Over the last year, we’ve seen how increasing cleaning in offices helps reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other germs. That means we’ve also seen unprecedented levels of chemical consumption. Too many cleaning formulas contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can put the safety and health of your building occupants at risk. When these compounds are released into the air, they can cause poor indoor air quality and harm the environment through the manufacturing and disposal processes.
More frequent cleaning is here to stay in light of the ongoing pandemic and the lessons we’ve learned since it began. Choosing healthier products and developing more sustainable strategies for office cleaning is necessary for protecting both your building occupants and our planet.
Sustainable Innovations Make Green Choices Easy
Heavy-duty chemicals were once the only option for effectively cleaning and disinfecting office, but with today’s innovations, facility managers have plenty of options when it comes to green cleaning.
These alternatives clean just as well as (or even better than!) heavier chemical-laden formulas, and using them creates safer spaces with less health risks. Poor indoor air quality increases absences and illness while aggravating conditions like allergies and asthma. Choosing green cleaning products in Danville can preserve the health of your team and reduce harm to our planet without sacrificing your high cleanliness standards.
Best Practices for Green Cleaning in Offices
1. Choose the right chemicals. Navigating ingredient lists of cleaning solutions can be challenging. A good rule of thumb is to stay away from products with huge lists of ingredients, including added fragrances, dyes or VOCs that can cause irritation. We are happy to recommend green alternatives to the products you are using.
One of our favorite sustainable cleaning solutions is H2Orange2 from EnvirOx. H2Orange2 Concentrate is a PureCrafted product, which means it is safer, healthier and leaves far less residue than typical cleaners.
Going green is also about reducing the amount of products you use, and H2Orange2 Concentrate can take care of 95% of your general cleaning. This premium formula combines cold-pressed Orange Oil and hydrogen peroxide to clean, degrease, deodorize and sanitize any water-safe surface.
When we say H2Orange2 can take care of 95% of your cleaning needs, we mean it. This formula works incredibly well as a glass cleaner, stainless steel polish and cleaner, tile and grout renovator, neutral floor cleaner, deodorizer, restroom cleaner, carpet spotter, food degreaser, carpet cleaner and more. Think of all the expensive products you can do away with, how much easier your training will be and how much space you’ll save in your janitorial closet. Click here to learn more and to order online.
2. Invest in sustainable equipment. Floorcare processes are becoming greener thanks to advances in technology. The United States Green Building Council has a number of resources dedicated to more sustainable cleaning equipment. They outline the various programs and seals of approval used for sustainable vacuums, carpet extractors, scrubbers, sweepers and more.
3. Make a plan to reuse whenever possible. Single-use plastic items can take hundreds of years to break down, if they do at all. Avoid creating unnecessary waste by investing in reusable solutions like refillable spray bottles. Microfiber cloths can be laundered many times and are a great replacement for paper towels for cleaning. When you can’t reuse items, choose environmentally-sourced items, like toilet paper made from 60% post-consumer material or more.
Incorporating these strategies into your cleaning program can reduce chemical, plastic, energy and water usage while showing you care for your building occupants and the planet.
