Help create life on a sustainable planet
Businesses can be big contributors to the damaging of the environment, the wasting of fossil fuels and worsening carbon emissions.
It’s possible however, to play a significant part in fighting against climate change, by reducing your businesses’ carbon footprint and looking at how you can operate more sustainably.
It can sometimes seem an overwhelming task, and business owners might be wondering what, if any, difference they can make. However simple steps can have an impact, if each business reviews how environmentally friendly it’s possible for them to be.
This blog will give tips on how your business can be more sustainable through the cleaning process, which includes preventing waste of cleaning products and water and not to mention time, energy, and money.
Environmentally sustainable cleaning services
You might not feel your business can tackle some aspects of becoming more sustainable alone. At different stages in the life of your company you will have called in experts to help with specialist aspects of the business process. This is particularly true if you are aiming to win business awards and industry accreditation. You might also be seeking B Corp status.
But even if you’re not, it’s always wise to source expert help. This is particularly true when looking at your commercial cleaning needs.
Signing on a cleaning company that puts the environment and sustainability at the forefront of their business could have a significant impact on yours. Not least helping you to become more sustainable.
How to clean: The sustainable way
There are a number of steps to take, to clean more sustainably. Here are just some of our tips and product recommendations.
It is possible, for example, to review how you can conserve water while cleaning, including a simple tip of not allowing water to run unattended.
Rather than using a chemical based air freshener, consider one that has natural ingredients such as lavender and uses a pump to dispense.
Steam cleaning is one of the most environmentally friendly cleaning methods, the hot steam kills germs and avoids the use of cleaning products.
Try using traditional cleaning products such as white vinegar and baking soda. These can clean stains and cut through grease. Lemons too are effective at killing bacteria and removing mould.
To make your cleaning regime more sustainable switch to cleaning products that are possible to get refills for rather than buying new each time.
For washing, there are some gentler laundry detergents on the market that will avoid harsher chemicals and be better for river and marine life.
Eco-friendly mops will not only be more cost effective as they will have re-usable mop pads that will be washable and hard wearing with little impact on the environment. Most will pick up dust and dirt without the need for harsh chemicals.
Finally another product that will help to make your cleaning routine more sustainable is using eco-friendly brooms that are made from natural products such as bristles and wood, rather than their plastic alternatives.
Green cleaning
So what is green cleaning? It’s embracing a change of mindset when it comes to choosing products. Using harsh chemicals to remove germs and bacteria can be unnecessary.
It’s possible to choose cleaning products that are better for the health and wellbeing of your employees as well as the planet, and avoid chemicals being released into your drains and the air in your office, as well as the wider environment.
Look for brands that only contain chemical free ingredients – don’t be greenwashed however, use of the term ‘natural’ is also used by brands that include chemicals in their formulations.
Bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar, lemon and other natural products can make good alternatives, are not harmful and won’t trigger any nasty reactions.
Save energy
But it’s not just using green products that will help your business to be more sustainable. Wise use of energy will not only be better for the environment but will help your bottom line.
It’s not uncommon to walk past an office building at night to see all of the lights still on, way after everyone has left to go home.
Why not undertake a simple energy audit – what lights are left on and why? Is any office machinery kept on standby when it could simply be switched off?
Are fans left on and any pumps and conveyors? Each and every evening, could there be someone who checks every appliance before leaving the office?
Recycle
Finally, a message that’s long been shared is the power of recycling. Businesses create waste and that waste needs to find a home. Why should it end up in landfill? What are the safe and effective ways of dealing with our rubbish? Again perhaps it might be time to undertake a bit of an audit looking at your business waste trail. How can it be made more sustainable? Can you make money out of your waste? Such as printer cartridge recycling and oil disposal. There are more and more innovative ways that waste is being handled and your business can be at the forefront of it – maybe that’s an award in the making.
If you are looking to implement some of these changes in your business please do get in contact. We walk the talk, being a multi-award winning green company ourselves.
