Eco Friendly Cleaning Products – How Green Meets Healthy

By Author: Allon Cohen
Total Articles: 6
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Many Janitorial Supply Companies are capitalizing on the increased awareness of eco-friendly cleaning products and in hopes that sustainability translates into profitability. Some skeptics believe that eco friendly cleaning products is a just an infatuation by fickle consumers. In reality, using green cleaning products can lead to an increase in the health and safety of people who occupy clean areas.
There isn’t one green commercial cleaning product which will prevent all of illnesses. It is the commitment to using a combination of zero toxicity cleaning products to make changes in the indoor environment. Eco Friendly cleaning products do not contain any volatile organic chemicals or petrochecmicals. Volatile organic chemicals are the primary ingredients used to make solvents, cleaners, and degreasers. Petrochemicals can be found in almost any manufactured product. Cleaning products that contain petrochemicals have a petroleum based solvent. This solvent can cause harmful effects to the body such damage to the mucous membrane.

For bathrooms, many people use cleaning products that contain bleach and ammonia to ...
... “whiten” their sinks and remove the grime between tiles. When bleach is poured, it release chlorine gas particles that becomes dangerous when mixed with ammonia because it produces a harmful gas that can lead to headaches, coughing and vomiting with breathed in immediately. Often people wear masks to protect themselves from inhaling these harmful gases but bleach and ammonia can lead to the development of respiratory problems such as asthma or chronic bronchitis.

Using eco friendly cleaning products, as an alternative, will prevent the development of respiratory problems that comes with ammonia and bleach. All zero toxicity cleaning products contain water based solvents which do not evaporate into any harmful gases. Many eco friendly floor cleaners contain percarbonate. Percarbonate is composed of salt, limestone, and oxygenated water. This combination of ingredients is safe for cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, and many other surfaces. Besides just cleaning surfaces, sodium percarbonate can be used in washing clothes and removing stains.

One hesitation by consumers who purchase commercial cleaning products is the potential price increase with purchasing green facility care products over traditional cleaning products. There are many important intangibles associated with purchasing eco friendly cleaning products. For example, when a building manager uses green cleaning products, they will notice an overall health of the occupants remain high. If the occupants of the building are employees working in an office, this can increase the productivity when health is not a concern. If the occupants of the building are consumer purchasing products or services, the indoor air quality can keep the occupants comfortable and not concerned about their health or safety in the building or office.