How Many Americans Do Spring Cleaning? Stats, Trends, and Modern Tips

You ever see your neighbor shake out a rug on the porch in April and wonder if you're supposed to be scrubbing your own house from top to bottom, too? Spring cleaning—the mythical yearly cleaning ritual—seems like one of those “everyone does it” things... right? Or is it just the social media posts making it seem like half the country is deep-cleaning their baseboards every March?

What the Numbers Say: How Common is Spring Cleaning in America?

Here’s the deal: actual spring cleaning isn’t as universal as it might look. According to a 2024 survey published by the American Cleaning Institute (yes, that’s a real group and yes, they study stuff like this), about 78% of Americans say they do some form of spring cleaning most years. Think about that: that’s almost 8 out of every 10 adults hauling out buckets and opening windows to air out the house when the weather starts to warm up.

But the story gets even more interesting if you dig into the details. Here’s a quick look at some reliable findings:

Spring cleaning statistics show a steady increase over the past five years. Any guesses why? Remote work gets some credit—people are at home, noticing the grime. But there’s also the pandemic effect: after 2020, the idea of cleanliness took on a whole new meaning for a lot of folks. Suddenly, going a year without disinfecting your light switches started to feel reckless rather than lazy.

The ‘why’ shifts, depending on who you ask. For some, it’s about fighting allergies and getting rid of winter dust. For others, it’s less about cleaning and more about mental health—a clean home feels like a fresh start, especially after a gloomy winter. In a survey by Ipsos for USA Today in early 2024, 48% said it makes them feel “less stressed,” and 39% linked it to “feeling happier at home.”

Age and region play a part, too. Folks over 60 are way more likely to go all in. (Probably because they grew up with it as a cultural ritual—think mop buckets, not Marie Kondo TikToks.) Residents in the Midwest and Northeast report higher spring cleaning rates versus those in the sunny South and West, where spring hardly feels like a big change.

So is it “un-American” to skip it? Not at all. About 22%—millions of Americans!—don’t bother. Some never learned; some just keep the house pretty tidy year-round and don’t see the point of a big, once-a-year blowout.

Why Spring Cleaning Caught On—and Why People Still Do It

It’s tempting to think spring cleaning has always been with us, but it hasn’t. Its roots trace back centuries across different cultures. In the old days, people burned wood and coal for heat, and homes got grimy indoors over winter. Come spring, it finally made sense to open up stuffy rooms and scrub away months of soot and dirt. In Jewish households, Passover required a thorough cleaning each spring, and in Iranian culture, Nowruz (Persian New Year) includes “shaking the house”—a giant clean-out. So this urge to tidy up when the snow melts is global, not just American.

If you look at spring cleaning today, new reasons keep popping up. Psychologists talk about the “fresh start effect”—doing something symbolic as seasons change helps people reset their habits or get out of a rut. Brands and home improvement stores lean into this (watch for those March sales on cleaning supplies and storage bins). And with so many folks still working from home in 2025, the mess that might’ve been hidden while you were at the office all week is now, well, right in front of your face.

But the whole concept is evolving. Only 41% of people actually tackle the entire house in one swoop, as the American Cleaning Institute found. Everyone else spreads it out, does one room at a time, or focuses on the “problem zones.” Social media is partly responsible: a quick TikTok search reveals people showing off 10-minute decluttering hacks, mini “refresh” routines, and “zone cleansing” instead of running through every room the old-fashioned way.

This shift is making spring cleaning less daunting for the average person. No one wants to lose an entire Saturday to scrubbing grout. The new trend is bite-sized cleaning—doing a little at a time, but with purpose. And for those who really can’t stand it, professional cleaning services see a huge spike around March and April, as many folks prefer to let someone else pop in and battle the dust bunnies.

If you're vaguely annoyed by your own clutter, you’re not alone: nearly 65% of Americans say they wish their homes were less cluttered, according to data from a 2023 Storage.com report. But only 37% actually take steps to organize more than once a year. Why? Time and motivation—two things always in short supply.

What Actually Counts As Spring Cleaning? (And What People Really Do)

Big question: what does “spring cleaning” even mean in 2025? The answers are all over the map. For some, it’s classic—washing windows, scrubbing out fridge drawers, deep-cleaning carpets. For others, it’s a closet purge: out go the winter sweaters, in come shorts and flip-flops. Still more see it as a mental reset—anything that makes the house feel lighter for the new season.

