There’s a new movie starring citric acid-based cleaning solutions. But before telling you more about it, let’s take a look at why this new movie was created.
Over the last 20 years, facility managers have shifted from using traditional cleaning solutions, often made with harmful ingredients, to green cleaning solutions. This change has resulted in fewer harmful ingredients and less overall impact on the environment, building users, and those who use the facilities.
But now, we are witnessing another evolution — the green cleaning solutions adopted over the years are being replaced with even safer and more sustainable ones.
The replacement: a new generation of citric-acid-based cleaning solutions.
These cleaning solutions contain ingredients extracted from citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and other similar fruits. Citrus fruits are grown globally, making them very sustainable. Moreover, since these ingredients are classified as “food additives,” they are often deemed safer than the eco-friendly cleaning solutions they replace.
Reasons for the Citric Acid Rediscovery
In March 2020, during the early days of the pandemic, state after state began issuing “stay-at-home orders.” Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, and Idaho were among the first to do so. Soon, with just a few exceptions, every state in the union was under full or partial lockdown.
By September 2020, Florida reopened. Facilities were allowed to reopen at total capacity (except bars), and people were not required to wear masks or social distance. During the year, more states followed Florida’s lead and lifted their stay-at-home orders.
However, restrictions were still in place, and while some people began returning to their office workspace, it was no more than a trickle. Most commercial facilities still report they are at about 50 percent occupancy levels.
Once commercial facilities began reopening, building owners and managers made thorough and effective cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting their top priority. They invested in several cleaning technologies, systems, and solutions — some new, some old but repackaged — that were reported to thoroughly clean surfaces.
However, many of these new technologies proved less effective than initially believed and invariably costly. And some, we later learned, could even harm human health, precisely the opposite of why they were selected.
With this awareness, facility managers began analyzing how their facilities were cleaned. Facility managers wanted cleaning solutions that were proven safe, proven effective, and one more thing, proven sustainable, meaning they came from readily renewable sources.
Citric-acid-based cleaning solutions address all these challenges,
which explains why the spotlight is now on these products.
Proven Effective
We’ve mentioned that these products are ” effective.” However, in today’s world, mainly because of the problems encountered with cleaning products since the pandemic, facility managers want to know why citric-acid-based cleaning solutions are effective.
To address this, we point to the fact that ProNatural’s disinfectant used in commercial cleaning has been EPA-registered. This means it has been independently tested, evaluated, and proven to effectively eliminate (kill) the pathogens listed on the product’s label. This product may also be used to eliminate the pathogen that causes COVID-19.
And our citric-acid-based sanitizer has been independently tested and proven to eliminate more than 99 percent of all pathogens on a surface: it reduces the surface pathogen load, making it safe in almost all situations.
And recently, the City of San Francisco Department of the Environment searched for safer but effective sanitizers and disinfectants for use in city-owned and -operated buildings. Citric-acid-based sanitizers and disinfectants were recommended due to their efficacy — the ability to eliminate pathogens on surfaces when used per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Break with Traditions – Staring Citric Acid Based Cleaning Solutions
Though few of us may be familiar with him today, James Agee was one of the world’s most influential journalists, novelists, and film critics after World War II. When the war ended, he suggested it was time for Hollywood to change; start making a new type of movie for a new kind of audience.
In many ways, we can apply that to how facilities should be cleaned in the 21st century. We must prepare to break tradition and turn to safer, more effective, and sustainable cleaning solutions.
