Cleaning For Health: Products and Practices for a Safer Indoor Environment

Toxic chemicals found in many cleaning products can jeopardize the health of janitorial workers and other building occupants. Several state and local government agencies have found that switching to greener cleaners has improved indoor air quality, reduced complaints among janitorial staff — and even saved money.

This report is a one-stop guide to environmentally preferable cleaning products and methods that have been effectively used in office buildings, schools, hospitals, and other facilities in the U.S. and Canada. It describes pioneering product-evaluation programs and lists the brands that were chosen based on environmental and performance criteria. It also provides a model specification, as well as manufacturer contacts and other resources for those who want to develop a safer cleaning program for their buildings.

Individual chapters of the report can be downloaded online