Is green the future in residental?

[renegade_cowboy]

I really don't want to start a riot about green cleaning if you should do it or not. I just have a question.

Since federal buildings are green cleaning only and soon commercial buildings are green clean only, do you think within 5-10 years that we are only allowed to use green products in residental housing in regards to carpet cleaning and other cleaning services?

Can this industry be regulated on which products we can use or not. I have heard of previous carpet cleaning products being banned.

 

[Terry]

yes in the next 5 - 10 years

Terry

 

[XTREME1]

right now everyone likes green but most would not pay a premium for it.

 

[Scott S.]

i use green when i can. but of course only on residential. i use it when i know that its going to work well.

 

[Shorty]

Watch with interest as solvents and other nasties are gradually eliminated from the range of products that manufacturers will be allowed to manufacture over the next decade :wink:

Even though I may not be around then, I am still putting plans in place now, and implementing them into our practices because I believe it is the right thing to do for my world.


I say "my world" because I always get told I'm in a world of my own, but that's okay 'cos everyone knows me there

Ooroo :roll:

 

[ruff]

What is green?

Is it non-toxic?
Is it bio-degradable?
Is it rated 0 (zero) on the MSDS sheet?
Is it natural?
Is it non alergenic?

It is a very open definition and that is why it is being overused/abused by so many companies.
A lot of scare tactics that unfortunately work very well in marketing.

For me it means using a product that is non-toxic, that will leave the smallest amount of residue possible and that the residue that it does leave (yes I know that you guys do not leave any residue- dream on you crazy diamonds!) is not harmful.

There you go.

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I think green is many things. Green is what you mentioned above^^.

Green is not overused/abused its called being in demand. What kind of scare tactics is out there in regards to green cleaning?

Interesting story from ICS mag

A healthy 42-year-old woman living in New Jersey had her carpets extracted by a reputable professional carpet-cleaning company. Within hours of the carpet cleaning and deodorizing, the
woman experienced an acute asthma attack, seizures, and unconsciousness. She survived, but
said she had never had an asthma attack or seizure before, even after past carpet cleanings.

Richard Lynch of Rutgers University’s Department of Urban Studies and Community Health in New Brunswick, N.J., investigated the incident. He found that the woman had been exposed to as much as 17 mg/m3 of sodium tripolyphosphate (a powerful detergent) and more than 14 mg/m3 of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The two together, along with the inadequate ventilation in her home, were deemed the cause of the woman’s physical reactions.


You scared :mrgreen:



Thanks for whoever gave me my pic<<<<<<<<<<<< I'm gonna use it on my website...

 

[Dolly Llama]

Kolfer1 nailed it.

until gov regs sort out what "green" REALLY means, you can call most anything green.
Do you know how hazzardous peroxide in strong dilutions?
It seems to pass grEEnfEEks criteria.
I donno why, cause it KILLS things.
"MY" definition of toxic would fit peroxide.

there are a few peeps educated on it, but for the most part, the average public AND the average CCer are little more than gullible rubes swallowing shifty marketing hype.

the "scare tactics" are passed on by the snake oil salesmen.
Then the gullible regurgitate what they've been convinced to believe.

...L.T.A.

 

[ruff]

Brent,
Pick up what some of your competitors may be saying in their advertisement and see what I mean.
A lot of implied scary stuff.

Many imply that they do not use chemicals.
Many imply zero residue.
Many imply that the "other company" products may be harmful.

Personally I am a big believer in GREEN, we have been using non-toxic products since 1991 before most companies knew what it was and that it was even available.

What exactly is GREEN though?

As per that women, that sounds horrendous.
What did the cleaner use? What was the dilution ratio? How did he clean? Did someone else clean there before?
Did he pre-spray with a boosted traffic lane cleaner as advocated here, followed by an emulsifier rinse, an acid rinse, a vol 30 peroxide mist, deodorizing and OMS based Teflon?

Green is great.
I am scared.
What is it exactly?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Hi Meat

You think maybe in 5-10 years?

 

[alazo1]

Not sure if it won't be allowed but it's the customers that will demand it. We'll all have to play along with the green movement. To add to Larry's list, is delimone really safe?. Put enough of that in your pre-spray and it will smell pretty rank.

I was cleaning a restaurant a few days ago and one of the employees smelled it and ran to the back. I don't normally measure but I don't think it had more then 4oz on about 3 gallons of pre-spray. Before I left I saw her scrubbing the tile with water and a heavy duty ss scrub pad. I tried to educate her but she would'nt have it any other way. "We are very green around here". Whatever, we'll deliver whatever the customer wants or we'll be out of business.

