with neutral cleaner (top clean) as you would  the rest of the year. If you are using your autoscrubber,  then add neutral cleaner (top clean) to the solution tank. You may find that just running the autoscrubber with a neutral cleaner solution (top clean) is adequate for cleaning the floor if you set the water to high flow. Do not put neutralizer packets in the autoscrubber.

Please do not combine neutralizer with cleaner (top clean). The combination of adding a neutral cleaner, with a pH of 8, to neutralizer, with a pH of 5, will reduce the neutralizing effectiveness and may leave those unsightly mop swirls.

Custodial Services awards program

The Custodial Service Recognition Awards are given annually to employees that have demonstrated above average performance and have a clean record. A clean record means no active discipline during the period of the last evaluation with no improvement plan on file.  Additional considerations in nominating an employee for this award include reliable attendance which is defined as 8 absence occurrences or less and 80 hours sick time used or less.  Employees are recognized for this award with a bronze pin for their first year followed by certificates for years 2, 3 and 4.  After five years of recognition employees receive a silver pin followed by certificates for years 6, 7, 8 and 9. On the tenth year of recognition an employee receives a gold pin and then each year after 10 they are eligible to be a member of the Honor Role.

The Stewardship Award is intended to acknowledge our role as stewards of the university’s assets.  This award recognizes the building heads and their respective crews for equipment care but also for exceptional building cleanliness, inventory management, safety compliance and environmental stewardship.  For this award, we give the building head a certificate each year, as well as a chair for the first year and every five consecutive years thereafter. 

The Golden Apple Award is awarded once in an employee’s career. When an employee has accumulated 1200 hours of sick time during their evaluation period they are recognized with a golden apple trophy and a gift certificate for $100.  The Spartan Apple Award can be earned every year by employee’s that use zero sick leave for the period of their evaluation.  The Spartan Apple award also earns a check for $100.  Finally the Green Apple Award is for a $25 check for those employees that have used 24 hours or less sick time in 8 occurrences or less.

The Education Award is given by the Assistant Vice President for Physical Plant to recognize employees that are taking classes in pursuit of a degree or certificate.

Shift transfer procedures

The following procedure should be followed by all full time employees desiring a shift transfer. 

1. Submit one shift change request form indicating your preference through your supervisor or to one of the Custodial Managers.
2. A manager will date and initial your request and a copy of the acknowledged request will be sent back to you via your supervisor.
3. Postings are active during the two week pay period in which they are submitted.
4. Shift preference will be granted on the basis of seniority within the classification as openings occur.

Reporting an absence or tardy

The following is an excerpt from the departmental work rules:

Departmental employees are not to be absent from work for any reason other than per­­sonal illness, without making prior arrangements with their supervisor or designated supervisor.

In the event of personal illness, employees themselves are to notify their supervisor or designated supervisor prior to the start of their work shift.  If such absences con­­tinue beyond the first day, the employee must notify their supervisor or designated supervisor each day prior to the start of the work shift, unless other arrangements have been specifically approved by the supervisor or designated supervisor.

Employees must validate their request for sick leave if requested to do so.  A signed statement from their personal physician concerning the disability, including all dates of absence, may be required to validate an illness.

Please note that while you may be directed to voice mail, when your supervisor is not available to take your call, this does not excuse you from actually talking to your supervisor or their alternate.  It is still the responsibility of the employee to make contact with their supervisor.

The following excerpts address absence from overtime:

Failure to report when scheduled for overtime will be considered an unexcused absence, unless proper notification has been made.

During weekdays, Monday through Friday, proper notification of absence from scheduled overtime must be made, prior to the scheduled starting time, by contacting the Custodial office at phone number 355-8485, and making arrangements with the supervisor in charge of the overtime work.

On Saturdays and Sundays, proper notification must be made, prior to the scheduled starting time, by telephoning the MSU operator at 353-5516, who will contact the designated supervisor on duty and have them call the employee to make arrangements for the employee's absence.  The earliest possible notice would be appreciated.

Those who deviate from these or any other University or Physical Plant rules, policies, procedures, or contracts without proper authorization are subject to the appropriate disciplinary action.

If you have any questions about these or any other departmental rules, please ask your supervisor or manager.