The Benefits of Using Eco-Friendly Floor Cleaning Solutions
Businesses that get a lot of foot traffic, like retail stores, restaurants, malls, offices, and industrial workplaces need effective cleaning solutions to keep them free from stubborn grime and harmful pathogens. However, many highly-effective industrial cleaners contact ingredients that are hazardous to our health and the environment. For this reason, eco-friendly floor cleaning solutions are becoming increasingly popular and offer many benefits compared to conventional cleaners.
What Are Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products?
Eco-friendly cleaning products are made using safe, non-toxic, and biodegradable ingredients. They’re much safer for the environment than conventional cleaners and help reduce air and water pollution and don’t contribute to ozone depletion. In addition, eco-friendly cleaners are typically packed in recyclable or biodegradable materials, so they don’t end up in the landfill. Even better, they’re still formulated to kill bacteria and are very effective at cleaning whatever they’re designed to target.
5 Reasons to Consider Using Eco-Friendly Floor Cleaning Products
Safer for the environment
One of the most obvious benefits of eco-friendly cleaning supplies is that they’re safer for the environment. Many conventional, non-biodegradable cleaners contact Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that are harmful to animals and the environment, including:
- Chlorine
- Ammonia
- Phthalates
- Sodium Lauryl Sulphate
- Perchloroethylene (PERC)
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Limonene
In addition, green cleaning products are not tested on animals.
Less harmful overall
Since eco-friendly compounds are less corrosive, they’re safer to use on hard surfaces. Although they’re still effective against dirt, grease, grime, and pathogens, they can clean surfaces gently, without causing damage. Harsh cleaners can also be very caustic and hazardous to human health, releasing allergens and irritating fumes into the air during use. These can contribute to respiratory irritation, chemical burns, skin irritations, allergic reactions, and in some cases, poisoning.
Many eco-friendly floor cleaners are manufactured without ingredients that can affect health and indoor air quality, such as:
- Perfumes or synthetic fragrances
- Sulfates
- Gluten
- Bleach
- Dyes
This is an especially important consideration in environments with more sensitive occupants, such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, or schools.
Less plastic waste in landfills
Reducing our reliance on single-use plastics is essential for the fight against climate change. Consider this: plastic bags can take anywhere from 10 to 100 years to degrade in a landfill; other plastic materials can take even longer. Due to the lengthy time it takes to degrade, plastics are one of the worst offenders when it comes to overflowing landfills—and they contribute to the death of countless wildlife and marine life.
In contrast, green cleaners generally use:
- Recyclable materials
- Biodegradable materials
- Refillable bottles that are intended to be reused
If these materials make their way to the landfill, many of them will break down naturally.
Resource and space conservation
Since many eco-friendly floor cleaning products are multi-use, you can save money when purchasing them to clean each area of your home or business. Most of them also allow for easier storage, such as dissolvable cleaners that come in the form of a pill or sachet. Some eco-friendly cleaners are available in a concentrated form, making them a more cost-effective option in the long run.
Efficacy
Although there’s a perception that traditional cleaners are more effective than eco-friendly products, there’s little evidence that this is actually the case. Since they’re less caustic, biodegradable cleaners tend to be more effective in some areas, since there’s less risk of surface damage.
Where to Find Eco-Friendly Floor Cleaning Products
At Bay Area Floor Machine, we offer a variety of eco-friendly cleaning products for your home or business. We’re well-versed in our inventory, so if you’re not sure exactly which type of cleaner you need, we’re happy to make recommendations. Stop in today to find the perfect cleaner for your carpet, linoleum, vinyl, wood, tile, or other types of flooring. Bay Area Floor Machine is conveniently located off the 101 and 880 freeway at 652 Charles Street Unit B in San Jose.