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When the days threaten to warm up and homeowners everywhere begin to shake off the winter blues, many turn to the time-honored tradition of spring cleaning to ready the home for the season change. For some, this might mean simply changing out winter clothes to spring clothes, but for others, it can look like a complete home overhaul.
What does the average American homeowner do for spring cleaning in 2026? We wanted to know how they tackle cleaning their homes – and whether they buy into the tradition in the first place.
To understand how homeowners are approaching spring cleaning as opposed to their typical routines, we surveyed 1,001 homeowners on their approach to spring cleaning. Ages ranged from 18 to 78 with an average age of 47; 50% were men, 50% women.
Spring is a time to clean for most homeowners, with 82% of surveyed homeowners planning on conducting spring cleaning in their homes in 2026. One of the top motives is to better their mental health, with 68% indicating that was their main motivation; another major motive was to give the warmer seasons a fresh start in the home.
March and April are the most popular times to clean, capturing 77% of the respondents' share; 65% prefer cleaning when it’s warm outside. Something about knowing spring is coming seems to motivate people more.
Spring cleaning is not a small undertaking. Homeowners surveyed say their spring cleaning routine takes an average 14 hours to complete, which, analyzing the average home size of respondents (2036 sq. ft.), equates to roughly 145 square feet per hour in cleaned space. It is therefore unsurprising that 78% split spring cleaning into multiple sessions to lighten the load.
Just over 1 in 3 respondents look forward to spring cleaning, with a clear favorite task in decluttering. Besides discarding unwanted items, cleaning neglected parts of the home (think corners, moulding, freezers– any space that doesn’t get regular attention) and cleaning out closets are other popular tasks. As for what is to be done with clutter and closet rejects, 67% plan on donating, while 22% are hoping to turn trash to treasure by selling the items.
Not everyone loves spring cleaning, however, as 1 in 5 confess to dreading the cleaning, with the least favorite parts including cleaning windows, addressing neglected (and therefore likely dirtier) parts of the home, and cleaning out closets.
A narrow majority (58%) of homeowner respondents enjoy cleaning their homes. A typical cleaning routine takes about 3 hours for them, which means that while spring cleaning is a painstaking 145 sq ft per hour, a regular cleaning is a speedy 678 square feet per hour. Cleaning is a frequent endeavor, with 71% cleaning at least weekly, and 9% going so far as to clean their homes daily.
Three in 5 respondents have a preference for natural cleaning products, with 55% of the opinion that they work as well as more traditional cleaning products.
62% responded that they split their cleaning activities with at least one other person in the house, whether that is a spouse, roommate, or other family member.
Sadly, despite effort, many Americans don’t feel good about the state of their home. 23% of those surveyed feel shame at their home’s cleanliness, and 37% say they don’t have enough time to clean their homes well. Roughly half report burnout due to household chores.
Some have taken this frustration into their own hands: 28% have hired cleaners for their homes, with 14% doing so for regular cleaning, taking a load off their shoulders.
Given that one of the most popular spring cleaning tasks is decluttering, we dug deeper into just why so many look forward to decluttering every year. It seems our homeowner respondents have a “stuff” problem: 69% of respondents report having too much stuff, and 53% are overwhelmed by clutter. Despite already owning homes, 11% rent a storage unit as well.
When comparing themselves to their childhood homes, reactions were split: 31% of homeowners surveyed report growing up in a cleaner home than what they lived in; 23% say their childhood home was dirtier. Nearly half, however, say their childhood homes were the same levels of cleanliness.
There are some key differences in how men and women feel about cleaning. Women seem to feel more pressure; 40% of women respondents feel they don’t have enough time for cleaning, despite averaging two more hours than men on spring cleaning. Three in 4 feel they have too much stuff, and 61% are overwhelmed by clutter compared to just 44% of men surveyed. Over 1 in 4 are ashamed of their homes, while just 1 in 5 men feel the same. Perhaps most stark is the difference in burnout around chores: 57% are burned out compared to 39% of men.
No matter the gender, spring cleaning and house cleaning are generally a crucial part of home maintenance. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to schedule appliance and home system tune-ups no matter what the season to ensure your home stays in tip-top shape.
Tune-ups we recommend for the spring:
With an American Home Shield home warranty, you can ensure you are set up for success for all of your spring cleaning projects, as well as coverage for your vital home systems and appliances. The ShieldPlatinum plan comes with a free HVAC Tune Up as well, giving you an extra hand to knock off items from your Spring cleaning to-do list.
For more guidance, check out our ultimate deep cleaning checklist. Happy cleaning!
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AHS assumes no responsibility, and specifically disclaims all liability, for your use of any and all information contained herein.
