Green & eco cleaning · updated August 2026
Green Seal Certification: What It Means and How to Verify It
Every green cleaning claim is verifiable in a public directory in under a minute. Green Seal GS-42 certifies the service company's operations and is listed at certified.greenseal.org. GS-37 and GS-53 certify individual products. If a vendor claims certification, ask for the listing URL. The number of GS-42 certified companies with New York City addresses is remarkably small — which is the story.
The Credential Decoder
| Claim | What it certifies | Issued by | Verify at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Seal GS-42 | The service company's operations, procedures and training | Green Seal | certified.greenseal.org |
| Green Seal GS-37 / GS-53 | Individual products | Green Seal | certified.greenseal.org |
| EPA Safer Choice | Individual products | US EPA | epa.gov/saferchoice |
| CIMS-GB | Management systems with a green building component | ISSA | cims.issa.com |
| GBAC STAR | Biorisk and infection control | GBAC (ISSA) | gbac.issa.com |
What GS-42 Actually Requires
- Operations — a building-specific written cleaning plan; documented procedures for cleaning, waste collection, product handling and equipment maintenance; daily vacuuming of high-traffic areas; specified entryway matting dimensions
- Communication — internal feedback procedures and external client protocols covering pest control and construction coordination
- Purchasing — environmentally preferable general-purpose cleaners, floor finishes, hand soap and tissue; powered equipment meeting noise and performance limits
- Training — 12 hours initial, a further 12 hours in the first year, and 24 hours of continuing education annually
- Trademark use — no misleading claims
Note that this is a management standard, not a shopping list. That is what makes it meaningful, and also what makes it uncommon.
How to Verify a Claim in Sixty Seconds
- Ask the vendor for their certification listing URL.
- Open certified.greenseal.org and search the company name.
- Check whether the listing is for the company (GS-42) or for a product (GS-37, GS-53). Vendors conflate these constantly, sometimes innocently.
- Check the listing date.
Our Position, Stated Plainly
We use Green Seal and EPA Safer Choice certified products and follow GS-42 procedures. We do not claim GS-42 company certification, because we have not been audited for it and we do not appear in the directory. When that changes we will publish the listing URL. You should hold every vendor to exactly that test — including us.
Last reviewed August 2026. Figures for prevailing wage and regulatory schedules change on 1 January and 1 July — we re-verify this page each cycle.
Want This Answered for Your Actual Space?
We publish the general answer because it is useful. For a number that applies to your building, send us the square footage and the nights you need.
Get a Price for Your Space
Written scope and fixed monthly price, usually within two business days.
We reply to every request. If your building needs a Certificate of Insurance or vendor registration, we handle that paperwork before the first night.
Ready for a Cleaning Contract You Can Actually Read?
Send us your square footage and how many nights you need. You get a written scope, a fixed monthly price, and the SLA in the same document — usually within two business days.