US Surface Disinfectant & Cleaning Wipes

Surface Disinfectant & Cleaning Wipes

This study analyzes US demand for surface disinfectant and cleaning wipes by market and function (surface disinfection, general purpose cleaning, and specialty cleaning).

Markets include:

• household
• healthcare
• foodservice
• other markets, including manufacturing, commercial, and institutional settings

Historical data (2011, 2016, and 2021) and forecasts for 2026 and 2031 are presented for surface disinfectant and cleaning wipes demand in current US dollars (including inflation) and units.

This report is part of a series of studies available on the wipes market, and is targeted at customers with specific interest in surface disinfectant and cleaning wipes. A broader perspective on competition among various wipes products can be found in our comprehensive report Wipes.

Demand for surface disinfectant and cleaning wipes is expected to advance 1.1% per year off a relatively high 2021 base to $736 million in 2026. While this growth rate is relatively slow compared to historical norms, it stems from elevated market levels spurred by pandemic-related sales hikes in 2020. Due to their significant market penetration over these two years, demand will remain well above pre-pandemic levels throughout the forecast period.

Surface disinfectant and cleaning wipe sales will also be supported by:

• consistent increases in the industrial and institutional market, with both healthcare and foodservice returning to pre-pandemic levels of operation and usage
• product development that improves the functionality and environmental profile of available cleaning wipes, thereby increasing adoption among consumers

Demand for Surface Disinfectant Wipes to Remain Elevated
Efforts to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in 2020 led many to abruptly adopt the use of wipes, and all users – new or established – used wipes in large quantities that year, as they adopted behaviors such as wiping down all purchases. Though this extreme usage was unsustainable over the long term, demand for surface disinfectant wipes remained quite elevated in 2021 as more was learned about the pandemic and new variants swept through the population.
As a result of these elevated sales levels, major wipes suppliers have made significant investments to expand domestic production capacities for surface disinfectant wipes, in some cases enlisting contract manufacturers to help supplement their own lines.
While consumer use of surface disinfectant wipes has toned down in 2022, changes in behavior patterns and increases in commercial usage will sustain the market. Cleaning regimens in industrial, commercial, and institutional settings – which are meant to address healthcare associated infections (HAIs), foodborne illnesses, and other potential viruses – remain rigorous.

Growth in Non-Household Markets Supports Overall Gains

Surface disinfectant and cleaning wipe demand in non-household markets rebounded in 2021 following a depressed 2020, which was directly attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The foodservice market was negatively impacted by restaurant closures, while hospitals cancelled non-emergent procedures and focused more on telehealth. Going forward, both markets will continue to grow as:

• foodservice revenues rise and the number of restaurants and other foodservice establishments increases
• healthcare spending increases due to an aging population and an uptick in surgical procedures