While women continue to shoulder the primary responsibility for household chores, evolving attitudes toward cleanliness and shared domestic roles are opening new opportunities in the household care category.
As value sensitivity rises, especially amid inflation and rising debt, brands must strike a balance between affordability and aspiration. Fragrance remains the leading emotional driver in the category, offering a strong anchor for differentiation and storytelling. Meanwhile, convenience-led innovations, such as time-saving formats and multifunctional products, can elevate perceived value, appealing to younger consumers and men.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Responsibility for household chores
- Purchase of cleaning, fabric care and household care products in general
- Attitudes toward household cleaning and fabric care
- Interest and willingness to invest in innovations
While women continue to shoulder the primary responsibility for household chores, evolving attitudes toward cleanliness and shared domestic roles are opening new opportunities in the household care category.
A Mintel Analyst, Global Analyst
Market Definitions
This Report analyzes Brazilian consumers’ attitudes and behaviors toward household care habits, identifying challenges and opportunities for the household care category. It covers the following segments:
- bleach/sanitary water (eg Candida, Qboa)
- liquid dishwashing
- powdered soap (not for laundry but for house cleaning, eg washing the floor)
- hard surface disinfectant (eg Pinho Sol, Sanol)
- multipurpose cleaner (eg Veja Multiuso)
- alcohol (eg gel, liquid)
- scented cleaner (eg Casa & Perfume, Veja Perfumes)
- degreaser (eg Mr. Músculo Cozinha)
- bar soap for dishwashing (eg Ypê, Minuano)
- insect repellent (ie aerosol or plug-in, eg Raid, SBP)
- window/glass cleaner (eg Urca Limpa-Vidros, Vidrex)
- furniture polish (eg Poliflor, Peroba)
- limescale remover (eg Mr. Músculo Banheiro, Clorox)
- detergent for dishwasher (ie liquid, powder, eg Finish)
- rinse aid for dishwasher (eg Finish)
- aircare (eg air fresheners, candles)
- floor polish (eg Brilho Fácil)
- fabric softener
- laundry detergent (eg powder, liquid)
- bleach (ie liquid, powder, eg Vanish, Omo)
- laundry bar soap (eg coconut bar soap)
- ironing water (eg Downy, Comfort)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What consumers want and why
- Opportunities
- Challenges
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THE CONSUMER
- Household and laundry chores and product purchase responsibility
- Household responsibilities remain disproportionately carried by women
- Graph 1: household chores responsibility per SEL, 2025
- Women are less likely to feel relaxed at home as they see it as a place to do chores
- Women still hold the mental load of homecare purchases
- The heavy load of chores is impacting women’s mental health
- Create safe spaces online for women to share and connect
- Younger Brazilians are redefining home life
- Graph 2: household chores responsibility per generation, 2025
- Brands can run educational campaigns to highlight the importance of an equal division of household chores
- Household care products purchased
- A multipurpose mindset dominates Brazilian homecare
- A multipurpose “cocktailing” mindset dominates Brazilian homecare
- Graph 3: household care products purchased in last 12 months, 2025
- Affordability remains a barrier to household care
- Graph 4: household care products purchased, per SEL, 2025
- Balance perceived value with accessibility
- Hosting can help drive the shift to specialized cleaning products
- Graph 5: household products purchase, per goal, 2025
- Hosting bundles can drive cross-sales to specialized household products
- Laundry products purchase
- Sensorial care leads the laundry routine
- Graph 6: laundry products purchased, 2025
- The opportunity to personalize laundry care
- Laundry consumers are cost-conscious and looking for a good value
- The laundry restock trend can break commoditization
- Brands need to compete on experience and emotional value
- Attributes of homecare products
- Consumers are driven by scent and product benefits when cleaning their home
- What drives homecare product choice?
