Professional cleaners play an important role in the health and safety of the public. Michael A. Berry Ph.D., author of Protecting the Built Environment: Cleaning for Health, emphasized the critical role of effective cleaning in maintaining healthy indoor spaces. It states: "Effective cleaning is the process of optimally extracting and disposing of unwanted materials to reduce exposure to unwanted materials."
In a 2017 article titled "Characteristics of High-Performance Carpet Cleaning" published in the Journal of Cleaning, Restoration & Inspection, Berry expressed his opinion on floor cleaning: "Most people clean carpets when they appear dirty. Few people know that it is necessary to clean the carpet to protect its health. However, every time pollutants are removed from carpets, the quality of the indoor environment improves by reducing pollution.
Overcome obstacles to effective and safe cleaning
Berry's book is part of the curriculum for a three-hour ISSA workshop that has trained 893 cleaning professionals so far. Among these workers:
- Only 13% of workers had received training in the last five years (2018 to 2022). Many workers reported that they did not have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, goggles or specialized work clothing.
- Most workers were unable to explain the meaning of "handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practices," which is often found in product safety data sheets.
- 90% did not recall any cleaning ingredients in a cleaning product they used at work.
Cleaning product users are looking for ways to clean well, at a reasonable price and without harming the users of the interior. However, they often need help recognizing and understanding
the various information available about the products present on store shelves and purchased by distributors and wholesalers.
ISSA workshop trainers remind workers to read product labels and manufacturer safety data sheets. In 2025, they want to go one step further and encourage workers to find products
Information using available technologies such as online videos, QR codes, RFID tags, smart tags and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) required by the European Union.
Consumers also need help choosing and using cleaning products correctly. Through the "Making Safer Choices" project in collaboration with Penn State University College of Science
Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and at the CUNY School of Medicine of the City University of New York in New York: ISSA conducts research to understand how people make decisions when purchasing and using cleaning products. Funded by a $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the project will use research to develop community-designed toolkits and training programs in multiple languages. These kits will help people make safer choices and advocate for safer cleaning products to protect the environment.
the health of companies, building users and the environment.
The project goal is to work with 1,000 facilities in Pennsylvania and New York to conduct product demonstrations and on-site training by 2025.
Commit to offering safer products
There should be sufficient supply of cleaning products so that people can choose safer cleaning products. The Safer Choice Partner of the Year award recognizes organizations that have made significant contributions to the development and marketing of safer chemicals and products. This award highlights the commitment of the ISSA and its members to promote sustainable and environmentally friendly cleaning practices.
By partnering with Safer Choice, the ISSA and its members have demonstrated their commitment to environmental sustainability and public health. ISSA is proud to partner with award-winning organizations: Bona US; Church and Dwight Co. Inc.; Ecological products; Environment; Maison Holloway Inc.; JAWS International Ltd., a division of Canberra Corp. ; Jelmar SARL; McFadden and Associates LLC; Rust Oleum Corp.; Seventh Generation; Solutex Inc.; Socio Inc.; Spartan Chemical Society; State industrial products; Clorox Co. professional products; home equity deposit; The company Procter & Gamble (P&G); Green Clean SARL; and WAXIE Sanitary Supply (BradyPlus).
Measure pollutants on surfaces and in the air.
Once we choose effective and safe products, cleaning is not just about removing dirt with these products. Cleanliness provides basic hygiene that supports and improves health
prevents the spread of disease.
The scientific literature provides excellent evidence of the critical role that environmental pollution plays in the transmission of infectious diseases. Research has shown that germs can survive on surfaces for days, weeks, months and even years.
We can no longer measure the effectiveness of building cleaning based on subjective visual inspections. Harmful pollutants and germs that can cause infections are not visible to the human eye. Our job as professionals is to make the invisible visible. But before we measure, we need to understand what unwanted material is and whether this material can have negative health effects. When we clean with the intention of removing materials that can cause disease, we are cleaning for health reasons.
More and more people are sharing harmful materials they find in facilities in real time via social networks. They post photos and videos of dirty surfaces and indoor air quality
Monitors show elevated readings of carbon dioxide, airborne particles, ozone, formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Several countries have passed laws requiring companies to measure carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in their facilities and, in some cases, to prominently display this information. These laws were created
irreversible expectations that facilities monitor indoor air and share data. Notable examples include:
- Germany : Technical standards for workplaces (ASR A3.6) state that indoor CO₂ concentrations in workplaces must not exceed 1,000 parts per million (ppm). If levels exceed this threshold, employers must take corrective action, which may include increasing ventilation or reducing occupancy.
- France : Regulations require schools and kindergartens to monitor indoor air quality and regularly assess CO₂ levels. If CO₂ concentrations exceed 1,000 ppm, facilities must take measures to improve ventilation.
- Japan : The Building Standards Law contains provisions on indoor air quality and recommends that CO₂ concentration in buildings not exceed 1,000 ppm to ensure adequate ventilation.
- United Kingdom : UK Department for Education guidelines for school premises recommend that CO₂ levels should not exceed 1,500 ppm during use. In the same way,
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recommends keeping indoor CO₂ levels in workplaces below 1000 ppm to maintain good air quality.
These regulations underscore the importance of monitoring indoor CO₂ levels to improve ventilation and occupant health. We expect these laws and policies to be expanded in 2025.
ISSA fills knowledge gaps
Want to learn more about cleansing for health? ISSA offers cleaning professionals the opportunity to learn and share knowledge and information across the industry.
- The Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) program supports cleaning companies in establishing a management system aimed at increasing quality, efficiency and professionalism. These improvements enable companies to provide a safer and healthier work environment for their employees and customers.
- The ISSA Cleaning Standards provide a framework to help schools and other facilities objectively assess the effectiveness of their cleaning procedures using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) swabs and audits based on the "clean, measure, monitor" process. The ISSA cleaning standards improve the built environment by establishing levels of cleanliness that can reasonably be achieved, recommending monitoring and inspection procedures to measure the effectiveness of cleaning, and instructing workers on how to use the results of measurements and inspections to evaluate and improve cleaning procedures and products.
- GBAC STAR accredited facilities and organizations use their accreditation to support performance-based cleaning and demonstrate their commitment to health and wellness through science-based practices. GBAC STAR facilities place great emphasis on establishing and maintaining a strong cleaning and maintenance program to ensure a safe and hygienic indoor environment. Staff at accredited facilities are skilled and trained to meet the highest standards of building cleaning and maintenance.
- Founded in 1964, the Cleaning Management Institute (CMI) has certified more than 300,000 people worldwide and promotes the training and development of cleaning and housekeeping services
Maintenance professionals, managers, supervisors and executives. The Accredited Auditing Professional (AAP) certification expands knowledge and provides technical skills for auditing and quality control tasks. The Certified Custody Supervisor (CCS) certification provides supervisors and managers with comprehensive technical and soft skills, from leadership development to technical skills. The Certified Maintenance Technician Basic and Advanced certification course provides hands-on, lecture-based training to ensure employees learn the most effective and current best practices for daily, temporary and restorative cleaning procedures. - The ISSA Sustainability Committee was established in 2022 to develop an accessible, credible and sustainable diverse sustainability program for the global cleaning industry. The committee brings together volunteer leaders from across the cleaning industry to identify and develop resources that meet members' needs (e.g., education and training programs, reporting tools, regulatory requirements explanations, product lifecycle management tips). Helps companies make organizational improvements and meet customer sustainability needs.
The ISSA leads a movement to make safer choices for a clean, healthy and sustainable world. Visit issa.com for more information about educational programs and other opportunities.
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