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Since Americans are cooking and entertaining friends in their kitchens more often than in recent years, the appearance of those kitchens has become paramount. Two of the keys to a pristine, yet welcoming appearance are hygiene and organization.

If your customers are using high-quality cookware and kitchen tools to entertain themselves and their friends in the kitchen, you might ask, "Who's supplying them with the cleaning and storage products required to keep their kitchens spotless and running smoothly?"

Today, you have an opportunity to educate your customers about the bounty of high-quality products that will make cleaning and reorganizing their kitchens a less-than-tedious ritual.

The Potions

Though today's consumers have less time to clean their homes, they are more concerned about germs. That concern translates into their spending over $5.7 billion annually on cleaning, polishing, deodorizing, and disinfecting products.

Indeed, concern about bacterial contamination is mounting as media focus on outbreaks of E. coli and other bacteria increases. Kitchen counters, cutting boards, utensils, kitchen tools, and even small electrics can become breeding grounds for bacteria, if they are not properly cleaned. Now is the time to educate your customers on safe kitchen practices and equip them with the right tools.

Renee Fitch, manager of New Milford, Conn.-based The Silo, can attest to that. The store's Web site sold out of The Siege cleaning products after the line was featured in a national consumer publication.

"It's the only liquid cleaning product we carry," she explained. "We actually found them through the Gourmet Catalog Company. These products are wonderful because they target specific products in the kitchen. There's a cleaner for stainless steel cookware and appliances, a barbecue cleaner, a coffee pot cleaner, a copper cleaner, and porcelain and enamel cleaners. We were just inundated on our Web site for orders."

Specialty cleaning products' appeal is their specific capabilities. For example, there are food-safe butcher block cleaners appropriate for salad bowls and cutting boards, as well as cleaners specifically created for products such as automatic-drip coffeemakers, glass coffee carafes, ceramic stoves, and hard-anodized cookware.

Alan Rothman, owner of Livingston, N.J.-based The Kitchen Store, said cleaning products are items that not only sell extremely well, but also comprise a category that keeps customers returning to the store every month. He dedicates 45 running feet of his 10,000 square-foot store to the category. That's a huge space investment for a small store, but Rothman says it's well worth making.

"I have an extensive amount of cleaning products here. It's crazy but that's what people want. I'm amazed by how much we sell," he said. "It's probably the best category in the housewares industry, which is why supermarkets carry so much. But they carry the basics, not the exotics like specialty stores carry."

How to choose which exotic cleaners to stock is an entirely different story.

"In the cleaning product category, the customers tell you what they want. Some people want liquids, some want sprays. One needs to clean marble, another stainless steel," Rothman explained. "It's almost everything today. What works for me are the Magic lines and The Bar Keeper's Friend for cleaning cookware. Cape Cod Polish is also a terrific item."

Lund Food Holding Inc., parent company of Lund and Byerly's stores in Minnesota, markets its upscale cleaning and storage products in its culinary section to target a specific customer.

Dan O'Rourke, culinary buyer for Lund Food Holding Inc., explained, "We do carry regular basic brand in-line cleaners, but in our culinary section, we carry Mrs. Meyers. It's a more upscale cleaning product and the big hook is that it's all natural. Part of the reason we chose them is that it's aromatherapeutic and that's real big nowadays — the whole concept of feeling better while you clean. We felt it was a nice expanded line so that you don't have a lot of different fragrances competing in your house."

Naturally Clean

For many retailers, the more influential cleaning products are those with natural roots. Many upscale cleaning products target themselves as cleaning solutions offering a modern, sophisticated approach to traditional methods of home care. By marketing their wares to consumers who see themselves as more savvy, these products are capable of building a loyal following.

Consumers are motivated by both environmental friendliness (43%) and effectiveness (48%) when purchasing natural products, according to the Hartman Group's 2002 Natural Household Products Report. Of the people who use natural household products, the majority purchase one or two products in a six-month period. Consumers studied by the Hartman Group reported on purchases of natural paper products (paper towels), dish soaps, window cleaners, multipurpose cleaners, laundry detergents, and toilet cleaners.

Many retailers underestimate the category. According to the Hartman Group's report, people who said they didn't use natural household products said they simply hadn't considered the product before. Only 26 percent said cost was a factor in their decision not to make a purchase. What this tells us about this category is its potential and the lack of education about the products among consumers.

Merchandising Strategies

Natural cleaning products beg for demonstration and explanation. Many of the products not only clean well without harmful chemicals, but also are designed to have refreshing, natural aromas, such as orange, clover, and lavender. Illustrate the benefits of these products with a comparative demonstration against well-known national brands.

Many manufacturers offer starter kits or trial sizes to pique consumer interest. Ask your sales representatives to help with in-store promotions in which you package trial-size cleaning products with the equipment they were created to clean. Try packaging spray disinfectants with cutting boards or knives. Consider adding aromatic dish soap liquid as the finishing touch to tabletop sales, or a stainless steel cleaning sample as a bonus during new cookware promotions.

