Study Reveals Pressures Weighing on Cleaning Professionals

The 2022 Clean Index study, recently released by CloroxPro™, revealed that cleaning professionals are feeling pressured to disinfect better, while consumers doubt that they can.

According to the study, which surveyed more than 500 cleaning professionals and nearly 1,200 consumers, 80% of professional cleaners feel more pressure to clean and disinfect public places. Meanwhile, less than half (48%) of consumers believe in the industry’s ability to protect the public from germs.

The study also revealed a disconnect between what areas cleaning professionals believe are clean versus the public’s consensus. In most cases, the surveyed cleaning professionals, which included building service contractors, facility managers, health care environmental service workers, and infection preventionists, were more likely to rank spaces as clean than the general population. For example, using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 representing a space that was very clean and germ free, 84% of cleaning professionals ranked hospitals at least a 4, while only 69% of the general population felt the same way.   

However, it appears that the cleaning industry has many consumers as allies who are willing to do their part. When it comes to keeping public spaces clean, 70% of the consumers surveyed think they share a responsibility in doing so. Furthermore, 65% have taken the time to disinfect an office, conference room, desk, or other publicly used item at work.

When cleaning was outside of their own control, consumers felt most secure when they could see that an area was clean. More than half (61%) said they pay more attention now to visual cues related to cleaning than they did prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Even more (75%) said that the availability of disinfectant wipes makes them feel safe.

Eco-consciousness was another trend identified by the study. One in three consumer participants wanted to see eco-conscious cleaners be used in all public spaces. Restaurants and schools were named as the top two places that consumers and professional cleaners alike wanted to see green cleaners used. Cleaning professionals, however, want to first make sure those cleaners are effective. Two in three said that eco-conscious cleaners must disinfect as well as traditional products.