Consumers Fight Back for Green Janitorial Supplies

Not many folks out there aspire to be janitors but the truth is that most of use janitorial supplies at some point. And most of us have janitorial duties whether it be at home or at work. Our homes and offices get dirty faster than we can keep them clean and for the sake of our health and that of our loved ones we tend to clean up sooner or later, with a big emphasis on later. The question becomes which janitorial supplies should you use to keep your home or office clean.

It is no secret that under the kitchen cabinet we often store many harmful chemicals that have the potential to wound or even cause death. If you tried to get on a plane with many of these chemicals you would end up on the terrorist watch list. With so many good options available these days why in the world would we continue to use such harmful products? Looking through many common cleaners it there are carcinogens, acids, petroleum based products, and many others that can cause lasting damage. Even worse storing these chemicals together has the potential to make them that much more harmful.

People using janitorial products on a regular basis must keep in mind that safety is a very important aspect of keeping a home clean. There may not be a right way to do things but there is certainly a wrong way to do things. Long term environmental impact from many common cleaners is very significant. These chemicals have a disastrous impact on our clean drinking water as well as our levels of indoor air pollution, which are often much worse than those outside. This greatly contributes to sick building syndrome. The release of VOCs is possibly one of the most harmful aspects of janitorial supplies and frighteningly enough is also one of the most recent discoveries in the world of indoor air pollution.

What can Consumers do to fight back and how can they use janitorial supplies safely?

The answer is simple. Vote with your dollars. There has been a proliferation of new green products on the market that allow us to exercise our judgement and have a very large profound impact on the way that products are produced, packaged, and sold.

Making the switch to green janitorial supplies has never been easier and never been more cost effective or widely accepted. Because of the wide number of new companies offering cleaning supplies there has not only been a proliferation of new products but the quality of these products has significantly improved. Making the switch to green cleaning does not have to happen overnight and it is probably best if you take your time and learn about the different products as you make the switch. In the meantime here are some things that you can do to keep your family safe.

Look at product information and see what is contained in the cleaning supplies you are using. If something has too many chemicals or unidentified or simply hazardous sounding chemicals ditch it and use a different product. You should also make sure that company contact information is legible and if you have any questions do not hesitate to call or send an email.

Find out what chemicals should be stored in separate areas. When combined many chemicals have the potential to react violently. Mixing of chemicals is a cause of many emergency visits per year. Don’t mix chemicals ever. Simple additions like water to acid can have disastrous effects. Unless you are familiar with safety protocols for chemical mixing leave this to the experts or if you are aware that a certain cleaner is in concentrated form.

Keep harmful chemicals away from pets, children, or anyone that is not aware of their danger. Put them someplace besides under the kitchen sink that is less accessible and put a lock on it. Curious kids have a way of getting into things like this and they like to chew and taste foreign objects, don’t let your child become a statistic.

Observe expiration dates. They are there for a reason, and that reason is not just to get you to buy more. Some janitorial supplies grow more toxic with age.

Ventilation is key when working with anything that produces any type of a harmful odor. Even pleasant odors contain VOCs. If you need to open windows and turn on fans when cleaning do so. The last thing you want to do is pass out and end up on the floor where harmful gasses have the tendency to settle.

Properly dispose of used or unused products. This does not mean dumping them down the drain. You may need to find a disposal location or wait for a citywide clean up. Dumping harmful chemicals and worrying about them later is not only selfish it is also illegal.

Start switching to green janitorial supplies but in the meantime take these precautions to ensure your families safety.