Sustainable cleaning –  sometimes referred to as “green cleaning” – reduces the exposure to potentially hazardous products, equipment, or processes that can adversely affect our health within the indoor work environment.

Three (3) key areas to pay attention to inside your facility to help achieve a healthier indoor environment include: chemicals, materials and equipment, and sustainable procedures.

Chemicals

Ironically, the same chemicals we’ve spent so much time reducing our exposure to outdoors has now made its way into our work environment – where we spend the majority of our time. Many cleaning products release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s), which is a major component in the formation of smog.

There are many traditional household cleaners that contain an unnecessary amount of VOC’s that are toxic, such as Clorox, Pine sol, and Lysol. Repeated exposure to harsh chemicals with a high level of VOC’s over a long period of time can lead to major health issues. In some cases, people can also be bothered by low levels of exposure.

It is imperative that you limit the use of harsh cleaners, solvent based cleaners or cleaners that emit a strong fragrance. Instead, choose low-emitting products that are third-party certified and labeled by a reputable organization, such as Green Seal. Also, be wary of manufacturer claims of “no VOC”, “natural” or “alternative.” Read the labels and keep a look-out for the following clues:

Materials & Equipment

The right powered cleaning equipment can help reduce the exposure of building occupants and maintenance personnel to potentially hazardous particulate contaminants that affect air quality and our indoor health.

For instance, using a vacuum cleaner that has strong suction, rotating brushes and a HEPA filter ensures that dust and dirt won’t get blown back out in the exhaust. Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter also effectively helps get rid of other toxins, like brominated fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs) as well as allergens like pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.

Using the right cleaning materials can also help ensure the indoor environments we work in is as healthy as can be. Microfiber mops and microfiber cleaning cloths, for instance, capture more dust and debris than traditional fibers and don’t require any cleaning solutions.

The USGBC lists credit requirements of proper cleaning equipment to be used inside LEED certified facilities. The following page provides a snippet of their requirements, which should be followed in all facilities to improve our indoor health.

Sustainable Procedures

In conjunction with ensuring proper cleaning chemicals and equipment are being used, the right sustainable procedures need to be followed.

Green Seal, a non-profit environmental development certification organization provides sustainable cleaning standards and criteria to protect human health and the environment. Their GS-42 for commercial and industrial cleaning services provides a standard of not only tools and products to be used for cleaning, but also procedures for how cleaning is to be done. To become GS-42 certified, cleaning companies must be following these requirements at a minimum: