Cleaning has always felt like something that everybody does. After all, people mainly do it to make their homes more comfortable and safe to live in—less dust and germs. But, have you also wondered if everybody does it the way you do? To satiate your curiosity, here are 10 household cleaning stats that will either comfort you or will make you ask yourself, Am I cleaning enough?
10 Eye Opening House Cleaning Stats
1. Australians mildly ‘dislike’ Cleaning
Before all other stats, let’s start with the question: Is Cleaning likable?
On an eleven-point scale determining how people feel about cleaning, Australians did not shy away from showing that they mildly dislike it with an average rating of 5.6.
Furthermore, 79% of Australians clean their homes at least once a week for an average of 1.9 hours only.
2. Women shoulder the house cleaning
Well, this might not be much of a shock in a society that has traditionally associated women with domestic activities. But, with the current movements for women empowerment, one might think that house chores will now be equally done by both sexes.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. In Australia, it was found that women still spend six times as long as men washing clothes and more than three times as long on house cleaning.
Guys, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
3. Cleaning services is a growing market
In 2021, household cleaners in Australia earned a total revenue of about $307 million, granting the industry an expected annual growth of 2.58%.
As for businesses, a total of 35 248 cleaning companies are currently registered in Australia, providing employment to 157 500 employees and earning a total of $12 billion.
These numbers are still predicted to grow as the country attempts to recover from the effects of the COVID19 pandemic. With this growing market, your professional cleaning needs will not be left unattended.
4. Cleaning products
An average Australian household has 6 to 7 cleaning products. These include disinfectants, detergents, sponges, and many more.
5. Cleaning is calorie-burning
For a 150 lb person, cleaning or doing housework can burn 100-300 calories/hour, which still depends on the type of activity. For instance, mopping can help you lose 42 calories while sweeping or vacuuming can burn 37 calories.
Now that we’ve tackled a few statistics about the who, when, why, and hows of Cleaning, in the succeeding points, we’ll discuss the stats that will make you want to change your cleaning game.
6. Keyboards are dirtier than toilet seats
According to a study in the US, computer keyboards can contain 400 times more bacteria than your toilet seats. These bacteria even include the methicillin-resistant bacteria staphylococcus aureus, which can stay on your keyboards for as long as 24 hours.
Most of these have probably come from unwashed hands, especially when that keyboard is a shared property. So the next time you clean the house, don’t forget to wipe and disinfect your keyboard.
7. Germs breed even in refrigerators
People often think that germs only grow in warm areas. That makes sense since most bacteria thrive within the temperature range of 40°F to 140°F, which is also called the danger zone. Consequently, most homeowners neglect their refrigerators every time they clean the house.
But, according to a 2013 NSF International Household Germ Study, germs also love to breed in dark, moist environments like our trusted refrigerators. The refrigerator meat compartment was even among the 36% of the items that tested positive for e. coli—a gram-negative bacteria that often cause diarrhea, urinary tract infection, and pneumonia.
Given this, it is high time that you give your refrigerator the Cleaning it deserves.
8. Your toothbrush holders are not safe
Damp.Tartar-filled.Dim
These conditions of your toothbrush holder are well-loved by germs lurking in your home. With a record of 2,465,876 microorganisms per 10 sq. cm, it is considered the most germ-infested item in the bathroom.
9. The bathroom is not the dirtiest place
Since we clean ourselves in the bathroom, people often think that it’s the dirtiest place. But, a 2011 NSF study found that it’s the kitchen that actually contained the most germs. The following are the top 3 kitchen items identified to have the most coliforms:
1. Dish sponge/rag: 77%
2. Kitchen sink: 45%
3. Countertop: 32%
10. You sleep with mites!
Unlike other allergens, dust mites cling on surfaces, and one of their favourite surfaces is your bed. 100,000-10 million dust mites found their permanent residence on your supposedly safe bed. In fact, about 4 out of 5 households have a significant level of mites in their beds.
Although mites are not parasitic, their microscopic size and the allergens they create from their fecal pellets is still harmful since they can trigger asthma attacks and other respiratory troubles.
Were you disturbed or comforted by these stats? Your answer to that question will determine if you really need to rethink your cleaning strategies.
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