Myth Busting in Healthy Cleaning

All professions can face myths that must be dealt with before progress can be made in dealing the real issues around solving complex problems. In cleaning, myths can affect organizational performance as well as the health of building occupants.

We have identified three misconceptions about healthy cleaning that can affect all buildings:

1. Health care and cleaning are entirely separate functions.
No one is going to call the custodian to remove a burst appendix, but it is a myth that health care and cleaning are completely separate functions. Cleaning is proven to help prevent the spread of disease and illness.

One example, hard surfaces like ceramic wall and floor tiles and laminate counter tops harbor pathogens and soil. Effective cleaning, disinfecting and sanitization of these hard surfaces can remove or render these pathogens inactivate. Proper use of microfiber clothes and HEPA filtered vacuums, capture and remove airborne dust and keeps it out of the respiratory system of building users and cleaners.

2. Healthy Cleaning-Addition or Subtraction
Sometimes to address a complaint of malodor, cleaners will add a fragrance to conceal the malodor, rather than addressing the source of the odor. Often the masking fragrance will leave behind pine or orange scent, however many of these products contain essential oils and can trigger negative reactions in people who are highly sensitive to chemicals.

Effective cleaning is about removing unwanted substances from the building environment, not adding them.

3. All-natural cleaning is always healthier.
Cleaning products containing natural ingredients like d-limonene or orange oil, pine and other essential oils are considered healthier by many well-meaning people. However, these essential oils contain organic matter that can interact with airborne pollutants in smog or ozone given off by common office equipment to create formaldehyde.

What is the truth?
Redistributing dust, soil and other contaminates in the indoor environment or employing aggressively scented masking agents can be unhealthy for building occupants, costly and detrimental to productivity.

Again, cleaning is the removal of unwanted contaminants, and it is always more effective to remove the source of the malodor rather and masking the malodor.