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{{Short description|American businessman and author (1935–2024)}}
{{Advert|date=May 2022}}
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{{Infobox person
| name = Don Aslett
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==Background==
Aslett was born on July 22, 1935.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://isni.oclc.nl/DB=1.2/FKT=8006/FRM=ISN%253A0000000109626737/IMPLAND=N/LNG=EN/LRSET=1/SET=1/SID=d1119d29-32/TERMS_OF_USE_AGREED=Y/XSLBASE=http%253A%252F%252Fisni.oclc.nl%253A8080%252Fisni%252Fworldcat_gui/XSLFILE=%25253Fid%25253D$c%252526db%25253D$d//CMD?ACT=SRCH&IKT=8006&SRT=&TRM=Don+Aslett&COOKIE=U51,KENDUSER,I28,B0028++++++,SY,NISNI,D1.2,E2818e8a9-30,A,H1,,3-28,,30-41,,43-59,,65-70,,74-75,R97.121.165.77,FY | title=Don Aslett (American businessman and writer) |website=ISNI |accessdate=
He married Barbara in around 1957, when he started the cleaning business.<ref name="ISJ founders award" /> They have six children and, while they were growing up, he was a scoutmaster. The Asletts have had a ranch in [[McCammon, Idaho]], about {{convert|25|miles|km}} to the southeast of Pocatello, and a house in Hawaii,<ref name="People" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.distance-cities.com/search?from=McCammon%2C+ID%2C+United+States&to=Pocatello%2C+ID&country=us | title=Distance from McCammon, ID to Pocatello, ID|website=Distance Between Cities|accessdate=
Aslett was a devout Mormon,<ref name="People" /> and was a bishop in the Marsh Creek Ward in the [[Stake (Latter Day Saints)|McCammon Idaho Stake]].<ref name="DN" /> He was on the Idaho State University Museum board.<ref name="ISJ founders award" />
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===Varsity Facility Services===
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While studying at Idaho State College (now [[Idaho State University]]),<ref name="SR" /> Aslett formed Varsity House Cleaning Company,<ref name="ISJ founders award" /> a janitorial service in [[Pocatello, Idaho]], with Arlo Luke in 1957 to help pay his college tuition.<ref name="CL">{{cite web | url=http://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article/Varsity-Facility-Services-Like-Father-Like-Son--14057 | title=Varsity Facility Services: Like Father, Like Son|first=Lisa |last=Ridgely|website=CleanLink|date=March 7
Aslett received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education from Idaho State in 1963.<ref name="People" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://issuu.com/idahostateu/docs/isumag-s12 | title=Idaho State University Magazine, Spring 2012 | date=
The company had 2,500 employees and operated in 14 states in 1990.<ref name="People">{{cite magazine | url=http://people.com/archive/don-aslett-the-man-to-call-when-theres-dust-on-the-moosehead-shares-his-secrets-vol-33-no-16/ | title=Don Aslett, the Man to Call When There's Dust on the Moosehead, Shares His Secrets|website=People|first=Toby|last=Kahn|date=
In 2011, the company changed its name to Varsity Facility Services.<ref name="CL" /> Arlo's son, Eric became the company's president and CEO.<ref name="SR" /><ref name="CL" /> Now, it operates in the United States and Canada as a "huge building service contractor specializing in regional and national facility portfolios", according to Lisa Ridgely of CleanLink.<ref name="CL" /> In 2013, it had offices in Canada and all 50 states and stores that sell their green products in 6 states. They employed 4,000 people at that time. Varsity is now headquartered in [[Salt Lake City]], Utah.<ref name="ISJ founders award" />
Aslett was inducted into the Idaho's Hall of Fame in 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.idahoshalloffame.org/bannock.html | title=Idaho's Hall of Fame - Don Aslett | website=Idaho's Hall of Fame | accessdate=
===Author===
Aslett, considered a cleaning expert,<ref name="Witt" /><ref name="LAT" /> wrote 40 books on the subject,<ref name="ISJ founders award" /> which have been published in 10 languages.<ref name="LAT" /> Michael Boyer states that he is one of the most prolific writers of cleaning books, which cover a wide range of topics like removing clutter, caring for specific materials, eliminating spots, and establishing processes for cleaning. There are books for household and professional cleaning.<ref name="Boyer">{{cite book|last=Boyer|first=Michael|title=Every Landlord's Guide to Managing Property: Best Practices, From Move-In to Move-Out|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CcalCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA106|date=
