Middlebury College
OP-13: Cleaning Products Purchasing

Middlebury's Custodial Services staff use numerous green alternatives to the standard cleaning chemicals, and use other technologies such as microfiber cloths, central vacuum systems, and ozone machines. They also continusly to look for new ways to reduce the reliance on harmful chemicals and replace them with high performing health, green alternatives. Middlebury uses the Betco Green Earth products line for much of its cleaning needs. This includes a peroxide cleaner for daily bathroom cleaning, window cleaner for glass, and an all purpose cleaner for nearly everything else. For touch points (door hardware, faucet handles, dispenser handles, light switches), they still use a disinfectant to curb the spread of germs. For an abrasive cleaner they use A-Ben-A Qui, a non-toxic paste cleaner that works wonders! The use of bleach and comet has been greatly reduced, but it is still kept on hand for blood spills. Microfiber cloths capture dirt and bacteria at a higher rate and require fewer cleaning chemicals compared to regular cleaning cloths. Microfiber mops deposit less water on the floor which means floors dry faster, creating a safer walking surface. Middlebury also using central vacuum systems whch are much healthier for users and building occupants because they vent the dust and dirt away from the living/working areas, central vacs also use cleanable filters and collect the dirt in drums, so no disposable vacuum bags are needed. Canister vacs are used in some areas, but central vacs have been installed in most of the large buildings and some of the mid-sized buildings on campus. Custodial Services also use an environmentally friendly carpet cleaner (Carpet Complete by Envirox) and are currently researching greener floor strippers and finishes but have yet to find an acceptable system. They also do not use shampoo with each extraction on our carpets, instead, they spot treat stains and use a water rinse between chemical extractions. For odor elimination, Middlebury uses ozone machines to remove odors from painting, cigarette smoke, and carpet installations, avoiding the need for chemical odor removers.

The custodial department has replaced many of their conventional cleaning products with Green Seal (tm) products. Middlebury now uses the Betco Green Earth product line for much of its cleaning needs. This includes a peroxide cleaner for daily bathroom cleaning, window cleaner for glass, and an all purpose cleaner nearly everything else.

We also use Aqueous Ozone Machines & cartridges. This green cleaner has reduced our costs as well. Other ways we have reduced cleaning chemicals impacts are use of microfiber cloths and mop heads to clean glass and floors which can often do the job with only water as a cleaning solution.

in-house policy and practice.