Disinfection, IAQ (Indoor Air Quality) Top Cleaning Concerns

CHICAGO – More than 68% of the customers of facility service providers (FSPs) are increasingly concerned about building contamination and disinfection issues.

A recent survey by Tornado Industries, maker of vacuum cleaners and other floorcare equipment, also found that nearly 80% of the end customers have become increasingly concerned about indoor air quality.

Further, the study found that more than 84% of FSPs “have taken steps to minimize the environmental impact of cleaning.”

Subscribers to the July issue of TornadoWatch, the monthly newsletter of Tornado, were invited to take part in the online survey.

Of the FSPs responding, 42% were building service contractors, nearly 45% in-housing cleaning professionals in schools and government facilities, with the remainder cleaning professionals in “other” industries. More than 100 people completed the survey, which has a confidence rating of 95%.

The study also reported that:
- The noise associated with cleaning was a concern of 53% of the respondents
- Moisture control when cleaning carpets and floors is an issue for 68% of the FSPs
- More than 78% of the respondents said they would select cleaning equipment that is more energy efficient as long as price and performance were the same; but just more than half list this as a key consideration when selecting cleaning equipment
- Although more than 60% indicated that there are recycling programs in place where they work, approximately the same number said it is not important to them if the cleaning equipment they select is made from or is recyclable.

“We actually see two significant trends in this survey,” says Jolynn Kennedy, marketing manager for Tornado. “First, end customers are getting much more concerned about the health of their facilities. Additionally, FSPs are becoming much more aware of the impact cleaning has on the environment and are taking steps to reduce it.”