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Cleanliness & hygiene

Effective cleaning is a prerequisite to uphold hygiene and sustain our health. Whether in or outside the home, cleaning products and practices are an essential part of preventing infection and securing the safety of people. In specific areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and toilets, routine cleaning and where appropriate disinfection is needed to prevent the spread of infection. Outside the home, effective cleaning and hygiene practices are essential to maintain public health. In addition, multiple industries function thanks to the products and services of the professional cleaning sector.

Cleaning and disinfection

Cleaning is the mechanical or chemical removal of dirt from the human body, an object or an area. Normally, cleaning with soap or detergent followed by rinsing with water is adequate to remove visible dirt and allergens to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Cleaning also reduces the number of microbes on hands, surfaces, and fabrics.

Disinfection is the targeted use of a disinfectant product to help prevent the spread of infection by deactivating or killing harmful organisms. Disinfection is important in situations where there is high risk of transmission of harmful microbes (e.g., when someone is infected or is vulnerable to infection).

Why cleaning, maintenance & disinfection are important

Our companies manufacture a wide variety of cleaning, maintenance and disinfectant products for different purposes. These include the household care products that we use in our homes as well as products for professional use in industrial and institutional environments such as hospitals, hotels, and food factories. Our industry is also an important provider of hydroalcoholic gel which has become a regular feature both in and outside the home since the Covid-19 pandemic.

It goes without saying that good hygiene practices, as recommended by the WHO, ECDC and national health authorities across Europe, are key to fighting and preventing the spread of infection.   

Read below our latest factsheet and learn why hygiene is fundamental both at home and outside the home