Going green is a huge issue for businesses these days. Not only does it benefit the environment, it can also help a business by improving their reputation, reducing bills, and ensuring that government regulations are being followed.
Whilst businesses are quick to take on the obvious initiatives such as recycling and being energy efficient, some of the more practical measures that can quite easily be taken are overlooked. One of these measures is cleaning.
Amongst other things, green cleaning concentrates on lengthening the lifespan of things like floor coverings. Making sure your cleaner is using an ergonomically designed vacuum cleaner could extend the life of carpets or rugs, as well as improve the general wellbeing of surroundings by actually removing air-bound particles rather than just displacing them.
Green cleaning is the latest buzz-phrase and soon it will be considered as customary as recycled copy paper, low-energy light bulbs and ‘think before you print this e-mail’ footnotes.
Green cleaning? Yes it’s about swapping traditional chemical cleaners for products that meet UK green standards, that’s the obvious concept. But like many things, it’s the technique that counts.
Doesn’t sound too difficult, does it? So what else can be done?
- Check ventilation – can windows be opened? Are ventilation grills operational? Is the air conditioning maintained and serviced as per the manufacturer’s guidelines?
- Ban eating in work areas to help prevent pest infestations – crumbs in keyboards or food particles in public areas do not make for a healthy environment. Provide a dedicated area for staff to eat.
- Replace cleaners’ traditional mops and dusters with ergonomically designed micro fibre alternatives. They are designed to capture more dust and improve productivity.
- Place mats at all entry points to your premises to help capture pollutants before they are trodden indoors. This will reduce the cleaning needed, and make for a healthier indoor environment.
Green cleaning should result in a meticulously clean, fresh-smelling workspace that doesn’t suffer from over-bearing cover-up fragrances. What does ‘clean’ smell like? The answer is that it shouldn’t have an odour at all, but simply smell clean – and this can be achieved via thorough and natural cleaning methods.
Embedding green tactics within your office cleaning systems will create a hygienic and healthy workspace and create a sense of wellbeing for all your employees; and will speak volumes for your environmental policy.
