Are you familiar with the white glove test? It is one of a countless number of ways to determine whether a space is clean. We have seen it depicted in movies, on TV shows, and in the theater. But here’s the deal: while the white glove test might be nostalgic, it isn’t all that helpful in determining cleanliness beyond the surface level.
White glove testing offers a visual for determining cleanliness. But as a company specializing in commercial cleaning services covering everything from industrial spaces to medical offices and highly sensitive clean rooms, we know there is more than one way to test for cleanliness. We also know that different spaces must meet different specifications. In the end, the white glove test just doesn’t tell us much.
Origins of the Test
We did some digging around to try to understand the actual origins of the white glove test. We looked into office cleaning, cleaning standards in the military, and just about everything else we could think of. Unfortunately, we didn’t come up with any clear answers.
The general consensus seems to be that the white glove test probably emerged in the 1950s as a quick and easy way to check for dust. It ultimately became a part of American pop culture. Nevertheless, we have a sneaky suspicion that it might have originated with the English butlers of yesteryear. We do know that the white glove test existed in the military in the 1960s because former service members have talked about being subjected to it.
It’s Only a Test for Dust
What we find most fascinating about the white glove test is that it is often depicted in films and television as the gold standard for cleanliness. But it’s really not. It is only a test for dust. That’s it.
A white glove test will not reveal bacteria left behind on a medical office surface. It will not reveal a greasy film left on a factory floor. And in a highly sensitive clean room, where we need to address particles and contaminants that cannot be seen with a human eye, a white glove test could indicate the space is clean when it really isn’t.
Nonetheless, our images of the white glove test persist. White glove testing is such an integral part of American culture that cleaning companies use it in their names and logos. It remains a staple in Hollywood, and even NASA references it in some of its educational materials.
Your Standards Matter to Us
None of this is to say that white glove testing should be avoided. If it helps cleaning crews identify dirty areas that may have been missed, that’s wonderful. The point of bringing up this topic is just to say that organizations have different standards for cleanliness. Your standards are the standards that matter to us.
At All Pro Cleaning Systems, our primary goal is to clean each and every space according to what the client wants and needs. We work with clients to establish cleaning standards along with procedures, policies, and schedules. Whenever one of our cleaning crews leaves a building, we want the customer to know that it meets or exceeds their expectations for cleanliness.
As for the white glove test, while it may be more nostalgic than anything else, it still symbolizes the fundamental principle of absolute cleanliness. We suspect that symbolic meaning will continue for a long time to come. Even though commercial cleaning services like All Pro Cleaning Systems don’t send supervisors into the field with boxes of white gloves, we still do everything in our power to ensure that our work results in genuine cleanliness.
