A Global Shift to Green Cleaning
The movement toward green cleaning solutions and methods is gaining unprecedented momentum in 2025. What was once limited to North America and Europe is now experiencing explosive growth across Asia, Africa, and South America. Developing regions are rapidly closing the adoption gap that has existed for over two decades.
According to Steve Ashkin, a leading advocate for green cleaning and sustainability, this represents a dramatic transformation. "Countries throughout Asia, Africa, and South America are rapidly adopting green cleaning products and methods," Ashkin explains. "These regions are following the same adoption patterns we saw in North America's early transition."
This global shift is more than just a trend; it's a fundamental reimagining of how facilities worldwide approach cleaning and maintenance. Here are some of the driving forces of this revolution:
1. Protecting Human Health: The Primary Catalyst
Green cleaning solutions prioritize the wellbeing of everyone in the facility ecosystem. Beyond safeguarding building occupants and the environment, modern green cleaning practices increasingly focus on protecting cleaning workers through dramatically reduced exposure to harsh chemical irritants and toxic substances.
2. Enhanced Cleaning Performance: Beyond Traditional Metrics
The performance benefits extend far beyond surface cleanliness. Improved indoor air quality and reduced chemical irritants create environments that boost cognitive function and concentration. Workers in green-certified facilities, including cleaning staff—consistently report improved wellbeing, translating directly to measurable productivity gains.
3. Environmental Stewardship: Corporate Responsibility Reimagined
Manufacturers worldwide are recognizing their expanded responsibility to protect not only their employees and cleaning staff, but also the customers and communities they serve. This integrated approach to environmental stewardship is reshaping supply chains and procurement decisions globally.
4. Cost Effectiveness: The Economic Advantage
Modern green cleaning solutions deliver compelling economic benefits that traditional methods cannot match. Advanced formulations feature higher concentration levels and multi-purpose capabilities, enabling cleaning teams to work more efficiently with significantly less product per task. This efficiency reduces both operational costs and purchasing frequency while maintaining superior cleaning standards.
Why Green Cleaning Adoption Is Easier Than Ever
Today's transition to green cleaning methods is easier than pioneering efforts from 25 years ago. Ashkin attributes this transformation to several key developments:
Established Certification Standards: Well-defined green certification standards now provide clear roadmaps for implementation, eliminating much of the guesswork that characterized early adoption efforts.
Advanced Technology Integration: Innovative cleaning products and equipment—some developed using artificial intelligence—enhance cleaning efficiency while further reducing environmental impact on users, building occupants, and the broader ecosystem.
Educational Resources: The growing demand for green cleaning expertise is driving cleaning contractors and facility managers to actively seek specialized education and implementation guidance.
The Path Forward: What This Means for Facility Management
This global green cleaning revolution represents a fundamental shift in how facilities approach sustainability, worker safety, and operational efficiency. Organizations that embrace these methods position themselves at the forefront of a movement that delivers measurable benefits across health, performance, environmental, and economic metrics.
As Ashkin reflects on the current landscape: "This global transition is also driving more cleaning contractors and facility managers to actively seek green cleaning education and information. It takes me back to my early advocacy days when I focused on providing foundational knowledge about green cleaning principles and practical guidance for incorporating these methods into daily cleaning routines."
teve Ashkin is CEO and founder of The Ashkin Group; an internationally recognized consulting firm working to green the professional cleaning industry and help organizations implement effective and cost-effective sustainability programs.
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