Air Is a Thing & Has Lots of Things in It - Why Cleaning Pros Are Already in the IAQ Business (Like It or Not)
Air Is a Thing & Has Lots of Things in It - Why Cleaning Pros Are Already in the IAQ Business (Like It or Not)
Let’s get one thing straight: air is not empty. It’s not just the invisible stuff between the walls, over the countertops, or hovering around freshly vacuumed floors. Nope. Air is a thing—and it’s full of things.
Dust, pollen, pet dander, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), mold spores, bacteria, odors, and yep... even microscopic particles from cleaning chemicals. Whether we like it or not, we’re swimming in a cocktail of airborne pollutants every day—indoors and out.
Now here’s the kicker, If you're in the Cleaning, Janitorial, or Maid Services industry—whether you're scrubbing a family home, sanitizing an office space, or maintaining a school—you are already in the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) business. You might not have put it on your business card yet, but trust us, it's on your client’s mind.
Cleaning Isn’t Just About What You Can See
It’s easy to see a clean floor, a shiny counter, or a smudge-free window. But clean air? That’s where things get interesting. Because unless you’re running a high-performance air purification system or a commercial-grade dehumidifier, you’re only addressing half the equation.
Indoor air can be 2–5 times more polluted than outdoor air, according to the EPA. And where does most of that pollution come from? Everyday life: cooking, cleaning, off-gassing from furniture and paint, moisture buildup, even breathing (sorry, it’s true).
Cut the Chemicals, Not the Clean
One of the biggest contributors to poor indoor air is traditional cleaning products that release VOCs. These compounds may give that "fresh lemon scent" you’ve come to expect—but they can also irritate lungs, trigger allergies, and build up over time.
By switching to eco-friendly, low-VOC or VOC-free cleaning products, you're doing more than helping the planet. You're helping your clients breathe easier. That simple shift alone can dramatically reduce airborne chemical exposure while still delivering a powerful clean.
Pair those green products with proper ventilation, high-performance filtration, and moisture control—and now we’re talking next-level clean.
Here’s the Good News: You’re in the Perfect Position to Help
As a cleaning professional, you’ve already earned your clients’ trust when it comes to maintaining a healthy environment. Now imagine if you could go beyond what’s on the surfaces and offer them clean, fresh, breathable air too.
By integrating high-performance air purification, dehumidification, and eco-conscious cleaning practices into your services, you’re not just making things look and smell clean—you’re helping your clients feel the difference in their space.
- HEPA filters can remove 99.97% of airborne particles as small as 0.3 microns.
- Activated carbon can absorb odors, VOCs, and gases.
- Dehumidifiers help prevent mold, mildew, and dust mite growth by controlling moisture levels.
- Eco-friendly products help reduce chemical load without sacrificing effectiveness.
What Clients Really Want
More than ever, families, schools, businesses, and property managers are looking for solutions that keep their environments healthy and safe—not just tidy. They want fewer sick days, fewer allergy flare-ups, and fewer mystery odors.
They want peace of mind. And that’s exactly what you can offer when you bring IAQ solutions into your toolkit.
Embrace It - IAQ Is the Future of Cleaning
You don’t have to change who you are or what you do—you just need to expand how you think about clean. Because these days, "clean" includes the air we breathe.
So whether you're dusting baseboards, fogging for odors, or choosing a greener glass cleaner, remember this: Air is a Thing & Has Lots of Things in it. You’re already in the IAQ business. It's time to own it.
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