CLEANING & HYGIENE CLEAN OURWAY TO GREEN
Implementing a robust cleaning strategy doesn’t have to come at the expense of sustainability. Balancing the two is more than achievable, as James White, Managing Director of Denis Rawlins Ltd, explains.
When the pandemic broke almost two years ago, sales of disinfectant boomed. Consumers stockpiled the chemical in an attempt to keep Covid at bay, and professional cleaners sprayed every surface within sight.
As businesses doubled down on their cleaning regimes, it seemed that our responsibility for the health of our planet went out of the window, as many hit the (chemical) bottle with little regard for the impact on the environment.
Now, perhaps this behaviour can be excused given we were faced with a deadly virus, but the overuse of disinfectant really does have to stop.
We are stepping into our third year of living alongside this virus, but the difference between early-2020 and now is that we are armed with knowledge about how the virus is transmitted, and how to stop it in its tracks. And let me tell you – disinfectant is not the silver bullet.
Just because we want to bolster our defence against superbugs like Covid, it doesn’t mean we have to go into battle armed with chemicals and harmful materials. A robust cleaning strategy doesn’t have to compromise our sustainability commitments.
The problem with disinfectant Harsh chemicals like disinfectant were originally designed for occasional use only. They weren’t ever supposed to be used so frequently. And what many people don’t realise is that an over-reliance on disinfectant can actually be counterproductive. Like the losing battle of antibiotics against superbugs, disinfectants become increasingly ineffective over time.
However, even armed with this knowledge, they have become a staple cleaning product in our hygiene- conscious world, used on almost every surface, and even sprayed in aerosol form (fogging).
It is crucial to bear in mind that even if a disinfectant has been approved for use on surfaces, that doesn’t mean it has been proven safe for humans to touch and breathe.
We must find alternative methods to eliminate bacteria and pathogens, without negatively impacting our planet and our health.
Let’s go green The reality is that, if proper cleaning techniques are employed, harsh, damaging chemicals are not actually needed. Take SARS-CoV-2 for example. Due to the widespread destruction that the virus has caused, many believe that only the harshest, alcohol-based chemicals have the power to beat it. Yet when you look at the hierarchy of pathogens, it is pretty low down on the list, making it relatively easy to kill. In fact, soap and water will do the trick.
When it comes to the removal of soils, both seen and unseen, high-flow fluid extraction is far more effective than mopping with disinfectants and is much kinder to the environment too.
High-flow fluid extraction machines, like the Kaviac UniVac and AutoVac Stretch, use minimal amounts of chemicals, but are extremely effective. These high- performance machines use 65% less water and cleaning solutions than competitors. It’s no surprise that these models have recently received the Green Seal Certification of Environmental Innovation. It’s all thanks to their waste minimisation, reduced environmental toxicity, use of verified environmentally preferable products, and conservation of energy and water.
A growing trend We all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, and many businesses are now demanding that their partners and service providers support their sustainable efforts and contribute towards their Net Zero targets.
As an industry that has relied on chemicals for far too long, it’s about time that we embrace the innovations available to us, lower our emissions, and start offering smart cleaning solutions that boost efficacy without compromising sustainability.
www.rawlins.co.uk/remove-improve-protect-covid
38 | TOMORROW’S FM
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