Be creative in merchandising your cleaning product inventory. Rather than isolating the products in a store corner, mix them into the areas they serve. You may be surprised how an end-cap display of an automatic-drip coffeemaker or carafe cleaner will move if placed within your small electrics department. Specialty food retailers might see improved sales by using the same merchandising method. Merchandise a wine stain remover in your wine department or stock personal chef cleaning products in your meat section.

Tools of The Trade

The sprays, gels, scrubs, and rubs are not the only necessary tools for kitchen cleaning. You have to be able to sweep up your mess, wipe up your spills, and wash up your dishes. Quality kitchen cleaning tools are often handsome enough to be left in the open. Many are made with natural fibers or bristles; all of them serve a specific function with the added bonus of convenience and style.

"We carry a refillable soap brush and scrubby mushroom brush — they're probably our best-selling OXO SKUs," Lund's O'Rourke said. "People really like the refillable brushes the best because of the convenience and function."

Rothman agreed the top-selling cleaning tool in The Kitchen Store is the refillable scrubbing brush, specifically those with longer handles for pots and pans.

Fitch stocks a variety of products to save her customers time and effort in the kitchen. Desirable attributes for cleaning accessories are not only their function, but also their style.

"We do really well with the sweep sets from Casabella," Fitch said. "It's hard to keep them in stock. We typically line them up like soldiers against a small wall and people just gravitate to them. You don't have to do much with them. I don't know what it is about that style, whether it's the height or the simplicity of the line."

The Silo does well in the category with sales of protective gloves, dustpan sets, and a few new items — high-end decorative brooms and microfiber cleaning cloths.

"We discovered a higher-end decorative but functional broom made by hand with natural fibers that we decided to stock. The brooms come in an assortment of colors. I'm looking forward to displaying them," Fitch said. "We also carry True Blue gloves, which are latex-free rubber gloves. They are 100 percent cotton with a vinyl exterior. They come in different sizes so that you can actually get one that fits your hand," she said.

The Silo's foray into microfiber cleaning cloths was ignited by Fitch's personal experience. She tested the product at home and was sold on its versatility and environment friendly benefits.

She explained, "They're great because you buy one and you don't have to use a cleaner with them. You can take your glassware out of the dishwasher and remove the residue with the cloths. They just make everything shine."

If you do not think these products fit your store's profile, think again. Adding even one item to your inventory could encourage new sales. Deb Zborowski, co-owner of specialty food and wine store Aglios Gourmet Marketplace in Woodstock, Ill., just began to carry a single item.

"We just brought in Mystic Maid All Purpose Microfiber Cleaning Cloths a couple of weeks ago," she said. "We're not going to go into this area in a very large way. But when you find something unique and it's in your mix, you want to bring it in."

Zborowski plans on promoting the cloths as all-purpose ones that can be used in your car, on your computer, in a business setting, or in your home. She will encourage sales by staging practical demonstrations — for example, using the cloths to clean in-store displays.

"It's really not that difficult to sell because it's really something I believe in," she explained. "I've owned one for several years — that's why we brought them in. It's the best and that's why we carry it."

Cleaning tools constitute a category stocked in every major discount outlet. Distinguishing yourself from those channels is essential, especially since your customers will compare the prices for these high-quality lines against those of much lower-priced mass-produced versions. Just like any other product in your store, you must demonstrate to your customers why they need this particular version or brand.

Specialty cleaning products boast technological and environment friendly characteristics. They are designed to take the chore out of cleaning, so wrap up the quality in your store by combining cleaning products and tools in fun displays. Create your own starter kits by packing dish soap liquid, all-purpose cleaners, microfiber cloths, and a dustpan in a galvanized bucket. Old-fashioned buckets help you combine a modern cleaning statement with today's trendy retro flair.

Putting It Away

The final chapter in creating a clean kitchen is keeping everything stored neatly away. From rolling kitchen carts to storage containers, high-quality storage solutions are an often-overlooked category. Organization is one of the keys to cleanliness; therefore, providing your customers with an efficient, stylish way to store food products and kitchen tools is an important piece of the puzzle.

Lund's O'Rourke seeks stainless steel food storage containers. His interest in stainless steel is due to its nonreactive qualities, as well as to its style.

"Much of today's kitchen décor encompasses stainless accents so these storage containers blend in with the more industrial or commercial kitchens being built these days," he said. "The advantage of stainless is that it blends in with colors and patterns. It's more versatile."

O'Rourke purchases a variety of styles, but is particularly fond of "clamp" versions, which he believes are more airtight. In addition, new clear acrylic top versions are capturing his interest.

He explained, "You get the durability of stainless steel with the tightness of a clamp, add in the acrylic lid, and now, you can see inside to check how much or even what is inside the container."

