Americans Reveal How Many Hours They Spend Cleaning Their Homes Every Week

A recent Talker Research survey, commissioned by BISSELL, looked at the cleaning habits and challenges of 2,000 Americans, and revealed that a quarter of them, 24 percent, said keeping a tidy house is harder than their fulltime job.

The survey, which was conducted between December 10 and 13, found that 36 percent of respondents spend one to two hours per week cleaning, while 33 percent dedicate three to four hours. Five percent of respondents said they dedicate a significant amount of time every week, nine hours or more, to get their cleaning done.

It also revealed that on average, people spend an hour tidying up their home when they are having guests over.

Meanwhile, 41 percent of them said they worry guests will notice grimy nooks and crannies while they're visiting, and 48 percent admitted that that they don't notice how dirty their home is until they have guests over.

Over half, 57 percent, said that they are embarrassed when visitors come over and their home is less clean than they'd like. Most of the respondents, 80 percent, said they want to impress their visitors with how tidy their house is.

The survey looked at a number of other habits when it came to cleaning and household chores. When asked if they would forgo buying new clothes for a year in exchange for a squeaky-clean home without any dust or grime, 29 percent said yes.

Over a third, 34 percent, admitted that their social schedules revolve around their cleaning schedules.

The results of the survey also revealed which areas of people's homes tend to be the most over-looked when it comes to cleaning. Twenty-nine percent of respondents said that their window blinds are the least-cleaned features of their home, while 27 percent said it was the baseboards, 23 percent said it was their fans, and 24 percent said it was their windowsills.

"The best cleaning session is fast, satisfying and effective. If you haven't perfected your cleaning routine already, start fresh in 2025 with tools that make the job a breeze," Vana Kokkinos, brand manager of steam cleaning at BISSELL, said in a statement. "To help with this, look for cleaning brands and products that prioritize your time and health as much as you do, are environmentally friendly and can quickly eliminate germs and bacteria."

When it comes to parents, the choice of cleaning product is important. Neary a fifth, 19 percent, of parents surveyed said that they already used all-natural cleaning products prior to having kids and another 38 percent said they began to do so after becoming parents.

Overall, 83 percent of parents said the health of their children is a major consideration. Other factors that people consider when it comes to cleaning products, the survey found, are efficacy, ability to kill germs and bacteria, versatility, and environmental impact.

"The survey results demonstrate the motivations for keeping a clean house go beyond just peace of mind. According to the study, health and wellness along with social perceptions and community building are also top of mind when tidying up," Kokkinos said. "There are ways to make sure cultivating a healthy, clean home isn't so daunting, and having the right tools can really make the difference when tackling some of the toughest messes."

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