Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Orlando, Fla. headquarters of Clean the World. It was great to meet with founder and CEO Shawn Seipler and his team again.
My first article about Clean the World appeared on Green Lodging News on June 12, 2009. In that article, entitled, “Unused Soap & Shampoo Problem Hits Salesman ‘Like a Hurricane,’ I explain the origin of the nonprofit that repurposes partially used soap bars and amenities, and that does so much more to help those in need. If you are one of the few unfamiliar with the work of Clean the World, I recommend reading that article.
I have had a soft spot in my heart for Clean the World for a long time. There are at least 300 articles on the Green Lodging News website that cite the work of Clean the World. The organization represents what is good in our industry—hoteliers teaming up to literally save the lives of those in need.
Clean the World never would have happened without the work of Shawn Seipler. Many have reflected on the work of Jimmy Carter after his presidency in recent days. Shawn’s values are similarly aligned and since founding Clean the World in 2009, he has helped the nonprofit to grow to 100 employees in seven offices around the world.
The Impact of Clean the World
In my article posted this past week I summarize the success of Clean the World, which has evolved into Clean the World, Clean the World Events, and The WASH Foundation over the years. Clean the World has put up some staggering numbers since 2009. Here are just some examples:
Since its inception, Clean the World has collected 18 million pounds of soap and 10 million pounds of plastic from its more than 8,000 hospitality partners worldwide. A total of 28.6 million pounds of waste has been diverted from landfills and 88.5 million bars of reprocessed soap have been distributed to those in need.
According to a Clean the World blog entry from January 2, last year was a record year for the organization with 178,000 new hotel rooms joining the program. Clean the World added 886 new hotel partners. Clean the World’s portfolio now includes more than 1.3 million hotel rooms worldwide.
From a global health standpoint, Clean the World says it has helped decrease the death rate in children under five by 60 percent in areas where it has soap donation programs. Having soap to wash with helps stop the spread of illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea. A total of 127 countries have benefitted from Clean the World donations.
The Growth of Clean the World Events
While Clean the World focuses on the reprocessing and recycling of soap and amenities, Clean the World Events organizes groups of volunteers who come together to assemble hygiene and comfort kits, backpacks and more. So far, 6.4 million kits and backpacks have been distributed. In 2024, more than 1,000 events were held. Seipler expects Clean the World Events business to double the size of Clean the World business by sometime this year.
The WASH Foundation’s purpose is to transform the lives of people in need and improve their health by donating soap and hygiene kits to them. These are distributed to women, children and communities around the world to promote access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).
The WASH Foundation has served more than 16,800,000 people in over 127 countries.
Since 2017, The WASH Foundation’s Fresh Start WASH & Wellness mobile shower program has been providing mobile showers and bathroom facilities to those experiencing homelessness. In Las Vegas, Orlando and Tulare, Calif., Clean the World has trailers where those who are homeless can take showers. Typically, the trailers are paired with other service providers—drug rehab, job placement and temporary housing, for example. Seipler says the trailer and other community services have resulted in a decrease in homelessness.
Tackling Plastic Waste
Clean the World is serious about finding a circular solution to the great volume of plastic waste that it deals with each day. Amenity bottles and jugs are currently either recycled, shredded or ground up for use in other plastic products—plastic lumber, for example, or even new amenity containers. Some of the containers sent to Clean the World are forwarded to waste-to-energy facilities. Liquids from the amenity bottles are converted into products such as laundry detergent. While the soap recycling process is third party audited, Clean the World has achieved Responsible Plastic Management status for its plastic recycling.
“The incredible growth we’ve experienced in 2024 showcases the hospitality industry’s dedication to sustainability and social responsibility,” Seipler said in the recent blog entry. “Each new hotel room added to our program means countless lives positively impacted and a significant reduction in environmental waste. Our efforts extend beyond recycling soap; we’re creating lasting change by providing essential hygiene products and education to communities in need worldwide.”
If you’re interested in how your organization can participate in Clean the World’s vital mission, reach out to its partnership team today.
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Glenn, good for you for exposing us to Clean the World all those years ago. What a legacy. We need so many more inspiring individuals like Shawn to motivate the masses. In a time of such environmental peril, the hospitality industry must evolve beyond where we find ourselves today. Your efforts as a journalist have helped us in so many ways. Thank you and happy new year.