Survey Finds Americans’ Expectations of Cleanliness Have Changed

Even after receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, many Americans will continue to follow safety guidelines and prioritize facilities that are committed to cleanliness. A recent survey from Stratus Building Solutions found 88% of Americans plan to remain “extra cautious” of potential germs even after they become fully vaccinated.

The survey asked 521 employed Americans, aged 25 to 54, a series of questions about cleaning, disinfecting, vaccination, and workplaces. The main takeaway was most respondents plan to remain “clean freaks” for the unforeseeable future.

A majority said they will be extra cautious of germs at restaurants (80%) and stores (81%). The next areas eliciting caution include airports and transportation hubs with 77% or respondents reporting they will be cautious in those areas, followed by gas stations and workplaces (74%), hotels (72%) , gyms (71%), schools (64%), friends’ homes (62%) and their own homes (56%).

Other results of the survey include:

• Most (8 out of 10) respondents are concerned about COVID-19 variants or another serious virus surfacing again sometime in the future
• 94% said even when most people are vaccinated, they expect businesses to place a special emphasis on cleaning and sanitizing
• 93% said they expect workplaces to be confident about cleaning and sanitizing when they return to work
• 75% reported that even when vaccinated they would consider asking to work from home if they felt their workplace was not taking disinfection seriously
• 66% expect their workplace to be cleaned every day
• 94% said cleaning and disinfecting should be a standard and a priority for businesses moving forward regardless of current events or flu season
• 88% said they find themselves evaluating the cleanliness of businesses they frequent
• 81% said they would be in favor of a “COVID-19 safety inspection” involving health officials inspecting businesses and schools for hygiene and giving stamps of approval
• 86% said they would like to see proof that a workplace, business, restaurant, gym, or school is cleaned and sanitized regularly.