A Green Focus for the Commercial Cleaning Sector

A governmental agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is warning of various cleansing chemicals which may induce dangerous gases that can cause dizziness, wheezing, headaches, and possibly even damage to lung tissue.

Various multinational companies are understandably making the switch away from traditional commercial cleaning chemicals to a more environmentally-friendly approach. You could call it a green focus for the commercial cleaning sector. This includes businesses such as Coca-Cola Enterprises, ISS which is among the world’s largest commercial facility service providers, as well as many nationwide universities, all of whom are getting in on the act of “greenness.”

And some further examples include facilities for sanitizing that rely on the use of technologies like steam vapor systems, spray and vac systems which utilize pressurized water, and electrolyzed systems that depend on an electrical current to alter water so it becomes a cleansing agent.

Though industry numbers are not yet available, Stephen Ashkin, the executive director of a nonprofit called The Green Cleansing Network, estimates that some 30-50 percent of institutions and corporations across the nation now rely on eco-friendly cleaners that carry no harsh chemicals.

Ashkin says that the professional cleaning industry is undergoing relatively rapid change. The newer trend now relies on cleaning without the need for chemicals. He does, however, state that cleaning products that rely on a minimal amount of chemicals cannot replace the likes of heavy-duty cleaning chemicals, floor finishes, and graffiti removers. Nevertheless, the new focus is still a very workable solution for which to generate a healthy and clean environment which leaves behind a thoroughly minimal footprint.

The Definition of Chemical-Free Cleaning

It’s a very new trend, so new that even the product descriptions are somewhat controversial. Some say that it’s chemical-free, while others describe the process as eco-friendly. But Ashkin himself rejects “chemical-free” as an appropriate term, given that there are no cleaning devices or cleansing products that completely avoid the use of chemicals.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) define green cleaning as a product range that has been certified by organizations of an independent nature that are not only safe to use but also are less harmful to the environment than are conventional alternatives like ammonia and bleach.

It really does not matter about the definition. After all, it simply means very good business for the key players in the industry. Companies such as Tennant, a supplier of industrial cleaning equipment and supplies, Tursano, who make the Lotus Pro device, and Ecolab, the multinational conglomerate, are all reporting rapid and expansive growth in sales and earnings.

Norway-based Norwex, makers of antibacterial microfiber cloths that are chemical free, have now expanded into multiple markets too, including Australia, the US, and Canada. They sell microfiber cloths and towels, dry polyester floor pads which are used for mopping, cleaning tablets, and a host of other products.

All the same, much of this particular expansion is within the commercial sector and relies on corporate cleaning services. The residential cleaning sector is somewhat stagnant at around 1-5 percent of the cleansing market being made up of eco-friendly and chemical-free products.

Investing in a chemical-free cleansing device which is to be used in a commercial space might cost as much as $5,000. This represents a worthy investment when it is used on a daily basis. On the other hand, the Lotus Pro cleaning device, which relies on split stream water technology and is suited to home usage, averages $150 retail, and that’s still too much for parents who are more concerned about placing food on the table.

A Further Growing Trend

A further trend that is on the up is that Americans are generating their own individual cleaning products that rely on a limited chemical input. There are various recipes being posted all over the internet that rely on products such as baking soda or vinegar as a base, and these can be used to clean showers and ovens.

The Effectiveness of Green Cleaning Products

Companies that cater to the green cleansing sector are constantly evaluating the new technologies, and comparing these to the potential impact of using chemicals together with electrical use. Many experts believe that it will not be long before the environmental benefits of using chemical-free cleaning devices together with associated technologies will outshine those of chemical-based cleaners.

Conventional cleaning methods heavily rely on the extraction of raw materials, after which, the products are combined together, then packaged (which affords its own environmental impact) and then shipped to the end user. By focusing on green cleaning, most of these adversities disappear.