Parents the Most Likely Adults to Clean More During Flu Season

Cleaning staff at all facilities have put extra effort into cleaning and disinfecting during the last 18 months to help protect building inhabitants from COVID-19. And, of course, extra cleaning during flu season is always a good idea.

Schools and other facilities that house children realize parents have high expectations of school cleanliness. The 2021 Fall Cleaning Survey from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) confirmed the high value parents place on cleanliness, with 52% of surveyed parents confirming they will clean and disinfect more during the 2021-2022 flu season, compared to 40% of all survey respondents.

The ACI survey interviewed 1,004 adults from across the U.S. on September 7-8. It found 86% of surveyed adults will either increase their cleaning and hygiene habits or maintain the cleaning and hygiene routines they adapted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. According to the survey:

• 93% of survey respondents say they will continue to frequent wash their hands with soap and water over the next six months
• 83% will continue using hand sanitizer frequently
• 83% will continue disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
• 75% will continue wearing a mask

When asked specifically about their cleaning routines, findings among all respondents revealed:

• 40% will clean more
• 46% plan to continue the routine they set up since the pandemic started
• 14% will maintain their pre-pandemic cleaning routine.

Findings among the respondents with children revealed:

• 52% will clean more
• 36% plan to continue the routine they set up since the pandemic started
• 11% will maintain their pre-pandemic cleaning routine.

Findings among the respondents without children revealed:

• 36% will clean more
• 49% plan to continue the routine they set up since the pandemic started
• 15% will maintain their pre-pandemic cleaning routine

When asked who is responsible for most of the household cleaning:

• 82% of women responded they were
• 54% of men responded they were.