Over the past few decades, countless businesses have taken the steps to reduce their carbon footprint. From cost savings from using more energy-efficient appliances to tax incentives and more, there are so many reasons why going green makes sense when it comes to business. However, one aspect of going green that is often overlooked is cleaning. Yet, there are so many ways that this simple action impacts the environment.
Read on to learn why green office cleaning makes a difference. If you have any other questions, please contact our team at 360clean. We can’t wait to help you create a cleaner and greener workplace!
It Creates a Healthier Workplace
The most obvious and immediate benefit of green office cleaning is that it creates a healthier environment for your employees and visitors.
Long gone are the days when harsh chemicals were needed to disinfect. Thanks to technological advances in product creation, green cleaning products have become just as effective at doing their jobs as their non-green competitors. This makes going green in office cleaning much easier and much more desirable. Traditional cleaning products might contain VOCs, which are volatile organic compounds. The simple name of the chemicals can cause one’s skin to crawl.
If you’ve ever walked through an enclosed space after it’s been cleaned with products that have VOCs, you’ll know how unpleasant they can be, even in the short term. VOCs can cause people to experience respiratory discomfort and headaches. Some people are highly sensitive to toxic chemicals, and they can experience eye irritation, coughing, chest pains, vomiting, and dizziness. These side effects are not to be taken lightly.
What’s more, long-term exposure to some of the harmful chemicals found in traditional cleaning products have been linked to some cases of reproductive harm and asthma. These are serious health issues that should be taken seriously. With that said, it’s easy to see why going green with office cleaning creates a healthier environment for everyone.
It Protects the Environment at Large
In addition to creating a healthier office environment for your employees and all those who frequent your office, you’re also reducing your impact on harmful emissions to the environment and the potential for hazardous chemicals to leech into waterways. Many people don’t consider that many traditional cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that are hard to remove from water. Cleaning products that have VOC usually contain harmful chemicals such as nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphorus—each of which have proven to be significant environmental hazards.
Every time a cleaning product is used for cleaning a sink or toilet, that product will make its way down the drain and, eventually, into local waterways. The more of these chemicals that are used, the more problematic they can be. These harmful chemicals are dangerous to local wildlife and their habitats.
Traditional cleaning products can do damage to the environment in other ways, too. For example, aerosols contribute to an increase in greenhouse gases, which has a direct effect on global warming. Some studies have even found that traditional cleaning products can actually lead to bacterial resistance, which ultimately puts people more at risk in the office.
It Helps Reduce Waste
Green cleaning encompasses not just the cleaning chemicals but also the other supplies they use to clean an office. Instead of using disposable paper towels, for example, the company will use color-coded microfiber towels. If they must use disposable products to do the job, they are much more likely to use those that have come from recycled materials, or that can be recycled themselves.
Reducing waste is a huge part of going green, which is why it’s important that green cleaning companies use non-disposable supplies whenever possible. The fewer products that are thrown away, the more eco-friendly the process will be.
It Can Save Money
It may be hard to believe, but green office cleaning can actually save you money. This may not have been true 10 years ago when green cleaning products were typically much more expensive than traditional products. But, things have changed a lot in the last decade. While green office cleaning used to be considered only a wish list item due to its cost, things have changed dramatically in the field thanks to advances in technology. Today, green cleaning can actually provide significant direct and indirect cost savings to businesses everywhere.
Some of the organic products that green office cleaning companies use are cheaper than traditional products. The reason for this is that the manufacturers of the products as well as the commercial cleaning companies themselves can achieve better efficiency with the green products, which leads to cost savings.
A major benefit of green cleaning products is the job they do at properly cleaning and disinfecting. You may not need certain areas of your office cleaned as frequently with green cleaning products as you do with traditional products, which could reduce your costs.
There are also other trickle-down cost-saving benefits as well. As mentioned before, the chemicals used with green cleaning are much less harmful than traditional products. This can lead to fewer employees having to use sick days because they aren’t affected as much. This saves a company money and helps to increase productivity as well.
Further, green cleaning providers can help companies increase their recycling, which can lead to cost savings as well, depending on your location and type of business.
It Extends the Life of Furniture and Floors
The toxic chemicals that are typically used to clean floors and furniture can lead to their deterioration over time. As the chemicals are put onto floors and furniture, the VOCs in them end up eating away at the materials. That, then, will cause them to break down much quicker than they would on their own.
When you use organic, green cleaners, you won’t be doing extra damage to the surfaces in your office. That will help extend the life of your furniture and floors, which is yet another way that green cleaning helps you save money.
After all, if you have to replace furniture every few years because the surfaces are worn down and don’t look good, that’s a cost that can add up quickly. Fortunately, it’s a cost that can be completely avoided if you use the right cleaning products.
It Gives You Peace of Mind with Regulations
There are a few regulations set by the government as to what products can and can’t be used by commercial cleaning companies. While the cleaning companies themselves are ultimately responsible for making sure that they are up to those standards–and not exceeding any limits or using products they shouldn’t be–it’s good for you as the business owner to know everything’s on the up and up, too.
When you opt for green office cleaning, you’ll never have to worry about whether the products that are being used are up to these government standards. All products that are certified for green cleaning have undergone a thorough analysis to ensure that all the ingredients are safe and eco-friendly.
If these products have been approved for green cleaning, then you can rest assured knowing that the cleaning service you have hired is meeting all government regulations and standards.
It Boosts Your Brand
Companies everywhere are searching for ways to build their brand recognition and trustworthiness. One great way to do that is to go green and implement as many eco-friendly measures as possible.
Green office cleaning is yet another often-overlooked aspect of being more environmentally friendly. However, when you go with a green office cleaning company, it gives you the ability to promote that fact to the outside world. You can use it in your marketing materials, or as an add-on when you’re trying to attract new clients or employees. By switching to eco-friendly processes and products, reducing your waste, and limiting your impact on global warming, these actions show that your business is passionate about doing good for humanity at large. And what potential employee or visitor wouldn’t find that attractive?
Create a Healthier Workplace with 360clean
As you can see, there are so many benefits to going green with your office cleaning. This simple action is enough to make a difference both inside and outside of your workplace. And remember, when you’re ready to make the jump to green office cleaning, it’s always wise to choose a cleaning service that is well-versed in the usage and application of green cleaning.
At 360clean, Green Seal products are always available upon your request. Our team of experienced cleaning professionals has been at the forefront of green office cleaning for years now. We are passionate about the health and economic benefits of going green in office cleaning, and we’re ready to provide you with exceptional service with eco-friendly products. For more information about how we can help your green office efforts, contact us today! We are happy to walk you through just how much good you can do by going green.