If your team complains about headaches, fatigue, or allergies that seem worse at work than at home, your cleaning products may be the reason. Most commercial cleaning products contain a cocktail of synthetic chemicals designed for maximum cleaning power. What they also do is release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. In a building with a sealed HVAC system recirculating the same air, those compounds build up over time.
Most commercial cleaning products contain a cocktail of synthetic chemicals designed for maximum cleaning power. What they also do is release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. In a building with a sealed HVAC system recirculating the same air, those compounds build up over time.
What are the symptoms of chemical exposure from cleaning products?
Common symptoms of VOC exposure from cleaning products include headaches, eye and throat irritation, fatigue, dizziness, and worsening allergy symptoms. These complaints are frequently attributed to seasonal allergies or stress when the real cause is indoor air quality. The problem worsens when multiple cleaning products are used together, as different chemicals mixing in the air can create reactions more harmful than either product alone.
Building occupants exposed to VOCs from cleaning products commonly report headaches, eye and throat irritation, fatigue, dizziness, and worsening allergy symptoms. These complaints are often attributed to seasonal allergies or stress, when the real culprit is the air quality.
The problem compounds when multiple cleaning products are used together. Different chemicals mixing in the air can create reactions that are more harmful than either product alone. Your janitorial crew may not even be aware of the interaction.
Can office cleaning products cause more harm than good?
Yes, if the cleaning process itself creates health problems through toxic off-gassing, you are solving one problem by creating another. Facility managers need their buildings clean, but standard commercial products can degrade indoor air quality with every application. The solution is not less cleaning but better products, specifically EPA-approved green alternatives that deliver the same sanitation results without introducing harmful chemicals into recirculated air.
You need your building clean. But if the cleaning process itself is creating health problems, you're solving one problem by creating another. The answer isn't less cleaning. It's better products.
How does green cleaning improve indoor air quality?
EPA-approved green cleaning products eliminate toxic off-gassing while delivering the same sanitation results as conventional cleaners. When combined with HEPA filtration vacuums that capture fine particles and microfiber systems that trap contaminants rather than spreading them, a green cleaning program actually improves indoor air quality with every visit instead of degrading it. The cost is comparable, but the health outcomes are dramatically better.
EPA-approved green cleaning products deliver the same sanitation results without the toxic off-gassing. Combined with HEPA filtration vacuums and microfiber systems, a green cleaning program actually improves indoor air quality with every cleaning visit instead of degrading it.
Delta Janitorial Systems manages green cleaning programs across Dallas-Fort Worth. Same cost, dramatically better outcomes for the people in your building. Schedule a free walkthrough to learn more.