What to Ask About Green Office Cleaning by Task and Area
Ask your provider for a product list organized by room, surface and task. For recurring office cleaning, start with kitchen counters and tables, washroom fixtures, interior glass and finished floors. Ask the provider to identify any specialty product they would use only on certain visits, such as a washroom descaler.
For each row, request the manufacturer, exact product name, product code if available, and whether it comes as a concentrate or ready to use. Ask the provider to include the surfaces it proposes to use it on. If the kitchen table and the food-preparation counter require different directions, give each surface its own row.
Evergreen Office Cleaning lists the Armstrong Manufacturing line we use on our Green Clean Products page. When reviewing green office cleaning products for your building, ask for a proposal that matches specific products to your surfaces and preferences.
Check Labels, Safety Data Sheets and Certifications
Ask for the label to check directions for the proposed task, and request the current safety data sheet (SDS) for each hazardous workplace product covered by WHMIS. The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety explains that an SDS describes hazards and precautions. Match the product identifier in the SDS to the container label, especially if the supplier offers both a concentrate and a ready-to-use version. CCOHS guidance on safety data sheets
For a product you plan to use on a kitchen counter or a particular floor finish, review any relevant surface directions, dilution and rinsing instructions. Where a cabinet or floor manufacturer has its own care instructions, give those to the provider and ask it to show how its proposed method fits.
If the proposal cites a certification, ask for the certifier, the standard and a current listing or certificate that matches the exact product. Check whether the evidence covers the whole formulation under a named standard, a specific attribute such as packaging, or a different product in the same line. Ask what the provider is claiming and what document supports that exact claim. The Competition Bureau advises businesses to make environmental claims clear and specific and to have supporting evidence where required. Competition Bureau guidance on environmental claims
Checklist for Comparing Green Office Cleaning Proposals
Use this checklist to connect each answer to a line in the written scope. Ask each bidder to flag pending items so you can compare their proposals on the same terms.
| Question to ask | What to request | What to record in the scope |
|---|---|---|
| What will you use in each area? | Names by task. | Product and surface. |
| How will the crew use it? | Label and SDS if required. | Use notes and file location. |
| What does the certification cover? | Certifier, standard and product listing. | Claim and listing ID. |
| Can you meet our fragrance preference? | Written scent details. | Rooms and any exceptions. |
| Which surfaces need disinfection? | Label and timing. | Surfaces, timing and label steps. |
| Who can approve a substitute? | Proposed alternative and reason. | Approver, date and affected tasks. |
Specify Routine Cleaning and Disinfection Separately
Write routine cleaning into the regular task schedule and give any agreed disinfection its own line. For routine work, specify what the crew cleans, such as kitchen tables or washroom sinks, and how often. If the building wants disinfection for a named surface or event, write down the surface, frequency or trigger, and who authorizes work outside the regular schedule.
When disinfection is in scope, ask for a Health Canada-authorized product labelled for the intended surface and use. Record the product, any required cleaning before application, the required contact time and any rinse the label calls for. Where the label calls for the surface to stay wet during contact time, make sure the service window allows for it. Health Canada guidance on biocide labels
A Written Product Scope for a Toronto Office
A Toronto office manager can turn a fragrance preference and floor care instructions into one product schedule with a named approver. In this illustrative 6,000 sq ft office with one kitchen and two shared washrooms, the manager asks for products with no added fragrance in shared areas and no air fresheners. The building operator supplies a care sheet for the lobby finish that specifies a compatible neutral cleaner and a damp mop.
- Kitchen. On each weekday evening visit, clean counters, tables and the sink using the approved kitchen products listed by surface. Require written confirmation of no added fragrance. Identify food-preparation surfaces and include any rinse directions on the approved label.
- Washrooms. Clean the sinks, toilets and partitions with the products approved for those fixtures. Apply the fragrance preference to routine cleaners and record air fresheners as excluded. If the manager requests disinfection of washroom door handles, document the product and directions in the separate disinfection entry.
- Floors. Record the exact cleaner approved for the lobby finish, its dilution and the damp-mop method from the care sheet. Keep periodic building maintenance and floor care on its own schedule. Consult the building operator on compatibility before approving any replacement for the lobby.
- Product changes. The provider sends the office manager the proposed substitute and reason, plus its label, applicable SDS and evidence for any relevant claim. The office manager approves it in writing before use. If the approved product runs out, the crew continues unaffected work and tells the manager which task needs to be rescheduled or covered by a previously approved backup.
What to Ask About Green Office Cleaning Before You Sign
When deciding what to ask about green office cleaning before you sign, start with the approved product for each task, the evidence behind any claim and the written approval process. Common mistakes include accepting a brand name as the whole list, leaving fragrance preferences in an email and agreeing to “equivalent substitutions” without naming an approver. Attach the dated list of green office cleaning products to the scope and ask who will update the crew’s instructions after a change.
For a Toronto or GTA office, call +1 (416) 803-4880 or request a quote and free on-site walkthrough. An Evergreen account executive replies within 2 hours during office hours, Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. We’ll walk the areas with you and put what we clean, how often and when in a written scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
What product information should I ask for before hiring an office cleaner?
Ask for an itemized list of the products the crew will use, with the exact names, formats and intended surfaces. Request a label for each product you need to verify and a current safety data sheet where applicable. Attach the approved list to the scope so both parties have the same record.
When should I ask for a safety data sheet as well as a label?
Ask for both for hazardous workplace products covered by WHMIS. The label identifies the product and gives the directions or precautions applicable to it. The safety data sheet adds details on hazards, handling and storage. Before service starts, check that the sheet matches the exact product and confirm where the crew can find it.
How do I verify a green cleaning product certification?
Ask for the certifier’s current listing or a certificate that identifies the product and standard. Compare the listed name and variant with the proposed product. Check what the standard covers before recording the claim in your purchasing documents. If the listing is unclear, ask the supplier or certifier for written confirmation.
How should I document a fragrance preference?
Write the preference into the scope and name the rooms and tasks it applies to. If you want products with no added fragrance, use that wording and ask the provider to confirm it in writing for the proposed products. List any excluded items, such as air fresheners, and document any exceptions you approve.
Should routine cleaning and disinfection be listed separately?
Yes. Give routine cleaning its own task schedule and record any agreed disinfection separately. The disinfection entry should identify the surfaces, when the work is required and the approved product. Add any applicable label directions for pre-cleaning, contact time and rinsing so the crew has enough time to carry out the task.
What should happen if an approved cleaner is out of stock?
Ask the provider to submit the substitute to the named approver before using it. The request should identify the affected tasks, the reason for the change and the relevant product documents. If a backup has already been approved in writing, follow the scope and record when it was used.