Open empty road path end and new year 2022. Upcoming 2022 goals and leaving behind 2021 year. passing time future, life plan change, work start run line, sunset hope growth begin, go forward concept.

Contributed by The Ashkin Group

When it comes to COVID-19 and its impact on the professional cleaning industry, some might compare it to what Charles Dickens wrote more than a century ago:


It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of Hope, it was the winter of Despair. 


For some in the cleaning industry, such as many Jan/San manufacturers, business has been so good, their products were running off the shelf.

However, for all too many cleaning contractors, incomes plummeted, and scores of cleaning workers were laid off as facilities closed their doors.

“I must admit, a while back, I believed COVID was behind us,” says Stephen Ashkin, the professional cleaning industry’s leading advocate for Green Cleaning and sustainability.

“But we’re not there yet. So now we must focus on ways to make 2022 as successful a year for cleaning contractors as possible.”

Among Ashkin’s suggestions are the following:

Focus On Your Niche

Due to COVID, some contractors ventured into different cleaning and disinfecting technologies without fully understanding them. “This was because we were all rushing to grapple with the pandemic. Focus on what you do best and adopt changes only after [a] thorough investigation.”

Cost vs. Quality

Cleaning contractors are in a different business world now. Costs are no longer your client’s key concern. “Instead, effective cleaning and protecting the health and safety of building users are their key concerns. Professional cleaning was always undervalued. Let’s put an end to that. Quality cleaning may cost more, but help your customers realize, it pays dividends.”


Invest In Your People

The most important asset any organization has is its people. Especially now, with the current worker shortage, “it’s clear, cleaning workers must be paid more, but just as important, educated more. An investment in training, education, flexible work schedules (if possible), and other benefits will not only attract more workers but keep them on the payroll.”