Implementing eco-friendly cleaning practices is often easier said than done. Numerous manufacturers formulate products that might contain one or two green ingredients. However, the rest of the formula is just as harsh as the average multi-purpose surface cleaner.
Yet, the companies will still market these products as green, non-toxic, or eco-friendly. When you aim to make your Atlanta business more sustainable on all fronts, you need help navigating the complexities of green cleaning services and products.
How can you identify cleaning companies that authentically practice what they preach?
JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Atlanta has a network of commercial cleaning franchisees who have earned green cleaning certifications. We’ll discuss what you should know before hiring a cleaning business that positions itself as sustainable and eco-friendly.
Understanding Green Cleaning Services in Commercial Spaces in Atlanta
A more diverse range of people tend to enter and occupy spaces. Employees and customers use restrooms, touch surfaces, and interact with one another. You wouldn’t likely see this level of traffic in your home or a family member’s house.
Therefore, residential properties may house fewer germs to make occupants sick. Business premises, on the other hand, can quickly become hotbeds of contagious illnesses that swiftly move through the workforce and client base.
Thus, numerous business or business property owners resort to industrial cleaning products to inhibit germ spread.
However, the public eye has shifted toward more sustainable ways to run a business. Consumers have similarly begun prioritizing service providers and product suppliers who advertise eco-consciousness as a core value.
These values not only help the environment but also create opportunities for company growth and progress.
One way to move your business in this direction is through eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Unfortunately, some commercial cleaners hop on the trend train to make money, but they need to keep their word. Separating authentic green cleaning companies from fake ones becomes a skill in and of itself.
How Commercial Cleaning Companies Earn a Green Cleaning Seal
Many eco-friendly cleaning services distinguish themselves from others with green cleaning seals. A green seal is one of many certifications and authentications reserved for services that integrate environmentally safe cleaning practices.
When you stumble upon a service provider with a green cleaning certification, seal, or similar authentications, you know they likely implement specific products and techniques to procure and retain their certificates.
Understanding Labels
When you shop for sustainable cleaning services, you might encounter the following advertisement labels:
- Green, used alone with no other descriptors, implies that the product reduces harm to one’s health and the surrounding environment.
- Natural suggests that the formula uses ingredients found in nature.
- Eco-friendly indicates that the products or services have less impact on the environment than others.
- Cruelty-free means that the manufacturer didn’t test their products on animals.
- Non-toxic implies that the formula won’t harm the health of adults, children, or animals.
These descriptions seem tempting. However, they don’t necessarily hold the cleaning service to any standards and are not regulated by third parties or authorized organizations. Almost anyone can slap these labels on their products or services with no consequences.
For example, one product manufacturer might label a product as green or natural because it replaced one or two harsh chemicals with naturally derived equivalents.
While this approach might make the product more eco-friendly than the original, it doesn’t negate the impacts of other harsh ingredients. Using such terms is often little more than a marketing ploy known as greenwashing.
Examples of Green Cleaning Products and Supplies
What does a green cleaning service look like to a learned consumer? Ask about the products, supplies, and practices they employ throughout each visit. They might distinguish their approaches from greenwashed services with the following:
- Formulas derived solely from plants and other non-toxic ingredients: Baking soda, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol are just a few effective cleaning ingredients that won’t hurt local flora and fauna. Many formulas also contain botanical ingredients to prolong protection from germ growth.
- Reusable or biodegradable supplies: Since each container will end up in a landfill, green cleaning services prefer reusable supplies, such as washable cloths, reusable mops, and refillable spray bottles.
- Choosing manufacturers that reduce environmental harm: Not all manufacturers produce cleaning formulas using methods that protect the environment. Your Certified Franchisee should source most of their products from suppliers who do.
- Practicing eco-consciousness in other areas: Eco-conscious cleaning services reduce energy usage at every turn.
