This report analyzes the U.S. market for household cleaning products. In the last generation, the role of housework in the American lifestyle has changed dramatically. Time-pressured Americans seek convenience in many aspects of their lives, including the time they spend cleaning. With longer working hours, both parents working, children’s after-school activities, as well as greater value being placed on leisure time, cleaning the house is increasingly being driven out of the daily routine. When time is taken to clean, consumer now expect additional benefits from cleaning products—prevention of build-up, protection of surfaces and the ability to stretch the amount of time in-between cleanings.

A plethora of cleaning options are now available to harried consumers, ranging from traditional to innovative. New fragrances, formats, and benefits have been introduced—with the convenience being the most important benefit. Further, an increasingly aggressive market has made it important for manufactures to keep prices competitive, thus making it difficult to position new products at price points that would increase sales.

Despite this level of activity, sales have in fact declined from 1998 to 2003 after adjusting for inflation. Consequently, this report explores the hypotheses that as products have become more effective, consumers need to buy them less often, which has deterred rather than stimulated market growth. This report also explores the impact of demographic trends and the use of professional cleaning services on the state of the household cleaning market.

Household Cleaning Products Volume 2: The Consumer, to be published in May 2004, provides the consumer perspective to this market.

Products covered in this report include:

multipurpose surface cleaners/disinfectants

bathroom and kitchen cleaners/disinfectants (including abrasive tub/tile cleaners, non-abrasive tub/tile cleaners, glass cleaner/ammonia, toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners)

spray disinfectants

oven/appliance cleaner/degreasers

specialty cleaners/polishes

lime/rust removers

furniture, floor cleaners, waxes and polishes

carpet/upholstery and fabric deodorizers and cleaners and fabric treatments, including, for example, Febreze

cleaner cloths/wipes (excluding metal polishing cloths, personal cleaning cloths/wipes, automotive cleaning cloths/wipes and baby wipes)

Products with a primarily cosmetic purpose, such as air fresheners, have been excluded, but lavatory blocks, colorants and fresheners have been included because they have a disinfecting role. Cleaning hardware products, such as mops and brooms, have also been excluded, as have disinfectants used primarily for medicinal purposes, and products relating to the car care market.

Specifically excluded are cleaning products for industrial/commercial use, clothes cleaning detergents of any kind, dishwashing products, and personal cleaning products.

This report includes IRI InfoScan data.