Green cleaning refers to the use of cleaning products that have a reduced impact on human health and the environment, often because they have been re-formulated to eliminate the most potentially toxic ingredients. Child care providers recognize the important role that cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting can have in maintaining an attractive, safe, hygienic environment and reducing the spread of germs. But, it is important to know when cleaning is good enough and when sanitization or disinfection, which may involve harsher chemicals, is called for.

And, given the growing set of state requirements promoting green cleaning in early learning environments and schools and increased availability of green cleaning products, it is important for child care providers to know how to identify and use green cleaning products. The following links provide information about the dangers of cleaning products and the steps that can be taken to utilize less toxic alternatives in a childcare setting.

Resources

• Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: A Toolkit for Early Care and Education
• Important Information About New Bleach Concentration Exit
• Eco-Healthy Child Care: Household Chemicals (PDF)(2 pp, 442 K, About PDF) Exit
• Commonly Used Toxic Cleaning Products (PDF)(1 pp, 70 K, About PDF) Exit
• Certified Green Cleaners Products Search Exit
• Cleaning for Health Fact Sheets Exit
• Sanitizing Safely and Effectively (PDF)(2 pp, 442 K, About PDF) Exit
• What is Green Cleaning? (PDF)(2 pp, 120 K, About PDF) Exit
• Design for the Environment (DfE) Products