What makes “green” cleaning better than traditional cleaning? This is the first question that maintenance crews and cleaning professionals might ask themselves when approached with a green cleaning program. What those professionals might not know is that you can clean as effectively, if not more, with green cleaning programs that rely on the use of environmentally-sensitive chemical products and high performance cleaning equipment. After we use cleaning products, we usually lock them away in closets or under the sink to keep them from our children, but oftentimes we do not consider what they may be doing to our own bodies.

Not only will adapting a green cleaning program help the environment, but it will
also lessen the adverse health effects cleaning products can have on your body.

The chemicals in cleaning products are everywhere: on dishes, countertops, furniture, clothes, floors, windows, they are even floating through the air we breathe! In our battle against dirt and germs, we may often actually be making things worse. Even as they help us pick up dirt and dust, many modern cleaners irritate our skin, eyes and lungs. They can also leave toxic residues or pollutants in the water when rinsed down the drain. Chlorine bleach, for example, is a common disinfectant frequently found in cleaning solutions. It is highly irritating to the skin and eyes, not to mention it can be fatal if swallowed. Many traditional cleaning products also have high percentages of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) that may cause short or long term health problems. For people with health problems, it is important that we turn to more sustainable cleaning alternatives to avoid contributing to additional air pollution.

Green methods of cleaning have become extremely popular due to the safety and effectiveness of products and techniques used that minimize health risk and maximize cleanliness. Keeping our buildings clean and avoiding toxic cleaners does not have to be mutually exclusive. Several companies are now producing green cleaners that avoid ingredients that are toxic and non-biodegradable. A number of years ago, many green cleaning products were not as effective and cost more than traditional products; however, over time green cleaning products have become as effective as traditional products and now cost about the same. Environmentally- friendly cleaning products have many advantages over traditional products.

When compared to traditional cleaning products, green cleaning products can:
• Reduce health effects to building occupants and janitorial staff
• Reduce the amount of toxicity of products and chemicals requiring disposal
• Reduce environmental impacts
• Reduce costs to building management, tenants, and/or the janitorial companies associated with sick leave, health care, productivity loss, and litigation
• Increase occupant and worker satisfaction, including improved morale, productivity and efficiency, quality of life, and sense of well-being resulting from decreased health effects
• Increase the likelihood of gaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for your business or building.

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) created a system to define and measure “green building.” Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is one of the environmental categories for achieving LEED certification. Its primary focus is managing air contaminants. Protecting indoor environments from contaminants is essential for maintaining a healthy space for building occupants and personnel. Investing in a green cleaning program not only lowers the environmental risk, but also puts your building one step closer to achieving LEED certification.

One of the most important parts of a green cleaning program is to first identify what types of soil you are trying to clean. Soil is any substance, solid or liquid, that is present in a place where it is not wanted.

There are three types of soil:
• Tracked-in soil usually consists of small particles that people have brought into a building from outside. An important part of any green cleaning program starts with the placement and maintenance of walk-off mats at entrances. Placing 12 to 15 feet of walk-off mats at all entryways and following an entryway maintenance program will greatly reduce the amount of tracked-in soil entering the building.
• Airborne soil usually consists of dust and pollen that is circulated through the air. Air conditioning and heating systems often can carry airborne soil throughout an entire building. Switching to a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter is one way to reduce the amount of airborne soil in a building.
• Spills on carpeting and hard surfaces are usually noticeable and are either a dry residue or liquid. In most cases, spills can be cleaned easily if they are reported or cleaned in a timely matter; however, unreported or neglected spills are harder or impossible to clean.

Today, most green products undergo rigorous certification tests by organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Green Seal, Inc. to assure they are effective and safe for consumers and the environment. In addition, there have been significant advancements in cleaning equipment in order to produce products that better capture and remove soil than those made several years ago. Advancements include special filters on vacuum cleaners and the development of microfiber cloths and mop heads.

Many people do not effectively clean as they should in order to preserve the environment and avoid health issues. A common myth is that disinfectants and sanitizers should be as everyday cleaners. This is not the case; in fact it is the complete opposite. The health benefit of using sanitizers and disinfectants as part of everyday cleaning is quite controversial. Cleaning is a necessary first step to sanitizing or disinfecting because contact and reaction with soils may reduce or even eliminate the effectiveness of disinfectants. Therefore, even if a surface is washed and disinfected properly, the disinfected condition is effective only until the surface’s next use.

To be effective, most disinfectants require the surface first be cleaned and then kept wet for several minutes of contact time with a fresh solution of the disinfectant product. Floors wet with disinfectant create slip hazards. Once disinfected, floors and surfaces rapidly become re-contaminated by airborne microorganisms, or from those found on shoes or other objects and substances. Routine disinfection or sanitization of all floors and surfaces in buildings is not considered necessary. However, the use of disinfectants and sanitizers in certain  areas like food service areas may be required or recommended by other laws, regulations or guidelines.

Finally, waste management is a vital part of a successful green cleaning program. The trash we produce is usually hauled off by the waste management companies to a landfill, but reducing the amount of garbage your building disposes of can be a big part of a green cleaning program. It is also important to set up a recycling system in order to separate all of the different materials.

When you make a commitment to a green cleaning program, your staff feels like their job and organization is contributing to a greater purpose. Not only will adapting a green cleaning program help the environment, but it will also lessen the adverse health effects cleaning products can have on your body. If you plan on doing some cleaning soon, keep your health and well-being in mind too.

Emmanuel Edwards is co-founder and president of Sustainable Sanitation Services (S3). S3 is a lead distributor for safe and superior “green” cleaning products. The S3 mission is to supply a cost effective, humanly safe, new and innovative, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and non-caustic green cleaning alternative at an unbeatable price. In short, Sustainable Sanitation Services products honor the environment, and personal health and wellness of every human being. For more information, please visit www.sustainablesanitation.com or call 504.552.2100.