Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Cleaning in and Around the Home Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest holiday rental market trends and consumer behaviours affecting your business. Get a 360° view of the household cleaning market, including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Topics Analysed in this Report
- How the household cleaning market has changed since COVID-19.
- How brands can help consumers increase their cleaning skills.
- Explores the division of household cleaning jobs.
- Priorities consumers have when cleaning.
- The rising role social media plays in providing cleaning advice
Household Cleaning Market Outlook
The cost of living crisis is unlikely to strongly and directly affect how people are cleaning their homes. However, inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power over the course of 2023. In order to save money, consumers are reducing their outgoings by cutting back on nonessential products as well as limiting their outdoor social and leisure activity spend. This could lead to consumers spending more time at home, and have a direct uplift on cleaning needs.
Household Cleaning Market Trends and Opportunities
Home-made alternatives challenge the household cleaning market
The biggest threat facing the household cleaning market is consumers’ willingness to experiment with cheaper homemade alternatives. Overall, consumers are reluctant to switch from their usual brands, but their focus on value for money could alter this. Younger consumers are more likely to come across influencers on social media who promote simple and inexpensive everyday cleaning solutions made from natural ingredients commonly found in kitchen cupboards.
- Household cleaning market challenge: 36% of house dwellers try to limit their use of harsh chemicals.
Gender inequality in household chores
Gender equality in household chores peaked during the pandemic but has since reversed as men have returned to shorter cleaning times. The number of males cleaning more than 5 hours per week has decreased, and those cleaning less than 2 hours per week has risen, indicating a widening gender chore gap. To combat this, brands should promote equal home partnerships.
- Household cleaning market opportunity: 41% of home dwellers clean between 2-4 hours a week.
To learn how to connect with your audience, purchase our full UK Cleaning in and Around the Home Market Report 2023. Discover lucrative innovation opportunities to help your business grow during times of financial uncertainty.
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Expert Insights from a Household Analyst
This report, written by Nikita Shergill, a leading household analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends in the household cleaning market and add expert context to the numbers.
The pandemic saw strides being made towards closing the gender chore gap as people occupied their homes more. However, these gains have been reversed since, as the share of men cleaning for longer than five hours a week has slowed, the share of women cleaning for the same time has remained similar. Shifting gender stereotypes within society starts within the home, and the household care industry is well placed to address this imbalance and lead the way to influencing greater gender equality beyond the home.”
Nikita Shergill
Research Analyst
Collapse All
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definitions used for this Report
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Executive Summary
- The Market
- Consumers stick to their usual household care brands
- Concerns about COVID-19 reach all-time low
- Figure 1: Concerns about exposure to COVID-19, 2020-23
- Potential for house cleaning chores to increase as people are spending more time at home
- Consumers will need to adapt to water shortages
- The Consumer
- Cleaning habits remain largely consistent…
- …but there are signs people are slowing down their cleaning efforts
- Figure 2: Average time spent cleaning a week, 2019-23
- Gender chore gap widens
- Figure 3: Time spent cleaning 5 or more hours a week, by gender, 2019-23
- Boost cleaning skills among men
- Figure 4: Level of enjoyment from cleaning, 2023
- Females and parents have higher household cleaning skills
- Figure 5: Rating of cleaning skills, 2023
- Increased cleaning during the pandemic may leave a permanent mark on young children
- Figure 6: Frequency of cleaning tasks, 2023
- Extend the home as self-care routines among Generation COVID
- Earn trust and be more relatable by showing the imperfection of house maintenance
- Figure 7: Priorities when cleaning the home, 2023
- Cash-strapped consumers look for value over sustainability
- Consumers turn to social media for cleaning tips
- Figure 8: Cleaning behaviours, 2023
- Potential for AI to be an information source for cleaning
- Consumers are concerned about harsh chemical use
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Issues and Insights
- Cleaning times have not fallen despite COVID-19 no longer being a public health emergency
- The gender chore gap worsens
- Social media influencers are a trusted source of cleaning advice for young consumers
- Value over sustainability
- Take a holistic view of cleaning for Generation COVID
- After COVID-19 consumers are re-thinking what it means for their homes to be clean
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Market Drivers
- Inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power over the course of 2023
- Consumer spending power will be curbed
- Consumers stick to their usual household care brands despite price increases
- Consumer’s financial confidence level shows signs of a boost…
- Figure 9: Consumers feeling confident in their finances for the year ahead, 2019-2023
- … but people are still feeling the effects of price rises
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- Figure 10: Consumers who consider their current finances healthy, 2017-23
- Concerns about COVID-19 have subsided
- Figure 11: Concerns about exposure to COVID-19, 2020-23
- Changes to working lifestyles mean people are spending more time at home
- Employees want the comfort of a flexible working lifestyle
- The Employment Relations Bill makes flexible working the default…
- …however some companies want workers back in the office
- UK 4-day work week trial success boosts home leisure
- Water shortages put a spotlight on sustainability and cleaning behaviours
- Pet ownership has shrunk in the last year
- Recycled plastic packaging tax could increase consumer expectations
- Figure 12: Share of UK product launches in hard surface, cleaning equipment and toilet care carrying ethical – recycling claims, 2018-2022
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Average Time Spent Cleaning
- Cleaning habits remain largely consistent…
- …but there are signs people are slowing down their cleaning efforts
- Potential for house cleaning chores to increase
- Figure 13: Average time spent cleaning a week, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
- Very few spend no time cleaning the home
- Figure 14: Average time spent cleaning a week, by age, 2023
- Gender chore gap has worsened
- Figure 15: Time spent cleaning five or more hours a week, by gender, 2019- 2023
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Level of Enjoyment from Cleaning
- Cleaning enjoyment linked to care giving
- Figure 16: Level of enjoyment from cleaning, 2023
- Turn mundane cleaning into a sensorial task
- Cleaning can be a challenge for older age groups
- Those who clean often are more likely to enjoy cleaning
- Figure 17: Level of enjoyment from cleaning, by average time spent cleaning a week, 2023
- Cleaning enjoyment linked to care giving
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Rating of Cleaning Skills
- Females and parents have higher household cleaning skills
- Figure 18: Rating of cleaning skills, 2023
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- Figure 19: Rating of cleaning skill, by average time spent cleaning a week, 2023
- Encourage male participation in household chores to boost cleaning skills
- Help consumers overcome their low cleaning skills with visual tips
- Females and parents have higher household cleaning skills
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Frequency of Cleaning Tasks
- Consumers are not put off by the high energy expenditure of electronic cleaning equipment
- Figure 20: Frequency of cleaning tasks, 2023
- Consumers are looking towards technologies of the future to help with housekeeping
- Increased sanitation during the pandemic may leave a permanent mark on young children
- Extend the home as self-care routines among Generation COVID
- Cleaning windows takes least priority
- Consumers are not put off by the high energy expenditure of electronic cleaning equipment
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Priorities When Cleaning
- The importance of the home looking tidy declines with age
- Figure 21: Priorities when cleaning the home, 2023
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- Figure 22: Importance of making the home look tidy, by age, 2023
- Make tidying a game to help offload pressure on parents
- Show the imperfection of house maintenance to be more relatable and trustworthy
- Consumers look for value over sustainability
- Fragrance adds personality to homes
- The importance of the home looking tidy declines with age
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Cleaning Behaviours
- Consumers turn to social media to learn cleaning tips
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- Figure 23: Cleaning behaviours, 2023
- Potential for AI to be an information source for cleaning
- Cleaning gives people a sense of control over their environment…
- …but they have high concerns around harsh chemical use
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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