Several years ago, Mission created a special “Green Leaf” logo to assist its customers in selecting environmentally-preferable products and services from our industry leading full color all products catalog. More recently this logo was revitalized and integrated into our Mission:Earth™ logo and globe with green leaf “bug” to better differentiate true environmentally-preferable product and service offerings. Look for this new logo on an increasing number of cleaning implements, chemicals, can liners, paper products, and maintenance machines when our newest printed catalog is published along with our expanding internet catalog.
 The term “green cleaning” is often misunderstood. Green cleaning is a comprehensive process. It is composed of environmentally-preferable or reduced-risk products, techniques, and regular cleaning and maintenance scheduling.
Cleaning is often viewed as an aesthetic undertaking, rather than actually being given the true value of its purpose, which is sanitation. When maintaining buildings, often the cleaning budget is one of the first budgets reduced when cost-cutting measures are needed for various reasons. The value of cleaning to any organization is often not recognized as being instrumental in producing a means to profitability or contributing value to a building and its occupants, when in actuality it is a complete approach to cleaning. A true “green” cleaning program has the appropriate tool, equipment, disposables, regular scheduling and most importantly, training on correct procedures. A properly designed and implemented “green” cleaning program will have a positive impact on the cleanliness of a facility and the health of its occupants.
“Green” cleaning is about examining the entire cleaning process based upon the assessment of space, products, and work practices to maximize cleanliness, while at the same time reducing unnecessary hazardous cleaning chemical exposures to patients, staff, and visitors. The process focuses on improving indoor air quality, recycling, and minimizing the use of raw materials and toxic products.
“Green” products are the pro-active choice for the professional who is selecting cleaners for the institutional and industrial use in the sanitary maintenance industry and has environmental concerns in mind.
The simple answer: Green is better for the health and well-being of all of us and better for the environment in which we live, learn, and work.
Cleaning “green” assists in reducing exposure to potentially harmful chemicals that can endanger the health and safety of building occupants, visitors and the cleaning staff, plus reducing the negative impact on the environment. Emphasis must be on cleaning health first and appearances second.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a topic of great interest when discussing green cleaning practices because people spend as much as ninety percent of their time indoors. That figure alone validates the significance of ensuring that our indoor environments are maximizing human sustainability. Clean fresh air is crucial to good health.
What are the benefits of “Green” cleaning?
- Improved indoor air quality
- Healthier facilities for tenants, workers, and custodians
- Increased worker productivity
- Improved employee morale
- Reduced sick days and associated health care costs
- Minimized exposure to aggressive chemicals
- Reduced water and air pollution
- Peace of mind
Here is a Green Cleaning Road Map for the successful implementation in your organization.
 Use Green Seal™ Certified, Mission:Earth™, and other environmentally preferable products.
Chemistry – Use institutional cleaners, hand soaps and floor care formulas that are certified by Green Seal™.
Hillyard Green Select™ - website
ProChem® - website
Simple Green® - website
Spartan® Green Solutions™ - website
Paper Products – At a minimum, use paper products that meet EPA guidelines for post consumer fiber content. Green Seal™ paper and tissue standards exceed EPA guidelines but generally cost more. “Source reduction” (less packaging, less waste product, fewer raw materials to final product) is also an important component of a “green” paper program.
| EPA Guidelines: |
Post Consumer % |
Total Recovered % |
| Bathroom Tissue |
20-60% |
20-100% |
| Paper Towels |
40-60% |
40-100% |
| Facial Tissue |
10-15% |
10-100% |
| Green Seal™ Guidelines: |
Post Consumer % |
Total Recovered % |
| Bathroom Tissue |
20-100% |
100% |
| Paper Towels |
40-100% |
100% |
| Facial Tissue |
40-100% |
100% |
Mission:Earth™ - New Products
Kimberly-Clark® - website
SCA Tissue/Tork® - website
Georgia-Pacific® - pdf
Can Liners – use trash can liners made with resins that contain at least 10% post consumer waste.
Republic Bag - website Green Seal™ is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment. Green Seal™ has no financial interest in the products that it certifies or recommends, or in any manufacturer or company. Green Seal™’s evaluations are based on state-of-the-art science and information using internationally recognized methods and procedures. Green Seal™ provides credible, objective, and unbiased information whose only purpose is to direct the purchaser to environmentally responsible products and services. Green Seal™ cleaning product standards include:
- Invest in new equipment with lower environmental impact profile.
Vacuums – Use vacuums certified by the Carpet & Rug Institute to clean your carpet and protect indoor air quality. Vacuums that qualify for CRI’s Green Label must pass performance tests on three key measures…soil removal, dust containment, and carpet appearance retention.
Vacuums should operate at less than 70dBA sound level and capture at least 96% of particulate 0.3 microns in size.
Nobles® - website
Sandia® - website
Sanitaire® - website
Tornado® - website | pdf
Windsor® - website
Extraction Equipment – Use extractors capable of removing sufficient moisture so carpets dry in less than 24 hours. Look for the Carpet & Rug Institute Seal of Approval which tests soil removal, water recovery, and appearance retention.
