(OT) Cleveland Clinic using fragrance free, natural cleaners

[Guest guest]

http://www.environmentreport.org/transcript.php3?story_id=4299

The Environment Report (NPR)

HOSPITALS GO FOR A GREENER CLEAN

Grant

January 12, 2009

You might have noticed some new choices for environmentally-friendly

cleaners on supermarket shelves. Most people pass them over. They

worry natural cleaners won't do the job as well as the regular stuff.

But, the places that need to be the cleanest, the most sterilized, are

finding that green cleaners are more effective. Grant reports

that hospitals have started replacing the old chemical cleaners with

natural products:

It used to stink whenever the cleaning guys at the Cleveland Clinic

needed to strip the floors. The patients, doctors and nurses would

complain about the chemical vapors. So, they started clearing areas of

the hospital on floor cleaning days.

(sound of cleaning machine)

Today Dennis Casey says they drive around on a new scrubbing machine.

" That's an automatic stripper, it's called an orbital scrubber. And it

strips the floors without the use of chemicals – only water. "

The new-fangled machine looks kind of like a riding mower. They run

over the hospital floors spraying cold water and the machine scrubs.

Casey says it works just as well as the old chemicals – but it doesn't

smell and takes a lot less time.

That's music to Ayers's ears. She's environmental

coordinator at the Cleveland Clinic. Ayers says the most important

part of picking cleaners and tools – is to make sure they're going to

work.

Of course, water alone isn't enough for every job. Hospitals need

disinfectants. Ayers says the Environmental Protection Agency helps

with that.

" EPA actually certifies disinfectants, and all products that are used

as a disinfectant have to go through the same rigorous testing to

ensure their efficacy. But what we're buying when we're buying the

products is the efficacy of the product, not all the additional

chemicals and perfumes and other elements that are not necessary for

the product to function well. "

Ayers says lots of people are used to that `hospital smell.' But

that's often just a cocktail of cleaning chemicals – and doesn't

create the healthiest environment for patients and staff.

They still use bleach at the Clinic – it's a great disinfectant - but

only in specific places – door handles and other high traffic areas.

Ayers says other places, like windows and bathrooms, can get just as

clean without other harsh chemicals.

At first, it was tough for some folks on the cleaning staff to accept

the new, fragrance free products. Those strong smells signaled a clean

room. Ayers says some would use the natural cleaners – but then spray

chemical air fresheners just to make sure the rooms smelled clean.

" That's a bridge we have to cross. We have to help people understand

that clean smells of nothing. And that when you're smelling all of

those smells that are associated with clean, that chemical smell, the

smell of bleach, those perfumes, all those volatile organic compounds

that come out of the cleaning products - you don't want to be inhaling

all of that product. You really want it to be working, you want to

purchase the efficacy of the product and not all of that extra stuff

that goes into our air. "

Ayers says people with asthma and other breathing problems understand

that right away. And, often, others just need a little explanation.

" And once you explain that to people – that you're using a product

that's safer for the indoor air quality of our hospital - It's an easy

step, people understand it. And they quickly grow accustomed to the

new smell of clean, which is a much more mild and fresh and less

chemical smell than what you might be familiar with – even in your own

home. "

In fact, I talked with one woman on the cleaning staff who says, since

the hospital switched to more natural products, she's seen how well

they work and has started using green cleaners at home.

For The Environment Report, I'm Grant.

© 2008 Environment Report