One in five parents would trade going on their yearly vacation to get out of spring cleaning.
A recent poll of 2,000 parent homeowners with kids under 17 found that, for many, spring isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.
In fact, 83% agreed that spring is the most difficult season to keep their homes clean.
So how do parents balance parenting and cleaning? More than half (54%) said they’ll give up spending quality time with their child because their home needs cleaning.
And 43% said their child has complained because they want to spend more time together while parents are busy cleaning.
Commissioned by Trane Residential for Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month in May, and conducted by Talker Research, the survey looked at how spring cleaning can lead to feelings of overwhelm and how it affects the parent/child relationship.
Along with that, the study also examined how those who suffer from asthma and allergies may struggle even more during the change in season when common spring cleaning to-dos aren’t prioritized.
According to the poll, 85% of parents find themselves reminding their child to be tidy, and of those, half are worried that their child may not think they’re a fun parent.
Which makes sense considering parents reported they remind their kids to close the front door three times per day, on average, and a quarter (24%) admitted their family is simply not clean or tidy in general.
Along with the usual spring concerns like tracking in mud and pollen into the home, the season poses a more serious problem for those with allergies and asthma.
The study found that more than nine in 10 respondents (94%) reported either they or their child suffers from allergies and/or asthma.
In light of this, spring cleaning isn’t just a cleanliness routine, it’s a health routine.
On average, those who have allergies or asthma, or have someone in their home who does, spend more time (45 minutes) cleaning their homes each day compared to those who don’t (36 minutes).
Which isn’t surprising considering the extreme lengths parents will go to reduce allergens in their homes.
These include vacuuming (65%) and dusting frequently (59%), keeping windows (31%) and doors (29%) closed at all times and showering (23%) and changing clothes (27%) first thing when arriving home.
Seventeen percent even said they won’t go outdoors for the most part during peak allergy season.
“Although most everyone looks forward to spring after a long winter, the season comes with so many struggles for those with allergies and asthma,” said Jennie Bergman, senior product manager, indoor air quality for Trane Residential. “Invisible enemies like dust and pollen can make the season miserable. It’s hard to keep up with tasks like dusting and vacuuming, so quick fixes like regularly changing your HVAC filter every 30-90 days, can help minimize asthma and allergy symptoms.”
The survey found that on average, respondents replace their HVAC filters once per year.
But of those with an allergy or asthma sufferer in the house, 47% said an old HVAC filter has contributed to asthma or allergy symptoms.
To help stay on top of little tasks, many respondents opted to set up automatic repurchasing for cleaning supplies (39%), paper goods (38%), vitamins (30%), food items (29%), toiletries (25%), and HVAC replacement filters (23%).
“Setting up automatic repurchasing for easy-to-forget things like air filters is a great idea for busy parents. Of the parents who have done so, 73% said it has allowed them to focus less on little, everyday tasks and more on things that are important to them,” said Bergman. “If you haven’t done so already this year, make sure you replace your HVAC filter — more frequently if you have asthma, allergies or pets — to ensure your indoor air quality is free of dust, pollen, and other allergens. It’s a simple thing to do, but makes all the difference for quality of life.”
POPULAR PRACTICES TO REDUCE ALLERGENS AT HOME
Vacuuming my home frequently — 65%
Dusting my home frequently — 59%
Keeping shoes and coats by the door to avoid bringing allergens further into the house — 41%
Keeping windows closed at all times — 31%
Keeping doors closed at all times — 29%
Changing clothes first thing when arriving home — 27%
Not owning a pet who might bring pollen or allergens into the home —25%
Not bringing flowers into the house — 25%
Showering first thing when arriving home — 23%
Not going outdoors at all, or for the most part, during peak allergy season — 17%
Only parking the car in the garage — 15%
Survey methodology:
This random double-opt-in survey of parent homeowners with kids under 17 was commissioned by Trane between Apr. 19 and Apr. 30, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
