The increasingly ubiquitous consumer desire to protect the environment has given way to a world-wide, multi-billion dollar green industry.  From household cleaners to building materials and everything in between, today’s market place offers a plethora of so-called environmentally friendly “green” products.  Nevertheless, recent research suggests that many green products feature hidden hazards that are not necessarily disclosed to the public.

Indeed, researchers have recently discovered that products such as air fresheners, cleaning products, laundry detergents, and personal hygiene products emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) regardless of whether these products were labelled as green or organic.  More shockingly, many of these VOCs are classified as hazardous or toxic according to regulations in the United States.

Consumers should be especially vigilant about fragranced products.  While VOCs may be present in fragrance and fragrance-free products, fragranced “green” products appear to be no safer than regular fragranced products.  More specifically, many fragranced products emit carcinogenic and other hazardous air pollutants that can be harmful to your health.  Unfortunately, most exposure to air pollutants occurs indoors as we are more likely to come into contact with a range of consumer products.  However, there is no legislation that requires manufacturers to list all the ingredients in these green products, and specifically the makeup of the fragrances.

Among the most common hidden hazards in green products are chemicals known as terpenes.  Though not usually found in fragrance-free products, terpenes in fragranced green products are known to react with ozone to release formaldehyde, ultrafine, and other polluting particles.

So what does this mean for the average consumer?  Unfortunately, there are a number of important consequences related to the presence of harmful pollutants in green products.  Namely, many of the most common environmentally-safe products used throughout North America in schools, homes, hospitals, and other buildings may release harmful toxins into the environment.  Manufacturers are not required to list all ingredients in these products, so consumers should be especially aware of any products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient.  Moreover, even products listed as “all-natural,” “organic,” or “non-toxic” may emit these volatile organic compounds.

Ultimately, ensuring the health and safety of your family is in your hands.  Consider the following tips:

• If you prefer to buy cleaning and personal products, always choose “fragrance-free” alternatives.
• Avoid using air fresheners.
• Contact product manufacturers directly for a safety data sheet on product ingredients, but be aware that manufacturers may still not disclose all ingredients in their products.
• Consider making your own green cleaning products such as a simple mixture of vinegar and water as an all-purpose cleaner.  Other common, safe household ingredients that are great for cleaning include baking soada, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and rubbing alcohol.

The cleaning industry is a competitive market place that can be difficult for janitorial companies not only with respect to how they serve their customers but how they operate their business.  From marketing their business to employing effective, qualified staff, there are a number of ever-changing challenges for contract janitorial companies.  Success rests on a company’s ability to navigate the top 5 challenges for contract janitorial companies.

Marketing

Back in the day…ok, maybe WAY back in the day, janitorial companies could rely on relatively simple marketing campaigns to attract new business.  In the early days, flyers or cold calls might offer a great opportunity to reach new customers, and eventually email marketing campaigns allowed for even broader exposure.  But as consumers are savvier and the internet provides a wealth of information, business owners can research potential cleaning companies independently.  The need for a comprehensive marketing campaign that includes exposure online and in local media is increasingly crucial.

The World Wide Web

Directly related to marketing is the changing nature of the World Wide Web.  We all use Google – likely on a daily basis, so it’s important to have an idea of how Google operates.  Unfortunately, Google is always changing its algorithm in order to improve the user experience.  This means the way consumers find businesses are changing and janitorial contractors need to keep abreast with Google rules and regulations to ensure customers can find them.

Economy

Since 2008, the economy in North America has been on tenuous ground.  Many cleaning budgets have been cut significantly meaning there are fewer contracts available.  Janitorial companies need to be aware of economic changes so they can effectively plan for profitability.  Similarly, changes in taxes can have a significant impact on costs for business owners of janitorial companies and their customers.

Staffing

Related to economic changes are staffing considerations.  Some provinces, including British Columbia are planning minimum wage increases which will likely affect the bottom line of janitorial companies.  As the economy improves, contract cleaning companies can afford to hire more staff, but the cost of increasing staff is not only impacted by wage increases.  New staff need training which is time-consuming and sometimes expensive.

Uncertainty

Many of the challenges listed above contribute to a single, over-riding problem faced by all manner of contractor – uncertainty.  It can be difficult to predict changes in the economy or even the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.  As such, perhaps uncertainty is the main challenge faced by janitorial companies today.  Nevertheless, even uncertainty can be managed through careful business planning.  Janitorial companies should work closely with a qualified marketing firm in order to promote business development, but they must also budget effectively while providing excellent service in order to maintain their current accounts.