Aslett said that the amount of time spent cleaning can be reduced 75% by if the homeowner were to reduce clutter, get the right cleaning tools, and make them accessible.{{efn|Kathy Witt analyzed cleaning approaches from books written by several cleaning experts. She states that Aslett has found that one of the best ways to keep a house clean is to remove the clutter, otherwise the cleaning process is more about "shuffling junk from one clutter zone to another" and not about actual scrubbing or cleaning. He had a four-step process for most household cleaning: eliminate, saturate, dissolve, and remove. In addition, it is not about finding the right product, but having the right approach, which can reduce the amount of time spent cleaning by 75%.<ref name="Witt">{{cite magazine|last=Witt|first=Kathy|magazine=Cincinnati Magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fh8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA70|date=April 1995|publisher=Emmis Communications|pages=70–71|title=Clean Reading|issn=0746-8210}}</ref> For instance, most people take 5 minutes to gather their supplies to clean the bathroom, when it should just take 5 minutes to do the entire job if a bucket is maintained that includes the necessary cleaning supplies and professional tools.<ref name="LAT" />}} One of his approaches was to develop a self-cleaning house, through the use of household items and flooring that are easy to maintain, and eliminating most of the dirt that comes into a house by taking one's shoes off at the door.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tako|first=Barbara|title=Clutter Clearing Choices: Clear Clutter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSLtBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA85|date=
He acquired the nicknames of the Sultan of Shine, Don Juan of the John, and the Dean of Clean.<ref name="SR" />
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[[File:Pocatello, ID — Museum of Clean (2021-08-14), 00.jpg|thumb|Museum of Clean]]
In November 2011, Aslett opened the Museum of Clean in a six-story building in Pocatello, Idaho,<ref name="SR" /> in what had been a warehouse built in 1915.<ref name=NWNN /><ref name="ISJ Award" /> It has an art gallery, 88-seat theater, and a gift shop. The museum features 6,000 historical artifacts related to cleanliness. Some of the unique items include a horse-drawn vacuum cleaner (1902), an early washing machine (1945), and a 1,600-year-old bronze toothpick. Interactive exhibits teach children how to recycle, clean their room, make their bed, and sweep.<ref name="SR" /> In addition to teaching recycling, the museum also has information about how to reduce waste.<ref name="ISJ founders award" /> It cost $6 million to establish the museum and six years to assemble its collection.<ref name="SR">{{cite news| url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/01/ready-to-shine/ | title=Museum of Clean a shrine to life's work of Pocatello man | date=
During an interview, Aslett stated that "This is not a cleaning museum, it's the museum of clean." He believed that not being clean leads to depression, while removing clutter from one's life means letting go of junk and a lifestyle of excess. He said, "nothing will change your life faster than when you throw away your junk. You have more time, you have more space, you feel better, you're healthier."<ref name=NWNN />
In preparation for its opening, the building was renovated to be environmentally friendly. During the renovation, 80% of the materials that were removed were recycled. The landscaping was designed to require little water. The museum has non-reflective windows and exterior LED lights, which are energy-saving. Its electric bill is about 25% of what it would have been without the modifications.<ref name="ISJ Award" /> A rainwater collection system supplies water for landscaping and toilets and some of the building's energy is supplied from its passive solar system.<ref name=NWNN>{{cite web| url=http://nwnewsnetwork.org/post/idahos-museum-clean-built-monument-way-life | title=Idaho's 'Museum of Clean' Built As Monument To Way of Life | first=Jessica | last=Robinson |website=NW News Network | date=
Due to a grant from [[Monsanto]], and in partnership with the [[Pocatello High School]], a [[hydroponic greenhouse]] was installed on the roof of the museum in 2017. It teaches students about green energy and how plants grow. [[Wind turbine]]s and [[solar panel]]s generate power by providing electricity for lights during the nighttime.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.eastidahonews.com/2016/09/monsanto-awards-pocatello-high-school-15000-grant/ | title=Monsanto Awards Pocatello $15,000 Grant |date=
===Other===
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==Further reading==
* {{cite web | url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-242668792.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118072709/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-242668792.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=
==External links==
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