A TIME FOR ACTION
Protecting Household Cleaning Workers
The Safe and Just Cleaners Study is a community-based participatory research partnership collecting data on household cleaners’ chemical exposures and other working conditions to improve the safety and health of immigrant Latinx household cleaners.
Chemicals contained within common household cleaning and disinfecting products can cause health problems, including skin and respiratory irritation and asthma.
Household cleaners-many of whom are Latinx immigrants – have inadequate knowledge and limited access to safer alternatives, whether using these products at work or at home. Our research brings together environmental and occupational health researchers and community-based advocacy organizations to document these working conditions, measure chemical exposures, and plan educational and public policy campaigns to improve immigrant Latinx household cleaners’ working conditions and health.
During the COVID-19 pandemic more potentially toxic disinfecting agents have been used. This and the pandemic’s economic toll further compromise the health and well-being of household cleaners.
Our project created this website to share resources and policy initiatives that address these additional challenges.
Household cleaners-many of whom are Latinx immigrants—have inadequate knowledge and limited access to safer alternatives.
Support Access to healthcare and economic relief
Protect yourself—
Safety tips for cleaners
Join Las Super
Cleaners Group
The Report
The Toll of Household Cleaning: Economic and Health Precarity of Immigrant Latinx Cleaners in New York
Household cleaners earn poverty-level wages, commonly face violations of labor and human rights, and are exposed to toxic chemical compounds from the cleaning products they use. The Safe and Just Cleaners Study collected data from cleaners in NYC and Westchester. Our findings provide support for two state initiatives to provide needed COVID relief for those excluded from other programs: #FundExcludedWorkers and #Coverage4All.
Insecure Low Wage Work
93%
Work without a formal written contract
22 hours
Average work week
$15/hour
Average wage
Experience Financial Insecurity
81%
Of primary wage earners’ income below poverty line
24%
Cannot cover basic expenses without a loan
Experience Health Risks
49%
Lack health coverage
59%
Work with potentially toxic disinfecting products
Download the full Report
Descargue el Informe Completo
The Report
Protect
Safe Cleaning Tips
The Safe and Just Cleaners project develops educational materials and resources to inform immigrant, Latinx household cleaners about safer cleaning and toxic chemicals commonly found in cleaning products. We also provide a variety of tips to protect their health before, during and after cleaning, and resources related to mental health and workers’ rights to empower them as women in and out of their workplace.
JOIN LAS SUPER CLEANERS
Are you a Household Cleaner?
Would you like to meet other household cleaners?
Are you interested in learning more about how cleaning and disinfecting products impact your health?
Make the Road New York, a partner in the Safe and Just Cleaners Study, would like to invite you to join “Las Super Cleaners” group, a safe space for household cleaners to meet, learn and work together to increase awareness about how to reduce exposure to harmful cleaning chemicals and other toxins, and strive for transformation in their workplaces and personal health and well-being as women.
We look forward to connecting with you!
Contact us to learn more about upcoming meetings. Your information is private, and only the staff of the three partner organizations of the Safe and Just Cleaners project will have access to it.