Cleaning For Health vs. Appearance

One thing the pandemic left us with is the realization that we need to clean more conscientiously not only at home and at work but also everywhere people gather—like hospitals, schools, restaurants, airports, etc.   

It may surprise you, then, to learn that a recent poll referenced by The New York Post reveals that people clean only once a month.

So what has changed and what is still old school?

Well, on the old-school-side, a 2014 survey by Molly Maid found that most people won’t spring clean.

What was crystal clear from that survey is that Americans absolutely hate cleaning. Sure, the picture below is staged, but let that slide. The truth is, 93 percent of respondents said they would prefer to do anything else but clean. Literally 44 percent said they would rather speak in front of a large group—the most common phobia ahead of death, spiders, and heights—and 30 percent said they would rather take a six-hour car ride with their in-laws.

But that’s old-time thinking from 2014. Cleaning changed during the pandemic, and the difference between then and today is reflected in a 2020 survey conducted by the multinational market research firm Ipsos on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute (ACI).

In that survey, which arguably provides a more sensible picture of today than the Post poll, 85 percent of respondents said they were very or somewhat likely to maintain the same level of cleaning practices they adopted because of the pandemic even after the pandemic passed.

“Proper cleaning and disinfecting practices are proven to help protect against the spread of germs and viruses,” according to ACI. “In today’s current climate, as schools and communities across the country begin to reopen and new variants of the virus continue to spread, the cleaning and hygiene habits adopted at the onset of the pandemic will continue to play a crucial role in helping prevent the spread of illness."

There’s more good news according to another survey, this one conducted by restroom products manufacturer GP PRO and published by Cleaning & Maintenance Management (CMM). "Cleaning professionals have taken on a critical new role since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic—with responsibilities extending far beyond cleaning to now include keeping Americans healthy and safe when they venture outside of their homes. Recent media coverage has noted that, in response, children are sending janitors handmade thank you cards, and a hospital patient even credited his housekeeper with saving his life.” 

Interestingly, the GP PRO survey is an indication of a large, widespread change in perception and empathy for cleaning industry workers. For example, it found that 56% of respondents said they regard custodians more highly than they did before COVID-19 began impacting the U.S.

The bottom line is that we know the pandemic changed cleaning protocols. According to Janitorial Manager, cleaning for health and wellness requires a different approach than your regular cleaning procedures. This is true not only in our homes but also in schools, hospitals, workplaces, restaurants, airports, and anywhere the public gathers.

“Cleaning for health and wellness requires a different approach than your regular cleaning procedures.”

Another by-product of the pandemic is that more people are aware of the harmful chemicals in the cleaning products you’ll come across in the aisles of a supermarket. There is abundant evidence that these chemicals are hazardous to you and the environment. Fortunately, toxic cleaners are much more scrutinized today than in the past.

That is why the Toss the Toxins message from Branch Basics, a leader in the making of natural cleaning products, is drawing so much attention.

Another industry leader in the non-toxic cleaning field is Advanced Vapor Technologies (Advap), developers of Ladybug steam vapor systems. Using only regular tap water, Advap’s proprietary TANCS technology runs circles around most chemical cleaners.

Watch this short video to understand what TANCS is and why it’s important.

As Branch Basic points out, it’s time to step into the future and toss the toxins.

Toward that end, Advap has proven in peer-reviewed format that disinfection without toxic chemicals is not only possible but can be achieved with a level of performances far exceeding what the standard chemical disinfectant must meet to qualify as EPA registered.   

Plus cleaning with steam vapor is faster than cleaning with chemicals.

You'll find this useful, a TANCS-equipped Ladybug steam vapor system offers incredible dwell times of 2 to 7 seconds while chemical disinfectants need to sit on a surface for up to 10 minutes or more. This means with steam vapor you spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying the things you love.

Frankly, it is time to celebrate the advancement of cleaning and how often we clean. As evidenced by the growth of companies like Branch Basics and Advap, there’s reason to be optimistic that Americans are ready to toss the toxins. Switching to chemical-free cleaners is important for the future of our health and the health of our planet.