Facility management teams increasingly recognize that maintaining a healthy building includes efforts from the cleaning department.
Earlier this year at NFMT and the co-located Clean Buildings Conference, Keith Schneringer of BradyPLUS discussed the crucial role cleaning strategies play in supporting indoor air quality and occupant well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic initially led to widespread “hygiene theater,” with organizations prioritizing highly visible disinfection efforts, often without a focus on real effectiveness. However, long-term health outcomes demand a more measured and educated approach. Leaders today emphasize a “four-dimensional” cleaning model that addresses hand hygiene, touchpoint disinfection, floor cleanliness, and air quality improvements.
Floors, often overlooked, contribute to air quality issues when particulates become airborne. Effective floor maintenance — including regular vacuuming with HEPA or CRI-certified machines, using autoscrubbers for hard surfaces, and employing encapsulation technology for carpets — minimizes dust and pathogen circulation.
Entryway matting is another critical strategy. Implementing multi-zone matting systems with scraper and wiper mats can significantly reduce the amount of debris tracked indoors.
Additionally, the use of certified low-VOC cleaning products plays an important role in maintaining healthier indoor environments. Facility managers are encouraged to adopt standards like Green Seal, EPA Safer Choice, and Clean Air Choice to ensure chemicals contribute minimally to indoor pollution.
With indoor air often being two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, cleaning teams are now recognized as essential contributors to air quality management. By integrating smarter cleaning practices, facility managers can extend HVAC system life, improve energy efficiency, and create healthier, safer environments for occupants. Learn how by listening to the entire conversation.
Corinne Zudonyi is the editor-in-chief of the cleaning market, which includes Facility Cleaning Decisions, a sister publication to Facility Maintenance Decisions.
