That spring cleaning routine has turned into a year-round event. According to recent survey results by the American Cleaning Institute (ACI), 89% of respondents agreed fall cleaning should hold the same importance as spring cleaning. After all, a thorough cleaning can help remove allergens, dust and grime that accumulate over the summer. There are also cleaning tasks best performed in the fall, such as gutter cleaning.

“Fall cleaning is important not just for aesthetics but for the health and well-being of your household,” said Brian Sansoni, senior vice president of communications, outreach & membership, ACI. “It provides a fresh start before the holiday season and helps maintain a clean, comfortable home environment as we transition into colder months and spend more time indoors.”

Maybe so, but data suggests there’s waning interest in household cleaning. That’s based on recent sales data from Circana. While sales rose 4.0% during the past year, unit sales declined 0.3% (see chart). Some categories performed better than others. All-purpose cleaner sales rose 1.2% in units and 6.7% in dollars. Meanwhile, dollar sales of dish detergents jumped 5.6% on unit growth of 1.5% (see chart). No surprise then, that manufacturers are launching new dish detergents. One of them is Dropps, which launched UltraWash Plus, which it calls the first to market USDA Certified Biobased multi-chamber auto dish pod. It is available online at Amazon, Walmart and Dropps and in-store at Save Mart, Meijer and Wegmans. Company executives say it represents the first-time consumers do not have to trade-off between sustainability and efficacy in the dish category. (Check out its image on this month’s cover of Happi!)

According to CEO Alastair Dorward, UltraWash Plus represents a significant leap forward in dish care, offering a premium detergent solution that combines sustainability and performance. It’s designed to handle the toughest dishwashing challenges, including 24-hour stuck-on food. Its triple-action formula combines surfactants to cut through grease, fast-acting enzymes to remove stains from coffee, tea and baked-on lasagna, and a built-in rinse aid that leaves glassware sparkling. 

“We’re excited to set a new standard for clean—one that doesn’t compromise on efficacy or the environment,” said Dorward. 

He pointed to a recent PwC study that revealed 80% of global consumers said they were willing to pay more for sustainable products, with many willing to pay nearly 10% more. This growing demand drives Dropps to offer price parity with leading conventional brands, delivering real value while meeting consumer demand for sustainability.

But Dropps was cleaning up in the dishwash category even before the debut of UltraWash Plus. According to Similarweb, Dropps is Amazon’s fastest and largest growth brand in the dishwasher detergent and Amazon’s top-ranking sustainable brand in the dishwasher detergent category.

Oven cleaners/degreasers is another cleaning product category that bucked the downward trend. Category sales rose 4.2% in dollars and 2.6% in units. Shelby Esposito, senior product manager of innovation, Zep, suggested the increase is due to people spending more time at home and cooking, which means their ovens and appliances need more regular cleaning.

“Looking ahead, we expect more growth in multi-purpose cleaners and degreasers, like our Industrial Purple Degreaser, which is great for tackling tough messes,” said Esposito. “We’re also seeing increased interest in products that not only clean well but also leave behind a fresh scent, so categories like air care and household cleaners with added fragrance are set to do well. Our degreasers, especially our Industrial Purple Degreaser, as consistent top performers.”

To combat any consumer malaise about household cleaning product purchases, the Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day team found the most success in creating products that are strongly distinctive, show great efficacy and feature thoughtfully chosen ingredients. Innovation is another important aspect. By actively listening to consumers, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day has developed products that resonate with customers, leading to increased sales and an enhanced, more effortless cleaning experience, according to a company spokesperson. For example, consumers prefer its award-winning Probiotic line, which uses probiotic “micro-helpers’” that actively keep cleaning days after spraying, as more customers look for thoughtful solutions to existing cleaning problems.

Cleaning for All Seasons

Like ACI, Mrs. Meyers doesn’t prescribe to the theory that cleaning should be relegated to Spring. In fact, it’s latest launches celebrate fall and holiday seasons. For autumn, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day launched Elderberry-scented cleaning products, available exclusively at Target. The Elderberry variant is available in multi-surface cleaner, liquid dish soap and liquid hand soap.

