Green Cleaning Materials in an Office Building — Air Quality, Health and the Building Manager's Responsibility

In an office building we check the chillers, the electrical panels and the suppression system — but the substance that is spread over every surface in the building, day in and day out, we hardly check: the cleaning material. A cleaning worker pours limescale remover and air freshener over thousands of square meters, and its fumes enter directly into the air cycle that all the tenants breathe eight hours a day. As a building manager I discovered that this is one of the big blind spots in maintenance — and that it is entirely within my control, with no regulator forcing me. That is exactly why it's worth handling it on your own initiative, not in reaction.

Why "Green" Isn't Marketing — It's Indoor Air Quality

The term "green cleaning materials" sounds like a marketing sticker, and so many managers ignore it. That's a mistake. Behind the term stands a measurable physical problem: indoor air quality (IAQ). In a modern office building, the windows are usually closed and the air is recirculated through the air-conditioning system. Every volatile substance released inside — from solvent fumes, from synthetic fragrance, from ammonia or from chlorine — does not "disperse outside." It is trapped, returns through the handling units, and reaches the workers' noses again.

The problematic substances are called VOCs — volatile organic compounds. They evaporate at room temperature and irritate the respiratory tract, the eyes and the skin. At high concentration they cause headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating — phenomena that in professional literature are sometimes called "Sick Building Syndrome." This is not hypochondria; it is a direct result of the accumulation of pollutants in recirculated air. A truly "green" cleaning material is a material with low VOC emission, without unnecessary toxic components, and with good biodegradability — no more and no less.

In practice: in a building where I worked with tenants, some of whom reported frequent headaches, one of the first checks we did was what substances were being brought into the restrooms. We found daily use of three substances each with a strong "clean smell" — essentially a combination of several VOCs that were not broken down from the air until the next morning. Switching to milder substances and adding ventilation was enough to change the picture.

The Direct Connection to the Air-Conditioning System and the Filters

Here is what most managers don't connect: the cleaning materials you choose directly affect the air-conditioning system. Cleaning mist floating in the air is drawn into the system, accumulates on the filters and cooling coils, and accelerates clogging. Wax-based materials and surface polishers leave a sticky layer that traps dust. The result: filters that fill up faster, units that work harder, and higher electricity consumption. Choosing a poor cleaning material translates into an energy cost and system wear.

This is exactly why I see cleaning as part of the maintenance setup, not a separate topic. When I build the maintenance program for the air-conditioning system, I also ask what materials clean the spaces the system serves. Correct cleaning extends the life of the filters, and clean filters return clean air — one closed loop.

The Legal and Regulatory Basis — Without Exaggeration

It's important to be precise: in Israel there is no "green cleaning materials law" that requires an ordinary office building to use a specific green label. But there are several real points of contact that a responsible manager should know:

• The Safety at Work Ordinance and the Safety Regulations: whoever employs cleaning workers — directly or through a contractor — is subject to occupational safety requirements. Every chemical substance must have a safety data sheet (SDS) in Hebrew available at the workplace, and the worker is entitled to appropriate protective measures and adequate ventilation. This is a binding requirement under the Safety at Work Ordinance [New Version], 5730-1970 and the Safety at Work Regulations — not a recommendation.
• Israeli Standard SI 5281 — green building: the Israeli green building standard includes, among other things, criteria for indoor environmental quality and for low-emission materials. A building seeking a green rating under this standard (managed by the Israel Green Building Council) is required to show a policy that reduces indoor pollutants — and the ongoing cleaning materials are part of that picture.
• The Business Licensing Law, 5728-1968: in properties where businesses subject to licensing operate — a restaurant, a clinic, a gym — the sanitation and cleaning guidelines enter the licensing conditions and are inspected by the local authority.
• Storage of hazardous materials: some industrial cleaning materials are classified as hazardous materials under the Hazardous Materials Regulations, and their storage is subject to specific rules. Moving to less aggressive materials also reduces this storage liability.

The bottom line: even without a dedicated standard dictating a material brand, you as manager have a chain of responsibility — the worker's safety, the tenant's health, and civil liability if someone is harmed. This sustainability topic is integrated into the broad ESG picture of the office building, in which environmental responsibility and social responsibility are measured together.

How to Read a Cleaning Material's Label — Without Falling for Greenwashing

"Greenwashing" is a plague in this field. A bottle with a green leaf and the word "ecological" means nothing. Here's how you really check a material:

• A recognized ecological certification mark: look for a marking from a real certifying body — like the green label of the Standards Institution of Israel (SII), or recognized international eco-label standards (the European Ecolabel, Nordic Swan and others). A real label requires meeting measurable criteria, not just a manufacturer's declaration.
• A safety data sheet (SDS): demand an SDS for every material. The composition section (2) and the hazards section (11) tell the truth about pH, toxicity and concerning components. A supplier who does not provide an SDS — is disqualified.
• "Free of" what exactly: look for concrete wording — ammonia-free, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, low VOC emission, biodegradable. "Environmentally friendly" without detail is hot air.
• Concentration and dilution: a concentrated material diluted correctly reduces packaging and shipping waste. But incorrect dilution turns even a good material dangerous — so clear procedures are as important as the material itself.
• Without heavy synthetic fragrance: a strong "clean smell" is usually a sign of VOCs, not of cleanliness. A good material cleans without flooding the space with a smell.

A tip from the field: when starting to work with a new cleaning supplier, I ask for a sample SDS of the three most common materials they supply, already at the negotiation stage. If they arrive at the meeting without knowing what an SDS is, it's an early sign of a lack of professionalism — even before we've signed anything.

