Nilfisk-Advance, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of professional floor cleaning equipment, has announced additional independent test results of ec-H2O (electrically-activated water used in professional floor scrubbers). The new testing measured the performance of ec-H2O relative to tap water to reduce adenosine triphosphate (ADP), the presence that indicates the degree of surface cleanliness. The testing shows that a floor scrubber using ec-H2O reduced ATP to the same level as plain tap water.
Nilfisk-Advance retained an independent and internationally-accredited lab to measure the performance of a Tennant scrubber – one using ec-H2O and one using plain tap water. The lab found that the floor scrubber using ec-H2O reduced ATP to the same level as when the same scrubber cleaned used only plain tap water. These results provide further clarity and context to ec-H2O performance claims regarding ATP reduction.
ATP is an energy molecule found in all organic matter including foods, yeast, mold, and bacteria, and is a reliable indicator of microbial contamination on a measured surface.
“These new independent test results measuring ATP, coupled with Nilfisk-Advance’s earlier independent tests provide the most credible, transparent and reliable scientific data available to date showing how ec-H2O performs relative to tap water,” said Wade Reitmeier, general manager, R&D and product management for Nilfisk-Advance. “These results confirm that when used in a professional floor scrubber there is no discernible difference between the performance of ec-H2O and plain tap water in reducing ATP.”
The new independent and internationally-accredited lab testing results come in the wake of Nilfisk-Advance’s earlier results released in November 2010, which also showed ec-H2O performed no better than plain tap water. In contrast to non-repeatable case studies cited by Tennant (that provide no direct comparison to tap water and are based largely on visual interpretations), all Nilfisk-Advance’s independent tests have followed best industry practices using controlled, repeatable and scientifically-based protocols for comparing ec-H2O’s performance relative to plain tap water.
To evaluate Tennant’s claims that ec-H2O performs as a ‘powerful cleaning agent / powerful detergent’, earlier independent testing commissioned by Nilfisk-Advance followed protocols of ASTM International, a globally-recognized leader in developing consensus standards used in product testing. That testing used ASTM D4488 soil, which ASTM has determined is a credible medium to measure the
cleaning performance of products intended for use on resilient flooring, including vinyl floor tiles, a common floor surface in commercial and institutional settings. Certifying entities such as Green Seal, EcoLogo, and Eco-Seal use ASTM D4488 to measure product performance.
“As an industry leader, Nilfisk-Advance takes very seriously the importance of valid science in proving how professional cleaning equipment performs,” said Steve Baker, VP of sales and marketing for Nilfisk-Advance.
“While an attempt was made to discredit the soil composition used in our earlier independent testing, that attempt lacks substance—the reality is that most commercial and institutional floor surfaces have some level of surface petroleum product,” added Baker. “These cumulative independent test results demonstrate what has been suspected for some time: when used in professional floor scrubbers, ec-H2O is tap water.”