As with countless other aspects of life, actions speak louder than words. Marketing buzzwords mean little without consistency and dedication to back them up.
What Makes Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Different From Others?
The average cleaning product does not measure up to greener, gentler products because:
- They contain unnecessary or harmful ingredients: Artificial fragrances might smell nice, but they can make animals sick or trigger allergic reactions in sensitive people. Similarly, chlorine might obliterate germs. However, it will kill helpful bacteria and other living things in its path.
- They use un-recycled or non-recyclable packaging materials: Manufacturers that use unsustainable practices source packaging materials from fresh petrolatum rather than reusing discarded plastics.
- They emit volatile organic compounds: When some cleaning chemicals break down, they release VOCs into the air. These substances infiltrate the air and can cause health concerns.
- It would help if you disposed of them: Many people make the mistake of throwing empty spray bottles in the garbage or emptying a cleaning product down the drain. These kill helpful fungi, bacteria, and other beneficial microbes. The contents can also make it to the ocean, killing sea life.
Why Should You Work with a Green Cleaning Business?
Some business owners hesitate to work with green cleaning companies near them because they worry about budgetary constraints or difficulties identifying authentic green cleaning companies.
However, once connected with a Certified Franchisee, you’ll reap numerous advantages, positively impacting your brand, customers, and the world we all share.
Waste Reduction
A cleaning company can waste many materials, including plastic, paper, and rubber. It can also siphon resources like electricity, gasoline, and water. However, it will avoid overusing energy and other resources unless necessary.
Fewer Chemicals Circulating the Air
Traditional cleaning chemicals don’t break down immediately. They linger to combat germs long after eviscerating the contagious microbes. Therefore, chemical particles can circulate through your business’s HVAC system.
Some ingredients can deplete your indoor air quality. Each cleaning session introduces additional chemical particles into the air. Your surfaces might remain clean, but the air you breathe is contaminated.
Healthier Work Environment
Air contaminated with harsh chemicals can cause breathing problems, even for generally healthy people. You might notice an uptick in symptoms like:
- Headaches or migraines
- Coughing, wheezing, or sneezing
- Congestion
- Fatigue
If your employees report these concerns year-round, they have issues beyond the average allergy flare-up; their work environment might inadvertently cause the problem. Choosing a green clean could boost productivity, energy levels, and overall social engagement.
Sustainable Business Practices
Green cleaning franchisees don’t just focus on eco-friendly ways to conduct the service; they’ll implement other sustainable practices. For example, you might not receive hard copies of pertinent documents unless you ask.
Instead, your certified business owner will likely attach documents to an email or drop them into a shared server. You can decide whether to print a copy or keep it digital. Paperless practices protect trees and cornerstone forests, which preserve countless animal species.
Great for Sensitive Occupants
You could run a child or animal-care business, like a preschool or doggy daycare. Therefore, you must navigate a germ-free space without irritating sensitive respiratory and immune systems.
Dogs, cats, and other animals cannot eliminate some substances as efficiently as humans and small children, who are still developing their immune systems.
A green cleaning service helps you achieve that balance that eliminates germs without harming your clientele’s most sensitive family members.
Is a Green Clean as Good as a Chemical Clean?
Some common myths circulate about green cleaning options. For example, a green clean isn’t necessarily more expensive than regular chemical cleans. Some people also mistakenly believe that green products don’t tackle the job as effectively.
However, combining eco-friendly products with knowledgeable methods ensures a thoroughly cleaned surface. Cleaning franchises, like JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Atlanta, equip their network with everything they should know and access before awarding green cleaning certifications.
Connect with a Certified Green Cleaning Contractor Through JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Atlanta
Integrate green cleaning services into your Atlanta business today. JAN-PRO Cleaning & Disinfecting in Atlanta uses technologies like the ENVIROSHIELD disinfection system to help clients achieve uncompromising cleanliness.
Call 770-955-9822 to request a free estimate or connect with a Certified Franchisee near you.