The Stigma of Green Cleaning Products

Green cleaning carries with it a dark shadow.

Of course I'm being dramatic, but there's usually a little truth in jest. Many green cleaners are reported not to work as well as normal cleaning products. And this is true. A green cleaner cannot do what bleach or ammonia does, but does it have to? No. You see, there is but one difference between normal, and green cleaning agents:

Time.

Source

Most people don't have time to clean their home everyday. I know this from experience, trust me. Hell, Budget wouldn't exist if it people had all the time and energy in the world to clean up their abodes. So, typically when someone cleans, the dirt, dust and grime of daily living can build up, and most people don't want to expel the effort to spend extra time cleaning with a green product. And I can understand that! But it's not the product's fault. It's what it's being used for.

 

Look Familiar? Source

Heavy duty cleaners, I'm talkin' the toxic, no nonsense cleansers, usually have no problem cutting through all sorts of nasty stuff. But green products, on the other hand, usually require a little time and elbow grease. And that's where the problem lies. Honestly, it would be best for one to maintain their home regularly with green products, opposed to just deep cleaning their home with them once every few weeks. The convenience of one stop shopping, multi-surface cleaning products is immense. But they come with a price.

So when someone goes to clean up their house with green agents, they might find that the product is working that well. Why? Two reasons. The product could literally be useless. Let's not discount that. Second, green products aren't meant (in my experience) for super tough, caked on, baked on grimy jobs. Sure they'll do the trick if you have the muscle and patience, but most people don't. Hence, they turn to harsh cleansers to do the job more quickly.

Source

You see, green cleaning products can disinfect. Vinegar, for example, can. Hydrogen peroxide too, but the harsher disinfectants found in more powerful household cleaners which contain monstrous disinfectants that slay bacteria and other undesirables from any surface. But, how much is too much? According to this article, too much disinfectant lead to the creation of "Superbugs" in some hospitals; anti-biotic resistant microbes that resist most forms of conventional treatment.

Evil Superbugs! Source

As we pound these bugs with harsh disinfectants, they start to...fight back.Natural cleaning agents, however,  simply don't pack the punch bleach, or ammonia does. They still clean surfaces and make them safe to use, yes, but they don't obliterate all germ on contact like bleach does. And this isn't a bad thing! We have an immune system for a reason, people! If we are killing all the germs around us, our immune system simply won't encounter and destroy dangerous microbes often enough. And when one does make it in, it is typically a Superbug that can make you super sick. Hell, you don't need a peer reviewed journal to tell you that. It's just common sense.

So don't give up on green cleaners. They work, they really do, and they are safer for your health in the long run. Of course, there are some situations (medical, handling raw meat, bio-hazards, etc) where total disinfection is needed. But around the house, do you really need to wage war with disinfectants, bleach, ammonia, and other toxic chemicals?

Think about it.

Is Green Cleaning Dead?

