Ask the Green Cleaning Experts - Green Galah
Tim Greig of green cleaning company, Green Galah, talks to Eco Steam Clean about the reasons for green cleaning, the key benefits and what products can help you implement your green cleaning process.
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1. What are some common reasons as to why customers and businesses opt for green cleaning?
There is a growing trend amongst customers when deciding on a cleaning company to ensure that the company uses green cleaning products. There are several reasons for this, including:
- The business (big or small) have company values that encompass being socially responsible.
- The company is concerned with the type of waste being disposed of while cleaning is performed.
- There is a concern for air quality.
- There is a concern for the effect chemical residue can have on the environment.
- There is concern about what is in the cleaning chemicals and how they are manufactured.
- It shows that the business is an environmentally friendly one, even down to its cleaning!
2. Besides the environmental benefits, why else is green cleaning beneficial for a business?
Two common reasons include:
- Concern for workplace health and safety
- The business needs to ensure a cleaner supplier chain
3. Which sectors do you see as leading the way as the most "green friendly" when it comes to cleaning?
Presently, most levels of Government are taking leadership when it comes to choosing green friendly.
Equally concerned are schools, hospitals and the food sector. We are also seeing interest from a higher number of professional businesses in the health sector such as physios, doctors, and dentists.
People clearly don’t want to be laying on, touching or preparing food on anything that has had a potentially toxic chemical used on it.
4. What types of products are out there for green cleaning?
A way to tackle the green cleaning challenge is to use little or no chemicals and utilize machines that that can either physically remove soil and bacteria by a scrubbing action or high-pressure steam.
Other products include:
- There are 'Standard' chemicals which are made safer by the reduction or exclusion of corrosive or irritating substances.
- Green products may also use renewable sources such as solvents from citrus, seeds and pine oils. However, part of the challenge with many green-cleaning products currently available is that they can be less effective and may not be as ‘green’ as stated on the bottle. If in doubt, review the MSDS.
- Products such as GenEon which energizes a mixture of water and minerals with an electrical charge to create electrolyzed water: a safe, effective, and sustainable cleaner, degreaser, and sanitizer.
- Bio technology: Biotechnology involves the use of living organisms or cell processes to make useful products, including lately, cleaning products. Biotech products are environmentally friendly, non toxic and bio-degradable.
5. What are some of the key benefits you have found in using Duplex products for your green cleaning applications and needs?
Scrubbing and friction action is one of the top methods of cleaning. Research has shown that cleaning hands can be more effectively cleaned by paper towels due to the scrubbing and friction action.
Duplex steam cleaning products do just this action by removing soil and bacteria via scrubbing and high temperature steam.
In addition, using Duplex products has lowered our consumables cost with less need for management of chemical stocks. While the source of our electricity is of some concern here in Victoria, clearly using no chemicals is a winner. No run off, no spillage, no mixing.
From an OH&S issue using no chemicals is safer than using chemicals. There is no danger of operators breathing Volatile Organic Compounds, no danger of transmission through their skin and no danger of splashing to the eyes.
No MSDS are required when using a Duplex machine!