- Value remains a key underlying driver
- Unlocking sensorial opportunities
- Finer fragrances in the household cleaner category
- Hygiene and fragrance go hand in hand in the Northeast
- Graph 7: household and laundry products attributes importance, per region, 2025
- Pair disinfection with other desirable attributes
- Men lean on brand trust as a shortcut to quality
- Graph 8: household and laundry products attributes importance – brand, per gender, 2025
- Millennials seek efficiency to fuel their ambitions
- Graph 9: household and laundry products attributes importance – convenience, per generation, 2025
- Optimising performance will help consumers save time
- Cleaning attitudes and behaviors
- Brazilians are proactive when cleaning their homes
- How Brazilians clean, choose and care
- Cleaning as self-care and wellness
- Boost wellness claims with multifaceted products
- Younger generations: digital learners and cleaning creators
- Graph 10: cleaning attitudes and behaviors, per age group, 2025
- Leverage social media’s reach for cleaning lessons
- From product to partner: how brands can tap into CleanTok
- …and educate consumers on drawbacks of DIY cleaning solutions
- Versatility: what C SEL and Southeast consumers want
- Smart multipurpose: a trade up opportunity
- Men embrace minimalist cleaning routines
- Graph 11: cleaning attitudes and behaviors, per gender, 2025
- Brands can enhance minimalist routines
- Cleaning wipes remain an opportunity in Brazil
- Laundry attitudes and behaviors
- Brazilian consumers demonstrate a strong focus on practicality and cost efficiency
- Cost-conscious and efficiency-driven laundry routines
- Pet owners are more attentive to washing machine hygiene
- Fabric care and pets: an untapped opportunity in Brazil
- Celebrate the messiness of pets
- Forge partnerships with innovative appliance brands
- Cold water as a cost-conscious choice…
- Fewer steps, greater value: reinforcing detergent efficacy
- Simplify the laundry process to enhance cost-effectiveness
- Focus on active ingredient content in the evaluation of cost-effectiveness
- For older women, easy care means mental relief
- Graph 12: laundry attitudes and behaviors, per age and gender group, 2025
- More than just clothes: the emotion value of everyday wear
- Easing the pressure of laundry perfection
- Explore new partnerships to boost brand and product awareness
- Specialist formulations for Gen Z
- Turning new parents into long-term liquid users
- Graph 13: laundry attitudes and behaviors, per children in household age, 2025
- Opportunities exist to create detergents designed for intimate wear and delicates
- Younger generations and new smart living complexes
- Graph 14: laundry attitudes and behaviors, per generation, 2025
- Antibacterial and deodorising properties for indoor drying
- Interest in innovations
- Fragrance as a growth catalyst: a sensory opportunity for homecare brands
- Graph 15: interest in innovation – fragrance, 2025
- Laundry becoming heavily influenced by BPC products
- Fast loads for flexible routines: an opportunity with the work-from-home consumer
- No matter the time or temperature, Vanish Oxi Action works
- Innovating for routines, not just tasks
- From clean to care: high interest in fabric innovations that extend freshness
- Graph 16: interest in innovation – fabric care, 2025
- UV protection will be a new demand to protect fabrics from colour fading
- Tallow + Ash brings a beauty influence to laundry care
- Extend the life of beloved garments
- Antipollution will become a new demand for fabric care
- Essential oil in homecare: all-in-one fragrance, antibacterial and cleaning
- Probiotics technology can help to tackle odor neutralization at cause
- Solo living, smart solutions
- Graph 17: interest in innovation – waterless format/formula (eg tablet, foam), 2025
- Playful designs for clean, smart and cool
- Small formats, big convenience
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COMPANIES, BRANDS AND INNOVATION
- Companies and brands
- Reckitt sharpens focus with global portfolio restructuring
- Ypê expands Pernambuco operations with R$670 million investment
- Launches and innovations
- Comfort launches fragrance for clothes
- New Glade home fragrance: sophistication and wellbeing for your home
- Marketing
- OMO new marketing campaign featuring football star Vini Jr.
- Parque das Manchas: Vanish’s bold challenge to stains
- Cif “cleans up” the conversation in podcasts
- Ypê launches AI-powered virtual assistant on TikTok
-
THE MARKET
- Inflation and consumer debt remain a challenge to the sector
- Global macroeconomic factors pressure the household care market
- Brazil’s household care market shows signs of recovery and resilience
- The hidden cost of women’s unpaid labor
-
APPENDIX
- Domestic work, stress and the gender divide
- Definitions
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
- Generations
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