Common Misconceptions About Sustainability

Sustainability in offices and buildings has shifted from a “nice-to-have” trend to a strategic business necessity. As of 2025, buildings account for approximately 40% of global CO2 emissions. This makes them a primary target for climate action, but the benefits extend far beyond the environment.

Some advantages of green cleaning and sustainability include lower utility bills and operating costs, increased employee productivity, a brand advantage, and regulatory compliance. Still, many companies are not entirely convinced of the move to sustainable practices due to certain beliefs. In this article, we talk about the common myths about sustainability. We also discuss how Prestige Property Services can help you become a sustainable business through specialized professional cleaning services.

4 Common Myths About Sustainability

Here are four misconceptions about sustainability and why we believe they are inaccurate.

Myth #1: Green Products are Not as Effective as Traditional Chemicals

In the competitive commercial landscapes of Los Angeles and Orange County, facility managers are under increasing pressure to adopt “green” initiatives. However, a significant barrier remains: the persistent misconception that sustainability requires a sacrifice in hygiene. 

For years, the industry standard for “clean” was synonymous with the pungent scent of bleach or ammonia. This has fostered an “Effectiveness Myth,” leading many to believe that eco-friendly products are fundamentally weaker and unable to meet the demands of high-traffic Southern California offices or healthcare suites.

The reality, supported by current environmental science, is that sustainable cleaning has evolved into a high-performance discipline. Modern green disinfectants are now EPA-approved.

It is essential for local facility managers to recognize that “sustainable” does not mean “sanitization-lite.” When applied with professional-grade protocols, these bio-based solutions provide hospital-grade results. Choosing green is no longer a compromise; it is an upgrade to a smarter, safer, and more powerful way to protect your building’s occupants and reduce its environmental footprint.

Myth #2: Sustainability Is Too Expensive.

A common hurdle for facility managers in Los Angeles and Orange County is the “Green Premium” myth. This is the belief that sustainable cleaning is a luxury that inevitably inflates the bottom line. 

While certain eco-friendly products may carry a slightly higher upfront price tag per unit, the shift toward a sustainable framework is actually a strategic move for long-term ROI. True sustainability in commercial cleaning is as much about efficient processes as it is about the chemistry used. Protecting your physical assets with sustainable practices isn’t just an environmental choice. In fact, it’s a sound financial strategy.

Myth #3: Sustainability is More Than Just “Products”

A major misconception is that sustainability starts and ends with the liquid in the spray bottle. To achieve a truly green facility, one must move beyond the product and adopt a holistic cleaning process that considers the entire lifecycle of the environment and its resources.

Ideally, a sustainability program integrates several operational pillars:

• Elevating Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): True sustainability prioritizes the health of the building’s occupants. Traditional cleaning methods often kick dust and allergens back into the air. A holistic approach utilizes HEPA-filter vacuums. By trapping fine dust, pollen, and mold spores rather than simply redistributing them, specialized cleaning protects the respiratory health of employees.
• Precise Resource Management: Sustainability involves water conservation. This is done through the use of low-flow equipment and smart-mop systems that require 90% less water than traditional buckets.
• The Waste Hierarchy: While recycling is a standard practice, a holistic program focuses on the top of the waste hierarchy: reduction and reuse. This means working with facility managers to identify ways to reduce total waste output.

By viewing sustainability this way, businesses in Los Angeles and Orange County can transform their cleaning routine into a comprehensive wellness and conservation strategy.

Myth #4: Sustainability Just Means Clean Smell

For decades, people associated the smell of bleach or heavy floral perfumes with a “clean” environment. In the context of sustainability, you should explain that clean actually has no smell. Traditional “clean smells” are often the result of compounds that can irritate the respiratory systems of office occupants. A truly sustainable clean focuses on removing contaminants; not masking them with synthetic fragrances.

Prestige Property Services Promotes Green Cleaning

Defending commercial cleaning against these outdated myths is the first step toward a more efficient, health-conscious workplace. In LA and Orange County, adopting a sustainable approach is a strategic investment in both human health and property value. By prioritizing high-performance, bio-based chemistry and holistic resource management, facilities can achieve rigorous sanitization standards while significantly reducing their environmental footprint.

Prestige Property Services provides comprehensive facility maintenance and specialized cleaning programs tailored to these modern requirements. If you are a business owner or manager looking for a sustainable commercial cleaning company in LA or OC, contact Prestige. We can provide a detailed facility assessment and customized service plan.