Every parent has been in the trenches of negotiating cleaning chores with their kids. From chore charts to bribes, we’re all just trying to teach our kids good cleaning habits and the importance of taking care of the home.
CLR Brands is family-owned, and beyond understanding how consumers use our products, we are interested in how people think, act and feel about cleaning. We were intrigued by the prospect of gathering deeper insights into how parents and kids approach cleaning – not just the tasks, but also the emotional elements – so we commissioned a study* of more than 2,000 adults to uncover the tensions and connections that shape how cleaning impacts the relationships and daily lives of parents and kids.
Following are some findings from the study:
Kids Clean. Facts, No Cap.
- Cleaning is a love language: Six in 10 parents and guardians agree that cleaning is a “love language” for their family, and 89% of parents with children living at home report household tension decreases when kids keep up with their cleaning chores.
- 6–7. When tweens clean: Despite all of the “skibidi toilet” talk, 67% of households with tweens ages 10–12 living at home say that cleaning their bedroom is their most dreaded task—more so than cleaning the bathroom (41%), keeping common areas tidy (41%) or doing the dishes and unloading the dishwasher (40%).
- “No, Bruh”: A surprise to literally no one, tweens (ages 7–12) are the most likely to complain and attempt to negotiate ways out of doing household cleaning and chores (42%), followed by teens ages 13–17 (34%), children ages 6 or younger (27%) and those ages 18 or older (18%).
- Tweens want cash to clean: Tweens ages 7–12 (38%) are also the most likely to expect compensation for doing household cleaning and chores, followed closely by teens ages 13–17 (33%), children ages 6 or younger (22%), and those ages 18 or older (11%).
- Low-key, clean: 67% of children aged 6 or younger pitch in on household cleaning and chores, a proportion that increases for tweens (94% of 7- to 12-year-olds) and teens (96% of 13- to 17-year-olds), and those 18 and older (82%). While the majority of kids contribute to cleaning, only 1 in 3 households with children aged 17 or younger does so without being asked.
- Room looks “fire”: Kids clean when complimented. Parents say praise and appreciation are the greatest motivators to clean for the youngest children, but the effect diminishes as children age. 54% of those aged 6 or younger are happier to pitch in when praised or shown appreciation, compared to 44% of 7- to 12-year-olds, 34% of 13- to 17-year-olds and 29% of those aged 18 or older.
Ultimately, while every family’s chore routine looks a little different, the study reveals one universal truth: cleaning is about far more than a tidy room. It’s a shared experience that strengthens connection, builds responsibility, and shapes how kids show up in the world. In the process, families create habits and memories that last far beyond childhood.
*The Online CARAVAN® survey was conducted October 3-8, 2025, by Big Village among a sample of 2,028 adults 18 years of age and older.
