Cleaning happens in an office every working day, so it has a steady effect on chemical use, waste, water and energy. Small changes to how it is done can support your company’s sustainability goals without lowering hygiene standards.
Here is what green office cleaning involves in practice, and what to discuss with your cleaning provider.
What green cleaning means
Green cleaning is not about swapping every product for one labelled “natural”. It means:
- using fewer, better-chosen products
- measuring them correctly instead of guessing
- disinfecting where it is needed, not everywhere
- cutting single-use materials and waste
- planning cleaning so it uses less energy and water
The aim is the same clean result with less impact.
Choose products carefully
Look for cleaning products certified under a recognised eco-label, such as the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme run by the Singapore Environment Council. Certification is more reliable than words like “eco” or “natural” on a bottle.
- Use concentrates with a dosing system. They reduce packaging and stop solutions being made too strong or too weak.
- Ask for safety data sheets. These list the hazards and handling advice for each product.
- Skip unnecessary fragrance. Scented products can bother colleagues with sensitivities, and a strong smell is not a sign of cleanliness.
- Keep the range small. A neutral cleaner, a washroom cleaner, a glass cleaner and a disinfectant cover most office needs.
Clean first, then disinfect
Disinfectant works poorly on a dirty surface, and using it everywhere every day adds chemicals without much benefit. A sensible approach:
- clean all surfaces with a general-purpose cleaner
- disinfect high-touch points and washrooms, such as door handles, pantry taps, toilet flush handles and shared equipment
- follow the label for dilution and contact time, so the disinfectant actually works
Use less water and chemical
- Microfibre cloths and mops pick up dirt with less water and chemical than cotton, and can be washed and reused many times.
- Colour-coded cloths, with separate colours for washrooms, pantries and desks, prevent cross-contamination.
- Spray onto the cloth rather than the surface, so less product is wasted.
- Report leaks. Cleaners are often first to notice dripping taps and running toilets, so give them a simple way to report them.
Sort waste properly
Cleaners handle every bin in the office, so they are central to recycling.
- Place clearly labelled recycling bins next to general waste bins.
- Agree what goes in each bin with your building management, since arrangements vary between buildings.
- Ask cleaners to keep recyclables separate when clearing bins, and to flag recycling bins that are regularly contaminated so staff can be reminded.
- Collect e-waste, such as batteries, cables and old devices, separately for proper disposal.
- Replace single-use pantry items, like paper cups and plastic cutlery, with reusable ones where practical.
Plan the schedule
When cleaning happens affects energy use. Cleaning after hours can mean lights and air-conditioning running longer just for the cleaning team. Daytime or early-evening cleaning can reduce that, but it has to be planned around meetings and focused work. The right answer depends on your layout and how the office is used.
Look after indoor air
- Ventilate rooms while cleaning products are in use.
- Choose trigger sprays or pre-diluted bottles over aerosols.
- Use vacuums with good filtration, so fine dust is captured instead of blown around.
- Dust regularly, including vents and the tops of cupboards.
- Keep aircon units serviced by a technician.
Be realistic about cost
Some certified products cost more per bottle. Concentrates, correct dosing and reusable cloths can offset part of that, but any savings depend on your office and its current habits. Treat green cleaning mainly as a quality and responsibility choice rather than a way to cut costs.
Questions to ask your provider
- Which products do you use, and can you share the safety data sheets?
- How do your cleaners measure and dilute products?
- Do you use microfibre and colour-coded cloths?
- How will you handle our recycling and general waste?
- Can you use products we specify, if we supply them?
- What cleaning times would suit our office?
Clear answers to these questions tell you more than a green logo on a brochure. For the wider checks on licence, scope and contract, see 5 red flags when hiring an office cleaning service.
KleanSG provides commercial office cleaning once or twice a week, several times a week, Monday to Friday, after hours or on Saturdays. Share your product, recycling or timing requirements when you request a quote so they can be considered in the agreed scope.
