Renewing Our Focus on Green Cleaning
Recently, I met with several cleaning contractors in Southern California. These entrepreneurs, a mix of younger and more seasoned individuals from across the state, were all relatively new to the professional cleaning industry. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they shared two significant experiences:
1. They launched their businesses just as the COVID-19 pandemic began, a period of unprecedented demand for cleaning and disinfection services driven by heightened hygiene concerns.
2. Both then and now, report that few of their clients, primarily smaller facilities, request or inquire about environmentally friendly (Green) cleaning solutions.
I commended them for their perseverance in our industry. Typically, people start cleaning businesses during downturns or difficult times and leave as soon as new opportunities arise; however, not this group.
Their second point, however, regarding the low demand for Green Cleaning, is a cause for concern. While larger facilities frequently mandate green-certified products and procedures from their cleaning contractors, this expectation doesn't always permeate to smaller client bases.
The reason for this disparity is possibly understandable with these contractors. They established their businesses when the overwhelming priority for their clients was the aggressive elimination of the COVID-19 virus and other pathogens.
This led to a focus on powerful cleaning solutions and disinfectants, often without consideration for their potential impact on human health or the environment.
Crucially, neither these clients nor the contractors themselves were fully aware that effective, environmentally preferable cleaning solutions and methods could neutralize these pathogens with a reduced risk to human health and the planet.
As someone who has advocated for Green Cleaning for over three decades, this realization has prompted me to consider a renewed effort to "re-educate" our industry and our customers of Green Cleaning's importance.
This re-education must emphasize critical points, such as the fact that many traditional cleaning products release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These VOCs degrade indoor air quality and can trigger significant health risks, including:
Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.
Headaches, loss of coordination, and nausea.
Damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.
Potential carcinogenic effects (some organics cause cancer in animals; others are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans).
Allergic skin reactions.
Dyspnea (shortness of breath).
Asthma, particularly in school-aged children.
Furthermore, it's vital to remind everyone that recent studies confirm cleaning workers face a higher risk of illness compared to those in other professions, precisely because many traditional cleaning solutions can emit hundreds of potentially hazardous fumes and chemicals.
A November 2020 study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine highlighted this, finding an estimated 43% increased risk among cleaning workers for:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Bronchial hyper-responsiveness (related to asthma).
Lung function decline.
Rhinitis (nasal cavity infections).
Upper and lower respiratory tract infections.
Alarmingly, the study indicated that many of these conditions can be irreversible, leading to permanent health issues for cleaning workers due to the use or misuse of certain traditional cleaning products.
Motivated by these concerns and my recent interactions with these dedicated new members of our industry, I plan to initiate a Green Cleaning re-education program. This initiative will share established and new information crucial for cleaning workers, facility managers, and others.
Ultimately, the core message I want to convey is this: Green Cleaning is fundamentally about protecting health: our own and our planets.
-Steve
Source: "Cleaning products and respiratory health outcomes in occupational cleaners: a systematic review and meta-analysis"; Occupational Environmental Medicine, November 4, 2020. PMID: 33234692.