Albert

 

[rhyde]

No


You guys have hit on the problem of GREENWASHING…. It’s abused, misused & misunderstood. Corporate America is churning out GREENWASHING that doesn’t mean they are actually green rather they are selling feel goods in order to get you to consume more. Mercury filled florescent lights made in china and shipped all the way to the USA & Hybrid cars with toxic batteries that circumnavigate the globe to be produced

I believe there will be a consumer backlash at some point

http://clubs.ccsu.edu/recorder/editoria ... NewsID=188

 

[Able 1]

Thanks for that link, I've never heard that before always thought of just gas consumption not about the batts. that power them.

 

[The Great Oz]

At this time there's no universally agreed-to requirement for a green cleaning program in commercial buildings, it might be five years before "required" occurs in commercial cleaning and it will take a lot longer than five years before "required" trickles into residential cleaning, if ever.

Green is 20 years ago for many of us, now for more of us, and the future for most of us. We have found a current of skepticism among consumers regarding green cleaning claims though, particularly when a company says they have an answer that is different or better than the other thousand companies that have been making that claim for the last few years. The only thing new is some profitable "green" organizations have found out how much money they can make if they force people to buy their certifications or force people to use the products that the manufacturers have been forced into certifying. Those groups are now beginning to run afoul of regulatory agencies over their goofy claims and requirements, and government is taking over the green standards writing.

The CCINW is helping write the "Sustainable Cleaning Guidelines" that will be the basis for laws regarding cleaning public buildings in Washington State, and the facilities people from the State have a way more realistic view of green than groups like GreenSeal do. Since the State guidelines will trump any profit-making organization's stamp of approval, and since we're already doing what the State will require, I no longer give a second thought to any of them.

 

[RandyHilburn]

'Green Cleaning' is marketing propelled by the same people who are going to 'save the planet' by inflating the air pressure in their automobile tires!

Successful carpet cleaners will always be those who get carpets clean. Lets ride the wave while it last. However, I ain't buying a two year supply of green. If it's still the cats meow in 24 months ... call me and I'll eat my words.

 

[Ron Lippold]

people want and will pay more for Green Cleaning

 

[Larry Cobb]

Richard Lynch of Rutgers University’s Department of Urban Studies and Community Health in New Brunswick, N.J., investigated the incident. He found that the woman had been exposed to as much as 17 mg/m3 of sodium tripolyphosphate (a powerful detergent) and more than 14 mg/m3 of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The two together, along with the inadequate ventilation in her home, were deemed the cause of the woman’s physical reactions.

17 mg/m3 of sodium tripolyphosphate is not normally toxic. In fact it is quite GREEN.

It also would unlikely to have that much product in the air (since it is quoted per cubic meter).

Many FOOD products have this builder in their composition. I've seen it in cereals and other foods.

Larry

P.S. Bryan - You still need to fight Green Seal at every opportunity...
It is being wrongly specified in many new buildings by the LEEDs program.

 

[rhyde]

Sodium tripolyphosphate isn’t a detergent it’s a builder..builders improve the cleaning properties of detergents but why let that get in the way of a good story

 

[Ron Werner]

Corporate and gov't offices can "regulate" what solns are being used in their buildings, eps gov't. Look at NY for eg.
However, residential will most likely always remain with the homeowner's choice, more and more being determined by green marketing. I've been hearing the questions more often. Fortunately, Les developed O2 which is a "green" (by certain definitions) product that actually works!! There will always be cleaners coming in, "claiming" to have green products but in fact they will be using stuff like Flex or worse. The custy will never know until after the fact. THEN the custy will become "educated".
As long as the "non-green" products are made, they will be used.

 

[Bill Soukoreff]

What you see in Europe will be the norm 10 year later over here. Whether it is fashion, cars (look at Ford now introducing their European cars to the N. American market), electronics, health fads, whatever. So called "green" and "safer" carpet cleaning is the rage right now in Europe. It's just a matter of time. It is going to be a paradigm shift. Fight it all you want, but it is going to happen.

If your in your 50's now, don't worry about it, you will be fine, if you are younger or just starting out you may as well start now. I started on my own 5 months ago after recognizing the demand for this approach. 75% of my clients so far want something "greener" and "safer", but more safer than anything (most people equate safe with green, even though we know that is not true). They are intelligent, professionals know what they want and you can't fool them. They research what you tell them. Like it or not, these people do not want protector. But do will pay a higher price for good cleaning and will have it done more often. This demographic also seems to more than happy to leave a key, or vacate and let me do the work without hindrance (even though it is the first time I am cleaning for them). I am quite happy to service them and I have not spent a dime on traditional advertising even though I am the "new guy". Referrals flow like a river through this demographic. I have virtually no competition.

BTW, scare tactics is the WRONG way to appeal to these clients, they can see right through it and will avoid you like the plague. Just be honest and truthful with them.