Cleaning Products | Indoor Air Quality | IAQ

Resource article: From Sustainability to Human Health: A Shift in Cleaning Product Innovation

International Cleaning Week and Cleaning Products Europe 2026

International Cleaning Week is a useful point in the year to look at how the cleaning products sector is changing. For a long time, the main focus has been on sustainability. Reducing environmental impact and improving biodegradability have shaped product development.

Of course, this is still important. But there is now more attention is focussing on how cleaning products affect people, particularly through indoor air quality. This is reflected at Cleaning Products Europe 2026 in Amsterdam this week. Alongside sustainability, circularity and regulation, there is increasing discussion around the link between cleaning products and indoor air quality and how this impacts human health.

Not Just Sustainable

A product can be environmentally sustainable, but that does not mean it is neutral from a human health perspective. Labels such as “natural”, “green”, or “fragrance-free” do not always indicate how a product performs in use, and are often used loosely. Some products can release chemicals into the air or contain ingredients that may irritate sensitive individuals.

As buildings become more airtight and as consumer demand for ‘healthier’ products increases, this matters more. There is a growing focus on:

what is released into the air during use
how the ingredients impact indoor air quality
whether allergens are removed or simply moved around
how products impact human health

Fragrance, Cleaning Products and Indoor Air Quality

Fragrance is a good example. Many people associate a scent with cleanliness, but exposure to certain fragrance compounds can cause issues for some individuals. Research carried out by Airmid scientists, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, looked at whether more suitable fragranced cleaning products are possible.

Dave Morrissey presenting research on fragranced cleaning products and indoor air quality at AAAAI 2024 conference — Dave Morrissey presenting Airmid research on fragranced cleaning products and their impact on indoor air quality at AAAAI 2024

The findings show that it is not straightforward. Even products described as natural or eco-friendly can contain sensitising ingredients. Identifying more suitable formulations depends on careful ingredient review, reliable safety data, and an understanding of how people are exposed to these compounds in practice.

This is something also being explored at Cleaning Products Europe, including a pre-conference workshop on fragrance formulation, claims, and testing, reflecting the increasing need to align product performance with safety and real-world use.

A Complete View of Cleaning Products and Indoor Air Quality

Cleaning deals with what is removed from surfaces, but it also has an impact on what ends up in the air. Effective products should:

effectively clean surfaces
avoid increasing airborne particles during use
limit unnecessary chemical emissions

This requires a closer link between formulation, indoor air science, and how products are actually used day to day.

The Future

Innovation in this space is becoming more balanced. Environmental performance remains important, but it is being considered alongside human exposure indoors. There is also more emphasis on how products are tested, with growing interest in methods that reflect real-world use and provide clear, measurable outcomes.

International Cleaning Week is a reminder of the link between cleaning products and indoor air quality and how cleaning products are designed, tested, and evaluated in the years ahead.