Home Cleaning Culture of Americans

How do Americans clean their homes? What is the average American’s home cleaning culture?

That’s kind of a strange question to ask. It’s certainly not the everyday thought that crosses your mind. But although you know how you clean your own home, wouldn’t it be nice to learn how your friends, neighbors, and people around you clean their homes?

That information could help you see how you stack up against others. It could provide insights into things you are doing worse or better than others. Furthermore, as Nest Finders, a Jacksonville property management company, explains, if COVID-19 thought us anything, it’s that you want to be sure you are doing all you can to keep your household safe.

So how do Americans clean their homes? Find out the answers below.

Insights into the home cleaning culture of Americans

Americans have always had a love-hate relationship with cleaning their homes. On the one hand, most Americans think it is valuable to keep their house clean – 81% of Americans say this – but only 43% will take actual steps to clean it regularly.

75% of Americans, especially those 55 years and older, think cleaning is a hassle. However, they also feel that it has to be done. The coronavirus outbreak has further underlined the benefits of a clean home.

How often do Americans clean their homes and the best times for cleaning

Most Americans spend around eight hours every month cleaning their homes. But a small percentage – 13% – will regularly put in more than 16 hours every month to clean their house. The average person inherited their attitude towards housecleaning from their parents, and 78% of people still use the same cleaning methods they learned from their parents.

While most people clean their homes because they want to avoid germs and value an orderly home, a big part of why people do it is the satisfaction they get from a clean house.

Two in three people cite the sense of joy they experience after cleaning the house as a big motivation. Others say they cannot relax until their home is spotless.

The best time for most Americans to clean their home is on Saturday mornings. Conversely, the worst times for most people are Sunday nights and early Monday mornings. People also prefer to do certain cleaning activities during specific hours.

For instance, while vacuuming, mopping, or cleaning the toilet can be done any time, laundry, folding clothes, washing dishes, or scrubbing the cooking area is often reserved for the night.

Routine cleaning versus deep cleaning

One startling revelation about how Americans clean their homes is that most people do not know the difference between regular and deep cleaning. The average person reported that they deep clean their house five times a month. But upon further inquiry, the majority of people didn’t know what it means to deep clean a home.

They defined deep cleaning as scrubbing the windows, bathtub, and toilet. That is in contrast to what they viewed as regular cleaning activities such as mopping, wiping off a table, or washing dishes. But the facts showed that only 20% of Americans deep cleaned their homes; the rest were only doing activities they assumed as deep cleaning.

One in three persons will avoid deep cleaning activities. They don’t clean those parts of the home that are out of reach (ceilings and the higher levels or tops of kitchen cabinets); the hard-to-reach areas where bacteria, dander, and dust accumulate are usually left uncleaned. Most American homes are dirtier than they look due to the dirt in these hidden areas.

The dirtiest places in the home

About 38% of Americans view the bathroom as the dirtiest room in the house. That is because of the high probability of mold and mildew in this area. Bathrooms are also the room most likely to originate or harbor a terrible odor.

But despite their thinking, only a minority of people try to solve the problem by running the exhaust fan after showering.

Most people agree that they are likely to vacuum their homes one hour or less before visitors arrive. Nearly all of these people expressed shock at being informed that this was not the best thing to do.

The majority of the people spoken to did not know that vacuuming the home kicks up dust which might need up to two hours to settle.

A snippet of the home cleaning culture of Americans

Here is a brief overview of how the average person cleans their home. How do you score against them?

• 28% vacuum their homes once or twice a month.
• 40% replace bed sheets with clean ones every two weeks.
• 25% will not clean the fridge in six months.
• For 6 out of 10, there will always be dirty dishes in the sink.