Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Cleaning Made Easier with Cordless Backpack Vacuums

  • 10/01/17
ProTeam

Protecting student health and the institution’s reputation was made easier for the University of Utah when they adopted the GoFree Flex Pro cordless vacuum in their cleaning operations.

The University of Utah’s campus in Salt Lake City is comprised of 130 buildings with 8.5 million square feet of facility space. The custodial staff of about 300 people maintains the campus through a district system with six groups that run somewhat independently of one another. Todd Stoneking works with a core group that supports the other six groups with equipment, training and other knowledge.

Motivated to protect the health of building occupants and enhance the respected image of the university, Stoneking and the rest of the custodial staff work to maintain the campus to a high standard in spite of challenging spaces. To improve cleaner productivity in challenging spaces, they implemented eight GoFree Flex Pro cordless backpack vacuums from ProTeam in six different buildings.

“Cordless backpack vacuums have their fit in cleaning a university, places where it is cost-effective to use them,” says Stoneking. “We can’t put one in every room, so we place them where they save enough time to save manpower in relation to the cost of the unit.”

The GoFree Flex Pro cleans in areas where power outlets are infrequent, where obstacles are prevalent, and where 24-hour traffic makes it difficult to clean safely. In each of those areas, it saves time. In the case of the campus library and lecture-style classrooms, it cut vacuuming time in half.

“We have another brand of cordless backpack vacuum as well,” says Stoneking. “After using them both a bit, my personal feeling is that the ProTeam is just a stronger vacuum with a better runtime.”

Stoneking improved upon the university’s cordless backpack vacuums by upgrading to the most recent harness design.

“The staff likes the new FlexFit harness a lot better than the previous harness,” says Stoneking. “It has better padding, so it’s a lot more comfortable.”

proteam.emerson.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Houston-Area High School Breaks Ground on 117,000SF Multi-Use Facility

    North Shore Senior High School, part of Galena Park ISD in Houston, Texas, recently broke ground on a new multi-use facility for student extracurriculars, according to a news release. The North Shore Multi-Use Facility will include dedicated practice and training space for the school’s athletics and fine arts programs.

  • Zurn Elkay Releases 2025 Sustainability Report

    Zurn Elkay Water Solutions recently announced the release of its annual sustainability report, according to a news release. The 2025 report discusses the organization’s efforts to maintain good environmental stewardship and the solutions provided in helping customers meet sustainability goals.

  • blurry image capturing students navigating crowded hallways between classes

    How Human Behavior Data Is Reshaping Campus Facilities Management

    The ebb and flow of students, faculty, and administrators across a campus have a larger impact on maintenance, cleaning, and sustainability than many realize.