Re-think cleanliness – transformative perspectives within radical design. MSC thesis. 2022

This research aimed to identify effective radical strategies for sustainability transforma­tion in hospitality organizations. Based on a quantitative analysis of cultural aspects of cleanliness in response to consumer-decisions making, it can be concluded that culture plays an important role in the perception of cleanliness as a social-construct phenom­enon. The results indicate that cleanliness is influenced by complex belief systems that commonly resist behavioral change, even though cleanliness is also shaped by individual appreciation, which means not static and subject to change.

This research clearly illustrates a cultural shift is ready to take place in terms of how hygiene and cleanliness is perceived in the collective imaginary, whether by understand­ing new perspective of human skin microbiome or the role of targeted hygiene in the domestic environment (chapter 4) but also raises the question of whether cleanliness and hygiene should be considered separate approaches (Bloomfield, 2016) or both con­cepts should integrate, and be thought as complementary assets towards socio-ethical cohesion.

The author discusses the progress of thought and understanding of hygiene from the miasma theory to the germ theory to the hygiene hypothesis to Targeted Hygiene

Moreover, this study promotes the concept of targeted-clean as a novel strategy to con­verge the role of targeted hygiene (strategies to reduce infectious diseases) considering together also a balance of exposure to environmental microbiome (targeted-clean). From the other hand, methods and tools acquired from Sustainable PSS and circular design, specially the transition towards ‘levels of the satisfaction’ in this case, by ‘restoring the notions of purity’ were useful to build radical initiatives and arrive to a level not only of transition, but rather transformational in sustainability, challenging behavioral change and braking systems continuity.

To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address an­thropological research in terms of cleanliness perception and its relation with hygiene practices. It also encourages practitioners to explore design alternatives for consumers to play an active role in the decision-making process, especially when it comes to engaging in more sustainable services to balance environmental footprint in tourism activities.