Greener Products

While the concept of a green product varies depending on whom you ask, the overarching theme is usually the same. At the highest level, a green product is the product that can accomplish the task at hand – whether that’s cleaning an entire office space or the dining room table before dinner, while having the lowest possible impact on those who are using and/or exposed to the product in their environment and the environmental life cycle of that particular product. Furthermore, there are additional levels of green depending on the certification the product has received – and some have stricter standards than others.

Green certified

The main players in the green certification game are Green Seal, Safer Choice and EcoLogo. They have different standard requirements but are third parties that focus on assisting consumers in finding safer, greener cleaning products for their facilities. Safer Choice is the EPA's designation indicating the product has been designed for the environment.

Green Seal has a cleaning product standard of GS-37, and certifies a wide variety of items, services and business – anything from a coffee filter to a business can be Green Seal certified. Ecologo also certifies a wide variety of items, from building materials to office products and electronics. Their cleaning product standard is UL 2759 – which covers varying standards for products such as disinfectants and hand care. Both organizations’ key requirements include:

• Product performance testing – the product must perform as well as or better than similar nationally-recognized counterparts.

• Limited oral/dermal toxicity

• Minimal VOCs

• No carcinogens

• Reduced carbon footprint through chemical concentration

Changing for the better

It is worth mentioning that green and greener products have come a long way in the last decade – what may have been a non-practical solution 10 years ago is now a very practical solution thanks to changes in chemistry and production processes. It is a practical solution on multiple fronts – not just in effectiveness, but also from an environmentally-friendly cost perspective. Thanks to improvements in chemistry and technology and how the they are used, green products often times are better alternatives to products used in previous years.

Within the last decade, offering green cleaning solutions was an industry differentiator. However these days offering green or greener cleaning solutions is a cost of entry in the industry. Many companies have been pushed to greener practices mainly because their product manufacturers and suppliers focus on providing green products, systems and practices.

It’s that important

Although implementing green cleaning practices may have been a necessity to survive for some businesses, others have yet to make a switch. From a business perspective – it is the right thing to do, especially if quality cleaning can be accomplished with a cost-effective alternative that is better for both employees and the environment. While many businesses strive for 100 percent green cleaning practices, this is not always possible.

Even if business owners are unable to go completely green, there are steps they can take to reduce the use of hazardous cleaning products. For cleaners out there, these products are better than the products they were using five or six years ago. The label will always include use directions, safety precautions including PPE and often indicate any green certifications the product may have. Taking a step in the direction of a greener approach is better than taking no step at all.

Making a difference

Reducing the use of harsh cleaning products is not always easy. Those running small businesses and having their workplace cleaned by employees may not have the resources to research green cleaning products or train employees in eco-friendly cleaning practices.

One of the best ways to implement these practices is to train janitorial staff in efficiency-focused cleaning methods. Efficiency-focused cleaning methods allow cleaners to achieve the same level of coverage while minimizing the amount of water and cleaning products used. By doing so, any harsh or hazardous cleaning products can be used in lower volumes. Without proper training, it’s easy to use excessive amounts of water, detergent and disinfectant when performing cleaning duties. This can easily double or triple the ecological footprint of the organization’s janitorial cleaning practices.

One of the easiest ways to reduce water usage is to switch from traditional cleaning materials — like cotton — and use microfiber materials instead. Microfiber cleaning cloths and mop pads require far lower volumes of water than any other type of textile used in janitorial services, making them ideal for green commercial cleaning.

Despite using less water than other materials, microfiber textiles do a much better job of trapping dust, dirt and bacteria. However, it is essential to ensure there is no cross-contamination between cloth usages. Some cleaners use a color-coded system that determines which microfiber cloths and mop pads are used for each room, and each cloth or pad is only used once and is professionally disinfected afterwards. A microfiber cloth with just a small amount of water often works better than a cotton cloth loaded with cleaning chemicals. However, if business owners want to reduce the volume of cleaning agents and water used to clean their facility, it is not enough to use greener cleaning methods. They will also need greener cleaning equipment.

Green cleaning equipment is reusable and minimizes the use of chemical or other cleaning products – making them higher performance pieces in comparison to their not-so-green counterparts. Green cleaning equipment such as microfiber cloths, mop heads and dusters pick up more soil and grime, keep that grime from re-depositing itself along other surfaces by trapping it within the fibers and can be laundered and used repeatedly. Equipment like vacuum cleaners should be certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Testing Program. battery-powered equipment should be using environmentally friendly gel batteries and any power-cleaning equipment should be researched for its ergonomics and noise levels. These two aspects should be addressed to minimize health concerns for cleaning staff and tenants. Both groups can benefit from the usage of cleaning equipment that is designed to trap dust and other fine particles rather than re-pollute the surrounding areas.

Green cleaning products & their place in a global pandemic

Granted, in today’s climate, nobody is laser-focused on green. Consumers are talking about what the best disinfectant out there is and how they can kill off germs and bacteria. By nature, most disinfectants are not very green to begin with. Disinfection is one of the biggest challenges faced by green commercial cleaning providers. Most commercial disinfectants rely on chemicals such as chlorine bleach to kill bacteria and germs. While these chemicals are incredibly effective as disinfectants, using them comes at a cost. Fumes generated by these chemicals can threaten workforce health, while chemical runoff can harm the environment.

Many businesses depend on these disinfectants because they believe greener options are not available or as effective. Although that may have been true 10 years ago, it is no longer the case. Advances in cleaning chemistry and new equipment offerings have changed the ability of commercial cleaners to deliver effective results and be responsible stewards of health and the environment. There are many truly 100 percent eco-friendly, effective disinfection systems used by commercial cleaning systems available.

Another environmentally friendly practice businesses can adopt is the use of HEPA filtration systems, which are incorporated into some vacuums and aid in improving air quality. HEPA filters trap airborne particles as small as .3 microns in diameter and prevent vacuums from spewing these pollutants into the air. In addition to positive environmental impact, HEPA filters have a positive impact on the workplace as studies have shown that workplace air quality improvements help increase productivity and reduce sick days. In areas with vulnerable populations such as the elderly, people with compromised immune systems or the young ,these advances in cleaning technology can make a real difference in overall health.

From a business perspective, green products may make a better economic case than ever before. Products that deal with dispensing systems such as dilution systems have cut down on packaging and shipping costs – and that all factors into how green that particular product is. From material acquisition to production waste and packaging, there are many of aspects that make a product greener than its counterparts in the industry.

When FMs make that switch to green cleaning products, equipment and practices, they can prove their commitment to providing the best facility possible for tenants. Not only are they doing their part for the environment, but they are offering a popular service that can both save and bring in revenue. By considering what products can be substituted with greener counterparts and switching over to green, reusable cleaning equipment, FM can set the example for the rest of the cleaning industry on positive, sustainable cleaning practices.