There are those who love to clean. There are those that loathe it. And then there’s the rest who fall somewhere in between. Most will tackle these tasks out of necessity, but there are some true multitaskers, those who squeeze in cleaning whenever and wherever they may be.

Consider, for instance, this stat: in recent survey conducted by Moen, the bathroom fixtures brand, approximately 20% of Americans say they clean the shower as they’re using it.

While “clean-in-place” may seem an amusing practice at home, a dirty living space is typically a source of tension.

Adhesive tape brand Duck (recently sold by Henkel to Shurtape) found that 76% of people feel “overwhelmed” by their family member’s messes. In the survey, 46% said it causes “tension” between them and their family,  35% said it causes arguments and 33% called it a “source of stress on a daily basis.”

Looking beyond consumer habits and sentiment, the category appears to show some lingering post-covid fatigue if not some impact from inflation. Units are mostly down across the board, but sales are up nearly everywhere but in spray disinfectants and lime/rust, according to Circana (see chart).

Category Expansion

No matter what product is needed for a cleaning job, increasingly, consumers seek solutions with greener ingredients, compelling fragrances and, a nod to modern lifestyles by way of packaging design, ergonomics and sustainability.

There are more options than ever as new brands continue to come to market and gain traction online and inside brick-and-mortar stores, too.

Just last month Safely—the homecare brand co-founded by celebrity Kris Jenner— announced it was expanding into select Whole Foods stores across the US.

Whole Foods will carry new Safely products as well as exclusive new scent called Joy. According to officials, Joy blends yuzu, basil and sage top notes followed by “energy enhancing properties” of spearmint, musk and licorice. The scent will be offered in Safely Universal Cleaner and Everyday Laundry as well as new products that include Dish Power Spray, Everyday Fabric Spray, Laundry Boost and Dish Squeeze. The dish soap is housed in an innovative cap to reduce over-pour, according to the brand.

Safely’s retail expansion follows the brand’s recent recognition as a Certified B Corporation as well as Green Seal Certification status for its entire range. By the end of the year, Safely products will be available in more than 8,000 retailers nationwide.

That rapid growth at retail stems from Safely’s focus on answering consumers’ overarching wishes for “free from” and less waste attributes across the CPG space. Safely is free of stabilizers, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, dyes, PFAS, animal byproducts and endocrine disruptors, according to the brand. Currently, packaging is 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) material. The goal is to be 100% PCR by 2025 and 100% sourced from ocean plastics by 2030.

“We believe that when it comes to caring for your home— where you live, work and play—you shouldn’t have to compromise. Safely looks at everything from a holistic viewpoint, from fragrances to ingredients to packaging and our consumers, and we are always thinking about how we can do better,” CEO Mike Forbes, told Happi. “Consumers are looking for more from brands these days and they want to know the brand has a mission they can relate to. Safely is deeply committed to building a sustainable, values driven brand, creating products that are both safe for customers and the planet.”

According to Forbes, Safely works  very closely with its partners to create formulas that are effective and safe for consumer use.

“At the end of the day, consumers want products that work, they don’t want to use harsh cleaning products if possible so it is so important that products can tackle any mess while remaining free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, ammonia, bleach, PFAS or dyes,” he said.

Forbes also addressed the role that cleaning plays in mental health and wellness.

“We know that for some, a well cleaned house is the essential foundation to a calm mind and a family’s wellbeing,” he said. “Our consumer deserves ingredients that are safe for them, their family and the planet. Safely provides amazing packaging that looks good in homes and wonderful fragrances that elevate wellbeing—all at an accessible price point. That is why Safely was created.”

Modern & More Sustainable

Big brands in the homecare category have invested time and resources into new products and packaging development aimed at making cleaning easier and more sustainable.

SC Johnson, for example, this summer rolled out a special edition Scrubbing Bubbles Citrus Scent Bathroom Cleaner Spray Bottle that was created through a first-of-its-kind recycling partnership with Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers. The special bottle contains plastic from cups collected at American Family Field—where the Brewers play home games and use about 700,000 plastic cups annually.
While the Brewers lost in the Wild Card round this season, fans can take solace knowing their team is the first US professional sports team to link a waste stream to a specific product, creating a closed-loop recycling program. And, they also played a role, literally, in creating the bottle.

Since 2021, fans have been recycling their SC Johnson branded plastic cups into specially marked receptacles at the ballpark. Through the program, SC Johnson upcycled the plastic into part of the recycled content in Scrubbing Bubbles bottles. Made of 100% recycled plastic overall, 25% of the recycled plastic used in each special edition Scrubbing Bubbles bottle comes from recycled plastic cups at both Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks games. The special-edition bottles  were sold at 12 Wisconsin Meijer stores in Wisconsin through October.

