Fake advertising or real - you decide

Everyday I come across cleaning adds, social media posts, email marketing and more. Nothing unusual about this, I do the same for APC of course. And marketing is about catching the eye of the consumer (you) no matter if this is in a way of a special offer, a gimmick, a flashy video or social media post, the first few seconds need to have something that interests you.

So today I was sent the following email and felt this warranted a blog article:

This add is using the environmentally friendly angle to appeal to those of you that want to make a difference in the world. Fantastic!

This is something I am all for.

Reading the email it says you can have the option of using your preferred cleaning products to help the world, nothing wrong with that, but can you see how they are claiming to be environmentally friendly, but actually are not?

Down further they state "Our cleaners come equipped with supermarket grade products"

Here is the issue with buying from a supermarket - you are always getting them in single use plastic bottles!

Any good cleaner will have a wholesale supplier and get the products in bulk.

These products are super strength and must be diluted and added to spray or pour bottles. The good companies will then buy stronger re-usable bottles and simply top up the products, thus eliminating single use plastic bottles.

Buying from a wholesaler also means you have the correct safety information and OH&S training. And of course, you save money and always have stock. Cleaning companies also have access to better products.

If your cleaner is using supermarket products then this has to ring alarm bells on the training, OH&S and systems of that company? Not to mention the environmental impact and extra work they need to do.

Another issue with this is what if you are allergic to cleaning products? Does your cleaner actually ask you this? And do they have other items in place to use. You are paying for the clean, so why should you supply the products and equipment?

At APC Shine we give our regular clients a free cleaning kit that comes with free refills. We change over the bottles at the home services. This means our clients never have to buy single use plastic bottles again. In fact we are the only cleaning company that offers this. I invite you to find another cleaning company in Melbourne, that actually has this service!

Now check this add out:

Do you see an issue with this? Look closer at the models feet. Yep barefoot. This is an OH&S issue and any cleaner who is correctly trained, would not be taking their shoes off.

So why would you have that in an add for cleaning?

Although our shine cleaners have lovely feet and go through a complete foot training session, we would not allow our team to perform their roles, in a way that may affect safety.

Same advertisement and these dish washing gloves are just impossible to get a good clean done. And what about the fact that if they have just cleaned the toilet using these gloves, and now they are cleaning your basin where you wash your teeth? Do you think they would clean the toilet, then throw away these gloves (at $2.50/pair) and put on a new pair?

This is why good cleaners have stocks of disposable gloves.

If you see our cleaner not changing gloves after cleaning bacteria areas, then you can ask for the affected areas to be re-cleaned. We carry stocks of gloves with us.

One more to discuss:

Not the gloves this time but the bottle. From here there are no instructions, warning labels, emergency information or other OH&S info. It could be on the back but why wouldn't you want to sow this in an add.

Cleaners who use products, in generic unlabeled bottles, are playing with your life and it is illegal to carry around chemicals in unlabeled bottles. Plus the labels must have the appropriate information.

As a consumer you are also able to ask for MDA sheets of each product that cleaners use. These should be available either printed or online. If a cleaner is unable to produce these then they need training on OH&S and Victorian law. If cleaners are using supermarket products then it is highly unlikely they will have MDA sheets.

With APC Shine, you can go to our website and download the MDA sheets here

or ask our Sine care team to print them and have our cleaner bring them to your service.

So the point I am making here is question what you see in advertising. Personally we try to always use our own staff, our own jobs and real life situations. Why pay for a model or stock images (that are clearly not what happens in real life) when you have access to the real thing?

I hope this gives you something else to think about and use your consumer power by making good ethical choices. Remember you are paying so you have a right to ask any question you like and get an answer.

At APC Shine we are completely transparent so ask away!

Happy Sunday!

Jake