     All I ever here from companies trying to sell us janitorial products is that no-one is using hazardous chemicals anymore, everyone is going completely green. As far as I can tell, this is a lie. From personal experience, I can say that many customers do not prefer a complete green cleaning. Most of our customers are fine with a hybrid of both green and non-green products, and I've also noticed that a lot of green-friendly commercial cleaning products have been disappearing from the market. But this turned out to be false. Doing a basic search, I found numerous companies selling green products, but they are not well advertised. Many of them I have never heard of, and so. I thought they didn't exist. What else am I supposed to think? I was reading this article: Is Green Still Growing? and it states that everyone was rarin' to go a few years ago when it came to more Eco-friendly cleaning solutions. But now? With the current economy, many people aren't interested. Some companies charge more for green cleaning because of all the extra time involved, and that additional cost is what cripples companies that are wholly green.
     People are also becoming more conscious of their pets. I can't tell you how many green cleaning products I have seen that is geared towards pet messes. Here's an article: Green Pets. Which I find kind of funny. Don't get me wrong- I am all for green cleaning, healthier pets, people, and the environment, but the sheer concept of it when you break it down is sort of ludicrous. People are wary of their pets when it comes to what products we may use on their floor, but when we offer an all green solution, they are...underwhelmed. When we tell them that our green products disinfect work well, but ultimately cannot cut through mildew or soapscum, some customers lose interest right away. The same customers that were so involved with their pets' well being that they are allowing very powerful cleaning agents into a vulnerable area- the bathroom. Which brings me to the next point.
     Do people even care about green cleaning anymore? I'm not sure. This article even asked the question for me: Green Cleaning - Do We Care? They state that there are many green products out there. Hundreds. And a lot of the them claim all sorts of things, like being earth friendly, and biodegradable. And a lot of these products are. The ones we use are, we checked on it. But when green cleaning came into focus, a lot of companies tried to jump on the bandwagon with less than honest chemical solutions that were far from green. This practice is called greenwashing, and it's more common than you think. So common, that many people consume green products without any research, or knowledge about the environment, meaning that they wouldn't know if they were being duped or not! A survey conducted at this website states that many people consuming green products had NO concern of the environment at all, let alone knowing anything about environmental issues. A large percentage of the people surveyed said that Carbon Dioxide depleted the ozone layer.
     What a perfect segway into my last point. If people do care about green cleaning, it's a specific group of people, rather limited perhaps. I could be exaggerating, but maybe I'm not. I have, however, noticed an influx of people doing DIY green products. Limited batch, small amount, and for personal use. Here's a perfect example: Cleaning Product Recipes. If you noticed, these small batch green cleaning products also have scents added to them to make them more appealing to the nose. Strong fragrances are added to many cleaning products, and the matter of the fact is, green cleaning dosen't smell clean. Your house won't reek of course, but there is no telltale whiff of bleach, or powerful lemon scent. Pine. So, we would get complaints when we would clean only with green products. From the customers that wanted us to use nothing but green products. And it's not their fault, they didn't know. So we use a hybrid system of both.
     So. Back to square one. Is green cleaning dead? I don't know. To be honest, there are such mixed opinions about the issue that I don't know where to fall. I've found that companies should at the very least offer green cleaning. They don't have to be 100% green, but that doesn't mean they lose their conscience about their impact on the environment. Being more conscientious about our affect on the planet often requires more effort. And there are many people that might not be ready for that commitment. Like most things in life, it's silly to pick on side over the other blindly. It's best to research, observe, and understand both sides, and then make an informed decision to find out where you stand. As with most things in life, compromise is often best. And maybe, just maybe, it's best to ease into something new, opposed to just blindly opposing or standing up for it. If you're all for green cleaning, great. If you're not, that's fine too! Just make sure that whatever position you take, you've made an informed decision.

Taking Crap

No matter how good you are, no matter how hard you try, you just can't please everyone. And sometimes, it is directly your fault that you haven't pleased someone. This goes true in life, and in business. Hence the title of this entry, "Taking Crap".

Customers that complain are very important to a business. They let you know what you're doing wrong, what needs to be improved on, what you need to do to be a better company as a whole. I'm glad that we get customers that complain at Budget. We're not perfect, nor will we ever be.

But we all run into individuals in our lives, whether personal or professional, that simply cannot be satisfied. No matter what you do, there is always a problem, there is always something they want done over, there is always a discount they want applied. These types of people (perhaps you are one for shame, shame) can often sour the positive mood of a company, and wreck morale.

This shouldn't happen.

No matter what criticisms you receive in your life, take them with grace, and dignity. Stand up for yourself when applicable, and accept/admit when you are wrong. It gets hard to listen to customers complain sometimes not because it annoys me. It's just that...I feel like I failed them, and I want to try and make things right. As for the other type, I simply deal with them the best I can, and then disconnect from the feelings that the situation has inflicted upon me.

Being in business means you must being accepting of criticism, and capable to take abuse. A thick skin combined with a good attitude and acute intelligence will prevent you from being hurt, and allow you to improve and grow your business.

