The Nation's Least-Favorite Cleaning Task is as Annoying as a Scam Caller, According to New Survey

CLR Cleaning Brand Gets The Dirt on Pandemic Cleaning Habits

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Sep 22, 2020, 08:00 ET

CHICAGO, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The frequency of cleaning our homes has increased for most Americans¹ over the past several months due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But not all cleaning tasks are created equal – according to a new survey commissioned by the makers of the home cleaning brand CLR® (now pronounced "clear"). The survey finds, 88 percent of American adults have a least-favorite cleaning task, or so coined, "mess nemesis." When asked to liken their least-favorite cleaning task to a person, 33 percent of Americans with a least-favorite cleaning task said it's like a scam caller. When asked to choose between activities, almost half (43%) would rather go to the dentist than handle their least-favorite cleaning task.

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"Many cleaning tasks, and often the most unpleasant ones like a spill or stain, come up when you are busy doing something else, much like when your phone rings with a scam call," said Alison Gutterman, CEO and President of Jelmar. "The hard-working, efficient home cleaning products from the CLR brand make solving for those messes simpler and quicker so consumers can get back to doing things they enjoy."

CLR's cleaning survey reveals Americans' opinions and habits pertaining to their least-favorite cleaning tasks and messes, and how their general cleaning habits during the COVID-19 pandemic have changed.

Key Survey Findings:

Ghosting the Grime
Sixty-one percent of Americans with a least-favorite cleaning task have dodged their least-favorite cleaning task in one way or another, some leaving the task to a family member or housemate, or even to a completely different homeowner.

Four percent have dodged their least-favorite cleaning task by moving to a new home.
Twenty-five percent have ignored it. Even 1% say they absolutely never do their least-favorite cleaning task, while 18 percent say they delegate to a family member or housemate to handle the task.

Would you Rather
Americans with a least-favorite cleaning task admit to preferring sometimes painful or time-consuming tasks over handling their least-favorite cleaning task.

Forty-three percent would rather go to the dentist than do their least-favorite cleaning task.
Forty-one percent would rather wait at the DMV than do their least-favorite cleaning task.

COVID-19 Cleaning
¹Sixty percent of American adults have found themselves cleaning their homes more frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these Americans are, understandably, split on their level of cleaning productivity during this time.

Fifty-three percent of Americans have tackled a cleaning task they've been avoiding for years during the pandemic.
Forty-two percent of Americans have avoided at least one cleaning task during the pandemic.

As the world is spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having a pleasant and clean environment to relax in is more important than ever. The most abhorrent tasks do not have to be so daunting. While the CLR brand agrees people should go ahead and continue to ignore scam calls, CLR products can step in to help fight the worst gunk and grime throughout the home to bring a cleared-up environment. Visit the CLRBrands.com website to find more about the stain fighting CLR® Stain-Free Carpet, Fabric & Floor Cleaner, the rust removing CLR® Calcium, Lime, & Rust Remover, the grease fighting CLR® Clean & Ready Grill cleaner and more.

About Jelmar, LLC:
Jelmar is a leading manufacturer of a broad range of household cleaning products, including CLR® (pronounced "clear") and Tarn-X® brands of cleaners. With their powerful and effective formulas, these products are dedicated to getting the job done in virtually every area of the home for a cleared-up environment inside and out, from the kitchen and bathroom to the outdoor patio and garage. For more information, visit www.clrbrands.com. You can also follow us on social media at @CLRCleaners on Twitter, @CLRCleaners on Facebook and @clr_products on Instagram.

Methodology:
This Jelmar survey was conducted using the field services of ENGINE INSIGHTS CARAVAN. Results are based on a sample of 1,003 adults, including 885 respondents who identified as having a least favorite cleaning task. The online omnibus study is conducted among a demographically representative sample of U.S. adults 18 years of age and older. This survey was live on August 14-16, 2020. Completed interviews are weighted by five variables: age, sex, geographic region, race and education to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population, 18 years of age and older. For purposes of this survey, respondents were asked to think of cleaning tasks as any chore that involves removing dirt, grease, grime, stains, or build-up in rooms or around the house.

Contact:
Deneé Zumwalt
Ogilvy
[email protected]
424.289.5315

SOURCE Jelmar