At Procter & Gamble, Swiffer recently released what it touts as the brand’s biggest innovation in 20 years with the new Swiffer PowerMop. It is said to usher in the “next generation” in floor cleaning with an all-in-one wet cleaning system designed to help consumers give the bucket the boot.

According to Swiffer, six in seven people report holding on to the cleaning routines their parents taught them growing up—like relying on a traditional mop and bucket to deep clean their floors.

To deliver a more modern approach to mopping, the brand conducted years of research and consumer studies to better understand the pain points in the process. Not only does it make mopping floors as simple, quick, easy and effective as possible, the new Swiffer PowerMop saves people time and up to 70 gallons of water a year on their regular floor cleaning routines, according to P&G.

New features include a 3D Mop Pad that includes 300-plus scrubbing strips made up of six layers of two-sided strips to provide 5x the cleaning power versus the WetJet pad. The fibers are positioned in a looped design to provide just the right texture to entangle and capture loose soils and hair while also allowing the PowerMop to break down sticky messes. It also has a sleek, modern design and boasts a 30% larger mop head with 360° swivel for easy maneuverability that ensures greater coverage and flexibility to clean hard to reach spaces like nooks and grout lines. P&G upgraded Lavender and Fresh scented PowerMop solutions that provide a long-lasting scent and freshness for hours after cleaning and leave floors virtually streak and residue-free. Similar technologies can be found on the Swiffer PowerMop Wood; the mop pad has 300-plus gentle glide strips that trap dirt and grime inside as well as a cleaning solution that features a long-lasting lemon scent and “QuickDry” formula that dries up to 2x faster when compared to a leading brand, according to Swiffer.

“Some people love to clean as a part of their self-care routine and others clean out of necessity, but most can agree that cleaning the floor is one of the most tedious parts of a cleaning routine,” KaNeeTa Kimble, senior brand director, Procter & Gamble, said in a statement. “Keeping true to the Swiffer heritage, we strive to create products that make people’s lives easier when it comes to cleaning.”

Jelmar LLC wants to make lives easier, too, especially for those shopping for cleaning products inside the store. Why? The average grocery store carries more than 31,000 items all vying for the shopper’s attention.

Recognizing how overwhelming this experience is for people, Jelmar focused recent rebranding effort for its CLR brand on two fronts: grabbing attention in a crowded category and removing functional ambiguity. CLR now has a consistent design look and feel across its family of products coupled with a “commonsense” approach to communicating the efficacy of the product. The refreshed look ensures the information featured on the packaging clearly communicates what the product is for and addresses upfront potential shopper questions, according to the Skokie, IL-based company.

For example, the CLR Brilliant Bath product calls out its features: “tough on soap scum and hard water stains.” Additionally, CLR Mold and Mildew makes the claim that it is “bleach free” and “fragrance free.”

According to Alison Gutterman, CEO and president of Jelmar, the rebrand was designed to appeal to existing customers “while simultaneously creating consideration among a new cohort of shoppers who will now more easily know which of our products to turn to and when.”

With names like CLR BBQ Grill, CLR Garbage Disposal and CLR Range Hood & Stove, for example, consumers can easily identify what products to use where. Further, EPA Safer Choice or USDA Certified Biobased Product logos are also featured on applicable labels across CLR.

Jelmar—which has been named an EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year every year since the program’s inception in 2015—includes EPA Safer Choice or USDA Certified Biobased Product logos on applicable labels across the CLR line.

While the new look is designed to attract newbies to CLR, there’s a hint of nostalgia for existing users. The original color palette of yellow, green and orange and the iconic gray color jug—long associated with CLR Calcium, Lime, & Rust Remover—remains as it proved to be a symbol of trust, dependability and efficacy in consumer testing, according to the brand.

Tru Earth also announced its first rebrand and new campaign which it says is aimed toward debunking common myths about eco-friendly habits and providing customers with clarity, reliability and “genuine” solutions for cleaner and more sustainable lifestyles.

While many consumers express a desire to adopt more eco-friendly practices, skepticism often acts as a significant barrier to meaningful change, according to Tru Earth. To that end, at the heart of brand’s new “Tru Clean” campaign is the “Tru Clean Lab” and the introduction of myth-busting “Dr. Tru.” The campaign promises to “unmask” the reality behind cleaning, cleaning products—such as the belief that traditional cleaning products are the sole solution to cleanliness—as well as problematic packaging.