A Green Cleaning Specification — What to Write for the Contractor

The building manager's real tool isn't to buy bottles himself, but to write a specification that binds the cleaning contractor. Most cleaning contracts in Israel don't even mention which materials will be used — and that's a clear loophole. Here's how you close it:

1. A Pre-Approved List of Materials

The contractor submits a list of the materials they intend to use, with an SDS for each, before starting work. Any change requires written approval. This turns "what enters my building" into something I control — not the contractor.

2. A Low-Emission Requirement

In the specification you establish that priority goes to materials with an ecological label and low VOC emission, especially in enclosed areas — internal meeting rooms, restrooms, kitchenettes. These are the spaces where accumulation is fastest.

3. Ventilation and Timing Procedures

Heavy wet cleaning — floor washing, restroom cleaning — is carried out outside peak hours, with active ventilation (opening windows, operating exhaust fans for at least 30 minutes after the cleaning). This timing is connected to the annual maintenance schedule, into which periodic deep cleanings are also slotted.

4. Storage, Dilution and Training

Materials are stored in a ventilated, locked storeroom, separated from food and electrical equipment. Dilution per the manufacturer's instructions only — not "approximately." The workers receive training: not to mix materials (chlorine + ammonia = toxic gas), to use gloves and protective goggles, and to open a window or operate a blower before and during the use of strong materials.

Five Common Mistakes I've Seen in the Field

After years of managing buildings, the same mistakes recur almost everywhere. Worth knowing them in order to spot them early:

• "Stronger is cleaner": workers pour concentrated material without dilution, thinking it will clean better. In practice this only increases emission, leaves sticky residue and erodes surfaces. Cleanliness depends on technique and contact time, not on quantity.
• Mixing materials: the most dangerous mistake. Combining a chlorine-based material with an ammonia-based material releases toxic gas at a concentration that can cause respiratory harm within minutes. Basic training for workers is not a luxury — it is the prevention of bodily harm.
• Fragrance instead of cleaning: using strong air fresheners to "mask" a smell, instead of addressing the source. This adds VOCs to the air without cleaning anything, and sometimes actually worsens the feeling of stuffiness.
• Ignoring the restrooms: the restrooms are the enclosed space with the most aggressive cleaning and the worst ventilation — and that is exactly where the strong materials are used. Cleaning the restrooms is the first place to apply mild materials and active ventilation.
• No clear ownership of the topic: when the cleaning "belongs" to the contractor and not to the manager, no one checks what enters the building. The moment you define ownership and add a single clause to the contract — everything changes.

Matching the Material to the Surface and the Space

Part of the waste and neglect stems from using one material for everything. The correct approach matches the material to the need, and in doing so reduces both chemicals and wear:

• Glass and partitions: an ammonia-free material based on light alcohol is entirely sufficient. Ammonia is unnecessary here and harms the indoor air.
• Floors and lobby: a neutral cleaner with balanced pH (around 7) preserves the coating and doesn't require repeat washing. A material that is too acidic or too basic erodes stone floors and parquet over time.
• Contact surfaces — handles, railings, elevator buttons: here you want disinfection, but you don't need an industrial material. An approved preparation with the correct contact time (per the manufacturer's guidelines) is more effective than flooding with chlorine.
• Kitchenettes: degreasing does not require aggressive solvents if you clean at a reasonable frequency. It is the neglect that creates the need for a strong material — not the other way around.
• Water and moisture areas — parking garages, pump rooms: there, the accumulation of chemical residue, odors and moisture can worsen. It's advisable to choose materials that biodegrade and do not load the drainage systems.

The logic is simple: the more you clean at the correct frequency and with the correct technique, the less material and the less strength you need — and that is the definition of true green cleaning. Cleaning is another system in the building, and therefore it integrates into the same logic of documented, planned preventive maintenance.

The Economic Calculation — Why It's Not Just "Nice"

The move to green, correct cleaning pays for itself through several channels:

• Fewer absences: better air quality reduces complaints about headaches and fatigue — a problem office tenants sometimes raise without connecting it to the cleaning.
• Filters and an air-conditioning system that last longer: less chemical residue on the coils = less frequent replacements and smarter maintenance.
• Less surface wear: the correct material cleans effectively without harming coatings — and extends the life of the floors, the glazing and the marble.
• Less hazardous-materials storage liability: the more you use less aggressive materials, the more the storage liability and safety requirements decrease.
• A competitive advantage for tenants: corporate tenants check the building's environmental profile before signing. Documented green cleaning is part of that story — just like the move to LED lighting or the installation of monitoring systems.

And as always — the real value is in the documentation. An approved list of materials, saved SDSs and a written cleaning procedure are exactly what you show an insurance company, a demanding tenant or a green-rating inspector when they ask. Israeli maintenance culture tends to act only when forced; here there is an opportunity to do the right thing by choice, at low cost, and before anyone demands it.

Three Steps You Can Take This Week

• Ask for the existing list of materials: approach the cleaning contractor and ask what they bring into your building now, with an SDS for each material. Most likely there is no orderly list — and that's already a starting point for a conversation.
• Mark the enclosed spaces: identify areas without natural ventilation — internal meeting rooms, restrooms, archive. That's where the concentration is highest, and that's where you switch materials first.
• Add one clause to the contract: in the next cleaning contract, add a clause requiring low-emission materials, prior approval of the list, and ventilation and timing procedures. Changing a single paragraph in the contract changes the air in the whole building.

Good building management is the accumulation of small decisions, each of which on its own seems marginal — and together they define the property's health and the level of service. If you'd like to handle this topic as part of an orderly management setup, we've consolidated the approach in our property management service.