A profound respect for the environment is a new force that is driving change in the area of professional cleaning. In a world where we pay increasing attention to our surrounds, the cleaning sector is stepping up to meet the challenge.
It is undergoing a major transformation, adopting environmentally-friendly steps that will be less impactful and harmful for the planet and more beneficial for the health of human beings.
But it goes deeper than this. Eco-friendly cleaning services are a badge of honour. They have the potential to act as a driver for the service provider and whoever requires the service (customers). Whenever businesses decide to implement, either directly or indirectly, sustainable practices, this leads to a marked improvement in the corporate brand image and changes the way customers, suppliers and in-house staff view the company as a whole.
Sustainability: the key take-aways
Making professional cleaning services sustainable is possible. Here are the areas you need to focus on mostly:
- Jettison chemically-based products and switch to eco-friendly biodegradable detergents.
- Put in place methods that create less waste and are generally less noxious, like steam cleaning.
- Use effective equipment with a high energy-efficiency class.
- Opt for renewable-energy sources to power your equipment.
- Introduce recycling policies to retrieve and recover raw materials.
- Carry out ongoing worker training to ensure your staff understand and use sustainable practices in their work.
- Use advanced technological innovations, like artificial intelligence and robotics, to optimise consumption, calculate exactly how many times you need to clean a surface and save resources by working out how much product to use for the floor area in question.
Cleaning needs to shift with a changing landscape
People base themselves on different parameters today when choosing a professional cleaning service. Regardless of whether the work is done on a daily basis or periodically, a cleaning company (hired to keep offices, warehouses, depots, premises spic and span) must demonstrate that it is able to work meticulously and efficiently, organising its schedules and activities to meet customer requirements.
Nowadays, though, people expect more than that. One factor that tips the scales and impresses the customers is a firm’s ability to work with eco-friendly detergents and implement operations in a sustainable manner.
The EU Ecolabel brand
There is no doubt that the choice of the right product makes the difference between high-environmental impact and a low one.
There is a variety of brands and certificates recognised across Europe and internationally that clearly specify the desired properties of sustainable products. One of the most important and reliable of these is the EU Ecolabel brand.
The Italian Ministry of the Environment defines it as the ecological quality brand which identifies products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle while guaranteeing outstanding standards of performance.
Set up in 1992, the EU Ecolabel is only given to products and services that comply with strict environmental criteria and performance requirements. Products bearing this label contribute to reducing waste and pollution, lowering consumption levels of water and electricity, and diminishing (and in some cases eliminating) the use of hazardous chemicals which can be harmful to both animals and plants.
There are currently about 12,000 EU Ecolabel products on the Italian market. They are both affordable and easy to get hold of.
The ISPRA website (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) has a list of certified products and services in Italy that anyone can view and consult.
Economic operators like manufacturers, importers, service providers, wholesalers and retailers can set themselves apart from the rest by applying for EU Ecolabel approval.
This includes cleaning firms. Anyone who is accredited obtains greater visibility on the market as well as a competitive edge nationwide and across the globe too. And there is even the additional advantage of subsidies or tax relief from some countries.
Steam for cleaning and sanitising
Recently, steam cleaning has been overtaking other more traditional methods because, on the one hand, it is less impactful on the environment, and on the other, it delivers satisfactory results.
Surfaces can be thoroughly sanitised and stripped of dirt, germs and bacteria simply by using water at a high temperature. And there are major water savings as well. Conventional cleaning techniques consume dozens of litres of water for washing surfaces. Steam cleaning requires only a small amount.
And the lack of packaging is the cherry on the cake. Everything leads us to believe that detergents are on their way out, or, at the very least, will be used to a much lesser extent.
Sustainability: a win-win situation
Embracing sustainability is non-negotiable for the present, and will be much more so in the future. Striving for eco-conscious cleaning operations is beneficial for all parties involved. It will pay off dividends: the environment will be protected, workers will be more engaged, service providers will be seen as more virtuous and customers will feel gratified and reassured.
