Sometimes the Solution is Not the Solution
Maybe it’s time not to use Green cleaning chemicals.

I’m sure this sounds strange coming from someone who has been advocating the use of environmentally preferable cleaning products for more than a decade, and who is also the vice president of one of the leading Green certification organizations in the world. But there might be times when the most environmentally responsible solution to a cleaning challenge is no cleaning solution at all – Green or otherwise.

As facility managers of school districts, health centres, businesses and other facilities look for more ways to Green their operations, especially when it comes to cleaning, some are starting to look beyond the usual tools, including cleaning chemicals, and seek viable alternatives. The goal is to find cleaning and sanitizing systems that have a significantly reduced impact on the environment or even better, no impact at all.

Getting Steamed Up
One possibility has been around for more than 30 years but still does not seem to have made significant in-roads in the professional cleaning industry. Approximately 30 years ago, an Italian bartender was looking for a faster and more thorough way of removing lipstick stains from bar glasses. Instead of the usual scrubbing, which soon left the glassware scratched and etched, he walked over to the cappuccino machine, opened the steam release valve, and let the steam coat the glass. Voila – the lipstick stains were removed and a quick rinse left the glass sparkling clean with no marks or scratches on the glass.

The cappuccino machine became the model for what are now known as steam cleaning or vapour cleaning machines made by several manufacturers around the world. Some of these machines are relatively small – about the size of a canister vacuum cleaner – and are used for cleaning such things as countertops, gym equipment, toilets, shower tiles and grout, and other surfaces. And certain industries, for instance, the commercial food processing and production industry, such as bakeries, meat and poultry processing plants, are avid users of these systems.

Steam or vapour cleaning technology works without the use of any chemicals at all, which can prove to be a significant cost savings as well as helping to protect the environment. Instead of chemicals, water is heated to approximately 220 degrees Fahrenheit, turning it into a steam vapour. At this temperature, it is able to kill many forms of bacteria, mould, mildew and fungus, and help dissolve soils and contaminants found on many surfaces. Some more industrial machines have a vacuum extraction system to remove these soils and contaminants during the cleaning process. And, because of the high heat, the surface is usually dry within seconds after cleaning.

(Just a Little) Solution Carpet Care
Although it does require some chemical, in a similar way carpet cleaning professionals are reducing the amount of chemical they use by substituting heat and more powerful machines with higher pressure – psi or pounds per square inch – instead of using chemicals.

At one time, most carpet cleaners diluted a carpet cleaning solution with water and poured it into the tank of the extractor, if using this mode of carpet cleaning. Today, more often the cleaning professional will pre-spray the heavily stained areas of the carpet with a chemical cleaning agent before extraction. Then water heated to more than 200 degrees Fahrenheit, along with high pressure, is used to clean the carpets.

Unless the carpets have been seriously soiled, the heat, pressure and much smaller amount of cleaning chemical will usually perform well, and leave carpets clean and attractive. Additionally, while the chemical residue left behind in carpets after traditional cleaning often results in quick re-soiling, carpets cleaned with steam stay looking clean longer.

Ozone
Employed as early as 1906 to treat the water supply in Paris, France, ozone is known for its bleaching-type action and ability to kill bacteria and viruses. Although today it often conjures up images of sunburn and potentially harmful aerosol sprays, ozone, used properly, can be safe and effective as a cleaning agent.

One of today’s most promising uses of ozone has been in commercial laundries, and it is believed that its effectiveness may lead to expanded use of the technology for other cleaning tasks. Injected into laundry water, it can dramatically reduce the amount of hot water as well as cleaning chemicals necessary in large laundry operations such as hotels and hospitals. Some reports indicate that the use of ozone can cut hot water use by 30 to as much as 80 per cent, as it also reduces chemical consumption.

Building service contractors, carpet cleaning technicians and restoration experts have employed ozone equipment most frequently as a means of eradicating odors, especially when dealing with flood or disaster clean-up situations. Hotels use it frequently for tasks such as removing smoke odors from non-smoking guest rooms instead of washing down walls, which is usually chemical intensive.

Some high-end carpet cleaning equipment may have ozone-generating equipment built into the extractor. The system “ozonates” the water prior to the solution ever touching carpet fibres. The process helps improve indoor air quality while reducing the amount of chemical necessary for carpet cleaning.

Microfibre
Although the use of microfibre cleaning cloths and mop heads has long been touted as a significant tool in Green cleaning, largely because they are so much more absorbent than traditional cleaning cloths and mop heads, studies also indicate they have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of chemical necessary in cleaning.

According to a 2003 report by the University of Massachusetts’ Sustainable Hospitals Project, the use of microfibre mop heads in hospital cleaning reduced the amount of both water and chemical necessary for cleaning. According to the report, using traditional loop “spaghetti” mops required much more frequent solution changes compared to microfibre mop heads, resulting in the need for more water, cleaning solution and disinfectants.

Non-chemical and reduced chemical cleaning not only has the potential for being “green,” but helping the bottom line as well. Further, when less chemical is required, and alternative techniques and systems are properly used, it has the potential of preventing injuries. Ultimately, this is all part of the Greening of the professional cleaning industry because it is finding and implementing healthier alternatives to traditional cleaning chemicals and products.