ADDING MULTIMEDIA Yes, Your Holiday Guests DO Judge How Clean Your House Is

• Three in Four Americans Critique the Tidiness of Holiday Gatherings, Says American Cleaning Institute (ACI) Survey
• ACI provides resources to help ensure proper cleaning and hand hygiene this holiday season

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--That extra bit of tidying up before you welcome holiday guests will be worth it. A new survey released by the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) finds that 74% of Americans judge the hosts of holiday gatherings on the cleanliness and tidiness of their homes – at least a little bit.

(Twenty-two percent say they judge others’ cleanliness “a lot”; 52% say they judge “a little.”)

Nearly half of the respondents to the survey – conducted by Ipsos on behalf of ACI – typically spend between three or more hours cleaning before holiday guests arrive. That’s not surprising, given that 48% of those hosting holiday events are either very or somewhat concerned about their guests’ opinions of the cleanliness of their home.

Amid cold and flu season, an increase in travel and gatherings, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic including the emergence of the new Omicron variant, this data comes at a time when health and safety are still top of mind for many. In fact, another survey shows that concern for the health and safety of themselves and others is the number one reason Americans are avoiding travel this holiday season (Deloitte).

“Sure, everyone wants their home to be clean and tidy. But the most important reason to focus on hygiene and cleanliness is the health and safety of your family and guests,” said Melissa Hockstad, ACI President and CEO. “Proper cleaning and disinfecting play a crucial role in preventing the spread of germs, especially as friends and family gather for the holidays. Smart, targeted hygiene practices demonstrate that cleaning is indeed caring.”

ACI’s latest cleaning survey reveals 89% of Americans say they’ll frequently wash their hands with soap and water while gathering with friends and family during the holidays, while 79% will use a hand sanitizer and 69% say they’ll disinfect frequently touched surfaces during that time.

ACI offers a wide variety of cleaning and hygiene resources for the holiday season, including:

• A Holiday Cleaning Checklist that outlines a cleaning plan for rooms throughout the home
• Preparing to Entertain tips covering everything from cleaning bakeware and cookware to preparing fine silver and special occasion pieces
• Holiday Illness Prevention resources to ensure a clean and healthy holiday season
• Cleaning Up After the Holidays recommendations to get the whole family involved in tackling post-holiday cleaning tasks

This holiday season, show caring through cleaning. Visit www.cleaninstitute.org/cleaningiscaring for more information.

For more holiday related insights and cleaning survey statistics, click here.

The American Cleaning Institute^® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry^® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.

These are the findings from an Ipsos poll conducted November 22-23, 2021, on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute. For the survey, a sample of 1,006 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for all respondents.