Many of the same trends we see in consumer cleaning products apply to those used by janitorial service providers. This tells us that the expectations of the consumers are now influencing the industrial & commercial market.
This does not apply equally to all trends, and some will be purely for the consumer market. But, there is a growing shift in demand from traditional bleach, ammonia-based, and harsh chemical cleaners. We all use cleaning products daily, whether it is in our personal everyday washing and hygiene, in the workplace or in the bathroom. Because it is such a familiar product that is used so often, many people have strong feelings about the products.
Here are a few key factors demanded from modern cleaning products:
Cost-Effectiveness
Although labor is generally the biggest expense for the professional cleaning company, cleaning materials normally come in second. Janitorial and cleaning providers are demanding quality products at a fair price.
The janitorial service industry is a big business and the demand for cleaning products is high. There is a lot of competition in the cleaning products market, which is good for the cleaning company because it keeps costs down.
Larger companies have an advantage over the smaller mom & pop shops because they purchase their supplies in bulk — this allows them to negotiate better pricing. Larger companies also benefit from reduced transport and container charges because of bulk purchases.
In an instance where a product is truly innovative and more effective, a professional janitorial company will be prepared to pay a higher price. But, it must offer tangible advantages, such as reduced cleaning time, for a positive return on investment.
Quality and Performance
The main thing janitorial services look for in a cleaning product is its performance. Some of the cheaper products might save some money, but it will take the staff twice as long to get the job done. A janitor’s job requires that they not only clean effectively but fast and efficiently, as well. A product with poor performance will not be popular with high-quality cleaning providers. Lastly, speed is one of the most important factors it requires and if the product requires more labor, it is pointless.
Some products can perform as well as competitors, but you need to use a lot more of the product to achieve the same results. Even if a cleaning product is cheaper, it will not be logical to use it. A professional cleaning company will almost always go for the top performing products.
Once again, if a product proves to perform better and faster, janitorial companies who focus on cleaning quality will be prepared to pay slightly more for it because it will reduce labor costs.
Ease of Use
If the product is convenient and easy to use, this will reduce labor costs and reduce the need for training. There are some very good cleaning products available, but they are complicated to use. This will slow the work down and make the product unpopular.
Anything that simplifies the job of the janitorial provider will speed up their work and be an attractive proposition. Many new products have been developed that are ready to use and more convenient to apply. This makes them attractive to the professional cleaning company.
Multi-function or multipurpose products are also becoming more popular for the same reason. This saves a huge amount of time if you only have three or four products to carry around as opposed to 10. It also saves on procurement, stock control, and transport costs.
Eco-Friendly Products
Probably one of the fastest growing trends in industrial cleaning products is the increased demand for green cleaning products. Green cleaning products mean that they contain no toxic materials or harsh chemicals.
The ingredients in traditional cleaning products are doing enormous damage to the environment, thus leading to pollution and poor air quality. Both the consumer market, as well as the business market, have woken up to the fact that they must behave in a more sustainable way and not harm the environment.
There has been a huge amount of development in these products. At their inception, green cleaning products were less effective and more expensive. As much as commercial cleaning companies may have wanted to use them in the past, it would have pushed prices up and made them noncompetitive. However, because of the massive increase in demand & recent developments with these cleaning products, they are now on par with traditional products in terms of performance, as well as price. In fact, it is often less expensive now to use green cleaning products.
This is a trend that will continue to grow at a rapid rate and may also be legislated in the near future. It makes sense that janitorial companies adopt green cleaning and become familiar with the products because many businesses are now insisting on their use.
There are many other benefits to switching to a green cleaning program. The janitorial cleaning services staff members who use the cleaning materials on a daily basis will benefit from green cleaning products because they are much safer and healthier than the traditional cleaning products.
It is also healthier for the people in the buildings or factories that are being cleaned. The toxins in older cleaning products could have a number of health implications for staff in the building. Green cleaning products will eliminate this risk.
Janitorial providers also must be mindful of their reputation. Not switching to green cleaning products and practices could result in you being seen as a company that is harming the environment. This could have a negative impact on your brand and the public perception of your company.
Developments in Cleaning Technology
There are a number of emerging cleaning technologies that do away with cleaning products altogether. Some rely on UV light to disinfect surfaces while others use liquid ozone. Most are still in the early stages of development but certainly worth keeping an eye on.
We at iNX are known for being well-established cleaning company that keeps up to date with all trends and emerging technology in commercial cleaning. To find out more about our cleaning solutions, give us a call at 1 (888) Team-iNX.
