Gen Z, millennials fall behind on keeping things clean

Forty-five percent of Gen Z and millennial Americans would feel embarrassed if someone saw the current state of their home.

A new survey of 2,000 Gen Z and millennials showed that 31% of respondents admitted to having a room in their home that hasn’t been cleaned in at least six months.

Alarmingly, many participants spend more time procrastinating cleaning — nearly three hours — than actually cleaning their homes, which averages just under two hours.

Conducted by Talker Research for Swiffer, the survey found that respondents expressed a strong dislike for cleaning certain surfaces.

Floors were one of top three least favorite surfaces to clean for a quarter of Americans, with 37% of these respondents putting it in the No. 1 spot.

Similarly, other dusty surfaces like ceiling fans (31%) and baseboards (28%) were also popular picks within the top three areas respondents dislike cleaning.

The survey also found that 36% of participants only clean their homes when expecting visitors, with Gen Z respondents more likely to share this sentiment (39% compared to 33% of millennials).

Notably, one in nine admitted that their home is not up to their usual standards.

Finding the time to clean poses a significant challenge, as the average respondent estimates that cleaning takes about two hours, with 24% claiming it takes even longer.

Over 70% would rather endure undesirable experiences — such as making small talk (19%), sitting in traffic (17%), or running into an ex-partner (9%) — than tackle cleaning their floors.

The survey also revealed that some have procrastinated so long that the longest time without cleaning is estimated at 23 days, with 25 days going by without sweeping or mopping.

“You might be surprised—some of the dirtiest spots in your home are hiding in plain sight, just waiting to be cleaned. These overlooked areas can harbor more dirt and grime than you think.” said Arianna Castro, Swiffer Scientist. “According to the results, 52% of Americans surveyed shared that they only clean their floors when dirt is visible, however, many are unaware that floors can still harbor dust, grime, and other debris even when they appear clean. In fact, microscopic particles like allergens and fine dust can settle deep into floor surfaces and crevices, escaping the naked eye. Daily cleaning helps remove these hidden contaminants, creating a healthier environment for everyone in the home.”

Despite the challenges, 45% of respondents reported that they clean their home daily, with 74% indicating that floor cleaning is a daily or weekly priority.

The kitchen (88%) and living area (85%) are the most frequently cleaned spaces, while closets often take a back seat at just 48% getting cleaned daily or weekly.

The survey also examined cleaning habits based on residential areas. Urban dwellers were found to clean most frequently (50% daily) and were more likely to consider their homes “very clean” (44%) compared to rural residents (27%).

However, those in rural areas spent the longest time cleaning, averaging two hours and 12 minutes, while suburban respondents procrastinated the longest (189 minutes).

For many Americans, a clean home brings more satisfaction than working out or enjoying a hot cup of coffee (20% for each activity).

Others find the satisfaction of a clean home surpasses checking off to-do lists (18%), finishing a book (17%) or taking a hot shower (15%).

Notably, seven in 10 respondents (69%) expressed a desire to clean more frequently if they had access to versatile cleaning products that cleaned in multiple ways.

“Daily cleaning can feel overwhelming, but using the right products makes the job easier by tackling dirt and grime that often go unnoticed.” said Castro. “This helps provide peace of mind, giving people time back in their daily lives to enjoy doing things they love.”

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Gen Z and millennials evenly split by living in urban, suburban and rural areas; the survey was commissioned by Swiffer and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between May 19 and May 26, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.