Why Use Green Cleaning Products in Your Home and Workplace?

Green cleaning refers to using cleaning methods and products with environmentally friendly ingredients designed to preserve human health and environmental quality. Green cleaning techniques and products avoid the use of chemically reactive and toxic cleaning products which contain various toxic chemicals, some of which emit volatile organic compounds causing respiratory and dermatological problems. It is also the way residential and industrial cleaning products are manufactured, packaged and distributed. “Green" or "eco-friendly" applies to manufacturing process where in products are environmentally friendly and are biodegradable. Consumers are being made aware of the ways in which green cleaning is most-effectively used.

Green Cleaning can have a lot of interpretations, but the main goal of green cleaning is to use cleaning solutions and methods that keep our environment healthy. There are many degrees to which homes can take this goal.

For some homes, green cleaning means that they only use substances like baking soda, vinegar, and lemons to clean the home surfaces. Other homes may seek out commercial cleaners that are healthy for the environment. They may want to avoid phosphates, chlorine, artificial fragrances, and artificial colors. Many cleaners on the market now are marketed as being biodegradable.

Why Green Your Cleaning Products?

In maintaining an attractive and healthful condition in the home and workplace cleaning products are necessary. Cleaning materials is crucial to maintaining a healthful indoor environment such as the removal of dust, allergens, and infectious agents. But cleaning products can present several health and environmental concerns such as eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, or other human health issues. Below are some issues that need everybody’s concern and help.

Environmental and Health Concerns

ü  Volatile organic compounds (VOC) in cleaning products can affect indoor air quality and also contribute to smog formation in outdoor air.

ü  Ingredients containing phosphorus or nitrogen can contribute to nutrient-loading in water bodies, leading to adverse effects on water quality.

ü  Alkyl phenol ethoxylates, a common surfactant ingredient in cleaners, have been shown in laboratory studies to function as an "endocrine disrupter," causing adverse reproductive effects of the types seen in wildlife exposed to polluted waters.

Magnitude of Potential Exposure

ü  2.8 million Janitorial staff employed by cleaning industries is potentially exposed to cleaning products with hazardous ingredients.

ü  Building occupants are also potentially exposed to the volatile components of cleaning products.

ü  Data from Washington State show that about 6 percent of janitors experience a job-related injury from chemical exposure to cleaning products every year.

Benefits of Buying Green

ü  Using environmentally friendly cleaning products which has the following attributes of biodegradability, low toxicity, and low volatile organic compound (VOC) content minimizes harmful impacts to custodial workers and building occupants. It can also improve indoor air quality, and reduce water and ambient air pollution.

ü  Buying cleaners in concentrates with appropriate handling safeguards, and reusable, reduced, or recyclable packaging, reduces packaging waste and transportation energy.

ü  Buying less hazardous cleaners may reduce costs when it comes time to properly dispose of any leftover cleaners.