"Green cleaning" is one of the most overused phrases in the commercial cleaning industry — and one of the most poorly verified. Every company claims to be eco-friendly. Almost none can name the specific standard they meet, the agency that issued it, or the criteria they had to satisfy.
This guide breaks down the four green cleaning standards that actually matter — what each one certifies, who issues it, and how decision-makers can use them to separate real eco-friendly cleaning programs from marketing language. If you're a facility manager, sustainability lead, or office manager evaluating vendors, this is the document you want before the next quote meeting.
Why Green Cleaning Standards Matter (Beyond the PR)
Green cleaning isn't just an environmental story. It's a measurable business advantage:
- Healthier indoor air quality — fewer respiratory complaints, fewer sick days
- Lower toxicity exposure — protects employees, tenants, and vulnerable populations (medical, childcare, food service)
- LEED compliance — required or strongly preferred in LEED-certified buildings
- ESG reporting — sustainability-certified vendors support corporate ESG and tenant satisfaction goals
- Reduced liability — fewer chemical-residue incidents, fewer slip-and-fall risks from harsh floor finishes
- Tenant and guest preference — increasingly a deciding factor in commercial leases and STR bookings
The standards below are the ones with real verification behind them. Anything else is marketing.
1. Green Seal (Specifically GS-37)
Issued by: Green Seal, Inc., an independent nonprofit certification body
What it certifies: Cleaning products themselves
Most relevant standard: GS-37 — Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use
GS-37 covers the all-purpose, glass, bathroom, carpet, and biologically-active (enzymatic and microbial) cleaning products used in offices, institutions, warehouses, and industrial facilities. To earn GS-37 certification, a product must meet documented requirements in multiple categories:
Performance:
- General-purpose cleaners must remove at least 80% of particulate soil under ASTM D4488 testing
- Restroom cleaners must remove at least 75% of soil under ASTM D5343
- Glass cleaners must achieve at least a rating of three on HCPA method DCC 09 in soil removal, smearing, and streaking categories
Health and Safety:
- Products must be non-toxic and non-irritating to skin and eyes
- Cannot contain heavy metals, phthalates, formaldehyde donors, carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, asthmagens, or ozone-depleting compounds
Environmental:
- Ingredients must be biodegradable and non-toxic to aquatic life
- Packaging must be reduced (at least 20% less material than equivalent), recyclable with 25% post-consumer content, or refillable with a take-back program
- Most certified products are sold in concentrated form to reduce packaging and transportation emissions
Why it matters to a buyer: A GS-37 logo on a product bottle is verification — not marketing. It means a third-party tested the product and confirmed it meets specific, published criteria.
2. EPA Safer Choice
Issued by: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
What it certifies: Cleaning products themselves
Type: Federal pollution-prevention program
The EPA's Safer Choice program reviews every chemical ingredient in a product, regardless of percentage, against strict safety criteria for human health and the environment.
What Safer Choice products must meet:
- Ingredient screening for carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, aquatic toxicity, and environmental persistence
- No known carcinogens or reproductive/developmental toxicants — even minor components like dyes and fragrances are screened
- Performance standards — products must perform comparably to conventional alternatives
- pH limits that minimize risk of skin and eye irritation
- VOC restrictions that reduce indoor air pollution and respiratory exposure
- Sustainable packaging review
- Annual EPA audits to verify ongoing compliance after certification
Why it matters to a buyer: Safer Choice is the only major green cleaning certification backed directly by a federal agency. It's also notable because the EPA strengthened the Safer Choice Standard in recent years — meaning the bar for certification has gotten higher, not lower.
3. CIMS-GB (Cleaning Industry Management Standard — Green Building)
Issued by: ISSA (the worldwide cleaning industry association)
What it certifies: The cleaning organization — not just products
Most relevant standard: CIMS-GB, the Green Building add-on to the base CIMS certification
CIMS itself is a quality management certification for cleaning companies — covering quality systems, service delivery, human resources, health and safety, and environmental stewardship. CIMS-GB takes the certification further by aligning specifically with the green cleaning requirements of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB: O&M) rating system.
What CIMS-GB certified companies have demonstrated:
- Documented green cleaning policies and procedures
- Use of certified green cleaning products and equipment
- Trained personnel on green cleaning practices
- Sustainability practices integrated into service delivery
- Capability to support LEED-certified projects in earning green cleaning credit
Why it matters to a buyer: A product certification (Green Seal, Safer Choice) tells you the chemistry is safe. CIMS-GB tells you the company using the chemistry is operating to a verified, third-party-audited green cleaning standard. For LEED-certified buildings or facility managers building toward LEED, this is the certification that actually counts.
4. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
Issued by: U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
What it certifies: Buildings and the operating practices inside them
Most relevant version: LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB: O&M)
LEED itself is not a cleaning certification — it's a building certification. But green cleaning is one of the credit categories within LEED EB: O&M, and earning those credits requires:
- A documented green cleaning policy
- Use of certified green cleaning products (often Green Seal or EPA Safer Choice)
- Sustainable purchasing of paper goods and other consumables
- Integrated pest management
- Indoor air quality management
The CIMS-GB certification is recognized by LEED as a direct compliance path for the green cleaning credits — meaning a CIMS-GB certified cleaning vendor automatically helps the building qualify for those LEED points.
Why it matters to a buyer: If your building is LEED-certified or pursuing certification, your cleaning company's standards are part of your building's score. A vendor that doesn't understand LEED green cleaning credits costs you points, not just service quality.
How Decision-Makers Should Use This Knowledge When Vetting a Cleaning Company
When you're evaluating a commercial cleaning vendor that calls itself "green" or "eco-friendly," ask these specific questions:
- What products do you use, and which ones are Green Seal or EPA Safer Choice certified? (Ask for a product list with SDS.)
- Is your company CIMS or CIMS-GB certified? (If they say yes, ask for the certification number — it's verifiable through ISSA.)
- If our building is LEED-certified, can your service support LEED green cleaning credits?
- How do you train your employees on green cleaning protocols?
- Can you provide documented green cleaning procedures, not just product lists?
A vendor that answers all five with specifics is the real thing. A vendor that says "we use eco-friendly products" without naming a certification is selling marketing language.
Vision Cleaning Company's Green Cleaning Standard
Vision Cleaning Company is built around eco-friendly, third-party-recognized cleaning products as the default — not the upgrade. Our chemical inventory is centered on Green Seal and EPA Safer Choice recognized products, our crews are trained on documented green cleaning procedures, and our service is structured to support LEED green cleaning credit categories where applicable. We provide product lists with SDS on request and full documentation for sustainability and ESG reporting needs.
Book a free walkthrough at visioncleaningcompany.com — we'll review your facility's specific sustainability needs and build a green cleaning program tailored to your building.