10/20/2026 - Cleaning for Cold and Flu Season
Q. During cold and flu season, when, if at all, do you typically change your cleaning habits (i.e. clean more thoroughly or frequently?
Multi-Response Question
29% said they only change their cleaning habits if they are sick or if someone else in the home is sick
19% said they only change their cleaning habits if guests are coming over
14% said they only change their cleaning habits if there is an uptick in illness numbers
1% said other
25% said they preemptively change their cleaning habits for the whole season
32% said they don't change their cleaning habits
Q. Which of the following cleaning actions, if any, do you typically do to proactively protect your household for cold and flu season?
Multi-Response Question
66% said wash hands more frequently
58% said clean or disinfect the home more frequently
44% said stock up on clenaing or disinfecting products
42% said launder sheets and towels more frequently
36% said remind household members about good hygiene habits
1% said other
13% said they don't do anything different
87% reported taking at least one proactive measure
Q. Which regular activities usually get disrupted if someone in the home gets sick?
Multi-Response Question
49% said sleep schedules
49% said participating in social gatherings
46% said household chores and routines
43% said work or school attendance
41% said daily hobbies or after work/school activities
10% said childcare arrangements
1% said other
9% said none of their regular activities were disrupted
91% reported at least one regular activity disrupted
Of Parents:
52% said sleep schedules
53% said participating in social gatherings
46% said household chores and routines
61% said school or work attendance
55% said daily hobbies or after work/school activities
27% said childcare arrangements
1% said other
4% said none of their regular activities were disrupted
96% reported at least one regular activity disrupted
Q. Please select all the options that best complete this statement: Cleaning is essential for _________.
Multi-Response Question
70% said preventing illness and protecting physical health
54% said ensuring healthy and productive workplaces
53% said keeping public spackes (like hospitals and schools) safe and healthy
45% said supporting mental or emotional well-being
41% said extending the lifespan of homes, clothes, and furnishings
35% said enabling daily activities and routines
4% said none of the above
96% reported cleaning was essential to at least one of the above
About the Survey
The ACI Cold & Flu Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+, between September 25th and October 1st, 2026, using an email invitation and an online survey. The data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+.
Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.
