Study Reveals Cleaning Habits of College Students

Nearly seven out of 10 college seniors (68 percent) said they felt no more prepared to clean as seniors as they did when they were freshmen, according to a new survey from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI). These findings show that seniors still have to pass cleaning 101 before transitioning to the next phase of life.

ACI is kicking off the Class of Clean: Senior Year with new resources and information aimed at preparing college seniors for life and living situations on and off campus as well as life post-grad.

The ACI survey — conducted by Wakefield Research — looked at college seniors cleaning habits and perceptions. Despite the lack of cleaning comprehension, students’ motivation to clean includes creating peaceful surroundings (49 percent) and focusing on their schoolwork (45 percent). While nearly half of students are cleaning for themselves, nearly 8 in 10 (77 percent) are motivated by peer pressure including roommates, friends, and making a good first impression for a date.

To help address these various motivators to clean, ACI’s Class of Clean: A College Student’s Guide to Cleaning toolkit helps educate college students on essential cleaning basics. To emphasize the importance of cleaning, especially as students prepare to graduate, ACI is expanding these resources during the Class of Clean: Senior Year.

“Even for students entering their last year of college, many do not feel adequately prepared when it comes to cleaning and laundry basics,” says Brian Sansoni, ACI senior vice president, Communications. “There’s still time to learn. ACI’s Class of Clean provides easy-to-follow tips and tricks will set them up for success and prepare them for any cleaning task.”

While there is pressure to keep their room tidy, students often overlook how cleaning plays a critical role in creating a healthy living space with only 38 percent citing avoiding illnesses as their cleaning motivation. This is particularly concerning because college campuses are hotspots for germs that can lead to illness. In fact, more than 1 in 3 (34 percent) of students will have at least one respiratory illness such as a cold or the flu each year. As a result, the CDC also recommends regular cleaning as a crucial measure for preventing the spread of these germs.

The entire study can be read here.