The key is safety. I want our company and the people that we work for or with to be safe. I want us to have the knowledge and and understanding to remove mold properly and correctly. 

I want us to have the proper tools and PPEs on hand at all times. If its a small job or giant i want us to have the right things for remediation.Doubled lined bags, gloves, sealed goggles, whatever it is we need to be prepared. 

Proper knowledge and safety always. I want my fellow employees to be safe and know their safety is important as well. We have to make a plan and stick to it. If needed explain what we are doing, how we remove mold and make sure our residents feel safe once we are done  and there is no return of mold. 

Walking through a local grocery store one cant help but notice the changes that the major chain stores are making towards offering Greener options to almost everything. Stores are motivated by consumers sales and manufacturers price points. This leads me to assume that we are all buying smarter and healthier products everyday. This is very good news indeed, If the typical shopper only knew about the risks when using window cleaner or oven cleaner etc, would any of us ever buy it again? 

As the common family starts to move towards a safe and less toxic environment to live in I'm encouraged by the options being offered that are recycled or biodegradable. Many of the products that we come into contact with daily are toxic or known to cause cancer. Why would anyone pay for that type of exposure when we have safe options. The health risks are real, the effects are dangerous and deep down you know this. Every-time you hold your breath while cleaning the oven or put on gloves when washing the floor you know that this is something about that product that is harmful to your body.  

Its time to give something new a try. If you already haven't tried that new window cleaner that is refillable and is a reusable bottle maybe now is the time? I know that my housekeeper used it with some newspapers to wash the windows and I have never seen them SO clean! 

Did you know that 1/2 Cup of White Vinegar and a gallon of water is another wonderful window wash?  It also strips old wax off your floors and deodorizes. Vinegar is not the only pantry star that will change your cleaning life. Baking soda is laundry's best friend! Brighter, Whiter and smelling fresh Sodium Bicarbonate has been used for years to handle the washing. It is a great alternative to the synthetic laundry cleaners available that have harmful and toxic chemicals in them. 

People with sensitive skin recognize the threat and often are among the first to switch to a natural product. I know for me it was the birth of my Son. I wanted to make all his food myself from Raw fresh ingredients. I didn't want any chemicals to taint his little new body. This was a enormous and daunting task that I was not prepared for. While I was successful in some areas like laundry detergent, foods, shampoos etc. It was impossible for me to keep him away from harsh chemicals once I went back to work. In my small town, excellent daycare were limited and definitely not Green. 

I encourage all of you to join me in doing our part to limit our use of chemicals in our work and homes. Try taking baby steps and replace items as you run out of them. While at work find out what products are used to clean and make sure that they are safe for you and your co workers to use. Educate your coworkers on the benefits of going Green and removing the risk of toxic or dangerous chemicals in your workplace and in our homes.  

IJCSA Green Cleaning Service Directory

The funny thing about this certification process is that I actually had no idea just how dangerous the products I grew up with are.  The first day I began this course, I came home and told my wife we were throwing away all of our cleaning products and getting a big bag of baking soda!  I was joking (but not really). Now we are actually in the process of removing the poison from our home. 

Being green clean certified will impact my life tremendously.  I have recently applied for a job within my local school system.  One of the requirements for the position is that the candidate be familiar with Green Cleaning Methods.  After getting this certification I will be more prepared for my new job (God willing)!

I'm more excited about this position because I see our school system is getting it. My children are going to be safer because of the new green initiative.  If I"m blessed with the job, my top priority will be to phase out of the old system and make sure going green works.

Green clean certification will not only look good on my resume, it will be good for my well being.  No one knows what the future holds, but I do know that my Green Clean Certification is one of the best decisions I have made in a long time.

Find Professional Certified Green Cleaning Companies Here 

Customer service, believe it or not, is more important to most people than the amount they pay for the services they receive. Exceptional  Customer service is a great way to build customer relationships, and also build customer loyalty.

The members of IJCSA believe that exceptional customer service is NOT an extra cost of doing business. It is an investment in our future success. So before you discuss pricing, give them great customer service up front.

Here's a few tips:
1. Strive to build customer loyalty.
2. Provide authentic customer service.
3. The old adage customer is always right is still applicable.
4. Be honest with the customers.+
5. Go the extra mile.
6. Listen to your customer
7. Follow-up with your customer to make sure they are happy with your work.


