Concerned About Green Cleaning Services & Products?

Cleaning your office traditionally involved a lot of cleaning supplies that may or may not have been good for you, your employees, your customer or healthy for the environment. Bleach, oil soap and many other types of cleaning supplies have been used for generations.Today, as responsible business owners, we're looking for products that are healthier for us and healthier for the world around us.

What is Green Cleaning And How Does It Work?

Green cleaning means cleaning with products that do not poison your office and your staff, the water table or the world around you. It means disinfecting your business using more natural products--and it can be done. It's a lot easier than you think.

"Green cleaning" supplies are on the rise. They need to get the cleaning done and get it done well, but keep the world a little cleaner too. Low residue, green cleaning supplies are touted as the best thing to happen to the environment in years.

Buying Green Cleaning Products

In fact, sales of green cleaning products have rocketed upward about 25-30%. People don't mind paying a little more for something that will save the world. The question is, are these products worth the higher price?

In some cases, the answer is no. Be very careful when you hire a janitorial service. Make sure that you ask them specifically what type of green cleaning supplies they are using.

The reality about many supposed green cleaning supplies is this:

Not all green cleaning supplies are really that much better for the environment. Many simply are not as low residue or as green as you think. According to Alexandra Gorman Scranton, who is the current Director of Science and Research at " Women's Voices for the Environment" many of these cleaning supplies are not a great deal healthier for you or for the world around you. The reason for that is that there is currently no legislation that regulates the use of the world "green."

As a result, companies can manufacture products and claim them to be "green" when the reality is that some still contain toxins. That is at this point, still very legal.

Which Green Cleaners are Actually Green?

Some companies take their use of the word green very seriously. Companies such as Clorox Green Works, and SC Johnson's Nature's Source are using fewer chemicals, lowering or eliminating the use of toxins and surfactants and coming up with cleaners that are healthier, lower in residue and biodegradeable.

Do The "Real" Green Cleaners Work?

Most experts say yes, they do work as well if not better than the high toxin cleaners. Pay attention when you read the label. The real green cleaning supplies use things like peroxide, orange or other citrus fruit, lactic acid, vinegar and even lavender oil. Many of these are antibacterial or antimicrobial and work quite well.

Green Cleaning

If you're concerned about your office, sometimes DIY cleaners work best. Ask your janitorial service what kind of products they use and make sure that they are actually green cleaners.

Green cleaners do exist and they do keep your office a great deal healthier by removing toxic chemicals that are present in most of your cleaners from the store. They also break down more rapidly and don't leave a residue that can be harmful to the world around you. Ask your janitorial cleaning service to make sure they use green cleaning supplies.