How the Other Half Cleans: SC Johnson Survey Finds Majority of Brits Re-cleaning After Their Partners

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23 Nov, 2020, 08:00 GMT

· Survey finds 43% of adults in the UK are frustrated with how their partner cleans their home, resulting in re-stacking the dishwasher or vacuuming a second time over

· 60% re-clean the home in secret, waiting until their partner has left the house

· Top chores re-done include wiping down kitchen surfaces, cleaning the sink and scrubbing the toilet

RACINE, Wis., Nov. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SC Johnson, one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products such as Mr Muscle^® and Duck® today published survey results about how Brits share the workload in home cleaning. The survey, which polled 2,000 adults in the UK, found more than half (57%) of the nation is re-cleaning their homes after their partners – as they deem their efforts below par.

More than a third (43%) said they are frustrated with the quality of how others clean around their home, resulting in them re-stacking dishwashers or vacuuming a second time over. Six in 10 (60%) said they were re-cleaning in secret – waiting until their housemate or partner had left before tackling chores.

The research, conducted by OnePoll in November, found the average person spends nearly two and a half hours every month following up someone else's cleaning efforts to get them 'up to standard'.

A spokesperson for SC Johnson said, "With more families spending time at home, it's interesting to see how home cleaning dynamics are changing both in terms of who cleans and how much time they spend on it."

"We don't believe anyone should do more cleaning than they have to, and people should use the right products for the right job. It's one of those things where you are either the person who re-cleans or the person who did a bad job in the first place – and it seems it be pretty much split down the middle for the nation."

The main reason Brits said they are re-cleaning is that jobs are not done properly (48%), they dislike germs (22%), and for control (15%). Nearly one-third (27%) said they find themselves cleaning more because they are home with their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study also found 72 percent aren't shy about the fact they are having to go around the house re-doing household tasks, making the other person well aware of the times they've done a bad job.

Wiping down kitchen work surfaces, cleaning the sink and scrubbing the toilet emerged among the top five tasks the nation is re-doing.

A spokesperson for SC Johnson added: "It's clear Brits enjoy having a clean home, and understandable why people are going out of their way to do so. But families deserve a clean home that doesn't take re-doing, or extra hours!"

"Products like Mr Muscle® and Duck® can help cleaning be more effective, first time around. Maybe the problem isn't who's cleaning, but what they are cleaning with."

The top 20 cleaning tasks Brits find themselves "re-doing" includes:

Cleaning the kitchen counters
Washing the dishes
Vacuuming
Cleaning the sink
Cleaning the toilet
Disinfecting surfaces
Mopping the floors
Loading the dish washer
Making the bed
Putting away the food shopping
Wiping down the shower
Doing the recycling
Putting away the clean washing
Putting away clean crockery
Folding the clean washing
Cleaning the fridge
Cleaning the windows
Emptying the bins
Dusting surfaces
Cleaning the mirrors

The survey follows Project 50/50, a campaign Mr Muscle^® launched last year to help UK couples share the load in home cleaning. SC Johnson's leading home cleaning brands Mr Muscle^® and Duck^® are designed for deep cleaning, killing surface germs and bacteria. For more information about SC Johnson, home cleaning products and tips, visit https://www.scjohnson.com/en-gb.

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE^®, KIWI®, OFF!^®, PLEDGE^®, RAID^®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES^®, SHOUT^®, WINDEX^® and ZIPLOC^® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON^®, BRISE^®, KABIKILLER^®, KLEAR^®, MR MUSCLE^® and RIDSECT^®. The 134-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com