Americans are on a cleaning frenzy brought about by the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. But as store shelves were being emptied of home cleaning products, there was an uptick in calls to poison control. According to CDC, between January–March 2020, poison centers received 45,550 exposure calls related to cleaners and disinfectants, representing overall increases of 20.4% and 16.4% from January–March 2019 and January–March 2018, respectively. 
 
Although National Poison Data System (NPDS) data does not provide information showing a definite link between exposures and COVID-19 cleaning efforts, CDC said there appears to be a clear temporal association with increased use of these products.
 
According to CDC, the daily number of calls to poison centers increased sharply at the beginning of March 2020 for exposures to both cleaners and disinfectants. Associated with increased use of cleaners and disinfectants is the possibility of improper use, such as using more than directed on the label, mixing multiple chemical products together, not wearing protective gear and applying in poorly ventilated areas, notes the agency. 
 
According to CleanWell LLC CEO Stew Lawrence, one way to reduce risk is to use botanical-based alternatives that have been shown to effectively kill germs without chemicals like quaternary ammonium, bleach solutions and alcohol.
 
CleanWell’s proprietary antibacterial formulations instead rely on thymol, an active ingredient derived from the essential oils. 
 
In late March, the Denver-based company’s CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes and Sprays were added to EPA’s List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, which means they meet the agency’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
 
“Multiple studies conducted by third-party labs show that CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes and Sprays kill 99.99% of household germs and viruses botanically. The list includes Influenza A Virus, H1N1, Rhinovirus type 39, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and more,” Lawrence told Happi. “While none of the products on List N have been tested specifically against SARS-CoV-2 because it is so new, the EPA expects products on the list to kill the virus because they demonstrate effectiveness against a harder-to-kill virus or another type of human coronavirus similar to SARS-CoV-2.”
 
During the past few years, consumers have been adding more natural products into their beauty to home care routines. But when it comes to house cleaning during the current crisis, consumers could very well return to cleaning brands formulated with traditional chemistries.
 
That doesn’t appear to be the case at CleanWell.
 
“We sold through nearly a year’s worth of planned product in the first four months of 2020, so clearly there are consumers who want to “clean green” even in the face of the pandemic,” Lawrence told Happi. 
 
In addition, panic buying may have even provided an opportunity for trial.
 
“We are also gaining new consumers because the conventional brands they typically buy are sold out first, giving us an opportunity to convert them to our botanical formula long-term,” he said.
 
According to Lawrence, consumers who have been hesitant about using some botanical formulations “are undoubtedly influenced by media coverage that repeatedly mentions the best-known conventional brands, implying that those are the only effective solutions. At the same time, few people know to consult resources like the EPA’s List N to determine whether more natural alternatives without chemicals like quaternary ammonium and bleach can kill COVID-19. When you’re in panic mode – and many people are – you don’t take time to do your due diligence,” he said.
 
It is imperative that consumers know what products are effective, and CleanWell has been sharing information about efficacy with them and retailers alike.
 
EPA released its initial list of disinfectants that qualify for use against COVID-19 on March 5 and expanded the list on March 13. CleanWell’s disinfectant wipes and sprays were added on March 26.
 
“We immediately sprang into action,” he told Happi. The brand embarked on an active media outreach effort that has resulted in media coverage from major consumer-facing media, like EatingWell, Better Homes & Gardens, Martha Stewart Living and Men’s Journal. Additionally, the company updated its website with a prominent banner on the home page directing visitors to a dedicated landing page to learn more about CleanWell products and the novel coronavirus, including hyperlinks to List N and related information. 
 
Further, CleanWell provided the same information to its sales broker team and retail buyers, so they could field questions from retail floor staff and shoppers. And, the firm is also using social media, which is a big resource for consumers stuck at home during the current shutdowns.
 
CleanWell also has more options for another popular product right now; it recently expanded its product roster with two new orange vanilla-scented hand sanitizer SKUs. For hand hygiene, the company touts liquid hand sanitizers, four hand sanitizing wipes and three foaming hand soaps. The CleanWell Botanical Hand Sanitizers are also formulated with thymol.
 
In addition, a recent portfolio-wide rebranding has increased visual consistency and brand recognition across all of CleanWell’s SKUs with color-flood labels that denote product scent for easy selection and highlight differentiators such as “alcohol-free” and “no rinse required” with prominent call-outs.
 
With a new look, new products and its EPA N-List designation, CleanWell looks to be well-positioned for future growth in home care and hand hygiene, two CPG categories that are back in the spotlight.