Something s Brewing: Bio-Enzymatic and other Bio- Renewable Cleaning Products Are About to Take Off

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1 Something s Brewing: Bio-Enzymatic and other Bio- Renewable Cleaning Products Are About to Take Off After years of being almost dormant, a new trend is evolving in the professional cleaning industry, one that is going to have a big impact on our industry and most especially building service contractors. Bio-renewable, bio-enzymatic, oxygen-based, and similar sustainable products are moving from a niche market in the professional cleaning industry to center stage. These bio-renewable, -enzymatic products are not made from petroleum products so you and your customers can rest assured they are not consuming valuable petroleum reserves and increasing our dependence on foreign oil. They do not contain potentially health-risking ingredients (if they are Certified Green) found in many conventional cleaning products. In fact, some of these products, specifically the ones from Enviro-Solutions discussed below, are so safe for people and the environment that they have even been Green certified by EcoLogo, one of the world s leading and most trusted Green certification organizations. These bio-renewable, -enzymatic products are derived from renewable, sustainable, and low environmental impact resources. They are formulated in whole or significantly from renewable domestic agricultural materials and/or forestry materials, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

2 One of the most common ingredients used in bio-renewable cleaning products is citrus. Citrus-based products are now available for carpet spotting, removing grease, grime, and gum as well as cleaning and polishing stainless steel, porcelain, and other surfaces. Depending on how it is diluted, some citrus concentrate can be used as all-purposetype cleaners that are also effective for glass, light-duty, and general purpose cleaning. Formulators have also successfully blended citrus in degreasers, odor eliminators, tile and grout cleaners, carpet extraction cleaners, spotters, and floor solutions for mopping. However, since most of these citrus based products are derived from d Limonene, they are no longer considered safe for people because d Limonene is a skin sensitizer and can cause respiratory problems. That is one reason why GreenSeal no longer accepts d Limonene in their Green certified cleaners (GS-37 4th Edition). When discussing oxygen-based cleaners, which are also considered safer alternatives to conventional cleaners, we are usually referencing hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners. Surfactants or detergents, and occasionally citrus (used with non-green certified products) are added to the hydrogen peroxide to help it penetrate the surface to be cleaned and reach embedded soils. When the cleaner comes into contact with the soils, the hydrogen peroxide releases oxygen to boost the cleaning power of the surfactants and other ingredients.

3 In addition to the bio-renewable and oxygen-based cleaning chemicals mentioned above, others include: Enzyme- and bacteria-based cleaners are formulated with strains of live bacteria and enzymes. They can be used to clean surfaces and with repeated use, remove bacteria in the sub surface areas such as grout, crevices, underside of carpeting, etc. These cleaners can also be used to clear clogged drains and keep pipes clean and deodorized. Soy-based products are an example of a bio-renewable base that contains methyl soyate, which is a petrochemical replacement derived from soybean oil, and is blended with a water-rinsing surfactant. Soy products usually cannot pull stains out of a surface, but are instead used as degreasers and solvents to remove surface coatings, soap scum, and grease. Now that we have a better idea of what bio-renewable, bioenzymatic, and oxygen-based cleaning products are all about, let s look at some specific, EcoLogo certified Green, bio-enzymatic cleaning products from Enviro-Solutions that fit these criteria: ES920C, a bio-active washroom cleaner that is proven effective as an all-purpose restroom cleaner for floors, walls, ceilings, countertops, sinks, faucets, mirrors, urinals, and toilets. Uses specialized bacteria and

4 enzymes designed for washroom soils; and very cost effective. ES100, a bio-active odor eliminator with a specific formulation that first binds to odors, neutralizing the odor within seconds of application, and then consumes the microorganisms to eliminate the source of the odor. ES900C, a one-step neutral cleaner designed to remove embedded soil quickly from hard surfaces without leaving behind any residue. Easily cleans and degreases washable surfaces, such as stainless steel and ceramics, and can even be used with an autoscrubber to clean floors. ES910 can be used to clean carpets, upholstery, and fabrics as well as eliminate odors. It is even effective as a carpet spotter. ES230, a unique urinal block formulation that is safe and effective, cleans, de-scales, and eliminates odors from urinals. One of the best things about these bio-renewable products is that they are one more indicator that more and more cleaning chemicals are now available that have a reduced impact on the environment and are healthier for users as well as building occupants. Just five years ago, this was certainly not the case. In fact, looking ahead, some experts

5 believe as many as 80 percent of all future cleaning products will be Green certified cleaners. Most of these future products will be bio-renewable, and many bio-enzymatic based cleaners, and all will help reduce cleaning s impact on human health and the environment, and reduce the demand for petroleum, which is good for everyone. The key factor is to ensure that all cleaning products, including the bio-renewable and bio-enzymatic products, are Green certified by EcoLogo, Green Seal or DfE. For more information on Bio-Enzymatic Cleaners, visit: For more information on Bio-Enzymatic Cleaners, visit: our video at: