Our world is changing – not only are environmental concerns growing increasingly urgent, but commitments to ESG and carbon neutrality are becoming more and more valuable to businesses looking to thrive in a competitive market. Compounding the importance of this, 58% of employees weigh up a company’s CSR commitments before deciding to join, while 68% of investors consider the same before investing.
On the one hand, people want companies to demonstrate more environmental responsibility before parting with their cash, while on the other hand, homeowners are looking to see how they can improve their own environmental footprint. Either way – no matter where your home is located, what sector your business is in, or who you’re looking to invest in – taking care of the environment is a duty we all must share.
Eco-friendly cleaning practices play a major part in that responsibility, and none more so than the products we use on a daily basis. The chemicals and harsh substances found in these products are often harmful to the environment, and can prove damaging to both humans and the materials they’re applied to, so it’s important to choose the right product for you and your needs.
In Vanguard’s latest blog, we’ll examine how we can all make the switch to eco-friendly products for more environmentally conscious cleaning. We’ll explore the benefits of using eco-friendly products, and discuss how Vanguard uses the right products for sparkling and sustainable end results.
Eco-friendly products are substances that avoid causing damage to the environment. Most of them are made from natural/organic substances, which makes them biodegradable, ensuing no harmful chemicals are left behind to clog up landfills or damage the local ecosystem.
Other eco-friendly products are recyclable, re-usable, or re-fillable, minimising our reliance on single-use products and packaging. In many cases, the outer wrapping/packaging of eco-friendly products can be composted, or at least avoids the harmful plastics that most other products contain.
While some sustainable products can be found in households or even your kitchen cupboard – notable examples including baking soda, different types of vinegars, lemon juice, and even water – there are also a range of commercial products available on the market. These include a wide variety of eco-friendly replacements for everyday cleaning products.
To switch to an eco-friendly clean, and ensure a safer and sparkling premises, you should consider the following measures:
With sustainable products already encompassing a market share of 17% in 2024, and growing 2.7 times faster than regular products, it seems clear where the future is headed. Even if eco-friendly products fall short of dominating the market, they will remain a major draw of consumer spending for the foreseeable future, and will no doubt increase in popularity over the next few years.
For an added bonus, many eco-friendly products are also cruelty-free, offering greater choice to those who care deeply about animal testing.
Naturally, the major advantage of eco-friendly products is that they are kinder to the environment – but how does this actually work?
Well, most commercial cleaning products (such as ammonia, chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide) are synthesised in highly industrial processes. That not only means these chemicals aren’t biodegradable, but also means they contain harmful substances such as carcinogens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Some estimates put the quantity of toxic chemicals released into the environment at 10 million tons a year, with approximately 2 million tons of those being recognised carcinogens. While that may be a slightly reduced figure from previous years, it still poses a catastrophic threat to our natural surroundings.
When released into the environment, these compounds damage natural ecosystems – polluting soil, harming wildlife, dirtying water, poisoning the atmosphere, and wiping out critical parts of the food chain. This has a knock-on effect for local communities and economies, often damaging industries and infrastructure in irreparable ways. Then there’s the impact of plastic waste and packaging, which contributes to overflowing landfills and ocean garbage patches.
In contrast, eco-friendly products are far better for the environment. Their natural properties allow them to be broken down, blending into the ecosystem without doing substantial harm to local wildlife. Additionally, the absence of complex industrial processes also keeps carcinogens and VOCs well out of the picture, stopping them from infecting ecosystems. Finally, the reduction in plastic waste and use of refillable bottles helps to conserve resources and improve the sustainability of these eco products.
The combination of the above factors means that eco-friendly products make cleaning a great deal more sustainable – allowing companies and individuals to reduce their footprint and promote responsible ESG practices to more environmentally-conscious clients.
It would be short-sighted to think that chemicals that damage the environment so badly have no effect on humans. The truth is, they do.
Cleaning products like bleach, ammonia, and antifreeze are toxic substances, and can cause a range of symptoms depending on where or how someone is exposed. Skin irritation or chemical burns are shockingly common injuries, while inhaling or swallowing harmful substances can result in fatal poisoning or severe allergic reactions. Then there’s the risk of accidentally mixing chemicals, which could produce deadly fumes like chlorine gas.
Even when toxic chemicals are used safely, the vapours they give off are best avoided. Not only could breathing in these fumes lead to poor health, but they might also contain any number of allergens, which could cause significant problems for those with allergic sensitivities. Furthermore, working in enclosed spaces or areas with poor ventilation will only compound these problems, likely resulting in absences or developed health conditions.
Ultimately, the natural qualities of eco-friendly products make them far less harsh than toxic chemicals, meaning they can be applied more liberally, without fear of some of the same pitfalls. For employees, customers, and anyone else who must spend a considerable amount of time lodged in one place, sustainable products will prove to be a more pleasant and healthier way of cleaning your premises.
While it may seem sensible to make use of harsher cleaning products – after all, tougher chemicals make it easier to remove dirt and grime – the practical reality is somewhat different.
Stronger cleaning products tend to be more corrosive, which is what gives them their useful grime-busting properties. Unfortunately, that corrosive property often takes the cleaning a step too far, starting to work away at the material underneath the dirt. For some surfaces, like stainless steel, that might be fine, but for more sensitive fixtures like wooden furniture or fabric carpets, it could do some real damage.
Eco-friendly products, on the other hand, offer a gentler clean, which ensures more vulnerable objects are better protected. Contrary to what some might believe, this does not compromise the level of hygiene, with many biodegradable products working just as effectively, or even more effectively, than their regular counterparts. This makes them ideal for use across a range of different items and situations.
Finally, eco-friendly products are typically more cost-effective than their alternatives.
As mentioned prior, some household staples can double as effective cleaning products, including vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice, which can act as affordable replacements for many regular products. At the same time, while shop-bought eco-friendly products might have a greater upfront cost, they will usually last longer and prove to be a worthwhile investment, with re-usable supplies and refillable bottles helping lower upkeep costs.
According to research, approximately 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products, even while the cost of living is tightening wallets. So, on top of any long-term savings, eco-friendly products help provide additional value to consumers, giving them the chance to save money as well as the environment.
With eco-friendly products possessing so many benefits for both cleaning best practice and the wider environment, Vanguard have taken important steps to improve the sustainability of our own cleaning operations.
One of our largest suppliers, Arrow County Supplies, offers a ‘Greenleaf’ selection of eco-friendly products, aimed at reducing consumption and protecting our environment. Each of these products are certified externally by environmental watchdogs, and made to be either recyclable or biodegradable to prevent harm to ecosystems and increase sustainability.
In line with this, we’ve transformed our stocks and supply chains to incorporate as many Greenleaf products as possible, ensuring safer and more sustainable cleaning solutions. On average, 80% of the products we use month to month are from this range, with over two-thirds of purchasing costs spent on Greenleaf products. With these sustainable products in our arsenal, Vanguard aim to deliver a pristine service for both your premises and our planet.
For more information about how we can elevate the hygiene of your site in an eco-friendly manner, be sure to contact our exceptional team.