As far as additional storage possibilities, O'Rourke said he's considering delving into kitchen organization by carrying utilitarian storage racks to hang kitchen tools. For now, he's content cleaning up in the categories he knows are successful.

Rothman carries a wide range of storage products, from high-end ones to mass-produced items. He expanded his inventory beyond the kitchen because the demand was so high.

"Organization has been hot for a while now. It's a super, basic category. People are looking to put things away and store things and they use the products everywhere. I also have the storage carts and plastic crates," he said. "As long as the demand is there, I will keep pushing it and go into different categories."

Kitchen-specific storage products are also hot sellers at The Kitchen Store. Rothman said demand is high for items ranging from high-end shelf-suitable containers to less-expensive storage for leftovers.

Stacks And Stacks, which operates three stores in the San Francisco Bay area, carries a myriad of kitchen organization products, including waste cans, under-sink organizers, dish drainers, sink mats, drawer organizers, cabinet organizers, and canisters.

"The category is fairly big for us. Out of our total business, it probably generates about 20 percent. We concentrate on mid to high-end items," said Cathy McManus, Stacks And Stacks' general merchandise manager.

"We carry Click Clack because it's probably the one of the best products out there and it's unbreakable — you can actually step on those puppies," she said.

Kitchen storage serves consumers by organizing their lives and allowing their time in the kitchen to be more productive. McManus said expandable drawer organizers are very popular, especially those for hard-to-store kitchen tools, spices, and knives. The most important feature is that the units completely encompass the drawer and utilize every inch of space.

Merchandising storage containers doesn't have to be boring. Create displays with stackable storage boxes to illustrate the variety of needs they can fill. Pack one with clothing, another with gardening equipment, and another with picnic supplies. Stack 'em high to create interest. A simple storage promotional contest could be guessing the number of jellybeans in one of your high-end storage containers. The customer whose guess is closest wins a kitchen storage set or a kitchen caddy complete with cleaning tools and supplies.

Another successful area for Stacks and Stacks is the final drop-off point for cleanup — the trash bin. McManus said today's brushed stainless look translates well in the trash bin arena. Other types of waste containers consumers seek include step-on cans and receptacles with liners.

"We carry everything from the high-end 50-liter Brabantia Brand to CanWorks. I carry about every step-on stainless can that's out there in every size," she said. "People don't have a fear of prices on this kind of stuff. My feeling is that if you are going to bring a big trash can into your home, you want it to be something that will look nice. Consumers don't mind paying a higher price for nicer-looking kitchenwares."

Review how you are covering these categories in your store, while considering where your customers are purchasing their cleaning and storage products. If it's not in your store, you may be missing out on a fantastic repeat sales opportunity. Everything you sell in your store needs to be cleaned, stored, and cared for — make sure your customers can count on you to supply the best products to care for the investments they're making in their homes.

Category Considerations

Brooms
Floor Mops & Dusters
Sweep Sets
Microfiber Cloths & Sweeps
Dustcloths, Dusters & Dustpan Sets
Buckets
All-Purpose Cleaners
Nontoxic Cleaners
Aromatherapy Cleaning Products
Biodegradable Cleaning Products
Floor Cleaners
Glass Cleaners
Porcelain & Enamel Cleaners
Chrome, Aluminum & Stainless Steel Cleaners
Glass & Ceramic Stovetop Cleaners
Crystal Cleaners
Plexiglas, Acrylic & Plastic Cleaners
Marble, Stone & Tile Cleaners
Vinyl Cleaners
Automatic Drip Coffeemaker Cleaners
Coffee/Tea Carafe Cleaners
Hard Anodized Aluminum &
Nonstick Cookware Cleaners
Hand Care Cleaning Products
Antibacterial Shelf/Tool Sprays Butcher Block Oils/Cleaners
Wood Furniture Cleaners
Wicker, Basket &
Wreath Cleaners
Silver, Copper &
Brass Polishes/Cleaners
Countertop Polishes
Metal Polishing Cloths
Polishing Gloves
Buffing Cloths
Chamois Cleaners
Cleaning Gloves
Cleaning Towels
Drying Towels
Hood & Vent Stain
Removers/Degreasers
Stain Removers
Rust Removers
Cleaning Tool Caddies
Dish Racks
Mug/Cup Racks
Dish Sponges
Sponge Sanitizers
Dish & Bottle Brushes
Squeegees
Fruit & Vegetable Washes
Wall Rack Systems
Step-Cans
Waste Cans
Step Ladders
Cabinet Organizers
China/Silver Storage
Stackable Storage Boxes
Crates
Canisters
Bread Boxes
Drawer Organizers & Dividers
Utensil Organizers
Sink Mats
Under-sink Organizers
Fruit Holders
Condiment Holders
Cookbook Holders