Greener Cleaners

Operators explore how eco-friendly cleaning products benefit not only the greater good, but also the immediate kitchen environment.

By Kate Leahy, Associate Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 2/1/2007

When operators think "green," local and organic products and perhaps recycling readily come to mind. They’re less likely to think about detergents. When they do, many find it isn’t that easy to make the switch. Distribution is spotty, products aren’t always user-friendly and some operators inherit sanitation systems based on particular brands. But a growing number are looking for alternatives to conventional sanitizers, degreasers and hand soaps. For early adopters, it’s a principle.

"Something might be cheap economically, but it’s not cheap environmentally. There are true costs," says Hugo Matheson, chef and co-owner of The Kitchen in Boulder, Colo.

The value of greener cleaners might not be immediately obvious, yet Michael Oshman, founder and executive director of the Boston-based Green Restaurant Association (GRA), thinks such products are one of the most direct ways to effect change in a kitchen’s immediate environment.

"When you change a light bulb, it doesn’t help the environment directly. It’s more energy efficient, but it doesn’t impact the immediate environment of the restaurant," Oshman says. "For cleaning chemicals, yes, there are impacts on oceans, but there’s also an impact on employees and customers."

Generally speaking, a cleaning product is green if it biodegrades and doesn’t contain petroleum-based chemicals and harsh synthetic compounds. As a result, green cleaners have fewer toxic chemicals and tend to be more pH neutral, attracting the attention of operators from independents such as The Kitchen to chains, including 20-unit, New York City-based Le Pain Quotidien. Still, changing products and practices takes a step-by-step approach. Le Pain Quotidien found that purchasing biodegradable containers for takeout and implementing water-efficient spray valves was easier than changing to all-green cleaning products, though the company plans to make the switch this year with the GRA’s help.

There are challenges for operators looking to bring in green products. Jim Solomon, chef-owner of The Fireplace Restaurant in Brookline, Mass., has been more than satisfied with an all-purpose, biodynamic natural cleaner he recently began using. But he admits that many green products aren’t as restaurant friendly as they could be. "The quality has risen; the price has come down quite a bit. And now it’s an implementation issue," he says. In addition, "you’ve brought an extra vendor into the mix."

Michael Ehlenfeldt, general manager of Stone Hearth Pizza’s locations in Belmont and Sudbury, Mass., recently switched to an unscented, biodegradable hand soap and hopes to find a green degreaser. In the meantime, he monitors the quantity of chemical cleaners his staff uses and challenges reps to find greener products, hoping that as the chain grows, his buying power will ease the process.

Matheson is more than familiar with the difficulties of finding the right product. "Cleaning is one of the hardest things to deal with in a restaurant," he says. His bottom line shoulders some of the challenge. Last year he paid $50 for a gallon of hand-washing soap designed for home use. He’s remedying the situation by working with his soap provider to develop a natural, unscented hand soap he can purchase more economically. "We continually have dialogues with suppliers and slowly it changes," Matheson says.

As evidenced with hand soap, there are simple ways to start using greener products. Matheson suggests that smaller restaurants start with hand soap and floor cleaner. "Go to a hardware store and pick up the largest container of eco-friendly floor cleaner and try it," he suggests.

Ehlenfeldt has another simple approach. He dilutes vinegar with water in a spray bottle and uses it for light cleaning. "It costs about a buck a gallon," he says.