EXPERT ADVICE
Having a green and sustainable strategy in place is an ongoing
process. It does not just start and that’s the end of it.
the green cleaning programme will depart with them. What if they run into issues such as costs? While cost competitive, many environmentally preferable cleaning solutions do have a slightly higher price tag. If ‘the boss’ is not interested in paying more for cleaning supplies, that could end the programme as well.
However, if top management is behind the programme, it stays no matter who is with the company or who departs. And should costs go up a bit with a green cleaning programme, with a top-down decision the company will work through this along with any other challenges that might arise. With a green and sustainable direction supported by top management, the programme will likely survive and be implemented.
ANALYSIS Let’s assume we have a top-down decision to go green. The next step, at least as far as green cleaning is involved, is to analyse where things stand right now in the current cleaning programme. What products are being used to clean the facility? If there is an in-house crew, when was the last time they attended a custodial training programme? How effective is the cleaning being performed now? This last question invariably elicits a subjective response from the people involved in the cleaning operation. One person might find that a facility is being cleaned very effectively, while another person finds several issues. To get a more objective answer, take ATP readings of washrooms and commonly touched surfaces and ask building users or a cleaning consultant to evaluate how effectively the facility is being cleaned. Very often when cleaning and maintenance start to go downhill, the decline is so slow that
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the people involved do not even notice. An evaluation from a consultant with fresh eyes can prove very worthwhile.
DEVELOPMENT Once the analysis is completed, the next step is to establish a “green team” to move the programme forward. One of the team’s first jobs is to explain to custodial workers as well as building users why a green cleaning strategy is being implemented. Always try to bring building users into the process. After all, they are using the building eight to 10 hours a day and they have a right to know what is happening, especially if one of the goals of the programme is to protect their health.
Additionally, based on the analysis, it may be determined that custodial training is necessary. It’s often a good idea to begin this “best practices” training before the actual implementation of the programme.
PRODUCT PURCHASING Of course, environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals and equipment will be necessary. A cleaning consultant can prove invaluable when making this transition. However, here are two tips on switching to green cleaning products. First, in most cases, it is best to either use up or try to exchange any remaining traditional cleaning solutions or products. Simply discarding them is costly and wasteful. Second, when selecting green cleaning products, consider how they work together as part of a green cleaning system.
For instance, on a purchase requisition, do not simply request microfibre cleaning cloths and a green all-purpose cleaning solution. Instead, request a specific microfibre product to be used with a specific
green cleaner, indicating that the two products are designed to work together. What often happens when requisitions are made on an item- by-item basis is that purchasing will source the pricing and select a product based on cost alone, not necessarily considering quality. You want to try to avoid this situation by indicating on your purchase request that certain items are designed to work together as a system in order to ensure that quality chemicals and tools are selected.
IMPLEMENTATION Implementing the green cleaning programme is often a very big step, and so I recommend that custodial workers, building users, and administrators all have a “kick-off” party. Explain to all attending that the goal from this day forward is to operate the facility in a greener and more sustainable manner and that doing so will help protect the health of the cleaning workers as well as all users of the facility.
FOLLOW-UP Having a green and sustainable strategy in place is an ongoing process. It does not just start and that’s the end of it. One of the best parts of a green cleaning programme is that it often entails ongoing education and training. This helps ensure that custodial workers are adhering to best practices and are using the new environmentally preferable cleaning products properly. The follow-up also involves obtaining feedback from all workers, administrators and building users, presenting an opportunity to address challenges that have materialised.
However, the follow-up does something else. It gives the cleaning workers and administrators a chance to take a fresh look at their facility. Remember how we mentioned earlier that cleaning has a tendency to decline gradually, almost without notice? Continued follow-up allows the opportunity to help prevent this from occurring and, if it should, addressing it before it becomes the facility’s norm.
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