Nobles® - website
ProChem® - website
Windsor® - website
Autoscrubbers – Autoscrubbers need to be equipped with variable-speed pumps that optimize the use of cleaning solutions. They need to operate at less than 70 dBA sound level and use environmentally preferable gel batteries.
Nobles® - website
Tornado® - website
Windsor® - website Buffers and Burnishers – Buffers and burnishers need to be equipped with guards, vacuums or other devices designed to capture fine particulate. And, they need to operate at less than 70dBA.
Nobles® - website
Mission Workhorse - website
Tornado® - website
Windsor® - website
Touch-Free Restroom Cleaning –use equipment with low flow rates to reduce water consumption and over-saturation. Use rechargeable or gel cell battery operated equipment with extremely quiet operation where possible.
Hillyard® - website
Nobles® - website
Tornado® - website
US Products® - website
Windsor® - website
- Implement high performance green cleaning processes and systems.
Guiding Principles – Redistribute workloads, redefine daily cleaning processes, and implement high performance systems to improve the outcomes of daily cleaning and extend the time between major restorative cleaning projects.
Redistribute Work Loads – Identify and document in a cleaning plan high traffic, high impact, higher frequency cleaning areas and lower frequency cleaning areas, then balance your workloads accordingly.
Use Microfiber Technology – Microfiber captures more dirt, drastically reduces chemical use, lasts longer than conventional string mops, and takes less effort to use. With microfiber flat mop systems, your staff is always cleaning with fresh solution.
Rubbermaid® - website
Unger® - website
Deploy High Performance Matting Systems – Investing in 12 to 20 feet of high quality mats at each entry point reduces the amount of soil tracked into your building, lowering the burden on the cleaning department.
3M® matting systems - website
Hillyard® CCAP® and Spartan® CompuClean®, helping you transition your cleaning program into green cleaning – Computer –based programs that help you manage and analyze your cleaning program. They are perfect for helping you make the transistion to green cleaning.
Hillyard® CCAP® - website
Spartan CompuClean® - website
- Gain third-party certification for your green cleaning program.
Who can certify my green cleaning program? Currently, Green Seal is the only independent, third-party organization certifying green cleaning programs. Green Seal has published a standard, GS-42 Green Seal Environmental Standard for Cleaning Surfaces.
Green Seal.org - website
What is Green Seal GS-42? GS-42 establishes requirements for in-house cleaning programs and external cleaning services to provide a green cleaning program for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. The focus of GS-42 is general cleaning activities and does not cover highly specialized areas like operating rooms, IT clean rooms, etc. Green Seal GS-42 - pdf
What are the components of the Standard? GS-42 embraces five key areas: planning requirements; products, supplies & equipment; cleaning procedure requirements; communication requirements; and training requirements.
How will Green Seal ensure compliance? Green Seal has instituted an annual monitoring process as part of maintaining certification to help cleaning operations stay on track while giving service providers input and assurance that their green cleaning procedures are being periodically evaluated.
How does GS-42 help? GS-42, because it is a third party, science-based standard, can help set cleaning operations apart from others. Not only does it offer greater peace of mind for doing the right thing, it elevates your cleaning program and becomes a powerful differentiator and marketing tool.
- Integrate green cleaning into a green certified building
 Make it a part of something bigger. Implementing a green cleaning program can be one part of a comprehensive green building strategy. Other components can include: energy & water conservation strategies; flooring surfaces made with recycled content; increasing natural light levels; and water conservation strategies.
Today, more and more organizations are looking to the United States Green Building Council for guidance in greening their organization. The USGBC is a tremendous source of useful information. Additionally, they have certification levels that organizations can pursue if interested.
The U.S. Green Building Council. The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote facilities that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
USGBC http://www.usgbc.org/
The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings.
LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings performance. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Get more information at www.usgbc.org.
Learn more about LEED - website
Implement an organization-wide recycling program.
Continental - website
Rubbermaid - website Start with a Green Cleaning Program Survey
Green, by definition, is not an all or nothing proposition. It’s about making improvements in your cleaning program that are environmentally preferred when compared to the current status. The more you can do, the “greener” your program becomes. Simply put – “How green do you want to be”, (or from a LEED-EB certification point level standpoint; Certified (32-39 points), Silver (40-47), Gold (48-63), or Platinum (64-85).
Doing a survey is a great way to find out where your program is on the green cleaning continuum. A survey is like a green cleaning road map. Your Mission representative, with the support of our many industry leading manufacturer representatives, can help create the map by doing the survey with you. Then, it’s up to you and your organization to decide where you want to go. Our job is to help you get there.
Visit Hillyard to download your comprehensive green cleaning program survey form. While the survey is based upon Green Seal’s GS-42 Cleaning Standard, it provides an excellent framework to see where you are, and where you can go, on the green cleaning continuum.
