ISSA Intro to Green Cleaning

Healthy School Campaign

Five Simple Steps to Green Cleaning in Schools

Schools have been cleaned the same way for so long that most of us haven't really given it much thought. Starting a green cleaning program can feel overwhelming, but green cleaning is not an "all or nothing" proposition. Most schools that successfully implement green cleaning programs begin by addressing the most significant or easily accessible issues. As they experience success, they add new elements to their plan or make adjustments to improve the results of current efforts.

You can get the process started with just five simple steps:

Step 1:
Switch to Green Cleaning Products

Just five years ago, buying green cleaning products was extremely difficult. Many early green products either did not perform as well as their traditional counterparts or were significantly more expensive. There were no agreed upon standards for what constituted a "green" product, and there were, unfortunately, many spurious claims.

Fortunately, over the past five years, standards have evolved that take the guesswork out of identifying and evaluating products that have reduced health and environmental impacts. Using these standards makes purchasing green cleaning products quick and easy -- and provides a level of confidence that the products meet state-of-the-art performance, health, safety and environmental standards.

Standards

There are an increasing number of third party certifying organizations in the marketplace. If you are not using one of the standards we have included here, it is important to ensure that the certifying entity does not have a financial interest in the products and that their program meets the ISO 14000 eco-labeling policy.

The following standards currently apply to the majority of green cleaning products used in schools: Note that in most cases, Environmental Choice and Green Seal are interchangeable except where otherwise noted.

Click on the Applicable Standard for more information.

¹The CA VOC standard covers a wide array of products, however the standard only applies to one product attribute (volatile organic compounds), so it should be used only for purchasing products that are not covered by Environmental Choice or Green Seal standards.

²Although Environmental Choice certifies disinfectants, there are currently no Environmental Choice certified disinfectants that are EPA registered for sale in the U.S. (See the Choosing Green Cleaning Products section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning for more information.)

Cost Comparison

Green Cleaning is considered " cost neutral" when compared to high quality traditional cleaning programs. Rather than just looking for the cheapest price, school districts should consider adopting a "best value" purchasing model, which not only looks at the performance, health and environmental attributes of a product, but perhaps more importantly, evaluates the vendor's ability to train custodial personnel on critical issues such as proper mixing of chemicals, proper techniques to maintain hard floors and carpets, strategies to reduce exposures to vulnerable and sensitive occupants, efficient methods to clean restrooms and classrooms, etc., along with the vendor’s ability for timely delivery and other support functions.

Unlike the purchase of most school products (e.g. furniture, arts & crafts supplies, text books, writing paper, etc.), the successful use of cleaning supplies is highly labor dependent (labor represents 80-90 percent of the cleaning budget, while cleaning supplies represent less than 10 percent). Thus, without the proper training, small savings on the product can result in large costs in labor.

Experience has shown that purchasing practices based solely on lowest initial costs can create significant difficulties when trying to implement a green cleaning program and create a healthier school.

Training Requirements

As indicated above, training or retraining cleaning personnel regarding the proper product applications, mixing and dilution and disposal is critical to making a Green Cleaning program work, and work economically. See the Training Issues and Opportunities section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning for more information for more information on training options and resources available to schools.

Step 2:
Introduce Green Equipment and Supplies

Vacuum cleaners with high-efficiency filters capture microscopic materials that can harm health or damage sensitive equipment. In addition, it is important to use floor burnishers that have filters. For most equipment and supply purchases, schools should consider three factors – appropriateness, effectiveness and usability – which are discussed in detail under the Choosing Green Equipment and Supplies section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning.

Standards

The Green Label program, developed by The Carpet & Rug Institute, signifies that vacuums and other rug cleaning equipment meet minimum standards in the collection and retention of soils and dust. To learn more about these and other standards see green standards. For sources of recommended equipment, see featured green products.

Cost Comparison

Green equipment tends to cost more, but with the higher quality and greater durability it can be more cost-effective in the long run. In most cases, the budget won’t permit a school to replace all inappropriate equipment at once. By analyzing your needs based on the criteria outlined above, schools can identify priorities and establish a plan for phasing out lower quality, poorly performing equipment.

Training Requirements

Proper training of cleaning personnel is an important factor in the selection and use of green cleaning equipment and supplies. See the Training Issues and Opportunities section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning for more information on training options and resources available to schools.

Step 3:
Adopt Green Cleaning Procedures

Changes in the frequency, technique or time when cleaning is performed can be as important to a green cleaning program as the products and equipment being used.

