From Suits to Songs, Electrolux® 2013 Global Vacuuming Survey Reveals Cleaning Habits and Preferences Around the World
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Key Findings Show How Americans Clean Up in Contrast to Global Neighbors
(Charlotte, N.C.) Oct. 21, 2013 – The largest global survey on vacuuming in the home ‒ commissioned by Electrolux in 2013 ‒ reveals everything there is to know about the world’s vacuum cleaning habits, including what users look for in a new vacuum, how they feel after vacuuming and what they do and wear while cleaning. The survey* was carried out in 23 countries with responses from 28,000 participants.
Key findings relating to the United States:
- Dust pick-up is the most important vacuum factor in the U.S. and around the world
The single most important factor for U.S. consumers buying a vacuum cleaner is dust pick-up – more than 31 percent of those surveyed put this as their primary consideration. Most other countries agreed, as a global average of 30 percent thought this the most important factor. Americans also gave top rankings to quality and durability at more than 25 percent.
- Noise is the most irritating thing about vacuuming – even more so for men
Noise is the most annoying factor when vacuuming in nearly every country. But Americans are less bothered by noise than most. In the U.S. just 26 percent said noise was annoying compared with 36 percent globally. The next most annoying factors for Americans are low dust pick-up (18 percent) and emptying the vacuum’s dust container (14 percent). Globally, significantly more men (41 percent) than women (32 percent) say that they think noise is the most irritating factor when vacuuming.
- Pre-teens are at the best age to start vacuuming
When should kids start helping out? Of Americans, 40 percent feel age 9-11 is the right age for children to start to help vacuuming (30 percent of global respondents agree), compared with 26 percent of Finns who feel age 3-5 is appropriate (only 6 percent of global respondents felt the same). Globally, women are more prone to think that kids should start helping out with vacuuming in their early years – 9 percent of women, but only 6 percent of men, think kids should start helping out before they are 5 years old.
- Vacuuming brings feeling of satisfaction
Americans tend to feel more satisfied after vacuuming than many other countries: 37 percent of people in the U.S. feel satisfied compared with 30 percent globally.
- Brushrolls irritate Americans more than most
When vacuuming, U.S. users are far more irritated by having to clean the brushroll than other countries. More than 40 percent of Americans said they found it irritating or very irritating,compared to just 24 percent average for all countries. Nearly 9 percent of Americans feel a tangled brushroll is the biggest issue with vacuuming, compared to a 4 percent global average.
Traditionally, cleaning the brushroll has been a manual task, but Electrolux responded to this cleaning challenge with its exclusive Brushroll Clean Technology™. Brushroll Clean Technology clears tangled hair from the brushroll at the touch of a button. Captured debris is deposited right into the dust cup, so it never has to be touched or re-vacuumed off the floor. Brushroll Clean Technology is available on Precision® Brushroll Clean, Nimble® Brushroll Clean and Ergorapido® Brushroll Clean.
- Americans prefer country music (if any music at all) while vacuuming
In a music-obsessed country like the U.S. you might expect the favorite pastime while vacuuming to be listening to music. Not so! Just 33 percent of people listen to music, compared with the global average of 36 percent. Instead, our favorite pastime is either to “think about the vacuuming” (34 percent) or to “let our minds wander” (28 percent). Of U.S. users who do listen to music while vacuuming, 10 percent prefer country – making the U.S. the only country that had country music as a top choice. The top music listeners are Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, where more than 60 percent of respondents say they listen to music while vacuuming.
- Americans hide their vacuums
People in the U.S. keep their vacuum cleaners hidden – 53 percent of U.S. users keep their cleaner in a closet, compared with 42 percent globally. Those in the U.S. who don’t keep it out of sight keep it mainly in the living room (8 percent versus a global average of 5 percent).
- Believe it or not, some people vacuum naked
Six percent of Americans say they vacuum naked or in their underwear, right in line with the rest of the world. Nearly everyone else who vacuums in the U.S. (82 percent) wears casual clothes. Only 8 percent vacuum in sports clothes, compared to 21 percent globally. Only 3 percent of Americans – and 5 percent of global respondents – vacuum in business attire.
Additional American Vacuum Habits
- 66 percent of people who vacuum in the U.S. do a quick clean in between more thorough regular cleans.
- 44 percent of people vacuuming in the U.S. would look inside the vacuum cleaner dust container for something they heard being sucked into it.
- Nearly every household in the U.S. has at least one vacuum cleaner – 35 percent have two.
Marty O’Gorman, president of Electrolux Small Appliances North America, comments on the survey: “As a global leader in vacuum cleaning, Electrolux is focusing on global product development and innovation. The results of this survey show just how diverse consumer wants and needs are around the world, and how essential it is that we know and understand them. Consumer insight is the basis for all product development at Electrolux and plays a vital role in ensuring we can continue to develop products that meet consumer needs, wherever they are in the world.”
*The full global results are available upon request.
The Electrolux Global Vacuuming Survey 2013
The Electrolux Global Vacuuming Survey 2013 is an online survey among 28,000 consumers from 23 countries on their vacuum cleaning habits and preferences. The survey was independently conducted by survey companies Cint and Netigate during April 9 and June 7, 2013, with nationally representative samples from 23 countries based on gender and age. Before fieldwork started, the survey was quality controlled for each market. The following countries were part of the survey: Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, UK, Germany, France, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, Russia, USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Australia.
About Electrolux
Electrolux is a global leader in household appliances and appliances for professional use, selling more than 40 million products to customers in more than 150 markets every year. The company focuses on innovative solutions that are thoughtfully designed, based on extensive consumer insight, to meet the real needs of consumers and professionals. Electrolux products include refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, cookers, air-conditioners and small appliances such as vacuum cleaners sold under esteemed brands like Electrolux, AEG, Zanussi, Eureka and Frigidaire.
For more information, go to www.electrolux.com/press and www.electrolux.com/news.
