Women's hate of cleaning changes behavior

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 13 (UPI) -- Most U.S. women reject spring cleaning -- scrubbing their home from top to bottom -- but once a room is cleaned it changes behavior, a survey indicates.

Many women opt for innovative stain-hiding strategies such as moving heavy furniture over the problem area, saying they are just too busy to spend hours cleaning and need easy, quick-fix solutions that deliver great results, the survey of 1,000 American women over age 18 for Woolite Carpet indicates.

Some women say they think keeping the living room clean is such a hassle that once the task is done, those surveyed said they are resistant to resuming normal habits.

In the days after tackling the living room, 44 percent say eating in the room is off limits, 42 prohibit wearing shoes in the room and 36 percent refuse anyone to drink in the room.

Seventy-one percent of those polled said it's more important that their home looks tidy and clean versus being thoroughly clean.

The survey was conducted March 20-27 by Kelton Research using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. A reliable and accurate representation of the total population of U.S. females ages 18 and older was used, the polling firm said.