Standards

There are no standards for green cleaning procedures per se, but
The Carpet and Rug Institute offers environmentally sensitive guidelines for carpet cleaning and maintenance. Green Seal also has a draft Environmental Standard for Cleaning Services that offers guidelines as well as standards for floor care finishing for hard surfaces. These documents can be viewed in the Resources and Tools section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. To learn more about procedure-related standards see green standards.

Types of Procedures

Typically, green cleaning procedures fall into three broad categories: those that reduce general health impacts, those that accommodate populations with special needs, and those that reduce environmental impacts.

Reduce general health impacts by changing:

Accommodate populations with special needs, such as people with allergies or chemical sensitivities or pregnant women, by changing:

Reduce environmental impacts by changing:

Evaluation and implementation of these and other changes in cleaning procedures are discussed in greater detail in the Developing Green Cleaning Procedures section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools.

Cost Comparison

It is impossible to predict the financial impact of adopting green cleaning procedures. For example, using floor burnishers with filters will reduce the need for dusting, and using appropriately sized and placed entryway mats to keep keep soil out of the building, thus reducing cleaning requirements.

On the other hand, changing the cleaning schedule to accommodate special needs populations might, but does not necessarily, cost more. Prioritize by adopting new procedures that protect health while saving money.

Training Requirements

Making procedural changes that affect the custodial staff can be somewhat controversial and require ongoing communication and training to succeed. See the Training Issues and Opportunities section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools for guidance on how to introduce new procedures and resources for identifying and evaluating training resources.

Step 4:
Use Green Paper and Plastic Products

Choosing green paper and plastic helps protect the environment, and our health strongly depends on a healthy environment. By requesting and using environmentally preferable paper and plastic products, you help create the demand which builds capacity to produce more green products in the paper and plastics industry.

Standards

Paper Products: This is an evolving area, and there are several standards that can be used to evaluate green paper products for schools. We recommend using one of the four following standards: EPA, Green Seal, Environmental Choice or Chlorine Free. Plastic products: Plastic trash bags, also called trash can liners, are available with recovered material. The amount of recovered materials used in the manufacturing process is affected by the color, size and thickness of the bag. There are currently no certifying organizations for recycled plastic products. See the Choosing Green Paper and Plastic Products section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools for a detailed explanation of the various standards and factors to consider when making a choice. For a selection of green paper and plastic products, see featured green products.

Cost Assessment

Recycled paper tends to cost more than paper manufactured from virgin tree fiber of comparable quality and price. However, by taking a few simple steps to reduce consumption (such as replacing multifold hand towels with large rolls and replacing single roll toilet paper dispensers with dispensers that hold multiple rolls), you can offset the higher initial cost by reducing consumption.

Training Requirements

No formal training is needed to increase your school’s use of recycled paper products. However, there are some resources that can help educate staff and other school stakeholders about the importance of conservation and recycling. See the Resources and Tools section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools for more information.

Step 5:
Share the Responsibility

Cleanliness, health and safety are not the sole responsibility of the custodians. Everyone who uses the building, including the students, teachers, administrators, the union and outside contractors must play a role in maintaining a healthy environment. Schools’ experiences implementing green cleaning programs throughout the United States show that promoting stewardship and increasing institutional commitment are critical to both short- and long-term success.

Promoting Stewardship

The idea of shared responsibility for building cleanliness is a foreign concept in most schools. Custodians tend to take the brunt of criticism for environmental problems. It is important to communicate with administrators, staff, teachers, students, visitors and vendors about green cleaning and educate them about their role in maintaining environmental improvements and preventing future problems. The goal is to promote environmental stewardship across the school community, so that each stakeholder takes personal responsibility for the environment by recycling paper and plastic, conserving water, maintaining uncluttered classrooms and workspaces and handling food and potential contaminants properly. See the Resources and Tools section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools for advice on promoting shared responsibility and stewardship.

Increasing Institutional Commitment

Developing widespread and formal institutional commitment to Green Cleaning is another way to ensure the long-term success of your Green Cleaning Program. Creating a Green Team, developing and implementing a green cleaning implementation plan, adopting a Green Cleaning policy and evaluating results are important steps for developing a long-term commitment to Green Cleaning in your school. For more information and step-by-step guidance, see the Long-term Success section of The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools. Also check out the Resources and Tools for helpful information.

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Last modified: September 21, 2009