People who are sensitive to cleaning chemicals are like canaries in the coal mine. Chemicals they immediately react to may affect all of us over time. Adapting your cleaning processes to meet their needs benefits both your customers and your business.
A 2018 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that 12.8% of Americans report chemical sensitivity. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities—including sensitivities to chemicals, fragrances, or other environmental factors. These accommodations could include fragrance-free policies, better ventilation, or modified cleaning procedures to reduce exposures.
Talking it out
ADA emphasizes individualized assessment and encourages open dialogue between affected individuals and cleaning organizations. The goal of the dialogue is to determine effective and appropriate cleaning solutions that don’t place an undue hardship on those doing the cleaning.
Through open discussion, both parties often find that reducing the use of products that are unhealthy for sensitive people creates direct savings through lower product costs and reduced labor costs by eliminating the time needed to remove chemical residues. The switch also creates indirect savings through improved well-being and enhanced productivity for both cleaning staff and facility inhabitants.
Eliminating chemical residues
For an example of how to clean with fewer chemicals and less residue, consider the strip-wash-and-squeegee window-cleaning process. The emphasis is on applying a solution to dissolve soils and completely removing both the solution and soils using a squeegee.
Cleaning methods that completely remove both soils and chemical solutions reduce impacts to sensitive groups. Such methods may include using a strip washer and squeegee to clean school desktops and other smooth, flat
surfaces, enabling thorough removal of residues that may irritate sensitive skin.
Another cleaning process safe for sensitive populations is the spray-and-vacuum method. Spraying water at a pressure of 150 to 500 pounds per square inch (psi) effectively dissolves soil, and then vacuuming picks up the residue. This technology enables deep cleaning of tile restrooms and other surfaces impervious to water without adding unnecessary chemicals.
Vacuuming for clean air
Dust on floors and in carpet becomes airborne from HVAC air and foot traffic. When vacuuming, use equipment tested for dust removal and recommended by agencies, such as the Carpet and Rug Institute. Vacuums that earn the institute’s Seal of Approval are effective in removing dust and other particles that contribute to poor indoor air quality.
When vacuuming surfaces above floors, use a dusting brush on a long hose with an extension wand to reach ceilings, walls, and shelves. Switch the brush to a crevice tool for removing dust in corners and tight spots.
When vacuuming smooth floors, such as hardwood, vinyl, or tile, choose a vacuum with a suction-only, narrow orifice, hard-floor brush tool. This tool, fitted with a stationary brush around its perimeter, increases the speed of airflow-raising suction to remove more particles compared to an open-orifice, beater-brush upright vacuum designed for carpet.
Most importantly, ensure the vacuum’s filtration system prevents the dust from reentering the space. A simple white-glove test will determine if the level of settled dust decreases after vacuuming. Of course, if you smell dust when vacuuming, you know plenty of particles are escaping. If sunlight shows swirling dust particles, that’s also a red flag.
Smelling of success
Many customers are realizing that a clean environment need not have an odor or fragrance. However, others still judge cleanliness by a “fresh” smell. Unfortunately, many fragrance chemicals used in cleaning products are known or suspected carcinogens or endocrine disruptors that negatively affect human hormones.
For now, you can accommodate customers who prefer a scent by using scented products that are approved by organizations, such as Green Seal or Safer Choice. Overall, reduce or eliminate the use of products with strong fragrances and teach customers that “what they do not smell” is what true cleaning for health signifies.
