Cleaning Trends Going Into 2021

Cleaning Trends Going Into 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed many cleaning trends--some longstanding, some state of the art--onto the front lines, where it appears they will remain for the foreseeable future.

Cleaning Trends Going Into 2021

What You Can Expect From Cleaning in 2021

2020 was a watershed moment for many areas of society.

Pressures from the pandemic and responses to the outbreak and how it was managed disrupted supply chains, leaving many to scramble for effective and efficient methods for protecting themselves and others.

One of the hardest-hit supply chains--a sector of the economy still struggling to keep up with demand--was the cleaning industry.

The demand for both products and services spiked in March and April of 2020, only slightly abating throughout the year.

Further, the lack of guidance in cleaning product safety and the availability of experienced service providers resulted in numerous accidental poisonings due to exposure to or ingestion of disinfectants and sanitizers.

As the second surge of the virus begins to wind down, and vaccines become widely available, the industry will, predictably, shift towards a more steady standard.

While it is safe to assume that many organizations will return to a pre-pandemic model regarding their facility's health and sanitation, other organizations, whether due to pressures from the workforce, consumers, or a combination of both, will maintain the new course--meaning occupants can expect to see:

  • A standardization of cleaning best practices.
  • The widespread adoption of advanced cleaning technologies, and;
  • Wider adoption of workplace wellness programs that prioritize cleaning for health.

 

Out With the New and In With the Old--A Return to Cleaning Best Practices

Schools and businesses can expect to see a firm commitment to cleaning and hygiene principles that have proven to be effective at not only eliminating the spread of pathogens but at improving occupant wellness and performance, including:

  • The promotion of daily hand hygiene through the availability of clean facilities, high-quality products, and standardized training.
  • The adoption of standardized cleaning routines that address daily, incremental, preventative, and restorative services based on occupancy and use, as well as calendar scheduling, and;
  • The use of products that are appropriate for the surface being sanitized, the occupants being protected, and the germs being eliminated, with an emphasis on long-term environmental impact and occupant health.

 

Doing More With Less

A challenge that has plagued the janitorial industry for years, and one that was made painfully obvious during the peak of the pandemic, was the absence of a highly-trained workforce.

There has never been a single reason or solution provided as to why this is the case, but the most likely culprits are:

  • Pay.
  • Training.
  • Job hazards, and;
  • An absence of upward mobility within a company.

These and other forces combine to create a unique combination of a service that is in high demand, while suffering from turnover rates of up to 400% annually.

Confronting the challenges created by that paradigm during the pandemic resulted in the rapid adoption of advanced cleaning technologies that required fewer service providers less time to sanitize large facilities more effectively and efficiently.

Among the best performing advanced cleaning and disinfection tools to come out of the pandemic are:

  • Electrostatic disinfection appliances, which have demonstrated significant superiority to more conventional spray application methods in several key areas, including surface coverage, product efficiency, and general effectiveness.
  • AI cleaning robots and floor scrubbers that automatically map out the most efficient cleaning routes, mix and apply products based on sensor data, and report back to monitoring systems regarding performance.
  • No-touch cleaning tools, especially scrubber-vacs with disinfectant spray attachments which have proven especially effective at sanitizing restrooms and kitchens, and;
  • UV appliances, especially in HVAC air ducts that kill germs and bacteria in the air and on surfaces with little to no human intervention.

 

Doing it Better for the Right Reasons

During the pandemic, health officials noted early and often the likely hazards of over-applying and exposure to hazardous disinfectant products by untrained operators who were not wearing protective equipment and not allowing for safe ventilation.

Once the initial scare of the coronavirus wore down, saner voices made the strong case for safer disinfectants that were just as effective when used in a specific manner.

That stance follows decades of effort by the green cleaning industry to show schools and businesses the advantages of implementing safer and healthier alternatives to conventional hazardous disinfectant products, such as:

  • Entryway matting to prevent up to 90% of soil from entering a building.
  • Safer choice cleaning and distinction products that produce far fewer emissions than conventional products resulting in a healthier and safer working environment, which has been shown to translate into a more productive workforce, and better grades for students, and;
  • Commercial-grade air purification systems that eliminate airborne allergens and pathogens that have proven extremely effective when combined with UV-C lighting at key areas in HVAC air ducts.

 

 

Takeaway

While we're not out of the woods yet, it's never too early to be optimistic about the future and to reflect on the positive changes that have come out of a horrible event.

It is vital that we take what we have learned seriously and commit to applying those lessons to our workplaces and schools going forward to prevent a future event as catastrophic as the recent pandemic.

The road forward will not be easy and will require the ongoing dedication of highly trained and skilled service providers at every level in an organization.

Outsourcing is a proven method for ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness, safety, and training while controlling costs and eliminating management overhead.

If you would like more information regarding the effectiveness of high-performance infection prevention and control measures, or if you would like to schedule a free, no-obligation onsite assessment of your facility's custodial needs, contact us today for a free quote!

In Bakersfield, CA, call (661) 437-3253

In Fresno, CA, call (559) 206-1059

In Valencia CA, or Santa Clarita CA, call (661) 437-3253

In Palmdale, CA or Lancaster, CA, call (661) 371-4756


Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley

Vanguard Cleaning Systems of the Southern Valley