Over two years into managing the pandemic, we’re aware that indoor air quality is important. Nevertheless, Americans spend up to 90 percent of their time inside, which means that indoor air quality has never been more crucial.

Most office buildings, including the well-run ones, can experience episodes of indoor air pollution leading to poor air quality. Poor indoor air quality is a major contributor to allergy and illness threats, which leads to billions of dollars lost each year dealing with higher employee absenteeism and a decline in workplace productivity.

Indoor pollutants can impact work environments and those who visit or work there. Major sources of pollutants include biological materials such as bacteria, dust mites, dander, and pollen; dust and debris which can accumulate from everyday facility activities such as printing and copying; as well as chemicals, which are often unregulated and can cause damage to building occupants.

Solutions

Professional cleaning services can help businesses mitigate indoor pollutants by focusing on chemicals, materials and equipment, and sustainable procedures to help achieve a healthier indoor environment.

Chemicals: Many traditional household cleaners such as Clorox, Pine-Sol, and Lysol contain volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), which are a major component in the formation of smog. Repeated exposure to chemicals with a high level of VOC’s over a long period of time can lead to major health issues. In some cases, people can also be bothered by low levels of exposure.
It is imperative to limit the use of harsh cleaners, solvent-based cleaners, or cleaners that emit a strong fragrance. Instead, choose low-emitting products that are third-party certified and labeled by a reputable organization, such as Green Seal.

Materials: Using the right cleaning materials can also help ensure the indoor environments we work in are as healthy as can be. Microfiber mops and microfiber cleaning cloths, for instance, capture more dust and debris than traditional fibers and don’t require any cleaning solutions.

Using a vacuum cleaner that has strong suction, rotating brushes and a HEPA filter ensures that dust and dirt won’t get blown back out in the exhaust. Using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter also effectively helps get rid of other toxins, like brominated fire-retardant chemicals (PBDEs) as well as allergens like pollen, pet dander, and dust mites.

Sustainable practices: In conjunction with ensuring proper cleaning chemicals and equipment are being used, the right sustainable procedures need to be followed. Green Seal, a non-profit environmental development certification organization, provides sustainable cleaning standards and criteria to protect human health and the environment. Their GS-42 for commercial and industrial cleaning services provides a standard of not only tools and products to be used for cleaning, but also procedures for how cleaning is to be done.

The next time you consider how often you’re inside, remember that professional cleaning services can provide key solutions to help improve indoor air quality, and in turn, quality of life.

Mister Kleen has been a leading provider of contract cleaning services to Commercial and High-Security facilities since 1976. Our primary service area is the DC Metro region. We also provide a variety of interior and exterior specialty services. For more information, contact us at 703-719-6900 or email [email protected].