Find A Professional Cleaning Provider That Cares About Customer Service

Find Your IJCSA Home Cleaning Service Here >>

One way being green cleaning certified will benefit my business is by expanding my target audience. Often times companies have some focus on being eco-friendlier, whether they utilize reusable products, recycle, or simply condone carpooling. A lot of people and businesses attempt to take an extra step in preservation. Obtaining this certification could bring some positive attention my way from eco-friendly companies, therefore bringing in more business. It will be advertised that we deliver more of a personal experience because I am able to tailor our cleaning methods to the needs of our clientele. 

An additional benefit from obtaining this certification is delivering a better moral to clientele and their businesses. Whether I am cleaning someone’s personal house or an office, I know my formulations and products will account to sustainability and health quality preservation of its occupants. The use of green products can correlate with higher attendance percentages, productivity, better air quality along with cleaner water. The IJCSA Green Cleaning Certification could be what separates us from other local cleaning businesses. 

Aside from health sustainability, green cleaning products will benefit me from a convenient and financial perspective. Most green products cost significantly less than regular cleaning products and are used a lot more frequently than what we think. A lot of these homemade cleaning substitutions can already be found around one’s household. For example, after reading the IJCSA study material I realized that I have a lot of these cleaning substitutions sitting around my house (i.e. baking soda, unscented soap, lemons, white vinegar and corn starch). I do not have everything on the list of formulation ingredients, but I realized that I have quite a few. Also, this will save me money initially because I do not have to make a separate trip to the store to buy these things. There are a few convenient and financial benefits to green cleaning.

Altogether, obtaining this IJCSA Green Cleaning Certification will benefit my business by attracting more clientele, delivering a better moral and environment in a commercial setting, and also save me some money. Many companies look to recycle, go green, and become eco-friendlier. With the use of green cleaning, they can take the next step in that direction because of the environmentally friendly ingredients and products. Every cleaning service does not offer or include green cleaning, so this will separate my services from competitors, therefore opening up my target audience. My services and techniques will also account to healthier living, which will play in the favor of its occupants. If I am cleaning in a commercial setting, there will be less chemicals in the air because my products are “Green.” These formulations will increase productivity levels and make less people sick. I also will be saving money, because a lot of these ingredients are sustainable or multi-purpose. A lot of cleaning mixes require the same ingredients with slight differences, so I am able to have multiple purposes for one product. I am also able to save because most of these ingredients are sitting around my household already. I am easily able to mix up my formulations without the need to take an extra trip to the store. 

Find Professional Certified Green Cleaning Services Here

20 years in the carpet and restoration business and I am still learning new tricks to the trade. Having the access to better my knowledge and abilities here is a blessing.  I have worked in fire, water damage, mold remediation, apartments to commercial along with residential work. Each one has its own set of standards and challenges but through IJCSA I am excited to bring them all to the next level!

Some products say GREEN, but are not very GREEN at all. Learn More Here >>

"Knowledge is power."  This statement certainly applies to being aware of bloodborne pathogens.  They can have an effect on anyone at any time and it is important for as many people as possible to know, and understand, what is involved and how to deal with bloodborne pathogens.

For anyone working in an environment where there is the potential for bloodborne pathogens, this information is vital!  It is nice to know that the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen Standard has widened out to include, not just helath care and hospital employees, but really anyone who may come into contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials.

This training is done in a simple, easy to understand format, that everyone should make a part of their knowledge and understanding.

There was a time when we believed that this type of training was only suitable for medical personnel. However, as we got deeper into the cleaning business we realized that was not the case.  Our company offers cleaning services to the elderly as well as other persons who are home bound due to illness or other physical disabilities and this really opened our eyes as to the necessity of this training. Cleaning staff are exposed to many contaminants on a daily basis and this training ensured they took the necessary steps to prevent the transmission of such.

The simple action of replacing the trash bag can be just as hazardous as removing the soiled bed linen of a sick person. We had to ensure that our staff was trained in this area as their health as well as ours is a priority. This type of training literally means the difference between life and death regardless of the time factor. We had to be certain that no staff member was at risk for contracting or transmitting any type of illness and this could only be done through the training offered by the IJCSA.

The knowledge we gained from this certification will be a lifelong adaptation as this can be used in any situation and not just in homes of visibly sick persons.  Due to modern medicine it’s hard to tell who is actually sick and so we have to take precautions in every aspect of our job. Joining the IJCSA was one of the best decisions we made as a company and we can envision the future impact this will have on a whole.