What’s Really Being Used to Clean Your Property?
Property managers spend plenty of time thinking about whether their communities are clean.
But there is another question worth asking:
What is actually being used to clean them?
Walk through a typical multifamily community, and you’ll encounter many different surfaces: glass, carpet, tile, stainless steel, countertops, restroom fixtures, fitness equipment, flooring, elevators, and more.
Each surface has different cleaning needs.
Understanding the products being used throughout a community can help property managers have better conversations with their janitorial teams and make more informed decisions about how their properties are maintained.
Not Every Surface Should Be Cleaned the Same Way
Cleaning isn’t simply about finding one powerful product and using it everywhere.
A glass entrance door has different cleaning requirements from those of the lobby flooring.
Fitness equipment requires different considerations from restroom fixtures.
Carpeting needs different care than tile.
Natural stone may require a different approach from other hard surfaces.
Using the appropriate product and procedure for each surface can help achieve better cleaning results while maintaining the property’s appearance.
That’s why product knowledge matters.
Professional cleaning involves understanding not only what needs to be cleaned, but also how it should be cleaned.
What Does EPA Safer Choice Mean?
Property managers may encounter words such as “green,” “sustainable,” or “eco-friendly” when researching cleaning products.
But those words don’t always tell the entire story.
One certification worth understanding is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice label.
According to the EPA, every chemical ingredient in a Safer Choice-certified product is reviewed against specific criteria. Products also need to meet requirements related to performance, packaging, and environmental and health considerations.
That distinction can be helpful for property managers.
Instead of relying solely on marketing language on a bottle, independent certifications can provide additional information about how a product has been evaluated.
Understanding Maintex Cleaning Products
Maintex provides commercial cleaning products and facility solutions for a variety of environments.
Its sustainability-focused offerings include products associated with recognized third-party programs and certifications, such as EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal, UL ECOLOGO, and Forest Stewardship Council.
Maintex also offers products incorporating recycled content and other sustainability-focused features.
For property managers, the important takeaway isn’t simply the brand name on the container.
It’s understanding what the product is designed to do and whether it is appropriate for the environment where it will be used.
A property may need products for:
- Floors
- Glass and mirrors
- Restrooms
- Hard surfaces
- Stainless steel
- Carpet
- Common areas
- High-touch surfaces
- Amenity spaces
The right cleaning program brings these different needs together instead of treating every area of the property the same way.
Stronger Doesn’t Always Mean Better
It’s easy to assume that using more cleaning products creates a cleaner surface.
That’s not necessarily the case.
Professional cleaning products can have specific directions involving dilution, application, contact time, and compatible surfaces.
Using too much of certain products can leave unwanted residue or affect a surface’s appearance.
Using too little may prevent the product from performing as intended.
Following manufacturer instructions helps cleaning teams use products appropriately and consistently.
This is also why training matters.
Even an effective cleaning product won’t produce consistent results if it isn’t being used correctly.
Sustainability Goes Beyond Cleaning Chemicals
When discussing more sustainable cleaning practices, chemicals are only part of the conversation.
Property teams can also look at:
- Concentrated products
- Product packaging
- Recycled-content materials
- Paper products
- Trash liners
- Dispensing systems
- Product storage
- Staff training
- Proper dilution
- Waste reduction
Concentrated cleaning products, for example, can help reduce packaging associated with ready-to-use products when properly diluted and managed.
Similarly, choosing paper products or packaging containing recycled material can become another component of a broader facility sustainability strategy.
The important point is that sustainable cleaning isn’t necessarily one major change.
It can involve a series of thoughtful decisions throughout the cleaning program.
Products Are Only Part of a Successful Cleaning Program
The cleaning product itself is only one piece of the equation.
Cleaning teams also need to understand:
- Which products belong on which surfaces
- How products should be diluted
- How products should be applied
- What equipment should be used
- How frequently should areas be cleaned
- How products should be stored
- What safety procedures should be followed
This is where procedures, training, and consistency become especially important.
The right product used incorrectly can still lead to poor results.
Likewise, trained cleaning professionals need appropriate products and equipment to maintain a property effectively.
A thoughtful janitorial program brings all of these elements together.
Five Questions Property Managers Should Ask
You don’t need to become an expert in cleaning chemicals to understand what’s happening at your property.
Start by asking a few practical questions.
- What cleaning products are being used?
Property managers should have a basic understanding of the products regularly used throughout their communities.
- Are those products appropriate for each surface?
Flooring, stone, stainless steel, glass, carpet, and other materials can have different care requirements.
- Do any products carry recognized certifications?
Third-party programs such as EPA Safer Choice or Green Seal can provide additional information about certain products.
- Are products being used according to the manufacturer’s instructions?
Proper dilution, application, and handling are important parts of consistent cleaning.
- Are cleaning teams trained to use the products correctly?
Product selection and staff training should work together.
These questions can create more productive conversations between property managers and their janitorial partners.
Residents Experience the Results
Most residents will never know the name of the product used to clean their lobby floor.
They probably won’t know what solution was used on the elevator doors or how the fitness center was cleaned that morning.
But they experience the results.
They walk across the floors.
They touch the doors.
They use the elevators.
They exercise in the fitness center.
They spend time in the common areas.
That is why cleaning product selection shouldn’t be limited to what’s in the janitorial closet.
It’s about choosing appropriate products, following proper procedures, training cleaning teams, and creating consistent results throughout the property.
At DAPA Services Inc., maintaining a clean community involves more than completing a checklist. It means considering the products, processes, people, and everyday spaces that contribute to a well-maintained property.
Because residents may never see what goes into cleaning their community, but they certainly notice the results.