Read more about standards and certification in the recently published Green Cleaning for Dummies book by Stephen P. Ashkin and David Holly, go to www.greencleaningfordummies.com
For more information on green products and initiatives visit these websites:
 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) - website
Oldest and largest standard setting organization in America and a trusted resource for standard setting for various industries.
California Air Resources Board (volatile organic compounds, VOC) - pdf
California standards set to limit volatile organic compounds in cleaning products.
Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) - website
Establishes standards and testing for the carpet and rug industry including related cleaning equipment. Look for the CRI Seal Approval or Green Label.
Chlorine-Free Products Association (CFPA) - website
Non-Profit accreditation and standard-setting organization. It evaluates paper products based on their chlorine usage, among other issues.
Energy Star - website
a voluntary labeling program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy that indentifies energy-efficient products.
Green Cleaning for Dummies - website
Book about standards and certification.
Green Cleaning University - website.
Provides education and resources to individuals interested in developing knowledge of the issues, skills and techniques involved in creating and maintaining healthy, high-performance facilities.
Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) - website
Non-profit organization that sets standards for indoor products, buildings and environments.
Green Seal™ - website
Independent, non-profit organization uses a consensus process to set standards that address a product’s environmental, health and performance attributes.
Healthy Schools Campaign - website
Non-profit organization works to create healthier schools for student and staff.
 Hillyard® - website
Innovative cleaning chemicals, products and services.
International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA) - website
Leading trade association representing the commercial and institutional cleaning industry.
Kimberly-Clark Professional® - pdf
Environmentally engineered paper products
Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health by Michael A. Berry, PhD - website
Rubbermaid® green products - pdf
Microfiber cleaning products
SCA Tissue/Tork® - pdf
Environmentally engineered paper products
Spartan Chemical Company®: Green Solutions - website
Innovative cleaning chemicals, products and services
Tornado® - website
Environmentally preferable cleaning equipment
Unger®: Green cleaning standards - pdf
Unger®: 10 reasons for green - pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - website
The EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) establish recycled content requirements for paper and plastic products.
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) - website
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system.
Windsor® - pdf
Environmentally preferable cleaning equipment
Bio-based Product: A commercial or industrial product (other than food or feed) that utilizes biological products or renewable domestic agricultural (plant, animal, and marine) or forestry materials.
DfE: The Design for Environment (DfE) programs is an EPA partnership program which partners the EPA with individual industry sectors to compare and improve performance, human health and environmental risks of existing and alternative products. - www.epa.gov/dfe/
Energy Star: A voluntary labeling program of the U.S. Enviornmental Protection Agencdy (EPA) and the U.lS. Department of Enger that indenifies enery-efficient products. - www.energystar.gov
Environmentally Preferable: Products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose.
EPA: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its mission is to protect human health and the environment.
EPP: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing is a federal-wide program that encourages and assists Executive agencies in the purchasing of environmentally-preferable products and services. - www.epa.gov/epp/
Green: To be “Green” means reducing the negative impact on human and environmental health through cleaning.
Green Chemistry: The design of chemical products and processes that reduces or eliminates the use and generation of hazardous substances.
Green Cleaning: Incorporates products and methods that help improve the health and environment of a building and its occupants.
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI): Focuses on establishing acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products. environments, and buildings. GEI’s mission is to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air.
Green Label: The Carpet and Rug Institute’s(CRI) indoor air quality standards for carpet, adhesives and cushion materials.
Green Star Certified: Its purpose is to achieve a cleaner, healthier and sustainable world through the identification and promotion of products that are produced and used in an environmentally sound manner.
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): Deals with the content of interior air that could affect health and comfort of building occupants. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants, chemicals, or any mass or energy stereo that can induce health effects.
LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Building Rating System created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
LEED-CI: LEED for Commercial Interiors is the recognized standard for certifying high-performance green interiors that are healthy, productive places to work, are less costly to cooperate and maintain, and reduce environmental foot print.
LEED-EB: LEED for Eixsting Buildings is a set of performance standards for sustainable operation of existing building where the majority of the interior or exterior surfaces remain unchanged.
LEED-H: LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of, high-performance “green” homes.
LEED-NC: LEED for New construction and Major Renovations. LEED-NC is a green rating system for new and existing commercial and institutional buildings.
Life Cycle: The progression of a product from research and development to use and disposal.
Reduced-risk: Industry terminology that indicates an environmentally-preferable disinfectant.
Sustainability: To clean in a way that will not harm future generations’ ability to do the same thing by minimizing the impact of cleaning on people and the environment.
Sustainable Products: Sustainable (green) products have less environmental and human health impact than other products in the same category and with the same function.
Tools for Schools (TIS): Tools for Schools is a program developed by the EPA to help schools improve the indoor-air-quality of their buildings.
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC): A membership organization comprised of owners, manufacturers, service providers, and architects that has become the leading proponent of green building in the United States.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): VOC’s are gases which are emitted from certain solids or liquids. VOC’s include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long-term adverse health effects.
Sources: Hillyard, Inc, Kimberly-Clark, Spartan Chemical Company, Green Seal, and USGBC
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