Based on the same 2024 American Cleaning Institute study I mentioned earlier, here are the top tasks people include in spring cleaning (percentages are based on surveyed adults who said they do spring cleaning):

See those numbers? It’s not “all or nothing.” Most people pick and choose what they tackle based on what’s bugging them most. Only about 14% go wild and steam-clean their curtains, for example. Few people (less than 7%) will take on “moving all furniture and cleaning underneath”—a task that lives on in our collective imagination but not in reality.

And the reasons people trim their lists are practical—it takes time, effort, and sometimes money to pull off a whole-home reset. Plus, there’s a “good enough” mindset gaining traction: folks want clean, not pristine. Professionals in the cleaning industry say it’s better to target hotspots (entryways, bathrooms, and kitchens) than to fry yourself running after impossible standards. The result? More realistic routines, way less guilt.

If you’re ever stuck on where to start, here’s a pretty solid spring cleaning plan people swear by:

• Declutter first. It’s easier to clean with less stuff in the way. Box up anything you haven’t used in a year—donate, sell, or toss it.
• Work room by room; don’t try to do everything at once. Focus on the most-used spaces first (for most folks, that means kitchens and bathrooms).
• Make use of simple motivators—set a timer for 20 minutes per session, blast your favorite playlist, or reward yourself after finishing a room.
• Let go of perfectionism. If you miss a spot, who cares? The goal is to feel better living in your own space, not pass an inspection.
• Consider swapping harsh chemicals with greener or DIY cleaning solutions. Vinegar and baking soda handle a shocking number of household messes. Microfiber cloths trap more dirt and require less product, saving time and money.

Professional organizers say another overlooked trick is to schedule donation pick-ups with local charities or nonprofits before you start—this creates a deadline and accountability, and keeps that pile of “stuff to give away” from lingering in a corner.

Modern Tips: Streamlining Spring Cleaning Without Losing Your Mind

Let's face it—life isn’t getting less busy any time soon. That doesn’t mean spring cleaning has to be overwhelming or take up your weekends. People are hacking the process with smart tools, tech, and time-saving routines.

Robotic vacuums might sound like a luxury, but sales data from the NPD Group showed a 29% jump since 2022. More people, including busy families and pet owners, are leaning on automation for daily dirt control. Apps like Tody or Sweepy help you build custom cleaning schedules—break chores into bite-sized steps and track progress so nothing slips through the cracks.

Social media communities are packed with “clean-with-me” videos and challenges, which weirdly motivate you to keep going. People say watching someone else mop or fold laundry makes it way easier to tackle your own mess—think of it as crowd-sourced accountability.

If you’re feeling pressed for time or overwhelmed by a bigger project, try the following bite-size spring cleaning strategy:

1. Pick just one tiny area each day to tackle—maybe the catch-all junk drawer or a single kitchen cabinet. It adds up fast, and you never feel burned out.
2. Use designated baskets or bins for “keep, toss, donate” sorting. It takes the guesswork out when you’re in the zone and helps prevent second-guessing later.
3. Swap dreaded deep-clean tasks—like scrubbing baseboards or shampooing carpets—by handling a small section at a time instead of trying to do it all in one go.
4. Enlist family, roommates, or even friends. A shared Spotify playlist and pizza reward can turn a tedious task into a surprisingly fun hangout.

Storage solutions are getting more user-friendly, too. Stackable bins, under-bed organizers, and closet systems are everywhere. According to The Container Store, their spring sales spike yearly by about 24% as people stock up to contain clutter before summer.

And if you’re struggling with motivation? Consider posting your “before” photos on your favorite forum or in a group chat. External deadlines (or even gentle peer pressure) really work. Plenty of people also find it helpful to visualize what they want a space to look and feel like before getting started. Even simple tricks—like investing in a new set of dish towels or adding a plant to a newly tidied spot—can make you more likely to keep things fresh going forward.

Whether you blast through the whole house or just win the war against the winter mud in your entryway, remember: the perfect is the enemy of the good. The point of spring cleaning is less about tradition and more about feeling better at home—whatever that happens to look like for you this year.