Some of the keys to healthy living, include maintaining a clean workplace or home environment. However, traditional cleaners are usually highly priced. Further investigation is required on the “green” products currently available on the market. What is it that makes a cleaning product be classified as a green product? In battling viruses and other microorganisms, are green cleaning products as effective as the traditional cleaning products?

Green Cleaning Products

WHAT IS A GREEN CLEANING PRODUCT?

A driving factor in defining what is a green cleaning product, is the desire to reduce the impact that chemicals have on both human and animal health.

A Design for Environment (DIE) label has been developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to be used to identify products that meet a higher standard. Once a product has been DIE-approved, every ingredient contained in the product has been investigated thoroughly, to determine safety to humans and the environment. Additionally, all these ingredients must have a contribution to the function of the product, so no unnecessary chemicals will be included. Once a product is stamped with the DIE label, this means that the safest possible ingredients are being used, to accomplish the purpose for which this product is intended.

The product’s green status is also measured by the reduction of waste products, the decrease in the negative effect on the quality of the air, as well as the reduction of soil and water impact.

There are also several watchdog groups which apart from the DIE system, create labeling systems with varying levels of strictness. One such certification is the popular Green Seal.

GREEN PRODUCTS VERSUS TRADITIONAL PRODUCTS

The health of the skin, brain and lungs can be negatively impacted by the chemicals in traditional cleaning products, which are currently available on the market.
Some of these ingredients are mysteries, and are added by companies to enhance the effectiveness of the product, but have long-term effects and potential dangers, that are not really understood.
Although green cleaning products are usually more expensive that their cheaper non-green alternatives, their demand is increasing as more products become available.
More labor is required for the use of some green cleaners, which are also referred to as elbow grease, but they result in the same clean appearance provided by traditional cleaning products.

EFFECTIVENESS

Cleaning products should keep people safe from any unseen dangers, so comparing the effectiveness of green cleaning products with the traditional ones is important.

Some of the major green cleaning products are not listed as disinfectants by the EPA, because they do not currently kill dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and staph. There are some green-friendly disinfectants fortunately, that meet the EPA standards. Some green cleaning products will break down viruses including HIV and HBV, as they contain ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, which is a compound capable of breaking down viruses.

In summary, green cleaning products are considered a legitimate option. Any product that is labeled as a sanitizer or disinfectant has passed the efficiency tests which the EPA conducts. An additional requirement of the EPA is that products must list the microorganisms, that the product can control.