The demand for specialisation and convenience, along with enhanced health consciousness, is driving the value reconstruction of household cleaning products.
Zoey Song, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
This Report covers products in the following categories:
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel categorises household cleaning products in the Chinese market into four segments:
- Bleach/disinfectants with multiple usage occasions in the house, but excluding laundry disinfectants
- Kitchen cleaners, which are mainly used for removing grease in the kitchen, excluding dishwashing products
- Washroom cleaners, which mainly include toilet and toilet bowl cleaners and bathroom/tile cleaners
- Hard surface cleaners, which include window/glass cleaners, floor cleaners, disposable cleaning wipes (eg kitchen wipes, floor wipes), specialised household appliance cleaners (eg oven cleaners, fridge cleaners, washing machine cleaners, but not including dishwashing machine cleaners) and furniture care products (eg wood polish)
Drain cleaners with multiple usage occasions, which can be categorised into kitchen or toilet cleaners according to their usage occasions. Similarly, multi-purpose cleaners can be categorised into kitchen, toilet and hard surface cleaner segments according to their usage occasions.
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- Slow growth in the household cleaning market expected
- Graph 1: best- and worst-case forecast of value sales of household cleaning products, 2020-30
- The consumer
- What we think
-
The market
- Market size and forecast
- Slow growth in the household cleaning market expected
- Graph 2: best- and worst-case forecast of value sales of household cleaning products, 2020-30
- Bleach/disinfectants and hard surface cleaners secured growth
- Graph 3: household cleaning sub-category value sales, 2021-25 (est)
- Graph 4: household cleaning sub-category market growth rate, 2021-25
- Market factors
- Household cleaning categories demonstrate consumer resilience
- Graph 5: willingness to spend on household care products, 2022-25
- Mildness of ingredients are particularly important to Chinese consumers
- Graph 6: attitude towards household cleaning – “I’m interested in cleaning products with milder ingredients (a)”, 2025
- Multi-purpose cleaners have premiumisation potential
- Graph 7: homecare products that consumers are willing to trade up, 2025
- Household disinfection becomes normalised, with demand upgrading towards precision and professionalism
-
Companies and brands
- New product trends
- A surge in new bathroom cleaners, floor cleaners and multi-purpose cleaners
- Graph 8: household cleaning new products by sub-category, 2020-25
- Multi-purpose cleaners innovations are thriving, with a focus on naturalness, safety and broad applicability
- Household appliance cleaners: keep up with household appliance upgrades and usage scenarios, enhancing targeted effectiveness
- Antibacterial and odour neutralising claims rise in market share, with convenience leading the direction of innovation
- Graph 9: household cleaning new products by claims, 2020-25
- Optimise package design to provide convenient experiences
- Private labels make strides in household cleaning, highlighting their value-for-money advantage
- Cross-category influence from fragrances gives rise to stronger scent design in cleaning products
-
The consumer
- A boom across the range of refined cleaning products; safety and convenience are the next battleground
- The usage rate of traditional sub-categories remains stable, while multiple refined sub-categories are thriving
- Graph 10: household cleaning product usage rates, 2022-25
- Younger people want ‘one bottle to fix it all’; middle-aged people prefer ‘high specialisation in one area’
- Graph 11: multi-purpose cleaner usage rate, by age group, 2025
- Graph 12: specialised cleaner usage rate, by age group, 2025
- Packaging design has shifted from a bonus to a necessity, and the pursuit of safety and convenience will reshape the cleaning experience
- Graph 13: household cleaning product purchase factors, 2025
- ‘Natural formula’ and ‘mild on hands’ claims reassure consumers in household cleaning
- Graph 14: safety claims of interest, 2025
- Traditional kitchen and bathroom cleaning: achieve breakthrough in the growth by offering area-matching products with function combinations
- The kitchen sink is cleaned frequently, and the hob requires a more thorough cleaning solution
- Graph 15: kitchen cleaning frequency, 2025
- Graph 16: kitchen cleaning pain points, 2025
- Kitchen cleaning is evolving towards area-specific treatment and precisely matching different needs
- Graph 17: important cleaning product benefits, by region, 2025
- Most consumers regularly clean their bathrooms, with cleaning effectiveness and odour being the main pain points
- Graph 18: bathroom cleaning pain points, 2025
- Graph 19: bathroom cleaning frequency, 2025
- Deodorising and sterilisation are standard features for bathroom cleaning; build function combinations with unclogging and mould removal
- Graph 20: important cleaning product benefits, by region, 2025
- Hard surface cleaning advances towards refinement; ‘low-effort cleaning’ leads product upgrades
- Floor and pet areas are cleaned frequently
- Graph 21: other hard surface cleaning frequency, 2025
- Segment the household cleaning scenarios and offer specialised cleaners for precise marketing
- Graph 22: other hard surface cleaning pain points, 2025
- ‘Low-effort cleaning’ and disinfection/antibacterial needs drive functional upgrades in household cleaning products
- Graph 23: important cleaning product benefits, by region, 2025
-
Issues and Insights
- The need for ‘low-effort cleaning’ drives the entire cleaning process towards minimising hassle
- ‘Low-effort cleaning’ ushers in an era of convenience in the household cleaning category
- No-rinse feature and convenient packaging design reduce the hassle of the cleaning process
- Disposable products for sweat-free housework
- Beyond cleaning: preventative measures and subsequent simplification
- Texture innovation amplifies the cleaning effect and improves the usage experience
- Innovative textures enhance product performance, with the hope of ending product homogenisation
- Enhance the perception of effectiveness by using a thicker texture
- Traditional cleaning categories achieve upgrades in both effectiveness and usage experience through changes in texture
- Woven fabric innovations mark a new era in the cleaning power of wipes
- Not just cleaning agents, but integrated accessories for upgraded solutions
- As the demand for disinfection becomes increasingly refined, household cleaning is moving towards a health-focused direction
- Chinese consumers have a high awareness of hygiene and health protection
- Graph 24: household cleaning behaviour – “I clean surfaces more during cold/flu season”, 2025
- Focus on common viruses and bacteria and segment scenario-based disinfection solutions
- Explore natural ingredients and innovative formulations for peace of mind
- The next step in household cleaning is functional health upgrades
-
Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast
- Methodology
- Abbreviations
Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel
The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:
- Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
- Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
- Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
- Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.
What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?
Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.
The Four Pillars of Our Research
We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:
- Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
- Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
- Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
- Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.
Bringing It All Together
Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.
Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.
£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
-
Download today with instant access
Pay via credit card or invoice (net 30 payment terms)
-
Multiple formats provided
We send a PDF, Powerpoint and Excel Databook straight to your inbox. An interactive version of the report is also available on our online platform
-
Interactive databook included
Focus on the data that matters most to you with a customisable databook available on our platform
-
Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports
Discount automatically applied in basket
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact usTrusted by global industry leaders
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Need help before you buy?
Our research specialists can answer your questions and recommend the reports that best match your business needs.
Contact us
