Commercial Cleaning’s Economic Impact

A new economic impact study shares insights into the U.S. cleaning products industry. According to a report from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), cleaning product companies generate $88.5 billion in economic output and employ nearly 65,000 workers nationwide. Commercial cleaning executives can leverage these results to advocate for their enterprises, increase innovations, and enhance public health.

Cleaning product companies are the cornerstone of a supply chain connecting jan/san manufacturers, distributors, service providers, and consumer-facing businesses. In a Research and Markets report, the cleaning products market, valued at $295.3 billion in 2025, was anticipated to reach $473 billion by 2035. Combined with its impact within the industry’s broader supply chain—reaching $103 billion in total economic activity and supporting 125,000 U.S. jobs—cleaning products and services have a long-lasting impact on communities countrywide.

“Cleaning is essential to modern life. It helps keep families healthy, hospitals and schools operating, and businesses moving across the American economy,” says ACI President and CEO Jennifer Abril. “This report demonstrates the breadth and depth of our sector’s economic impact: Not only do our innovative products keep businesses open every day, but our supply chain drives economic growth and expansion in every state and every congressional district.”

Highlights from the report include several consumer cleaning product sub-sectors:

Fabric Care remains the largest cleaning products category:
U.S. retail value sales reached $18.5 billion in 2025, driven by continued demand for laundry detergents, laundry aids, fabric softeners, and other products that support everyday care.

Surface Care generated $8.2 billion in U.S. retail value sales in 2025:
This result reflects consumers’ continued reliance on multi-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, bathroom cleaners, glass cleaners, and related products that help maintain healthy homes, workplaces, and public spaces.

Soaps and Sanitizers reached $11.3 billion in U.S. retail value sales in 2025:
This finding underscores the importance of hand hygiene and personal cleansing products in protecting public health.

This growth mirrors the upward trend in the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report. In August, 162,000 jobs were added amid an unchanged unemployment rate of 4.1 percent. Sectors important to commercial cleaning and janitorial services providers—healthcare and local government education—saw a significant increase in employment.

As it aligns with janitor and building cleaning staff, employment is anticipated to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035. This slow movement reflects external economic conditions influencing the decision to take on a job in commercial cleaning, like comprehensive wages to combat the rising cost of living. However, the ACI’s report shows sustainable industry growth, making this job a long-term, lucrative opportunity.

Several trends shaping the sector’s continued expansion include:

Innovation Accelerates Growth: Advances in chemistry, manufacturing technologies, and product design continue to improve product performance while supporting sustainability goals and resource efficiency.

Demand Remains Strong Across Critical Sectors: Population growth, healthcare expansion, commercial activity, and evolving consumer expectations continue to fuel demand for cleaning products and hygiene solutions.

Supply Chains Are More Resilient: Companies across the industry are investing in their workforces, sourcing strategies, and operational improvements to enhance supply chain resilience and efficiency.

Businesses Adapt to a Changing Policy Environment: Manufacturers are navigating evolving regulatory and trade conditions while continuing to invest in innovation and long-term growth.

These results reaffirm how cleaning is necessary for a healthier and safer society. For professional cleaning managers, these findings can be used to support staff retention and recruitment efforts, as well as operational budgeting demands. For jan/san distributors and manufacturers, these trends offer a way to market cleaning product opportunities that can enhance cleaning systems and lead to hygienic environments.

To read the full report, click here.