The campaign will run on YouTube and social media channels, and short video spots will run in broadcast and across digital and streaming platforms, too. 

Social Mobility

Social media is fertile ground for cleaning brands. TikTok, in particular, is a growing source for tips and hacks on how to clean (some advice better than others). There have been a reported 79 billion views of #CleanTok and its associated video content.

O-Cedar this summer honored the best cleaning content flowing through TikTok and other social media with its second CleanTok Awards. The Aurora, IL-based company’s awards heralded the rollout of O-Cedar Pacs,  a unit dose cleaner designed to be dropped into a mop bucket. It’s new territory for the company, which is best known for its mopping tools like its EasyWring and RinseClean spin mop systems. The cleaning solution pacs, which are available in Crisp Citrus and Lavender, are made with 97% naturally derived ingredients.

“We wanted to develop a complementary cleaning solution to use with them. This allows us to truly deliver a full mopping experience,” Christopher Laparra, senior director, regional consumer marketing, North America, at O-Cedar, told Happi.

“We think Pacs will be a growth-driver as they truly make it easier to clean the hard surface floors in your home. We’re very excited for consumers to finally try them,” he concluded.

Outside the US, Unilever in June announced a #CleanTok partnership across its home care brands, including Dirt Is Good (DIG), Cif, Domestos, Sunlight and Comfort. The campaign runs until January 2024 in the UK, Vietnam, Turkey, Brazil, Philippines, Thailand, France, the Netherlands, Argentina and Indonesia. Unilever’s Cleanipedia website, which provides tips and advice on cleaning, is #CleanTok’s exclusive sponsor through the alliance.

Viral content and influencers can help propel a cleaning brand’s popularity and new tools like TikTok Shop, might pay off for cleaning brands. TikTok Shop—which fully launched in September in the US—brings shoppable videos and live streams directly to the platform’s “For You” feeds and gives brands, merchants and creators the tools to sell directly through shoppable content on the app.

According to data from market analysis and data tracking firm NIQ, while the lion’s share of TikTok shop sales come from the beauty and personal care (84%) and food (12%) categories, household care accounted for 4%. That leaves plenty of room for growth fueled by data that shows TikTokers are 1.5 times more likely to immediately go out and buy something they discovered compared to the users of other social media platforms.

Even a shout out from “traditional” media can help elevate a home cleaning product. Lively Pet Multi-Surface Stain & Odor Remover was recognized in the “Expert Odor Eliminators” category of Good Housekeeping’s 2023 Best Cleaning & Organizing Awards.

Lively, a pet care and household cleaning line introduced in March by Faultless Brands, uses probiotics to eliminate dirt, odors and bad bacteria. The collection was developed in partnership with Z BioScience, a pioneer in probiotic cleaning technology (as previously reported in Happi).

Others lauded by Good Housekeeping included a mix of high-profile names and smaller brands across unique categories as designated by the publication; here’s a just a sampling:

• Gentle Degreaser: Nuvera Plant-based Degreaser Cleaner;
• Easy-Peasy Dish Liquid: Dawn Ultra Platinum EZ Squeeze Dish Liquid;
• Conscious Concentrate: Method Refill + Reuse All-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate Kit;
• Luxe Counter Cleaner: Caldrea Countertop Spray Cleaner;
• Mighty Multipurpose Spray: Mr. Clean Clean Freak Multi-Purpose Cleaner;
• Best Bowl Packs: EC30 Toilet Cleaner; and
• Hardworking Surface Spray: Microban 24 Hour Sanitizing Spray.

Reckitt’s Lysol Air Sanitizer was also named to the Good Housekeeping list. This new product, which hit the market in July, is said to be the first sanitizing spray approved by the EPA that kills 99.9% of airborne viruses and bacteria while eliminating odors in the air.

Garnering attention is necessary for survival in all CPG categories. It’s a fact not lost on startups and new brands in home care, like Nonaste, which markets laundry detergent and disinfecting sports sprays. Its Zen Fresh detergent was ranked “Best Smelling Performance Laundry Detergent” by Gear Patrol.

Nonaste (pronounced “no nasty”) was co-founded by Andy Voggenthaler, an endurance athlete with a background in product development with GM, Dupont-Teflon and Hang Ten.

Nonaste’s products are designed to remove odors caused by sweat through a proprietary formula that the brand says eradicates odor-causing bacteria, oil and grime as well as residue left from other detergents as it actively restores fabric integrity and extends the life of clothes. The products are biodegradable, color safe and phosphate free.

