Consumers Imitate Spring Indoors and Out
Nearly two-thirds of Americans follow a spring-cleaning ritual, with the kitchen and living rooms getting the most attention, according to the Soap and Detergent Association.
“Spring cleaning is much more than an annual ritual; it’s a mindset,” says Paula Erickson, consumer-affairs manager for Ace Hardware Corp. “It’s a time when people emerge from their winter hibernation and take a fresh look at their lives and their homes. We see spikes in sales on everything from glass cleaner and vacuum bags to interior and exterior paint, landscaping supplies and concrete.”
Ace’s survey of 1,000 American homeowners found that the number of projects on people’s “to-do” lists during spring is 16 percent higher than in winter, the next most active home-improvement season. Outdoor projects top most spring to-do lists, starting with washing windows (cited by 82 percent), weeding the yard (80 percent), pruning bushes (78 percent), planting or preparing the lawn (73 percent), servicing power lawn and yard equipment (73 percent), and planting or preparing a garden (62 percent).
Moderator Comment: Mass merchandisers use household
cleaning products as a featured traffic driver year-round with success. Should
other formats step up promotional activity of these products to match? [George
Anderson – Moderator]