Sustainable commercial cleaning: what environmental requirements and the Nordic Swan Ecolabel mean in tenders
A Svanemerket (Nordic Swan Ecolabel) cleaning service must keep detergent consumption below 0.3 ml per square meter, use a high proportion of ecolabeled products, and keep PFAS and microplastics out of the agents. These are concrete figures, not a vague impression. For you, whether writing or reading a tender, this means that "sustainable" can be verified – and that you should request documentation on precisely these points.
What exactly is the Nordic Swan Ecolabel for cleaning?
The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official Nordic environmental label. A cleaning company can apply for a license for the service itself, and the license is only granted when the company meets a set of requirements established by Nordic Ecolabelling. The most important ones for cleaning are:
- Dosing: Detergent consumption must be kept low, with a cap around 0.3 ml per m² of cleaned surface.
- Product selection: A high proportion of the agents used must themselves be ecolabeled or meet equivalent requirements.
- Prohibited substances: PFAS and microplastics are not allowed in the products, along with a number of other undesirable chemicals.
- System and training: The company must have routines for dosing, waste, and training, and be able to demonstrate that they are followed.
Note the difference: the license belongs to the supplier and the service the supplier provides. It does not automatically extend to every building you clean, nor is it the same as a product being ecolabeled. A Svanemerket detergent is one thing; a Svanemerket cleaning service is a comprehensive system with dosing, routines, and documentation on top.
We are clear on one thing: Vaskeladden does not claim any Nordic Swan Ecolabel license we do not possess. We explain the requirements because they are a good template for good cleaning regardless, and because they appear in an increasing number of tenders. Should you need a quote with a documented Nordic Swan Ecolabel level, we will state what we can actually document – nothing more.
What environmental requirements will you encounter in a tender?
Public clients are required to emphasize climate and environment in procurements, and many private clients follow suit. In practice, you will encounter environmental requirements in two forms.
As a qualification requirement or specification, all bidders must meet them to participate. A typical example is that the agents must be ecolabeled, or that the supplier must have an environmental management system. Here, it is important that the client allows for equivalent documentation. You can request the Nordic Swan Ecolabel or the EU Ecolabel, but you cannot exclude a supplier who proves the same level by other means. This follows from procurement regulations.
As an award criterion, environmental considerations account for a share of the points, often between 10 and 30 percent of the evaluation. In this case, suppliers compete on how well they address the environmental aspect, not just whether they are above a threshold.
Good advice for both sides of the table: ask for what can be measured. "We work environmentally friendly" is worthless in a tender. "We dose under 0.3 ml/m², use at least 90 percent ecolabeled products, and maintain consumption records per building" can be verified. If you want to delve deeper into how to distinguish serious bidders from the rest, we have a separate review of how to choose a cleaning supplier.
Why are dosing and microfiber at the core of green cleaning?
The simplest environmental measure in cleaning is to use less agent. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel requirement of 0.3 ml/m² precisely forces this. An office of 1,000 m² should then manage with approximately 0.3 liters of concentrate per round, diluted as instructed. Overdosing does not result in cleaner surfaces or better odor – it only leads to more chemicals down the drain, higher costs, and more frequent sticky surfaces.
Microfiber is the other half. A tightly woven microfiber cloth mechanically captures dirt and bacteria, so many surfaces become clean with water or a weak solution. This reduces the need for chemicals, and a color-coded cloth routine (separate colors for bathrooms, kitchens, and offices) prevents you from moving dirt between zones.
A small safety point that belongs in all chemical use:
Never mix bleach with anything other than water. Bleach and vinegar produce chlorine gas; bleach and ammonia or sal ammoniac produce chloramine. Both are hazardous to health. If you use acid against limescale, such as vinegar or citric acid, you must keep it away from natural stone, marble, granite, and slate – the acid etches and causes dull spots. Always test in an inconspicuous area first.
For more on equipment that actually reduces chemical use, see our overview of best cleaning equipment 2026.
What must the supplier document?
A green tender stands or falls on the documentation. Here is a checklist you can use as a client, or fill out as a supplier:
- Product list with safety data sheets and proof of ecolabeling (Nordic Swan Ecolabel, EU Ecolabel, or equivalent) for each agent.
- Dosing regime with dilution ratios and an estimate of consumption per m², not just "as instructed."
- Consumption records showing actual agent consumption per building over time – this distinguishes promises from practice.
- Waste and packaging: source separation, concentrates instead of pre-mixed, bottle refills.
- Transport: driving routes, vehicles, and whether cleaning is scheduled for daytime to save energy.
- Training: documented courses in dosing, microfiber, and chemical safety.
- Seriousness: that the business is approved in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret (Cleaning Register), and that wages are above the generally applicable minimum wage.
The last point is not merely decorative. Since July 1, 2018, it has been illegal, even for private individuals, to purchase cleaning services from a business not approved in the Renholdsregisteret, and it is punishable by law. The generally applicable minimum wage for cleaning is NOK 236.54/hour for adults (as of June 15, 2025, adjusted annually in June). A quote with hourly rates that cannot possibly cover legal wages, employer contributions, and equipment is a red flag – no matter how green the front page looks. Sustainability is about both environment and people.
How to measure quality over time?
A green cleaning service that does not maintain quality is merely greenwashing. This is where NS-INSTA 800 comes in. It is a Nordic standard for measuring and documenting cleaning quality on a scale from 0 to 5, regardless of the method or frequency the supplier uses. The standard does not state how often you should clean – it describes how clean the result should be.
As a buyer, you can use it to agree on a measurable quality level and control it with spot checks, instead of micromanaging every task. This gives the supplier freedom to perform the job efficiently and provides you with an objective basis for addressing any shortcomings. We explain this further in the article on what INSTA 800 is for office cleaning. A small warning about terminology: INSTA 800 is a standard for measuring cleanliness, not a company certification. A supplier who claims to be "INSTA 800-certified" is using the term imprecisely. The correct statement is that the supplier delivers according to and is measured against the standard.
How do price and sustainability relate?
It is a persistent myth that environmentally friendly cleaning costs much more. In practice, the difference is small, and sometimes negative, because lower dosing and refills cut procurement costs.
The prices here are approximate starting points for 2026, not a binding quote. The cost of the assignment depends on size, condition, and accessibility. You will receive the final price in a concrete quote from us – and it is often higher than the lowest estimate. Request a quote for a price that actually applies to your home or premises.
As of 2026, the market price for regular commercial cleaning typically ranges from NOK 350–650/hour excluding VAT, depending on the building, frequency, and region. This is a market estimate, not a quote. A green approach usually falls within the same range – it is routines and documentation that differentiate, not a large environmental premium.
If you prefer to manage based on need rather than a fixed frequency, needs-based cleaning can result in both lower consumption and lower costs, because you clean where it is needed. This aligns well with the environmental requirements above: less unnecessary cleaning is the most sustainable thing you can do.
In summary
Sustainable commercial cleaning is not a slogan; it is figures you can request: dosing below 0.3 ml/m², a high proportion of ecolabeled products, no PFAS or microplastics, and consumption records showing that routines are followed. Add approval in the Renholdsregisteret and wages above the minimum floor, and you have a tender that takes both environment and people seriously. We are happy to explain what we can actually document for your building – without borrowing feathers we do not possess.
