Commercial Cleaning Products: How to Pick the Best

July 24, 2012 By Rae Ann Dougherty
Original article can be found here
 

There are so many different commercial cleaning products in the market place that it can easily be overwhelming. For instance, we here at Green Cleaning Products have over 800 products available for those seeking green janitorial supplies. So, how is one to identify the best commercial cleaning products? First and foremost, although it may be counterintuitive, price should not be your chief selection factor.
The right green janitorial supplies make a huge difference in how efficient and effective your cleaning routines are. This is dependent on the choosing and selection of the right supplies, knowing which products to avoid, what the best products are for each chore, and real timesaving gadgets that will help you.

No matter the building, facility, or factory and no matter how careful one may be, every surface ultimately gets dirty. Understanding these surfaces helps to determine the best commercial cleaning products for your situation. As much as we may be tempted to find one cleaner for all situations, that may not be the best strategy to keep off of the smudges, spills, and sticky spots clean.

For the best commercial cleaning products there are different ways to develop the criteria. One way, Green Cleaning Products has shared their Checklist for Selecting the Best Commercial Cleaning Products. Another way is to consider what is being cleaned. There are several factors to consider:

Surface: Know what you are cleaning. Certain products are meant to be used only on specific surfaces. If you use an abrasive cleanser on a delicate surface, you run the risk of scratching or damaging it. Additionally if you use a traditional cleaner that has a high or low pH, over time you will etch (a.k.a., damage) the surface requiring more frequent maintenance or replacement.

Intended Application: Read labels and product specification sheets to understand exactly how to use the product, the recommended dilution level, and the surfaces for which it is formulated. All Purpose cleaners are generally more versatile and can be used on more surfaces than a multi-purpose cleaner. In nearly every facility there are several surfaces that need a little extra TLC when it comes to cleaning them. These specialty surfaces give our property variety and spice, but knowing what to clean them with can be especially frustrating.

Ingredients: Choose products that will have as little impact on human health and the environment as possible.

Actual Cost: There are product lines that are quite economical, but which do not clean as well as major brands. You may think that you are saving money by choosing them, but you really are not. If you end up using more of the less expensive brand, it may not be the budget conscious decision you thought it was.

Implied Cost: In addition to the actual cost there are other implied costs that should be considered. For instance the impact on your employee health which leads to lost productivity. Fortunately the premium for green janitorial supplies is not what you may think it is, especially when the implied cost is included in your analysis.

Supplies: In addition to cleaners there are many tools available to facilitate the process including entry walk off mats to minimize the dirt tracked into the building; microfiber in all shapes and sizes to eliminate (rather than moving) the dirt and dust; gloves to protect hands from harsh chemicals and too much water; chemical management system to minimize product waste; and other equipment such as brooms, mops, scrubbers, sponges, buckets, vacuum cleaners.