Spring Cleaning
The 4 Surprising Spots You're (Probably) Forgetting to Spring Clean
According to a recent survey, spring cleaners have some unexpected blindspots.
If the recent change in seasons has you reaching for the bucket and mop, you're not alone.
Seventy-seven percent of households in the U.S. engage in the annual ritual of spring cleaning, according to a recent survey conducted by the the American Cleaning Institute, the D.C.-based trade organization for the cleaning products industry. (Apparently, 8 percent of people "never spring clean.")
The data, collected earlier this month, highlights some trends in our spring cleaning habits—like, that we’re apparently more ready to clean than ever. Seventy-seven percent is the highest percentage of spring cleaners ever reported on the annual poll, according to the ACI. The survey was conducted across 1,000 U.S. adults, with a heavy weight toward millennial respondents (500 of the 1,000).
But what does the data say about how well we actually clean?
Many respondents reported a lengthier cleaning regime, with 40 percent saying that it takes five or more days to get through all their sprucing up, averaging out to six days total. 76 percent of the surveyed individuals said they believe that they clean everything in their homes properly.
And yet, there are a few areas that seems to be a blind spot for many. Forty-one percent admitted they can’t remember the last time they cleaned their refrigerators. Forty-seven percent said that they couldn’t remember the last time they cleaned the oven, 23 percent said the same about their bed linens, and 20 percent said they had never cleaned their washing machines.
So where exactly is our attention? In a question that allowed multiple answers, 49 percent of respondents said that windows were a top priority. Next was "clothes, closets, or drawers" at 42 percent, then ceiling fans tied with "blinds/curtains", each at 36 percent.
I say we make 2019 the year we clean the fridge better:
- Unplug it
- Take everything out
- Clean the drawers with warm soap and water
- Spray the interior with a multi-surface spray and wipe
- Plug the fridge in and put everything back
- Aadd a small box of baking soda inside to absorb odors
Now if you need me, I'll be furiously dusting my wardrobe.
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Written by: Karen Lo
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