Americans admit they don’t know how to fold laundry or do simple cleaning tasks – and blame their own parents

A SURPRISING new study reveals that one in three parents is learning they have cleaned incorrectly their entire lives.

The survey of 2,000 American parents conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by PINALEN Multipurpose Cleaner revealed a number of cleaning mistakes and how family habits influence our approach to tidying.

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Many of the parents interviewed admit that they have been told by others that they perform a number of household tasks incorrectly.

Up to 33% of parents say they have been told they fold laundry incorrectly, 28% say they have been told they mop and sweep the wrong way, and 26% admit they have even messed up washing clothes.

This revelation led 40% of parents to observe their own parents’ cleaning habits, with almost half saying they tried to correct their parents’ reckless cleaning habits.

The study highlighted that many parents never received adequate cleaning instructions during childhood.

Specifically, 26% have never learned how to mow the lawn, 25% have not learned how to garden or maintain a yard, and 24% have not learned the correct way to load the dishwasher.

Despite these shortcomings, the majority of respondents credit their education with showing them how to perform basic daily tasks at home.

The majority, 72%, credit their parents for teaching them how to fold laundry, 70% wash dishes by hand, 69% say their parents taught them how to do laundry, and 65% credit their mom and dad for teaching them to mop or sweep.

Additionally, 37% of people learned cleaning techniques at past or current jobs, 31% from significant others, and 27% from friends.

A significant proportion of parents, 17%, say their households are “almost sterile”, maintaining what they believe to be an immaculate environment.

Another 60% describe their homes as “fairly clean”, tolerating a bit of clutter.

Meanwhile, 16% focus more on organization than cleaning.

“Cleaning can be surprisingly subjective,” says Tanu Grewal, director of cleaning at PINALEN Multipurpose Cleaner.

“The ‘correct’ way to clean can vary greatly depending on your culture, how you were raised, and who you learned from,” Grewal continued.

“But what really matters is the effectiveness and reliability of these cleaning techniques.”

An overwhelming 76% of parents plan to teach their children everything about cleaning they’ve never been taught, with 86% already thinking about how to instill good cleaning habits.

75% of parents believe that it is essential that their children learn to stay organized, 69% understand the types of cleaning products to use and 68% know the correct amount of soap or detergent to use.

For specific tasks, most parents generally think that children can start participating at age 10, such as folding laundry, washing dishes, cleaning the floor, and taking out the trash.

Tasks such as running washing machines, working in the yard, cleaning furniture, and cleaning the bathroom are considered appropriate for 11-year-olds.

At 12 years old, children can clean the refrigerator, and at 13 they can cut the grass.

The majority of parents, 88%, believe that cleaning can be transformed into a family activity, promoting a happy and collaborative environment.

To make cleaning more enjoyable, 75% say they play music, 41% sing and 38% say they dance while cleaning.

“In general, people are taught objective aspects of cleaning, such as how much product to use, specific techniques, and how to use cleaning tools or machines, but are left to discover their own personal preferences,” Grewal continued.

“Regardless of whether they believe every task is done right or wrong, most people still associate positive feelings with cleaning and it reminds them of home.”