2019 ACI National Cleaning Survey Topline Results:
- 77% of Households Spring Clean Every Year
- On Average, Spring Cleaning Takes Six Days to Finish
- 33% Do Not Believe They Clean Everything in their Home Often Enough
- 41% Can’t Remember the Last Time They Cleaned the Fridge
- Summary of Key Stats Available Here
Washington, D.C. – March 20, 2019 – Seventy-seven percent of households will spring clean this year, more than ever recorded by the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) National Cleaning Survey. According to the data, that’s a good thing because we have some dirty little secrets when it comes to cleaning our homes.
The study, conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of ACI, revealed that 41 percent of heads of household can’t remember the last time they cleaned their refrigerators, 23 percent can’t remember the last time they cleaned their bed linens, 16 percent can’t remember the last time they cleaned their guest bathroom toilet, 47 percent can’t remember the last time they cleaned their oven, and 20 percent have never cleaned their washing machines.
When they do clean, 1 in 4 people does not believe they clean everything properly, and 1 in 3 does not believe they clean everything in their home often enough.
Spring Cleaning Timing and Priorities
While the average time it takes to spring clean is six days, some early birds do catch the worm. Twenty-nine percent finish in one to two days, and 31 percent finish in three to four days. No matter how long it takes, people agree on what to tackle first.
This year’s top priority for spring cleaning is a clear winner – windows, named by 49 percent of respondents. Other items at the top of the list include clothes, closets and drawers (42%), ceiling fans (36%), curtains/blinds (36%), carpets (32%), hardwood/tile floors (25%), bed linens (17%), and home offices (15%).
Spring Cleaning Outcomes
It may be no surprise that among those who spring clean, the three qualities they look for in products are effectiveness, cost, and their multi-purpose use. The entire spring-cleaning process makes people feel accomplished (36%), satisfied (29%), safe (18%), and happy (18%).
"Clearing out the clutter, getting rid of dust and adding some shine – that’s why spring cleaning is such an intuitive activity for so many Americans," said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President of Communications. "We clean things that might not otherwise get cleaned all year long, and we feel happy and satisfied with the results."
To view more of the ACI Cleaning Survey results, click here.
Find additional cleaning statistics and tips on ACI’s website and blog.
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The ACI Cleaning Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults, ages 18+, with an oversample of 500 Millennials, between March 7 and March 14, 2019, using an email invitation and an online survey. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points for the nationally representative sample.
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.