Sixty percent of Americans agree that springtime is the best time to rid their homes of dirt and clutter, according to the 2006 Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) Spring Cleaning Survey. More than one-third (37%) of respondents, however, prefer to conduct their major cleaning projects at other times throughout the year.

 

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"For most Americans, spring is a great time to clean and freshen up their home," said Brian Sansoni, SDA Vice President of Communication. "They are getting rid of a winter’s worth of dust, dirt and grime. Of course, people also appreciate that there are significant physical and emotional benefits to keeping a clean house all year long."

The Spring Cleaning Survey, conducted by International Communications Research (ICR) for SDA, revealed the top benefits consumers realize from frequent house cleaning:

• 98% feel good about themselves when their home is clean.
• 97% believe their families appreciate a clean home.
• 97% say their furnishings will last longer if they are cleaned regularly.
• 94% understand that cleaning can help reduce incidences of illness, allergies and asthma.
• 89% say their clothes will last longer if they are clean.

Innovations for All Types

More women than men claim to be creative and advanced shoppers, and younger shoppers (ages 18-34) are more likely to say they are experimental shoppers. But for all of these categories of shoppers, cleaning products keep coming in more shapes, sizes and formulations. More recent trends include:

• A wider variety of high efficiency (HE) laundry detergents to meet the needs of the growing number of consumers who are purchasing HE washing machines.
• Concentrated laundry detergents that have added cleaning power, and they soften as well as have sophisticated, even cultural scents.
• An expanding shelf of specialized wipes for cleaning the most popular surfaces in the house.
• Soaps and other cleaning products that stimulate the senses, offering the look, feel and scent of a luxury product.

Finally, 91 percent of those surveyed agreed that cleaning products are more convenient than ever, and 80 percent agreed that cleaning products have evolved to better fit their lifestyles. When asked to describe their cleaning patterns, more than half (54%) of the respondents report that they prefer to clean on a daily or weekly basis. Nineteen percent of the respondents said they do not clean on a regular schedule, but when they do so, it is very thorough. Eighteen percent said they find they always have a lot of clutter around the house.

"Today’s range of cleaning product choices really allows people to use products that fit their personal cleaning routines and styles," said Sansoni. "Innovations in cleaning products are advancing constantly. It’s a hallmark of our industry."

www.cleaning101.com

SDA offers useful spring cleaning tips on surface cleaning, disinfecting, laundry and fabric care, dishwashing and proper home and workplace hygiene, at www.cleaning101.com.

SDA reminds consumers that the easiest way to get the most value out of their cleaning products is to read the product label directions. You want to make sure you’re using them effectively, properly and most importantly, safely.

 

About the 2006 Survey: ICR questioned 1,009 American male and female heads of household regarding their house cleaning attitudes. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent. 

 

About SDA

The Soap and Detergent Association (www.cleaning101.com), the U.S. Home of the Cleaning Products Industry^SM, is the non-profit trade association representing manufacturers of household, industrial, and institutional cleaning products; their ingredients; and finished packaging; and oleochemical producers. SDA members produce more than 90 percent of the cleaning products marketed in the U.S. The SDA is located at 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005.