It didn’t come from a janitor’s closet — it came from a lab. In this episode of Facilities Five and Dime, we pull back the curtain on how microfiber technology jumped from high-tech textiles to everyday mops and cloths, quietly rewriting the playbook for custodial care.

What started as a quest for lighter, stronger fibers turned into one of the greatest leaps in cleaning efficiency — trapping dust, bacteria, and costs all at once. We’ll talk about the science, the skepticism, and the stewardship behind it all… and how a single thread helped redefine what “clean” really means.

So roll your cart down the hall and tune in — because sometimes, the smallest fibers weave the biggest stories. You never know what you’ll find in stock here at the Five and Dime.

Who would’ve thought the same technology that once sealed the decks of warships would later seal the hallways of your local church or school? In this episode of Facilities Five and Dime, we trace the unlikely journey of epoxy flooring—from battlefield innovation to maintenance mainstay.

We’ll unpack how a chemical born from necessity became the unsung hero of modern facilities: fighting spills instead of shrapnel, saving budgets instead of battleships. Along the way, we’ll talk about durability, design, and the stewardship lessons hidden under our very feet.

So grab your coffee (and maybe your mop), and join us as we explore how yesterday’s military marvel became today’s maintenance miracle—proving once again, you never know what you’ll find in stock here at the Five and Dime.

“You never know what you might find in aisle five—a bargain, a surprise, or in this case, a hidden danger lurking in plain sight. Join us as we open Season 3 with a story of mystery, science, and stewardship.”

Full Episode Description
Season 3 of Facilities Five and Dime opens with a mystery that changed the way the world thinks about building systems. In 1976, during a gathering of veterans in Philadelphia, a sudden wave of illness swept through a hotel. Doctors couldn’t explain it, the CDC scrambled for answers, and facility managers everywhere were left with a sobering reminder: hidden risks inside our buildings can have life-or-death consequences.

In this episode, we trace the outbreak step by step—the first puzzling reports, the false leads, the breakthrough in the lab, and the unsettling discovery that pointed back to the systems meant to keep people comfortable and safe. It’s a detective story of science, engineering, and persistence that still echoes through every cooling tower, rooftop unit, and boiler room today.

The lesson? Curiosity in facility stewardship isn’t optional. Because sometimes, what you don’t know about your building can hurt more than your budget—it can put lives at risk.

"Most of us aren't defeated in one decisive battle. We are defeated one tiny, seemingly insignificant surrender at a time that chips away at who we should really be." Jocko Willink

This weeks episode is a story of war. One that some of you may relate to. We hope you enjoy what it brings. Be sure to check out our previous episodes if you are one of our new subscribers, and for information on a wide variety of facility topics, head on over to www.smartchurchsolutions.com. 

Hold on to your masks this week, we gotta talk about something that has always put a burr in my saddle. IT may stink to some folks, but we gotta flush this issue out and deal. We also are going to look at how welcoming you are...to those that have mobility issues. Is your facility equipped to allow someone to park, enter, and attend without relying on someone else to open up the way for them? Accessibility is more than just saying "We have ushers". Got questions, want to hear about something specifically? Let us know at [email protected]. Join our Facebook group, Church Facility Management Solutions, and head over to www.smartchurchsolutions.com for additional content. 

We took a little break, and now we are back! Ok really just a week off. This week we are looking at what is going on, and how we directly influence he mood and the emotions of those around us. As a facility steward, you can impact the mood of the facility more than you may realize. Sit back and relax as we go through some easy steps, remember to take a gander at all the free resources we have for you at www.smartchurchsolutions.com, and...Don't Panic.

This week we talk a bit about change...and how we engage with it. We hope you enjoy this little bit laid-back presentation. We would love to hear from you regarding topics, guests, and anything else you would like to share. Email us at [email protected]. We also want to make sure you check out the newest book by Tim Cool, "Entrusted". You can see more about it on a XPastor here, and purchase your copy today here.  Check it out, you will be glad you did. Don't forget to check out the free resources available at www.smartchurchsolutions.com 

Join us this week as we chat with Donovan Loomis. Donovan has several years experience working with church facility stewards in incorporating Computer Maintenance Management Systems into their facility. Currently Donovan is working with an internationally known networking hardware company helping companies with their high tech needs. For a great read from Donovan, check out this article here. You can always reach out to him via LinkedIn. We talk about the squirrel this week, reach out to me at [email protected] if you want the full story. As always, let us know if there is anything we can do for you. 

This week we have a conversation with Mr. Troy Pollock, who serves as Chief Ambassador for Pushpay. He has championed strategic initiatives such as Summit Conference, Pushpay University, and most recently Church Disrupt. We are honored that he joined us for some conversation surrounding how virtual generosity has seen a jump during our current situation. For more information regarding Pushpay, check them out here. In addition, they have some great resources for you to check out here as well. We hope your week is awesome, make sure to check out our Facebook Group, Church Facility Management Solutions, and make sure you have downloaded your copy of our newly released Church Benchmarking Report. 

Welcome to this week's episode! We know cleaning is on your mind, so we are here to drop some knowledge on you. This week we introduce some fun facts about cleaning, especially what it means to clean properly. With Covid-19 on everyone's mind, and areas starting to open back up, keeping everything clean and tidy is very important. The great thing is that everyone, with the proper chemical selection, equipment, and TRAINING can be effective. We can do this. Be sure to check out some additional article here, here, here, and here.