Boomers and millennials often find themselves at odds with each other when it comes to lifestyle choices big (marriage) and small (the unnecessary use of ellipses). So, it should come as no surprise that they also can’t agree on something so basic you probably didn’t even think people could disagree about it. Alas, that topic is cleaning. See, the majority of millennials (75 percent) say they enjoy cleaning almost two times more than baby boomers do (46 percent), according to an SC Johnson Survey. So below, find five generational cleaning habits that continue to divide boomers and millennials.
5 Cleaning Habits That Differ Wildly Between Boomers and Millennials
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Published Jul 6, 2022
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1. DAILY VACUUMING
If you’re anything like us, the iRobot is the closest thing you have to a pet. So, it makes sense why 38 percent of millennials prefer to vacuum every day—sometimes even multiple times per day (15 percent)—while only 1 in 6 boomers reported doing the same, according to a survey from HomeViable.com. What’s more, 48 percent of Millenials own a robot vacuum (which is most likely a response to COVID-19). According to a market research report by IMARC group, the robotic vacuum cleaner market reached a global value of $5.55 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $15.14 Billion by 2027.
Winner: Millennials
2. CHANGING THE SHEETS
One thing a robot can’t do for you? Change the sheets. (Yet…) SC Johnson’s survey found that baby boomers were the most dedicated sheet changers, with nearly 52 percent completing the task every week, compared to 36 percent of millennials.
Winner: Boomers
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3. WIPING DOWN WORKSPACES
Any millennial who’s regularly working from home will agree: There’s nothing more distracting than a dirty desk. Hence, why a report conducted by health technology company Vyv Tech found that nearly half of millennials (47 percent) clean their desk once a day, while just one in four baby boomers (25 percent) do the same. What’s more, the report found that one in five baby boomers (20 percent) admitted to never cleaning or sanitizing their desks—making them four times as likely as millennials to have a dirty workspace.
Winner: Millennials
4. WEEKLY KITCHEN AND BATHROOM CLEANS
Vyv Tech also found that almost all boomers cleaned their kitchen (94 percent) and bathroom (89 percent) at least once a week, while four in five millennials (82 percent) cited cleaning their kitchen weekly, and three in four (74 percent) reported regularly cleaning their bathroom. It’s not a huge variation, but take it from your elders, millennials—that residue builds up.
Winner: Boomers
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5. DECLUTTERING
While millennials may love binging Get Organized With The Home Edit, it seems they’re not always quick to translate interest into action. A study conducted by Mayflower Movers found that 40 percent of baby boomers decluttered once a year, while only 27 percent of millennials reported doing the same. Ironic, considering that 23 percent of millennials referred to themselves as minimalists in the same survey.
Winner: Boomers
