CHSA’s Glossary To Help Buyers Navigate Spurious Claims Relating To Cleaning Chemicals

Cleaning in progress Buyers of cleaning chemicals can navigate the spurious, misleading and unsubstantiated claims that are all too common in the cleaning industry thanks to a Glossary published by the Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers Association (CHSA).

All members of the CHSA adhere to the requirements of the relevant Accreditation and have signed the Association’s rigorous Code of Practice. It means CHSA members:

  • Trade ethically and sustainably;
  • Provide supporting information for claims made;
  • Provide quality, fit for purpose products; and
  • Make sure what’s on the box is what’s in the box.

Produced by experts within the CHSA membership, the Glossary defines a range of terms including ‘biodegradability’, ‘non-toxic’ ‘natural’ and ‘chemical-free’ and advises buyers to ask for evidence to support claims.



During the pandemic extraordinary claims about the power and efficacy of cleaning chemicals were prevalent. These claims are still made today and the confusion they create is now being added to with all sorts of environmental claims that often amount to nothing more than greenwashing.

Hard pressed buyers can now use the CHSA Glossary to differentiate the meaningful from the meaningless and make sure they buy the right product for the job in hand.

CHSA - Cleaning Chemicals Glossary