Nothing prepares a person for when that first baby arrives. Sleepless nights are the order of the day, sit-down meals are up-ended and social calendars get wiped clean. But how do new parents clean their kitchens, bathrooms and clothes? The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) has the resources and the answers to assuage the cleaning concerns of new parents. Its new Clean First Steps: A Guide for New Parents toolkit provides cleaning tips and guidance for new parents.

Clean First Steps is just the latest in a series of programs developed by ACI to meet consumers’ cleaning needs during unique lifetime events. The concept began during the covid-19 pandemic with Cleaning Is Caring to help answer consumer concerns about cleaning during covid. Later, ACI rolled out Healthy Returns, a program to assist facilitators in the reopening of child care centers. ACI also developed the self-explanatory, Healthy Schools and Healthy People program. For college students, who may be off on their own for the first time in their lives, there’s Class of Clean. Each program meets consumers exactly where they are in life. For first-time parents, that often means knee-deep in dirty diapers, burp rags and crusty baby bottles.

“Everything changes when you bring a new baby into the house,” notes Brian Sansoni, senior vice president, communications, outreach and membership, ACI. “You have so much more to worry about. We decided to create resources to help new parents out.”

The Clean First Steps resource includes advice on these topics and more, including:
• A Guide to Newborn Laundry: Highlights best practices and is designed to support parents navigate changes to the laundry routine;
• A Healthy Home Resource: Use this tool to establish a manageable cleaning routine throughout the home;
• A Guide For Clean Bottles: Includes a step-by-step process for cleaning and sterilizing bottles;
• Preparing for Parenthood Starts with Safety: Features helpful reminders to ensure all cleaning products are stored properly and safely to prevent accidents in the house; and
• The Clean Diaper Change Routine Checklist: Serves as an easy-to-follow tool for keeping the diaper changing routine clean.

A Lifetime of Healthy Habits

Whether it’s cleaning a nursery for the first time or a dorm room, ACI’s goal to help consumers create smart cleaning and laundering habits that will last a lifetime. According to Sansoni, developing the right cleaning habits—or breaking the wrong ones—is one of ACI’s goals.

“We want to guide new parents to make sure that they are cleaning and laundering the right way and the safe way,” said Sansoni. “A dramatic change in life, like bringing a baby home, enables us to inform and engage consumers. When you have a baby, your vision changes. You want to keep the child safe and healthy. It’s the perfect time to introduce or reintroduce proper cleaning practices.”

New parents can certainly use some help.

A recent survey conducted by Wakefield Research for ACI found nearly three in five new or expecting parents (57%) felt less than completely prepared to use cleaning products properly and safely around a new baby.

In its survey, ACI asked new parents what cleaning and hygiene routines were most important when welcoming a new baby:
• 75% said cleaning the kitchen and bottle cleaning/sterilization;
• 73% said disinfecting surfaces; and
• 71% said deep cleaning and dusting.




“This information gives us insights into what goes through new parents’ minds when they think about cleaning,” noted Sansoni.

At the same time, however, some results left ACI to wonder: “what are they thinking?”

For example, less than half of parents said they look at the product label to decide the best products for cleaning up around their children.

“We always say reading the label is important,” noted Sansoni.

Where are parents getting their cleaning information? While 56% rely on the family doctor, 54% turn to social media. But, as Sansoni notes, that there is too much misinformation online. That’s why it is important to provide a centralized site for easy-to-use information on cleaning and laundering.

ACI represents more than 150 formulators and suppliers to the global cleaning industry. The Association relies on cleaning experts from its member companies as it updates and publishes its advice. ACI enlists several “influencers” to help spread the word about its cleaning programs, too.

That influencer list includes:

National Safety Month
Tracy McCubbin
Terry Lashley


Clean First Steps
Aseky Bonnaire
Mandy Barker 


Class of Clean
Bre McClarey
Emily Cole
Mya Hooten


Influencers interact with visitors on various social media sites. Sleep-deprived first-time parents may not feel all that social, but they can rely on ACI, concluded Sansoni.

“We hope new parents come to our site for information on how to use cleaning products and laundry detergent safely, beneficially and properly.”