What Does It Mean to Go Green? A Guide to Green Cleaning

E & J Cleaning Services · Cleaning Information

The phrase “green cleaning” gets used by everyone from big-box product makers to local cleaning companies, and it doesn’t mean the same thing in every mouth. If you are trying to evaluate whether a cleaning program is actually green or just marketed that way, this guide walks through what the term really means, why it matters for the health of the people in your building, and how to separate a real green cleaning program from a sticker on a bottle.

The short version: green cleaning is a holistic approach that covers the products being used, how those products are manufactured and packaged, the equipment and methods that apply them, and the training of the people doing the work. Swapping one harsh chemical for an “eco” version of the same chemical is not green cleaning. It is marketing.

Defining green cleaning

Wikipedia frames green cleaning as a move away from toxic, chemically reactive products toward safer, eco-friendly solutions. Conventional products can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause respiratory problems, skin reactions, and other health issues. Green cleaning also covers how products are manufactured, packaged, and distributed. A biodegradable product made in an environmentally responsible factory is green. A biodegradable product shipped in wasteful packaging from a factory with a poor environmental record is less green than it appears.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sets exposure limits on many common cleaning chemicals, but those limits reduce harm; they do not eliminate it. The only way to know what is in a product is to read the small print on the label. Certifications from third parties like Green Seal, UL ECOLOGO, and EPA Safer Choice give a useful shortcut because independent evaluators have already checked what is inside. Relying on a product’s own “eco” marketing without third-party certification is unreliable.

Why green cleaning matters for the health of a building

The most direct reason to go green is indoor air quality. According to the EPA, indoor air can contain pollutant levels two to more than 100 times higher than outdoor air. A large share of that pollution is VOC emissions from home and commercial cleaning products, air fresheners, and furnishings. Once a window is opened, those compounds do not just vanish; they continue to outgas from soft surfaces, finishes, and stored products.

Exposure to these compounds is not theoretical. Research on formaldehyde, benzene, and related solvents has produced enough evidence to justify legal exposure limits, though these substances are still present in consumer goods within those limits. A 1999 New Scientist study found that frequent aerosol and air-freshener use in homes tracked with measurable health effects: 25 percent more headaches and 19 percent higher odds of depression in mothers, and in infants under six months, 30 percent more ear infections and a 22 percent higher diarrhea risk. These effects are why “everything smells clean” is not a reliable signal that a building is actually cleaner.

What a real green cleaning program includes

A green cleaning program is more than a product swap. At E & J Cleaning Services, our green program covers the following:

Certified products, not “eco-looking” products. We use third-party-certified cleaning chemistry: Green Seal, UL ECOLOGO, or EPA Safer Choice. These certifications are independent checks on what is actually in the bottle.

Concentrates over ready-to-use. Concentrated products, diluted on site, reduce packaging waste and transportation emissions compared to pre-mixed ready-to-use products. Dilution protocols ensure we use the right concentration, not a wasteful overdose.

Microfiber systems. Microfiber cloths and mops capture dust and soil mechanically, which reduces the amount of chemical needed to clean a surface. When used dry, microfiber also picks up fine particulate that traditional cotton products push around without capturing.

HEPA-filtered vacuums. HEPA filtration traps particles down to 0.3 microns at 99.97 percent efficiency. That keeps fine dust, allergens, and mold spores in the vacuum bag instead of recirculating into the air for people to breathe.

Entryway matting. Effective entryway mats capture 80 to 90 percent of the soil and moisture that would otherwise track into a building. A mat of at least 12 to 15 feet of walk length is the single highest-leverage “cleaning” investment a building can make, because dirt that never enters doesn’t need to be cleaned up.

Touch-free fixtures and fulfillment. Automatic faucets, flush valves, and soap dispensers reduce water use, cross-contamination, and product waste. Bundled with a consistent paper and soap fulfillment program, they also keep restrooms stocked without over-ordering.

Trained crews, not just trained equipment. The most certified product in the world fails if a crew uses it wrong. Our crews are trained on dilution, dwell time, surface compatibility, and safe disposal for every green product we carry.

The practical benefits of going green

Properties that switch to a well-designed green cleaning program see benefits across several dimensions:

• Improved productivity and morale among building occupants. Fewer headaches, fewer respiratory complaints, less midafternoon fatigue.
• Healthier cleaning staff. The people swinging mops and spraying chemistry all day are the most exposed to what a building uses. Green programs protect them first.
• Fewer sick days for both staff and occupants, driven by better indoor air and lower microbial load.
• Community recognition and brand signal. Tenants, employees, and customers who care about sustainability notice.
• Lower liability exposure from worker safety issues tied to chemical handling.
• Direct points toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. For properties pursuing or maintaining LEED, a documented green cleaning program counts toward specific credits.

How to evaluate whether a cleaning program is actually green

If you are hiring a cleaning company or evaluating your current vendor, here are the questions to ask:

1. Which third-party certifications do your products carry? Green Seal, UL ECOLOGO, and EPA Safer Choice are the credible ones. “Eco-friendly” on the label without certification is marketing.
2. Are your crews trained on dilution and dwell time? A product used at the wrong concentration is either wasted money or a health risk.
3. Do you use HEPA-filtered vacuums? If the vacuum blows fine particulate back into the air, that room is no cleaner than when you started.
4. Do you use microfiber systems? Microfiber captures soil mechanically, which reduces the amount of chemistry required.
5. Can you document your program for LEED or a sustainability report? A real program produces paperwork. Marketing produces slogans.

E & J Cleaning Services builds green cleaning programs for Long Island businesses, medical offices, schools, and homes. If you want to understand what a real program would look like for your facility, visit our Green Cleaning service page or call 1-877-443-2635 for a free consultation.