How COVID-19 has Increased Demand for House Cleaning Services
Understanding the evolving sentiments and how it increases customers’ demand for house cleaning services will affect how you do business in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted how people think about cleanliness, both inside and outside the home. Chemical & Engineering News published a recent article exploring these changes and their long-term effects. We pulled out the most powerful insights that might affect your cleaning company.
The disinfection obsession has faded.
Regular cleaning is now the most widely accepted approach for cleanliness as a preventive measure.
In the early days of the pandemic, we knew very little about how COVID-19 spread. Perhaps you remember seeing articles about how long the virus could linger on different surfaces.
We’ve since learned that the risk of fomite transmission, or transmission via objects, is pretty low. Using everyday cleaning supplies to clean surfaces regularly is more than sufficient for minimizing fomite transmission.
Your customers do care about the professional cleaning products you’re using. But you don’t need the heavy-duty stuff for a safe clean. As long as you offer cleaning services at the desired frequency, your customers will breathe easy.
People now value frequent cleaning.
According to Amita Gupta, a vice president at chemical company BASF, the pandemic has changed the standard for cleaning. As a result, many people want their spaces cleaned more often to keep germs and bacteria at bay.
In light of this, there are a few ways you might tweak your cleaning company’s approach:
- Offer more frequent cleaning services. For example, your customers might want to see you every ten days rather than every other week.
- Add an offering for a quick surface clean. Maybe you still do a deep clean every other week, but you also swing by for a quick wipedown in between.
Few people say they’ll scale back cleanliness after the pandemic.
The pandemic prompted many people to hire home cleaners for the first time. Many cleaning companies saw a significant spike in business as a result. But if you’re worried that all your new business will fade away, don’t fret. It’s not likely to happen.
We’ve already gotten into the habit of more intensive cleaning, and habits are tough to break. Less than a third of people have expressed a plan to ease up on cleaning practices when the pandemic ends. That means your new customers will continue to value your help in keeping their homes clean.
According to Rebecca Watters, an analyst for Mintel, “Consumers remain highly conscious of the virus and other invisible health threats.” Some people have reported more anxiety about cold and flu season in the past two years. Your cleaning company can help people manage their fears about germs in their own homes.
People want cleaning products that work fast.
Most cleaning products have a “dwell time,” or the time it takes for the product to kill germs on a surface. The average dwell time for commercial-grade cleaning products is usually around ten minutes.
Along with increased demand for housecleaning services comes a desire for fast-acting products, which has prompted the industry to make changes. Some companies have released formulations with thirty-second dwell times. People don’t want to wait around for germs to die—they want them gone.
If your customers pay close attention to such things, it’s worth doing some research to find fast-acting products. It could make for a compelling value-add.
The pandemic has made the population more scientifically literate about cleaning.
In 2019, most people put minimal thought into choosing their cleaning products or asking about their home cleaner’s products. But the past two years have shone a bright light on the importance of cleaning. As a result, your customers know a lot more about how cleaning products work and how to choose effective ones.
You can leverage this knowledge to give your cleaning company a marketing boost. Do your research, find the best possible products, and use that in your marketing. You may even send an email to existing customers to let them know you’re upgrading your supplies.
Make an effort to emphasize only using the most effective products. Consider some content marketing to demonstrate your expertise on the subject. You could stand out from your competitors as a result.
People who lived through the Great Depression value thrift. People who lived through the COVID-19 value cleanliness.
Some experts predict that cleanliness hygiene will define current generations on a deep emotional level. According to Matt Bierman,
North America market manager for industrial and institutional cleaning for Dow Chemical Company, “While fads in cleaning are inevitable, the most likely long-term trend is a more prominent focus on the concept of cleanliness that could become a generational touchstone.”
Demand for house cleaning services and clean hygiene is far more pervasive. Your customers equate cleanliness with security, safety, and comfort. You can meet these deep emotional needs by providing excellent cleaning services.
So, be mindful of how your customers’ emotional needs impact their demand for house cleaning services and their decision to hire you. It can define the way you approach your work.
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The lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic remain unknown. But with a bit of insight and a little empathy, you can tweak your cleaning company’s approach accordingly. Both your customers and your business will be better for it.