Any war stories you'd like share?

Hard Work Breaks Office Chains

Over the past weekend, Budget got a large account. So large in fact, that we didn't have enough people to do it, so I and my father worked alongside four other employees to get the job done. After my father left for a wedding, it was just me, and the crew. The manager in me spoke up, making sure that I watched everything that was going on, and made sure that everything got done right. But there was another part of my job and position that I had forgotten about, and that's the physical, back breaking labor.

When I was a teenager, I would work over the summer with my 'rents cleaning homes. I would dust, wash floors, and clean bathrooms. It was hard work. In fact, the only other time I've encountered something more difficult on a job site was working at a farm slingin' hay bales. Anyway, I had become restless at Budget as of late. Bored. Unproductive. In fact, I was dreading the past weekend, and wanted someone else to take my place. But there was no-one else.

There was no-one else, and I am glad that there wasn't. I had forgotten about the physical end of the job, and how rewarding it is to work alongside with other people going towards the same goal you are- cleaning. I was sore, covered in sweat, mentally and physically exhausted,  but I went home that day knowing that we, not I, we did a good job, and out customer will be happy. And guess what? They were happy.

If you are stuck in an office for the majority of the day like I am, try and get out in the field somewhere to do some real, honest to goodness physical labor if you can, or are able. It shakes off the dust of being a sedentary creature sitting at a computer all day. I know this because I am recharged and re motivated to do good in the company again, and it was all because I reminded myself of how hard all our employees work, and how much time they put into they're jobs. I feel like a new man. I truly do.

Eight Days Straight

I haven't had a day off in eight days. Am I complaining? Ab-so-lutely not. There are people that go twice as long, and longer I'm sure. Then why am I running my mouth?

Because I'm, once again, understanding more and more about what it means to be an owner. And it's an honor! Listen. Last week, my father Bill couldn't perform the weekend duties around here, so I covered for him. He's my dad, and he's my co-worker. I would have done it for anybody, and twice over for him. There was no-one we could trust to do it, so it came down to me working a very long week. And you know what? It was difficult, and one of the greatest challenges in my life.

And I was happy to do it. Stressed, tried, and worn out, but happy to do it. I know I helped make a difference here at Budget, like my parents, and the countless employees before me that actually give a damn about this place and where its going. For the first time, I really truly felt like I was a valuable member to this company. Personally, this week meant a lot to me, and I am know that'll I'll be able to run this business when I get in the saddle.

Thinking Like an Owner

It's an abstract way of thinking, yes. I will say that. How does one think like an owner? Are you born a leader? Do you achieve it? Can you learn it? I don't know yet. Will I? No clue. Big questions, no answers.

When I signed on with Budget as a formal employee/partner, I...well. Let's not sugarcoat it. I didn't know what the flying flapping flip I was doing. No clue. I knew how to clean toilets, and dust surfaces. That's it. I had no idea what goes into running a business. I knew it wasn't easy, but I didn't know it was this hard.

Everyone has had a job at least once in there life. Well, in most circumstances. Anyway, you may be used to doin' your thing, getting a paycheck, and then going home. Anything outside of your duties fell into a place where you simply didn't have to worry about them. Now that I am on the side that gives out paychecks, I can really see what an owner goes though.

We've had ups. We've had downs. When a company is failing (we're not, but hear me out), employees typically jump ship. Hell, I would have. Now, I see the value in sticking around. Working for it. Not just giving up and moving on to the next venture. There are things that need to be done, and they need to be done well.

Recently, very recently as a matter of fact, I've really started to think like an owner. Hell, I should right? This place will be mine someday. I watch my parents struggle, I watch the employees struggle, and I watch both og these parties rise up above the everyday shit of running a business and stay aloft on success. I still have a lot to learn,  but you can be certian that I'll learn it all.

And Ill KEEP learning.

What about you? Do you think like an owner? Are you going to take on a business someday? Let me know.