Gingerbread was just added to Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day’s latest Holiday Seasonal. The Gingerbread collection includes liquid hand soap, liquid dish soap, multi-surface everyday cleaner and room freshener.

“Year over year, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day has gotten a lot of love for its seasonal collections. Many customers change the scents they buy to match the current season,” said the spokesperson. “For example, Snowdrop, one of the brand’s Holiday Seasonals that smells citrusy and floral, is not only a fan favorite but the most requested scent at retailers.”

Earlier this year, in April, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day launched a new line of Summer Seasonals, the first-ever summer collection with scents including Fresh Cut Grass, Tomato Vine, and Dandelion. 

Zep’s Retail Expansion

Zep may be best known for its activities in the industrial and institutional cleaning segment, but it continues to expand in retail. Most recently, Zep launched three products at Lowe’s Home Improvement stores nationwide—Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser & Cleaner Mist, Industrial Purple Degreaser & Cleaner Mist and Outdoor Foaming Cleaner & Brightener. Additionally, Zep Plus Glass & Mirror Cleaner is available at Lowe’s. According to Esposito, all of them are performing exceptionally well, beating sales expectations and receiving strong feedback from consumers. Social media campaigns help boost sales, too.

“We are seeing growth across a few different products and categories, but more interestingly is the impact of social media—particularly seeing how TikTok has been a major growth driver, especially for our foaming wall cleaner and grout cleaner,” explained Esposito. “We’ve also boosted our marketing budget, creating a halo effect across our product lines. Finally, many of our products are seasonal, like our mold cleaners, which have also performed well.”

Inflation Fighters in the Household Cleaning Aisle

The US inflation rate jumped from 4.7% in 2021 to 8.0% in 2022. Last year, inflation dropped to 4.1% and is currently running at a much more manageable 2.4%. Still, consumers were spooked by higher prices and formulators bemoan the fact that raw material prices remain high. 

“Inflation has certainly impacted our business, with consumers focusing more on products that are both multi-purpose and highly effective,” agreed Esposito. “Economic drivers, like the upcoming election, will play a big role in shaping the future, but with inflation down to 2.4%, we’ll have to wait and see how things progress.”

Inflation has impacted Dropps business due to increased raw materials and transportation costs, but those costs haven’t been passed on to consumers.

 “We have remained committed to maintaining the affordability of our products and, therefore, have not increased prices,” said Dorward. “We are hopeful that improvements in supply chain efficiency and potential reductions in global commodity prices will drive a return to more normal conditions within the next year or two.”

Dorward noted that the green cleaning category has been held back by pricing. During economic downturn, consumers often abandon sustainable options in favor of cheaper alternatives. Yet, the eco-category is surging in both the laundry and dish categories, particularly in pods. According to Circana, last year eco-friendly pod sales soared more than 39% in auto dish, compared to just 8.44% for non-eco pods. This data highlights the growing consumer preference for products that align with their values around sustainability, according to Dorward.

“Overall, we’re finding many of our new consumers were conventional brand users. While they are deeply committed to sustainability, they have not yet found a brand that delivers efficacy, sustainability and accessibility—not just in price point but availability,” he explained. 

At Dropps, it comes down to answering three questions for the everyday consumer:

Does it work? 

Is it environmentally responsible with verifiable claims? 

Is it accessible for my budget and available where I shop? 

Efficacy is non-negotiable. Dorward cited the long-held statement, “green don’t clean” and running the dishwasher twice or redoing laundry isn’t just costly—it’s wasteful. Furthermore, overly complex or advanced sustainable products, such as difficult refill systems, may alienate consumers. 

“Meeting them where they are with convenient, easy-to-use options is key,” he added. “Adoption tends to be lower when innovation is too far ahead of the consumer—like complicated refill concepts. For instance, ‘dark green’ consumers may embrace these solutions, but ‘light green’ consumers are less likely to adopt them if the product is inconvenient or unfamiliar.”

What’s also important is that the regulatory landscape is evolving. Dorward expects new FTC Green Guide revisions will include stricter guidelines on greenwashing, like Europe. 

