Hey, Don’t Forget to Clean the Fridge: 1 in 3 Americans Unfamiliar With Details on Appliance Upkeep

• Routine appliance maintenance can save homeowners money on energy bills and repairs
• ACI provides resources for cleaning and maintenance best practices for home appliances
• Statistics Recap Here

Washington, D.C. – May 26, 2022 – More than one-third of Americans (36%) are not familiar with manufacturer recommendations for cleaning and maintaining their home appliances, such as refrigerators, HVAC systems, or washers and dryers, according to findings released by the American Cleaning Institute (ACI).

This suggests millions of Americans could be missing out on important cost and sustainability benefits. Keeping up with regular cleaning and maintenance ensures the home is operating efficiently, which can save homeowners money on monthly energy bills and avoid expensive repairs (Realtor).

Proper maintenance for common household appliances, like refrigerators, can also often be overlooked when it comes to sustainability. For example, refrigerator condenser coils should be cleaned twice a year. Otherwise, dust can make it less energy-efficient and shorten its life span.

“Knowing, understanding and implementing cleaning best practices will not only save families money, but also will have a positive impact on the environment,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI Senior Vice President, Communications, Outreach & Membership. “Especially today, ACI wants Americans to be aware of and educated on the appliance care recommendations to help ensure a longer life span for the appliances they rely on in the home.”

To help households across the U.S. easily clean and manage appliances used daily, ACI is providing a variety of tips and guidance for consumers on cleaning best practices. Resources from ACI include:

• Cleaning Kitchen Appliances
• How to Clean a Refrigerator 
• Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
• How to Save Energy

For more information and additional tips for homeowners and consumers on proper cleaning, hygiene and disinfecting protocols, visit https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/.

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About the American Cleaning Institute

The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – https://www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.

These findings emerged from an Ipsos poll conducted February 16 – 17, 2022, on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute. For the survey, a sample of 1,005 adults ages 18 and over from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points for all respondents.