Get Ready for Bio-Enzymatic and other
Bio-Renewable Cleaning Products

We have already started hearing quite a bit about bio-renewable, bio-enzymatic, oxygen-based, and similar sustainable products finding their niche in the professional cleaning industry. Well, you can expect to hear even more about these products, especially bio-enzymatic, in the very near future.

These bio-renewable products are not made from petroleum products so you and your customers can rest assured they are not consuming valuable petroleum reserves and do not contain traditional and potentially health-risking butyl-based chemicals, as do many conventional cleaning products. In fact, many of these products, including the ones discussed below, are so safe for people and the environment that they have been Green certified by EcoLogo™.

Instead of petroleum, these bio-renewable 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.

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-purpose-type 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-limene, they are not that safe for people because d-limene is a skin sensitizer and causes respiratory problems. This is why GreenSeal no longer accepts nor certifies these types of cleaners.

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 to 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.

In addition 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 subsurface — grout, crevices, underside of carpeting, etc. — that can be embedded soils, cause malodors, and slipper floors, such as urine and grease on floors. 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, bio-enzymatic, 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 enzymes 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.
  
  
• ES900, 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 a very effective carpet cleaner that 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.

The following PDF has more information on bio-enzymatic cleaners: http://www.enviro-solution.com/pdf/Enzyme.pdf
how they work, their features and benefits or learn more by stopping by booth 905 at the upcoming ISSA/INTERCLEAN tradeshow in Orlando.

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 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 of these will be bio-enzymatic 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 all cleaning products, including bio-enzymatic and bio-renewable, are certified Green by EcoLogo, GreenSeal, and DfE.

Mike Sawchuk has been involved with the jansan industry for
more than 15 years. He is currently Vice President and
General Managerof Enviro-Solutions, Ontario, Canada and Charlotte Products, both leading manufacturer of certified-Green cleaning chemicals.