“Right now, many new eco-brands are entering the market with eco claims they simply can’t substantiate, but we anticipate this will change as regulations tighten,” Dorward warned. “At Dropps, we’ve always prioritized transparency by leaning on third-party certifications like the USDA Certified Biobased criteria rather than simply calling our formulations ‘green.’”

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products are plant-derived, made with essential oils and other “thoughtfully chosen ingredients,” and made without artificial colors. Formulas are also Leaping Bunny certified, meaning they’re not tested on animals, and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean products are made with a cruelty-free formula. Other products consumers are excited about because of the ingredients, include the award-winning Heritage line made with baking soda and vinegar. The Heritage collection, which includes Vinegar Gel Cleaning Spray and Baking Soda Cream Cleaner, comes in two scents: Apple Blossom and Lemon Verbena. 

“As many have experienced, vinegar and baking soda are historically messy, smelly and hard to clean with,” noted the spokesperson. “However, Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day harnessed the effectiveness of these ingredients to create two products that provide simple and convenient cleaning solutions while still smelling great.”

Sustainability must be affordable, but efficacy remains paramount, agreed Esposito.

“Consumers want to make their money go further, but we’re fortunate to offer products that work effectively the first time,” she explained. “Once consumers try our products, they’re likely to become repeat buyers. Additionally, our retail partners provide excellent in-store and online support.”

“While consumers care more about ease of use and effectiveness than the debate between concentrates and ready-to-use products, our new Flarisols at Lowe’s have been a hit,” said Esposito. “Their design makes them super convenient to use, and consumers love the smooth, continuous spray experience they offer.”

New Meaning for All-Purpose

At 40%, all-purpose cleaners account for the largest share of the household cleaning product market. But Chipso brings new meaning to the term “all-purpose.” It’s billed as “one soap to rule them all!,” according to Instar Brands President Todd Wichmann. 

“Chipso is a long-term dream of mine that I have been working on for many years and wanted to create a plastic-free laundry package,” explained the ex-P&G executive.

Chipso can be used for fabric care, as well as dishes and floors. The formula is a builder plus simple soap with a phosphate-free, 100% biodegradable builder. According to Wichmann, Chipso could replace products such as Mr. Clean, Formula 409 and Pine-Sol.

“Gen-Z consumers are looking for simple, easier ways to do household chores,” he insisted.

The target audience for Chipso is busy, young, time- and money-stressed families who don’t want to spend $20 for laundry care products.

Instar didn’t create Chipso—it was marketed by Procter & Gamble nearly a century ago. But Wichmann spent eight years at P&G. Over the years in various iterations, he’s purchased a number of P&G brands including Oxydol and Fit.

His InStar Brands acts as a “brand agent” for companies looking to expand distribution.  

“Similar to a live human agent who helps talent get on stage, we help brands get ready for the “big leagues” dealing with retailers such as Costco, Walmart and Kroger,” explained Wichmann.

Instar Brands can compete in the space due to three key changes in the market:

 Industry consolidation. “You don’t need 20+ regional sales managers anymore; the industry had consolidated so that 10 vendor codes can reach 90%+ ACV of the total distribution in the US,” insisted Wichmann.

Modern fin-tech and banking, mobile apps. “I can do more on my phone now with my Chase banking app than I could do before with five accountants and financial managers.”

 The dawn of AI. “I believe the CPG industry is the first to be disrupted with robots and thinking programs to do the every day, repetitive, ship and refill etc., work of the CPG retail industry,” he said.

And who is the ideal partner for InStar Brands? Wichmann described it as an international or smaller local brand that knows its consumer, the benefit they provide to the market (they know why they exist) and created a loyal user following so far to date, but they haven’t achieved broad distribution in the US.

“We take that ‘beginning’ and get it ready for ‘prime time’ to sell and grow the brand into customers such as Walmart, Costco, Kroger, etc.”

InStar Brands is in discussions to acquire two brands in the food space.  

“We are focusing on importing existing brands and products that have a following and loyal user base, and then expanding this distribution into retail in the USA, in all major CPG spaces,” Wichmann explained. “We are not limiting our focus to just cleaning and household soap products.”

New players with new ideas create a spark in FMCG categories in need of a boost.