The American Cleaning Institute (ACI)

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What is soap and how does it work? The sudsy stuff we use every day of our lives is a mystery to most of us. But behind our cleaning products is an array of scientific data and information. This science and chemistry helps to ensure our products work and are safe for you and your family to use. The resources below will walk through what it means to be clean and how the cleaning process works. For more information and activities, we encourage you to check out ExplorationClean.org…
December 6, 2018
What is Coronavirus According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which already circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. COVID-19 has symptoms associated with respiratory illnesses, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. It spreads like other respiratory illnesses as well, primarily through person-to-person contact. Cleaning for Coronavirus Handwashing: Proper…
February 28, 2020
Brought to you in partnership with:  Experts agree that frequent hand washing is one of the first lines of defense against illness. Along with hand washing, ensuring surfaces that you come into contact are free of germs is another important line of defense against the spread of germs or pathogens (disease causing bacteria, viruses or fungi). High touch surfaces such as door knobs, switches, and shopping cart handles are some places where cleaning may not be…
February 16, 2021
Understand the language of soaps and detergents. ALCOHOL: A class of organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl groups. The alcohols used in light duty and liquid laundry detergents are isopropanol or ethanol (ethyl alcohol). These alcohols are used at low levels in liquid detergent formulations to control viscosity, to act as a solvent for other ingredients, and to provide resistance to low and freezing temperatures encountered in shipping, warehousing, and use.  …
January 29, 2019
Experts agree that frequent handwashing is one of the first lines of defense against many illnesses. But no matter how many times you wash your hands, there are always some sneaky little germs lurking around to hitch a ride on your skin. They loiter on shopping cart handles, linger on light switches, lurk about the phone and even hang around on the remote controls. That's why disinfectants and disinfecting cleaners can be a helpful option…
December 5, 2018
How Does Cleaning Affect Your Health?  Personal hygiene and regular housecleaning are essential to good health and cleaning products can help. Frequent handwashing is key to preventing the spread of microorganisms (also known as microbes or germs) that cause many common illnesses. And regular cleaning of surfaces in the home removes dirt and food particles on which germs can grow. In addition, cleaning and disinfecting products that contain an active antibacterial or antimicrobial ingredient…
December 5, 2018
What is the history of soap? And where did cleaning come from? This history of soap is a long one, dating back thousands of years to Ancient Babylon. Humans have built on that knowledge to create the soaps and detergents we use to clean dishes, laundry, our homes and ourselves today. Evidence has been found that ancient Babylonians understood soap making as early as 2800 BC Archeologists have found soap-like material in historic clay cylinders from this time. These cylinders were inscribed…
February 8, 2019
Cleaning technology has come a long way from the ancient Babylonian way of soap-making. Today’s cleaning products are the result of thoughtful design, experimentation, and safety testing.  The machines we use to clean have also improved, becoming more sustainable and friendly for our environment. So far we have been able to make new cleaning products that allow us to wash in cold water (saving energy from water heating), wash with less water, and make…
December 5, 2018
Ingredient labels contain a lot of information. They have a list of ingredients, but they also need room for directions and important safety messages. Smart consumers can get additional information from company websites to find out more about those ingredients, including where they are sourced and the role they play in making that product effective. Learn more about the formulations in your favorite soaps and home cleaning products with these resources from the companies that make them…
December 14, 2020
Learn about PVA & Water Soluble Films Used in Dishwashing and Laundry Pods and Packets Liquid detergent packets were introduced to the North American market in 2010 and have since become an important product. They have grown in popularity because they provide a convenient way to deliver the correct dose of detergent for maximum cleaning efficiency. With increased use come more questions…
July 15, 2021