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American Cleaning Institute Reveals American Cleaning Habits

Written on: April 6, 2018 by SprayTM

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) released its 2018 National Cleaning Survey, revealing that spring cleaning season is in full swing in the U.S. Seventy-six percent of households will take part in the ritual of spring cleaning their homes this year. Millennials (38%) reported deep cleaning their homes more often than both Boomers (13%) and Gen Xers (28%), who more frequently perform light cleanings.

“ACI’s Cleaning Survey tells us that Millennials are embracing the need to give their homes a thorough cleaning, even more than their parents,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI Vice President of Communication. “However, each generation’s cleaning priorities are aligned when it gets down to the nitty gritty.”

According to the research, Americans of every age most frequently deep clean their bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. Their collective primary reasons for spring cleaning are to give their home and belongings the thorough cleaning they need, reduce clutter, remove asthma or allergy triggers, and prevent the spread of illness.

A Deeper Dive into the Data:

  • 91 percent of Americans and 96 percent of Millennials engage in spring cleaning at least every few years, with 76 percent of the population participating in 2018.
  • 60 percent say their primary reason for spring cleaning is to give their house the thorough cleaning it needs.
  • Among nationally representative adults, Millennials (41%) and parents (34%) are the cohorts that deep clean most frequently. For Millennial parents, that percentage increases to 42%.
  • Rooms deep cleaned most often: Bathrooms (46%), Kitchens (36%), Living Rooms (10%), and Bedrooms (7%)

Regardless of your age or time of year, cleaning homes safely is important, according to Nancy Bock, ACI Senior Vice President of Education.

“Step one:  Read the label and use products for their intended purpose. Step two: Close the container when not in use. Step three: When you are finished using the product, store all cleaning products up and away from children,” said Bock.

To make your cleaning chores easier, Bock shares some simple tips for keeping the most commonly trafficked rooms clean every day so seasonal deep cleans are a breeze.

Nancy’s Easy Breezy Bathroom Tips

  • Keep a sponge handy that is dedicated to bathroom chores for wiping down tub and shower walls. This will help keep hard-to-remove soap film and hard water deposits from forming. Rinse after use.
  • Keep your shower doors and curtains open after you bathe. To prevent mold and mildew, let them air dry, and if mildew does appear, use liquid household bleach or cleaners with bleach to remove it.
  • Right after showering, use a daily shower cleaner while the walls are wet – no rinsing, wiping or scrubbing is necessary to keep surfaces free of soap scum and hard water deposits.

Tips for Keeping the Kitchen Ready for New Recipes

  • Clean as you cook and wipe up all spills. Different surfaces will require different tools.
  • Clean microwave spills soon after they happen so they are easier to remove. It’s a snap to wipe them up before they harden.
  • Use paper towels to clean up juices from meats and poultry on kitchen surfaces when they happen and discard immediately. Use a disinfecting cleaner or wipe as directed to take care of any harmful germs left on the surface.

Living Well in the Living Room

  • To take care of “dust”-ups, rely on easy to use mopping tools and dusters for a quick clean.
  • Spray glass cleaners on a cloth instead of directly on a mirror or picture glass to keep the cleaner away from the frame and prevent it from seeping onto a picture.
  • Vacuum upholstery regularly to remove small soil and food particles that work into the fabric and cause premature wear.

Avoiding Bedroom Build-Up

  • For your health and to keep dust (and pet hair) from building up, wash your sheets weekly.
  • Wipe blinds with a clean damp cloth once a week. It only takes a few seconds, and you’ll be surprised how good you feel once it’s done! If you have time, dust a little of your wood furniture each week at the same time.
  • Keep closet doors closed to keep out dust. It never hurts to run a quick vacuum once a month as well.

Find additional cleaning tips and ideas year-round on ACI’s cleaning blog, Clean and Happy Nest, at cleanandhappynest.org. To view more of ACI Cleaning Survey results, visit https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/news/2018_aci_national_cleaning_survey_results.aspx.