New Cleaning Product Trends Represent the 'Three E's,' Says SDA; Successful Products Are 'Effective, Efficient, Expedient,' SDA Tells Consumer Educators.

Business Editors

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 30, 2003

The most successful cleaning products in today's marketplace meet the "Three E's criteria: they're effective, efficient, and expedient," said The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) at a national gathering of family and consumer educators.

Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education, unveiled SDA's new program for educators, "Home Clean Home: Consumer Trends and New Innovations," at the annual convention of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS).

"Consumer demand for improved performance, convenience and value has driven an unprecedented level of innovation in the cleaning product aisles, resulting in new laundry and household cleaning products," said Bock, an educator herself for over 20 years.

Bock outlined for educators the latest trends in consumer cleaning products, which she says have "the built-in elbow grease to get the job done while saving consumers a valuable commodity: time."

On average, U.S. workers take just nine vacation days a year, and nearly two-thirds say they prefer time off to more money.

"SDA members who manufacture cleaning products and their ingredients recognize that consumers are looking for products that save them time and get the job done," said SDA's Bock. "The Three E's of effectiveness, efficiency and expediency really summarize how innovation in cleaning product development has made life easier for consumers." Among the product category examples she cited:

-- Wipes - This is the product category generating the most

growth in the household cleaning marketplace. Americans spent

over $872 million on wipes and accessories like mopping

systems in 2002, according to a new Packaged Facts report. The

latest innovations include:

-- wipes pre-treated with dishwashing liquid, where you just

add water to create the lather to hand wash your dishes.

-- Heat-activated microwave wipes to clean baked-on foods

from microwaves.

-- Specialty wipes for disinfecting specific surfaces,

including toilets, sinks, windows, and countertops.

-- Cleaning cloths - In less than five years, this category has

evolved from electrostatic dust sheets for cleaning the floor

to dust mitts for tables to all-in-one mopping units that use

wet wipes or squirt out liquid to clean the floor. These units

can be used to clean vinyl, ceramic tile, laminate, linoleum,

and finished wood floors without using messy buckets of water.

-- Fabric care - Newer offerings in the laundry aisle include:

-- Detergents specially formulated to keep dark clothes dark.

-- Dye-trapping sheets for the washer, which act like

magnets, preventing colors from being transferred from one

clothing item to another.

-- Dishwashing: New products now available make it easier than

ever to clean and attack tough stains:

-- Pre-measured powder and gel capsules for automatic

dishwashers take the guessing game out of dosing - no

measuring required.

-- Rinse-aids designed to help prevent spotting/filming.

-- Plastic cleaning boosters that help to remove tough stains

from plastic ware

-- a dishwashing pretreater allows you to spray right on the

food stain, wait approximately 15 minutes, then rinse off.

-- newer hand dishwashing liquids feature

aromatherapeutic-inspired scents, as well as hand care

ingredients include such proteins, vitamin E, Vitamin B5,

and aloe vera;

-- Household cleaners: Among the newer trends:

-- Disinfectant Spray with fabric refresher - these products

kill odor-causing bacteria and eliminate odors on soft

surfaces, such as carpets, curtains and upholstery caused

by smoke and pets.

-- Non-ammonia based multi-surface cleaner with a light

orange scent - this product can be used on glass and other

hard surfaces including granite counter tops, tinted 

windows, dashboards, etc.

-- Pre-measured toilet tablets, which you can release into

the bowl water, then after a few minutes, brush around the

bowl and then flush away.

Bock urged educators to visit SDA's website for comprehensive information and tips on household cleaning, fabric care, dishwashing, and personal hygiene. SDA has been exhibiting at the AAFCS convention for more than 30 years, and provides educators with information on the safe, beneficial and proper use of cleaning products and their ingredients.

For more information, log on to SDA's website at www.cleaning101.com, and click on "Household Cleaning."

The Soap and Detergent Association (www.cleaning101.com) is the non-profit trade association representing manufacturers of household, industrial and institutional cleaning products; their ingredients; and finished packaging. SDA members produce more than 90% of the cleaning products marketed in the U.S. SDA is located at 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005.