Summary: Claiming to be a green cleaning service provider while still doing things the old way amounts to greenwashing. A truly green cleaning company utilizes certified products, practices green cleaning techniques, and properly documents employee training so that there are no questions.
It used to be that commercial cleaning services were judged by what spaces looked like after cleaning crews left. A sparkling floor and faint odors of pine and bleach were telltale signs that the crew had done its job. Things have changed. Modern enterprises look beyond surface cleanliness. They are more concerned about commercial cleaning’s impacts on both health and the environment.
As the metropolitan hub of New England, Boston is ground zero for the green cleaning revolution in the Northeast. Here, sustainable property maintenance isn’t a luxury or just another option property managers can choose. It is a baseline operational requirement. Organizations seeking top-tier business and office cleaning services are looking for providers who understand that what goes down the drain or gets released into the office air is just as important as dealing with visible dirt and debris.
Boston Is Leading the Way
We are thrilled to do business in Boston because this city is leading the way in the global urban sustainability movement. Local initiatives, like the Climate Action Plan and the Building Energy Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO), establish clear targets and goals designed to help our city reach net-zero status in just a couple of decades. The commitment to sustainability among our leaders trickles down into the local business and real estate sectors.
From the Financial District to Fort Point and Back Bay, many of the Boston clients we work with are restructuring how they do things in order to meet rigorous green standards. They are completely rethinking everything from their supply chains to their physical maintenance and cleaning protocols.
The Foundation of Green Facility Maintenance
Here at All Pro Cleaning Systems, we prefer to emphasize green facility maintenance rather than just green cleaning. Why? Because truly eco-friendly property management is not a matter of slapping a green leaf logo on a spray bottle and calling it a day. It is a deliberate, meticulously structured framework that looks at all cleaning products, tools, and methods through the lens of:
- Human Health – Workers and visitors should in no way be harmed.
- Resource Conservation – There is never a need to waste resources.
- Environmental Safety – It is possible to clean and maintain a facility without harming the environment.
Green facility maintenance is rooted in the understanding that it’s possible to employ green products and cleaning methods without sacrificing either visual cleanliness or clinical sanitation. Your commercial space can be clean and sanitary while also being safe and sustainable.
Practical Manifestations of Green Cleaning
So, what does green cleaning look like? Genuine green cleaning is built on three foundational principles:
1. Eliminating VOCs
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are chemicals with high vapor pressure at room temperature. They emit vapors that can lead to respiratory irritation, neurological fatigue, allergic reactions, and more. A company offering green office and business cleaning will avoid using such harsh cleaning solutions. Instead, they will use products certified by organizations like UL and the EPA.
2. Conserving Water
Green business cleaning specialists conserve water wherever possible. For example, they tend to prefer microfiber technologies over more traditional cotton towels and string mops. Microfiber mechanically traps up to 99% of all bacteria and particulates, meaning less water and cleaning chemicals are required.
3. Reducing Waste
Finally, green cleaning demands reducing waste as much as possible. The same microfiber cleaning cloths and mop heads that are replacing cotton in offices across Boston are washable and reusable. Cleaning crews are avoiding single-use paper towels and disposable mop pads as well.
Evaluating Green Facility Maintenance Across Boston
Organizations across the Boston metro have plenty of options when it comes to cleaning services. Likewise, commercial cleaning services are increasingly offering a selection of green cleaning options. But organizations need to be aware. The local area has seen an increase in greenwashing – the practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about green cleaning products or methods – in the competition to secure new contracts.
If your organization is looking to go green with cleaning and facility maintenance, it is imperative that decision-makers remain mindful of the following:
1. Third-Party Certifications
A business or office cleaning service should be able to provide certification credentials and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) pertaining to every cleaning chemical they utilize. Service providers should only be using chemicals bearing independent eco-labels. Three good examples are EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal, and EcoLogo.
2. HEPA Technologies
Green cleaning isn’t just about surfaces. It is also about air quality. A commercial cleaning service offering green cleaning throughout Boston should be utilizing high-quality, certified High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters in vacuums and other cleaning equipment. HEPA filters capture 99.97% of all airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.
3. Documented Training
Even the most eco-friendly cleaning chemicals and equipment offer limited benefits if not used properly. Therefore, professional cleaning crews must learn green property maintenance practices and techniques. This includes everything from managing chemical dilution ratios to allowing enough contact time for natural disinfectants to do what they do.
Business and office cleaning services should be able to demonstrate proper training through documentation. In addition, training should not be treated as a one-off exercise. Cleaning crews should be continuously trained in order to maintain precise operational standards, even as those standards evolve.
Partnering With All Pro Cleaning Systems
Implementing an effective and seamless eco-friendly maintenance strategy isn’t as easy as sitting down with the head of maintenance and ordering new cleaning supplies. It requires a deep level of local expertise along with specialized equipment and an unwavering commitment to doing things correctly. That’s what we do here at All Pro Cleaning Systems. We have been the green cleaning specialists in Boston for years.
We operate on the understanding that every space we clean is unique. In addition to using green cleaning products and techniques, we develop a highly customized program for every space in every facility. To learn more about how we can implement green cleaning at your facility, contact us.
FAQs
Are there municipal regulations driving Boston’s green cleaning trend?
Absolutely. Two prime examples are the Climate Action Plan and the Building Energy Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). They require that local businesses restructure their maintenance programs in order to meet rigorous green standards.
Are traditional commercial cleaning products harmful?
Perhaps not all, but definitely some. Traditional chemicals tend to contain VOCs, chlorine, endocrine disruptors, and synthetic fragrances that can cause big problems. Traditional commercial cleaning products can contribute to a range of illnesses, including respiratory irritation and headaches.
Are green cleaning products VOC-free?
As a general rule, yes. Green cleaning products rely on natural substances like hydrogen peroxide and enzymes. They are equally effective without the risks traditional cleaning chemicals are known for.
How do green cleaning products impact the water system?
Green cleaning products tend to break down quite quickly in municipal wastewater systems. They also do so safely. As such, they do not contribute to harmful runoff that jeopardizes the local marine ecosystems in Boston Harbor and the Charles River.