Mayo Clinic researchers find that drying your hands with paper towels is better than using air dryers. That’s because the friction generated when you dry your hands with paper towels dislodges germs and bacteria from the skin:

Antimicrobial agents in soaps have too little contact time to have bactericidal effects during a single use or with sporadic washings, making friction the most important element in hand drying.”

Worried about the environmental impact of all that paper? Here’s short TED Talk on how to completely dry your hands with just one paper towel. Hint: you’ve been doing it all wrong. Continue reading →

With winter snows and ice comes salt. And with salted parking lots, walk ways and door ways comes the ugly salt residue on your floors. Worse still, salt is not only unsightly, it’s corrosive. Regular cleaning is essential to protect your floors through the long winter months.

Best mop for cleaning up salt & snow melt.

Microfiber mops are your best choice for cleaning messy winter floors. They are the most absorbent, so you’ll actually pick up the dirty water  instead of spreading it around and pushing it into grout.  Don’t have a microfiber mop? Use a few towels to dry your floors after mopping. You’ll never get rid of the residue if you allow your floors to air dry.

Best floor cleaner for salt & snow melt.

Ammonia-based floor cleaners do the best job of cleaning up that ugly white salt residue left on floors. Ammonia neutralizes, or lowers the pH level of salt. This halts the corrosive effects, and dissolve the chemical bond between the salt and your floor.  To make your own floor cleaning solution, use two tablespoons of ammonia and one tablespoon of borax for every one gallon of water.

Clean salt residue from your floors as soon as possible. Salt destroys floor finishes, first creating a sticky mess that attracts dirt before dissolving completely.

Sources: The Cleanest Image, How To Clean Stuff.Net

Take public transportation to work? While you’re avoiding eye contact with your fellow commuters, take the time to cross a few items off your to-do list, and do a little networking. Thanks to smartphones, your commute is the perfect time to read and answer email, update your LinkedIn profile, schedule meetings and more. Another great idea: use the time to catch up on industry articles and podcasts.

Check out Pendaflex’s Beyond Folders Blog for more great ideas on having a great commute.

You’ve heard all the bad news about the tough job market for new graduates. There’s nothing you can do but hit the pavement, and hit it hard. When you score an interview, you need to do your best to impress. Your education, skills & talent are the most important elements you bring to your hunt, but it’s a lot easier to sell your qualifications when your project a polished, professional image.

A little attention to these three areas of presentation can help you stand apart for the competition.

Continue reading →