Did you know that cleaning can be hazardous to your health? That’s because some of the products we use to clean residences contain chemicals are associated with eye, skin, or respiratory irritation, as well as a range of other human health issues. But the impact isn’t just on the cleaner alone – due to the air tightness of today’s buildings and the amount of time Canadians spend indoors (90% on average), all occupants are affected. Children are particularly vulnerable.

The good news is that today you can take control over this. You can implement a green cleaning program, which considers the health of building occupants and staff and the environmental impacts of the products and processes.

Here are 6 tips for starting a green cleaning program:

1. Choose products with less toxic ingredients, such as corrosives, ozone depleting and volatile organic compounds. Look for ingredients from biologically-based renewable resources and those that are not harmful to aquatic life.  Consider purchasing products certified by a third party like Canada’s EcoLogo certification which is recognized world-wide and provides assurance that the products meet stringent standards of environmental leadership.

2. Consider other environmental attributes of the product, such as the packaging (pump sprays vs. aerosols, recyclable vs. non-recyclable packaging materials) and the production process.

3. Always store and dispose of any cleaning product according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

4. For households, home-made products, using just a few simple ingredients, are an effective alternative to store bought products. They are also easy on your budget and environment.  Check out this video about making cleaning products for your home:

5. Consider improving the indoor air quality by opening windows and letting in fresh air, especially while cleaning (but not during heating or air conditioning seasons).

6. A green cleaning program uses appropriate tools and equipment which allow for fewer products to be used in the cleaning process. The less products used, the less the impact. For example, a microfiber cloth may do the job on its own, without additional chemical-based products, or with just plain water.

Stay tuned for more information about GLOBE’s green cleaning products program, which will be available soon on the GLOBE website.

The Dirt on Cleaning: What it Means to Building Occupants, Staff and the Environment

• Chemicals in traditional cleaning products have been associated with eye, skin and respiratory irritation
• Indoor air can be 5 to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air
• Canadians spend on average 90% of their time indoors
• Roughly 70,000 cleaning chemicals seep into the air, soil and water through their use, storage and disposal
• Aquatic systems are particularly vulnerable – for example the phosphates common to many laundry detergents and cleaners destroy fish and animal habitats because they simulate excessive growth of algae and other aquatic vegetation
• Green cleaning programs can help clear the air and protect the environment