New survey highlights 'cleaning confessions' of Americans

SKOKIE, Ill. — Americans have a cleaning obsession, according to a new survey commissioned by CLR. One-third of Americans say that they're obsessed with cleaning, with the average American spending nearly five hours a week cleaning. Mothers with children under eight years old spend an average of nine hours a week using elbow grease. Fifty-two percent say that cleaning is therapeutic to them.



The "CLR Cleaning Confessions" survey was conducted by TNS to examine cleaning habits and pet peeves of adutls as well as how cleanliness affects their behavior. Other survey highlight include:

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  Thirty-three percent of Americans have gone out of their way to avoid visiting a friend or family member's home because it's too dirty;


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  Thirty-five percent readily admit that their bathroom is the dirtiest room in the home; 19% only clean their bathrooms once a month; and


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  Triggers that motivate Americans to start scrubbing include: feeling sticky, dirty surfaces (64%), seeing stains or residue n surfaces (62%), smelling unpleasant odors (52%) and seeing mold or mildew on surfaces (39%).

The survey also shined a light on cleanliness outside the confines of the home: half of Americans flush the toilet with their feet; 42% use a paper towel to open public doors and more than one-quarter wipe down silverware at restaurants and surfaces in hotel rooms.