Report Highlights Disconnect Between Professional Cleaners and Consumers of Public Spaces

Nearly three years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are still not fully comfortable in public spaces. In a 2022 research study conducted by CloroxPro that surveyed more than 550 cleaning professionals and nearly 1,200 consumers, 80 percent of professional cleaners (pros) cited feeling more pressure to clean and disinfect public spaces, and yet, less than half (48 percent) of consumers have confidence in the industry’s ability to protect the public from germs. 

CloroxPro’s 2022 Clean Index study showed there is a need to close the trust gap between cleaning professionals and consumers. One way to do this is to find common ground. This year’s study confirmed that Clorox is one of the most trusted brands among both cleaning professionals and consumers for cleaning and disinfection to keep spaces properly clean and disinfected at home and in public. In fact, 85 percent of consumer respondents trust Clorox to clean their home and 81 percent of cleaning professional respondents trust Clorox to properly clean and disinfect facilities they manage. 

The study also found that consumers are willing to roll up their sleeves to help keep public places clean. Seventy percent of consumer respondents said it is part of their responsibility to help keep the public spaces that they go to clean, while 65 percent said they have disinfected an office, conference room, desk or other public use item at work. And, when the reigns of cleaning are outside of a consumer’s control, they feel most secure when visual cues are present. Sixty-one percent of survey respondents said they have paid more attention to visual cues related to cleaning now than they did prior to the pandemic and 75 percent agree that availability of disinfectant wipes makes them feel safe. 

It also found that in most cases, cleaning professionals across industries, including building service contractors, facility managers, healthcare environmental services and infection preventionists, were more likely to rank spaces as clean than the general population.  

CloroxPro’s 2022 Clean Index study also pointed to another key trend: a growing interest for more eco-conscious options that still get the job done efficiently and effectively. In fact, one in three consumer respondents want to see eco-conscious cleaners be used in all public spaces. Additionally, cleaning professionals are recognizing the role eco-conscious cleaners play in helping an organization meet greater sustainability commitments.  

The success and adoption of eco-conscious cleaners and disinfectants comes down to two key factors: cost and effectiveness. Two in three cleaning professionals said that eco-conscious cleaners must disinfect as effectively as traditional solutions. Other findings included: 

• 60 percent of consumers and cleaning professional respondents are interested in eco-conscious products.
• Restaurants and Schools are the No. 1 and No. 2 places where consumers and professional cleaners want to see green cleaners used. 
• 45 percent of cleaning professionals agree that using eco-conscious cleaners helps them meet their facility’s sustainability goals. 

 

For the complete study, click here.