What is Green Cleaning?
Unlike traditional janitorial services, green cleaning services use products and equipment that are safer for human health and the environment than comparable products. Products used by green cleaners are non-toxic, biodegradable and tend to be made from renewable resources.
The purpose of a green cleaning program is to protect the air we breathe and the water we drink by using products that have a lower impact on the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency rates indoor air quality as one of the Top 5 health risks to Americans, saying indoor air is 3 to 5 times as harmful as outdoor air. It’s estimated that poor air quality in office buildings and other work environments costs businesses $20 billion in workers’ compensation claims each year. A comprehensive green cleaning program can greatly reduce health problems and related costs.
Green cleaning services do more than simply switch out cleaning products containing toxic or hazardous materials that can be harmful to our health with safer ones. They employ a comprehensive system that includes using “greener” vacuums, mops and other equipment, and switching out paper products and trash liners with those that create less environmental waste.
Green cleaning services also employ different cleaning techniques than other janitorial services to improve the indoor air quality. That can mean focusing on entryways of office buildings to capture dirt and dust before it spreads inside the building, dust mopping with a water-based treatment to pull more dust and allergens from the air, and using a commercial-grade vacuum with a high-efficiency filter to pull more dirt out of carpets.
It’s all part of a comprehensive program that improves indoor air quality and our health.