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The Environmental Benefits Of Switching To Green Cleaning Products
Last Updated on: November 16th, 2024
You invest your hard-earned money to hire the services of a local and trusted commercial cleaning company for the cleaning and maintenance of your workplace, and you invest good money in cleaning equipment and solutions for your small in-house cleaning team to use daily.
You do all these things to keep your office space clean and protect the people in it; that’s good and noble. But are you doing it safely, though? Could you be inadvertently harming people with harsh cleaning chemicals?
If you use traditional chemical-laden cleaning products, you could be doing more harm than good. While natural, environmentally-friendly, and toxic-free cleaning products have been mainstays in household cleaning for years, there have been few options for commercial cleaning in the market.
This is what separates commercial cleaning companies that offer green cleaning solutions from other office cleaning services – they have access to eco-friendly products and cleaning methods that are easy for both the environment and everyone in your workplace.
But why should you really prioritize safety when it comes to choosing cleaning solutions? What makes green cleaning products better than their traditional counterpart?
In the past few years, more and more people have become aware of the impact of humanity’s everyday actions on the environment. One vital area that doesn’t get a lot of attention is the use of cleaning products. Traditional cleaning solutions are often made with chemicals that can cause adverse effects on both the environment and human health.
What Are Green Cleaning Products?
First off, what makes a cleaning product green?
Green cleaning products, as said earlier, are natural, environmentally friendly, and toxic-free. That means they are 100% safe to use and have little to no impact on the environment.
Many conventional cleaning products in the market contain compounds called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can easily change their form from a liquid into a gas (this is why you often use disinfectants in spray form). When released into the air (sprayed), these tiny particles mix into the air, making them easy to inhale through the nose and mouth. Exposure to VOCs can pose a long list of health issues, primarily breathing problems. In some people, it may intensify existing health conditions.
Green cleaning products, however, are often made with natural and plant-based ingredients. And unlike traditional cleaning solutions, natural products don’t release harmful fumes into the air that may cause health problems, such as respiratory issues, headaches, etc.
Benefits Of Switching To Green Cleaning Products
So why should your company switch to green cleaning products?
Reduce Indoor Air Pollution
As said earlier, traditional cleaning products contain VOCs, which contribute to indoor air pollution. VOCs are linked to various health problems, such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, and respiratory issues.
Long term, VOCs can lead to more serious health problems like organ damage (may damage kidneys and liver) and damage to the central nervous system. Also, some VOCs are suspected to be highly carcinogenic.
This is what makes green cleaning products a lot safer for indoor use – they are made from natural ingredients that don’t cause harm or pollute the air.
Reduce Water Pollution
Conventional cleaning products are used and rinsed away. Often, these chemicals can end up in our waterways, which can harm aquatic life and disrupt the ecosystems. Phosphates, which are found in traditional cleaning products, can cause algae blooms that deplete the oxygen level in the water. This leads to the death of fish and other aquatic creatures.
Since green cleaning products are made with natural ingredients, they are biodegradable. This means these products break down naturally and will not cause harm to aquatic life when they are rinsed away.
Reduce Energy Consumption
Conventional cleaning products used for commercial cleaning usually come in big and heavy plastic containers. These containers require energy and resources for products and transport, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. If your organization uses these products, you increase your organization’s carbon footprint.
Green cleaning products, however, often come in smaller, recyclable, and more environmentally-friendly containers. Many natural cleaning product manufacturers also use natural and plant-based materials for containers, reducing the need for energy in their production. If your organization is advocating against the negative effects of Climate Change, then this is a huge plus for your company’s reputation.
Waste Reduction
Traditional cleaning products come in single-use containers that are not recyclable (often plastic). These used containers end up in landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to break down.
Green cleaning products, as said earlier, are often packaged in containers that are made from recycled materials and are themselves recyclable. This means that when you use green cleaning products, you are contributing less waste to landfills and helping to reduce our environmental impact.
Making The Switch To Green Cleaning Products
While switching to green cleaning products is simple, the sheer number of choices of cleaning solutions out there can be daunting. Plus, any company can just stick stickers that say “environmentally friendly”, “organic”, or “natural” on their labels to claim that they have green cleaning products.
One of the easiest things you can do to distinguish the real ones from the pretenders is to look for products certified by organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or Green Seal.
In addition to switching to green cleaning products, there are many other steps we can take to reduce our environmental impact. These include using energy-efficient appliances, reducing our water consumption, and recycling as much as possible.
You can, of course, save yourself from a lot of stress and trouble by hiring a commercial cleaning company that offers green cleaning solutions for office cleaning services.
Green cleaning services can transform your office into a healthier workplace, improve indoor air quality, reduce the number of sick days of your employees, improve the sustainability of your organization, and can help you save money in the long run.
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