How green is your cleaning? Today (8 June) is World Oceans Day, the annual celebration of our oceans. It’s a reminder of the debt we owe to the oceans and why we need to look after them.

Small actions from many people can add up to make a difference, so here’s our guide to how you can green up your cleaning as part of your contribution to cleaning up the oceans.

The team behind World Oceans Day takes the view that there is one big ocean on our planet . This is split into 5 named parts –  Atlantic, Pacific, Southern, Indian and Arctic. Put together, this expanse covers 71% of the earth’s surface and accounts for 97% of the earth’s water. Keeping it healthy, therefore, makes a lot of sense.

5 green steps we can take to help the oceans

With agriculture, pharmaceuticals, mining and industry being big polluters, it can seem that whatever we do as individuals is, well, a drop in the ocean. However, every little green action helps. Here we concentrate on 5 small changes that you can make to your cleaning regime to lessen your impact.

1. Use less water

The less water you use, the less waste water and chemicals that drain away and ultimately find their way to the ocean. One aspect of cleaning that can use lots of water is floor mopping. So, a product that can cut water use by up to 80% has to be worth considering. The Chicopee Fluid Mop has a reservoir for water and cleaning solution. Your cleaner simply pulls a trigger to release the amount of water they need. As well as dramatically reducing the use of water, it reduces chemicals use and the floors dry more quickly too.

2. Reduce your carbon footprint

Climate change is a real threat to our ocean life, causing changes which affect the delicate balance of the marine ecosystem. We need to reduce our CO2 emissions to tackle climate change and there are lots of ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

This could mean looking for suppliers with green credentials, such as Diversey, whose commitment to sustainability is one of their guiding principles. It could mean choosing products that are carbon neutral. Have you heard about bamboo tissue? Bamboo is the world’s fastest growing and most sustainable source for tissue products. The Cheeky Panda bamboo tissue products use 65% less carbon than tree tissue. With a percentage of their revenue going to protect Vietnam rainforests, it is a carbon neutral product

3. Use less plastic

This year’s theme for World Oceans Day is ‘preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean.’ We need to reduce our plastic use in all areas of our lives and some promising starts have been made with the banning of microbeads, a move away from single use straws and the ‘tax’ on plastic bags.

One way to reduce plastic use in cleaning is to use products that have dosage systems. For instance, the Cleanline Super Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate is a concentrated cleaner with an easy dosing system. This allows you to measure out the correct amount to dilute with water to use in a trigger spray. You can use your trigger spray bottles again and again. It’s another small green step in the right direction.

4. Use less chemicals in your cleaning

Reducing your chemical use or switching to more environmentally friendly products ultimately reduces the amount of chemicals that find their way into the oceans.

We stock a range of environmental cleaning products and innovative cleaning equipment that reduce the chemicals you need to use. These include the Cleanline Eco range and also OdorBac Tec 4, which kills 99% of bacteria while being environmentally friendly.

Consider reusable microfibre cloths and mops as another option to reduce the chemicals you use. You can get many uses out of a single cloth or mop head and the technology they use means they trap dirt and germs without the need for cleaning chemicals.

5. Reduce and recycle your waste

The oceans are in danger of becoming huge dustbins with flotsam and jetsam of all kinds, polluting the waters. If every person and every organisation took a responsible approach to their own waste, this could be dramatically reduced.

Simple things add up. Look for biodegradable products and packaging. Diversey’s Sure range of cleaning solutions, for instance is plant-based and 100% biodegradable. In your washroom, dispense systems for toilet tissue and hand towels can significantly reduce wastage. The Tork SmartOne dispenser reduces toilet tissue use by up to 40% – which saves you money too.

Finally, are you on top of your recycling? Start by investing in the Rubbermaid Slim Jim system of recycling bins. These have specially designed and colour coded lids for paper, cans and bottles and general waste. The Slim Jim Starter pack, contains all three bins to give you an instant recycling system in the office or workplace.

Greener cleaning means cleaner oceans

Cleaning does have an impact on the environment and our oceans, but small steps in the right direction can lessen that impact. At Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies we take sustainability seriously. We support innovative suppliers who create sustainable and eco-friendly cleaning and hygiene products and systems. It’s something we will continue to do, bringing you fresh ideas that, in their own small way, help to reduce the strain on our oceans.

Find out more about World Oceans Day and some of the other, non-cleaning related activities that you can get involved in. Be part of the movement to clean up our oceans!