When we think about healthcare, we often think about doctors, nurses, medicines and medical technology. Yet behind every safe healthcare environment is another essential line of defence: hygiene.
On the 20th October, Clean Hospitals Day, Detergents Europe highlights the vital contribution that cleaning and hygiene make to protecting public health and supporting patient safety across Europe’s healthcare systems.
Hygiene is not a routine activity, it is lifesaving
Every day, hospitals and healthcare facilities rely on effective cleaning and hygiene practices to help prevent the spread of infections, protect vulnerable patients and create safe environments for care. Hand and surface disinfection play a critical role in infection prevention, helping to reduce risks for patients, healthcare professionals and visitors alike. Alcohol-based hand sanitisers for example, are a fundamental, safe, and irreplaceable aspect of hand hygiene in hospital settings, which is a critical step in infection prevention.
The cleaning and hygiene products industry is an essential partner in this effort. Through innovative, safe and effective solutions, the sector helps healthcare facilities maintain the high standards of cleanliness and hygiene needed to deliver quality care. From routine cleaning of patient rooms and shared spaces to targeted disinfection in high-risk areas, these measures contribute to safer healthcare environments and better health outcomes.
Hygiene is a cornerstone of public health
As the voice of Europe’s cleaning and hygiene products industry, Detergents Europe is committed to promoting the importance of hygiene as a cornerstone of public health. A healthy and resilient Europe depends on preventing illness as well as treating it, and effective hygiene remains one of the most important tools available to achieve this goal.
Clean Hospitals Day is an opportunity to recognise the healthcare professionals, infection prevention specialists, cleaning teams and facility managers who work every day to keep hospitals safe. It is also a reminder that hygiene is not simply a routine activity: it is an essential service that helps protect lives.
Cleanliness and hygiene are often most visible when they fail. Yet every day, across Europe, they quietly help make healthcare safer, support patient recovery and strengthen the resilience of our healthcare systems.
Because safer hospitals start with effective hygiene.
