Our research has found that people who are responsible for cleaning buildings extensively use Google to make “informed” or “smarter” decisions. We also found that people are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots to “make or assist in decisions” about the procurement and use of cleaning products. We have an ongoing research question: Will people pick one or use different tools in combination to make informed decisions?

These decisions range from “how to clean different surfaces” to “gathering information to evaluate potential purchases and compare products,” often influencing procurements worth millions of dollars. People have been using Google Search for years to find facts, perspectives, and expert opinions to evaluate cleaning products.

AI isn’t new. What’s new is that it’s become dramatically more accessible. AI chatbots currently in use include ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity, and many others.

How to define the term: “when used correctly”

Today, the cleaning value chain—manufacturers, distributors, building owners, facility managers, cleaning professionals—is no longer just responsible for appearance. The cleaning industry is essential in protecting health, safety, and indoor air quality (IAQ). From schools and hospitals to airports and office buildings, decisions about cleaning products directly impact workers, occupants, and the environment. At the same time, the volume of information about chemicals, product claims, and certifications has grown rapidly. Navigating that information efficiently and accurately is now a critical skill.

This is where AI chatbots and Google Search can work together as powerful decision-support tools. People are familiar with Google. AI is helping decision-makers. ISSA member companies are sharing new stories every day about how they use AI. When used correctly, they help cleaning professionals make informed choices, especially when selecting products with safer chemical ingredients, such as those certified by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice program.

Accelerating capabilities for decision-making

The more data you have, the more you’re able to understand. Especially when it comes to making choices with financial consequences, such as introducing a new cleaning product or explaining why you use a specific product—for example, with an ecolabel like EPA Safer Choice, Green Seal, UL ECOLOGO^®—you’ll want to be sure you’re making an educated decision.

Our Making Safer Choices program uses implementation research, the scientific study of methods used to promote the systematic uptake of research findings and evidence-based practices into routine policies and programs. Our Community of Practice has created relationships between universities, trade associations, and the cleaning industry value chain to create and share research that is relevant to the decisions you’re making. Our current research has found that many key decision-makers are unaware of research results that already exist.

Why safer product selection matters

Cleaning products are not all created equal. Many formulations contain ingredients linked to respiratory irritation, skin sensitization, or long-term health risks. For front-line cleaning workers, repeated exposure can contribute to asthma, dermatitis, and other occupational health issues. For building occupants, these products can degrade indoor air quality and increase exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Choosing safer products is therefore not just a procurement decision; it is a health intervention. Programs like EPA Safer Choice help identify products that meet rigorous criteria for human health and environmental safety while maintaining performance. However, identifying and comparing these products requires access to reliable information and the ability to interpret it.

AI chatbots vs. Google Search: Understanding the difference

Right now, Google Search and AI chatbots can serve different but complementary roles in decision-making. But AI is rapidly evolving and changing the game when it comes to decision-making processes.

Google Search provides direct access to original sources such as Safety Data Sheets (SDS), manufacturer specifications, and government guidance. It offers transparency and traceability, allowing users to verify claims at the source. However, it can also overwhelm users with too many results, requiring time and expertise to filter and interpret the information.

AI chatbots, on the other hand, synthesize information. They can read, digest, and summarize vast amounts of data, help understand complex technical data, translate chemical terminology into plain language, and generate comparisons between products or ingredients. For example, an AI chatbot can explain the differences between quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) and hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners, or identify cleaning products with safer chemicals for a specific surface type that meet EPA Safer Choice criteria.

How AI chatbots support cleaning professionals

AI chatbots can enhance everyday decisions and tasks across the cleaning value chain:

1. Quick and efficient data gathering: Ask targeted questions such as:

• “What are the health risks of cleaning products with these (INSERT NAME) chemical ingredients?”
• “What products have safer chemicals for frequently cleaning high-touch surfaces made of stainless steel?”
• “What should I look for on a cleaning product label if I want to use products with safer chemicals?”

AI chatbots can interpret and summarize Safety Data Sheet (SDS) information, highlighting key risks, exposure routes, required personal protective equipment (PPE), and safer ingredient options.

2. Increasing collaboration: When you’re making a decision, it’s impossible to get everyone’s thoughts on every single thing. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re not important. Other team members may have completed research relevant to critical decisions on cleaning for health and safety.

AI tools can help compare product categories, evaluate cleaning strategies, and identify options for different environments such as hospitals, schools, or transportation systems (planes, trains, buses, cars). This is especially useful when balancing efficacy, safety, and operational feasibility, including time and cost.

3. Conversational commerce: This can be defined as an interaction between a brand and a consumer that simulates human dialogue. AI chatbots have become an increasingly important gateway to information, offering scalability, cost-effectiveness, control over interaction quality, and additional customer data.

In our training courses, we teach our students to “read the label” before use. With a cell phone, users can fact-check product label claims by:

• Use AI to analyze photos of labels against regulatory databases and ingredient standards.
• Scan labels to verify ingredient safety and identify potential allergen risks.
• Check marketing claims by prompting the AI chatbot to compare listed ingredients with trusted sources, such as the EPA’s federal guidance.

4. Achieving consistency: AI chatbots can generate cleaning protocols, training materials, and product selection checklists tailored to specific facilities or risk levels. This supports standardization and improves consistency across teams.

A practical process for safer product selection

To make informed decisions, cleaning professionals can follow a simple, repeatable workflow:

Step 1: Use your phone to take a photo: Take a clear photo of the product label, ingredient list, use directions, and marketing claims. Upload the photos to an AI tool—ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity.

Step 2: Define the need: Identify the surface, environment, and level of risk (e.g., routine cleaning vs. outbreak response).

Step 3: Ask the AI chatbot: Ask questions and use prompts to generate recommendations, safer ingredient options, and identify third-party certifications. Ask questions to evaluate products about chemical ingredients, toxicity profile, required personal protective equipment (PPE), and surface compatibility.

Step 4: Use Google Search to verify: Confirm results by reviewing:

• Third-party certifications, such as EPA Safer Choice product listings.
• Manufacturer documentation and Instructions for Use.
• Safety Data Sheets.

Step 5: Make an informed decision: Select products that are effective, safer for users and the environment, and aligned with organizational policies and standards.

Verify the information

Verification is essential, especially when decisions affect health. Rule of thumb: If the decision impacts health, verify the information at least twice.

Verifying Google Search results

• Prioritize trusted sources such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Check publication dates to ensure that information is current.
• Evaluate whether the content is evidence-based or purely promotional.

Verifying AI chatbot outputs

• Ask the chatbot to provide sources or references with direct links.
• Cross-check key claims using authoritative websites.
• Rephrase questions to test consistency and identify discrepancies.

From information to action

Cleaning professionals and the entire cleaning industry are the front-line of public health. Their decisions influence not only cleanliness but also infection prevention, indoor air quality, and long-term health outcomes. By combining AI chatbots with Google Search, professionals can move from information overload to informed action.

To become part of the Community of Practice and help support a Cleaning Center of Excellence, complete the form on the Making Safer Choices website at issa.com/making-safer-choices.