Cleaning is the process of removing soil, stains, or undesirable microorganisms from surfaces and restoring that surface to its original condition as possible.  Cleaning plays an essential role in our daily lives by providing important public health benefits to consumers beyond the obvious aesthetic benefits, by keeping our surroundings clean, protected and free of germs; and by helping to extend the life of our personal possessions.
This website describes the various components of the cleaning process, provides an overview of the different types of cleaning products (including green cleaning products), and explains how they work.  It reviews the issue related to mixing your own and using home-made alternatives.  With the expansion of green cleaning, this site also serves to explain the different environmental, health and safety attributes important to green cleaning products.  There is a household cleaning products Fact or Fiction page that addresses cleaning myths and a home cleaning products Resource page were you can get more information on consumer household cleaning trends; links to organizations and studies on benefits of cleaning products including alternative cleaning products; and a glossary of household cleaning terms and cleaning processes.