“Big brands dominate but many of them tend to use a wide variety of chemicals and fragrances to make consumers think their clothes are clean when they are not,” insisted Voggenthaler. “There are some that are taking a green approach, and some might be okay while others do not have cleaning power even close to Nonaste.”

He continued, “The goal with all of our products is to make your laundry clean and simply smell clean versus a strong fragrance.”

Currently there are two variants—Pure Clean (unscented) and Zen Fresh, which is lightly scented. The brand is looking to expand into other categories based on customer requests for pet care and personal care, too.

“Stay tuned. Lots in the works…,” Voggenthaler told Happi.

No matter their size, household cleaning brands that are swift to answer consumer demand will grab shelf space and marketshare as the category expands.

EPA Safer Choice Partner of the Year Winners The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last month announced 30 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners—recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacture and the selection and use of cleaners, detergents and other products with safer chemicals. Here are some highlights from the consumer-facing brands that were named “Formulator-Product Manufacturer Winners.” Blueland: In 2022, 46% of Blueland’s product line was Safer Choice-certified, an increase of 25% from 2021. Bona US: In 2022, 68% of Bona’s retail products were Safer Choice-certified, with all of these products displaying the Safer Choice label. Bona’s public relations coverage featuring Safer Choice, such as press releases and TV placements, garnered over 500 million views in 2022. Church & Dwight Co.: In 2022, Church & Dwight doubled its active portfolio of Safer Choice-certified products. It also made new Safer Choice-certified laundry detergent more accessible to lower income shoppers by offering affordable prices and making this product available at retailers that serve low-income communities, supporting EPA’s goal of advancing environmental justice, according to EPA. The Clorox Company: Clorox launched a Safer Choice- and DfE-certified product line in 2022 and advertisements on social media featuring these products yielded more than 6.2 million impressions. Clorox, which uses the SmartLabel platform to provide ingredient transparency, added a feature in 2022 that links back to the Safer Choice website to enhance consumer knowledge of the program. In 2022, Clorox developed a resource designed to increase consumer understanding of the function of cleaning product ingredients by developing standardized terms for over 800 ingredients. Ecos: In 2022, Ecos submitted three new products for Safer Choice certification, and Safer Choice-certified products now make up 88% of its product offering. In 2022, Ecos developed new laundry and dish packs, concentrated cleaners and detergent sheets designed to reduce or eliminate plastic packaging. Holloway House, Inc.: This Fortville, IN-based company reformulated its floor finishing products last year to replace PFAS with a safer chemical alternative. Holloway House also refreshed its product labels in 2022 to better highlight the Safer Choice label, which is displayed on the front and back of all of Holloway House’s Safer Choice-certified products. Jelmar: In 2022, Jelmar’s advertisements featuring the Safer Choice label garnered more than 252 million impressions, and 37 media placements featuring the Safer Choice program yielded more than 700 million impressions, a 93% increase from 2021. Jelmar also published 115 social media posts mentioning the Safer Choice program or displaying the label in 2022, yielding more than 680,000 impressions. Further, its sustainable shipping initiatives in 2022 resulted in 10,668 tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced, more than six million gallons of water saved and 4,445 cubic yards of waste diverted from landfill. Lemi Shine: 18 of Lemi Shine’s 21 products are Safer Choice-certified. Across Lemi Shine’s product portfolio, 99% of ingredients used are included on EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL), and more than 60% are listed on CleanGredients, a database of chemical ingredients pre-approved for use in Safer Choice-certified products. Rust-Oleum Corporation: In 2022, Rust-Oleum increased sales of its Safer Choice-certified product offering and launched its Design for the Environment (DfE)-certified disinfectant line. Sensitive Home: The Greenbrae, CA company, which designs cleaners for people with chemical, skin and respiratory sensitivities, has been a Safer Choice partner since 2020. In 2022, 100% of Sensitive Home products were Safer Choice-certified products. The ingredients used by Sensitive Home are listed on EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients list (SCIL) and/or on CleanGredients, the database of chemical ingredients pre-approved for use in Safer Choice-certified products. Seventh Generation: In 2022, this Unilever-owned brand increased its number of Safer Choice-certified products from 80 to 89. Seventh Generation also underwent a label rebrand in 2022, which prioritized displaying the Safer Choice label on the front of product packaging. As of 2022, Seventh Generation has a dedicated Compliance Scientist who works specifically on Safer Choice certification.

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