Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 15th January 2026 Issue no. 1193
Your industry news - first
The original and best - for over 20 years!
We strongly recommend viewing Cleanzine full size in your web browser. Click our masthead above to visit our website version.
SOAPBOX: Robotics, water and a future without detergent
By Sylvain Rottier, VP & general manager EMEA, Tennant Company
“The cleaning industry is faced with the possibility of a chemical-free revolution. Autonomous floor-scrubbing robots powered by electrically converted water could be proof that pristine, hygienic spaces no longer need to come with the familiar scent - and environmental burden - of detergent.
For decades we unwittingly associated dirt removal with large volumes of chemicals. Yet regulatory pressure, rising supply costs and customers' own sustainability goals are forcing a rethink. Facilities managers now ask us two questions: Can we reduce chemical use without compromising hygiene? and Can automation help overstretched teams deliver more consistent results?
The answer to both is yes, if we unite robotics with detergent-free technology.
At Tennant we have deployed more than 10,000 autonomous co-bot scrubbers worldwide that clean with electrically converted water instead of conventional chemicals. Inside each machine, ordinary tap water passes through an electrolysis cell, creating an activated solution that breaks up grime, suspends soils and then safely reverts to water - leaving no slippery residue. Because the floor is left virtually dry, the risk of slip-and-fall incidents drops while cleaning cycle times shrink.
The financial case is equally compelling. End users report cutting or even eliminating detergent procurement and storage expenses, avoiding COSHH paperwork and freeing up valuable janitorial closet space. Autonomous operation multiplies those savings by allowing a single operative to supervise a fleet, freeing up staff for higher-value, customer-facing tasks. At a time when labour scarcity is biting hard, that productivity gain is welcome.
Environmental benefits complete the picture. Removing chemicals reduces packaging, transport emissions and wastewater loading, helping organisations meet net-zero targets. Many discover that a visibly green cleaning regime also strengthens tenant relationships and improves employee satisfaction - intangible but powerful drivers of brand value.
Sceptics sometimes ask whether detergent-free cleaning can match the sanitation standards demanded in airports, shopping centres or healthcare settings. Field data - and our own experience maintaining high-traffic sites across more than 100 countries - show it can. The key lies in pairing robust robotics platforms with real-time monitoring. Cloud-connected sensors track coverage, water usage and battery state, allowing facilities managers to prove compliance while adjusting schedules for energy efficiency.
Ultimately, detergent-free autonomous cleaning looks as though it could be a pragmatic response to a world that values both cleanliness and sustainability. By embracing electrically converted water and robotics today, we future-proof our operations, our budgets and our planet.
I anticipate a day when the pungent smell of chemicals is no longer the hallmark of a clean building, but a distant memory. The good news? That day could be drawing near.”
4th December 2025