The Secret Behind Wegmans' Clean, Shiny Floors? Plain Tap Water

What do the squeaky-clean floors in Wegmans Food Markets have in common with the fresh-smelling air after a thunderstorm? Answer: Mother Nature's own best cleaner, electrically charged water molecules that can wash away dirt and pollutants, leaving only freshness behind.

By September 1, all 77 Wegmans stores will be using a cutting-edge method for cleaning floors that uses plain tap water instead of cleaning solutions made with chemicals.

Aisles are cleaned daily with an ec-H20 floor scrubber made by Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC). Inside each machine are a water tank and an electrified screen that activates the water, creating micro-bubbles and charged water molecules that act like magnets to attract dirt on the floor. As the charged water returns to the tank, it reverts naturally to ordinary tap water, with dirt sinking to the bottom of the tank. After each cleaning, the dirty water is emptied into a drain so the process can begin again. The new system is a safer and more cost-effective way to keep the aisles sparkling. And because it uses less water overall and no chemicals to do its work, the environmental impact improves in these ways:

 "We're always thinking about how we can do things in ways that are better for the planet, our people, and our company," said Sustainability Coordinator Jason Wadsworth. "We were impressed with this new technology's ability to give us floors as clean as or cleaner than before, without chemical cleaning solutions. We estimate conservatively that in a year's time, our stores will reduce water use by more than a million gallons, and cut use of standard chemical cleaning solutions by over 20 thousand gallons." Wegmans tested the new system for a month before adopting it to see if the floor scrubbers could clean as well with activated water as with a high-quality chemical cleaning solution. The test store locations were two Rochester-area stores, Chili-Paul, with vinyl tile floors, and Calkins Road, with polished concrete floors. Tests compared both chemical and activated water cleaning in the areas of gloss, cleanliness, ease of use and operator feedback. "We were very impressed on all fronts," Wadsworth said, "so switching over to this new, safer cleaning method was an easy call." The new floor scrubbers can switch back and forth between chemical cleaning and water only, as needed. "Our intent is to reduce chemical use as much as possible, and we expect that under most circumstances, we'll be cleaning without chemicals," said Wadsworth. "On occasion - like after a big winter storm where lots of salt is tracked into the store - we may use chemical cleaning for a day or two to maintain our customary level of cleanliness, but this technology is one valuable way we can deliver on our company's commitment to adopt sustainable ways of doing business that are better for all of us whose lives ultimately depend upon keeping our people and planet healthy."