Cleaning is part of the quiet work that keeps daily life moving. This page brings together a small set of current federal figures, with the scope of every number made clear, so readers can cite the original data with confidence.
At a glance
How much time do Americans spend on household cleaning?
The American Time Use Survey records how people age 15 and over spend a typical day. Its household-activity totals are helpful context, but they should not be treated as a household-by-household cleaning prescription. People’s routines vary with work, caregiving, home size, health, season, and many other factors.
1.99 hours
Average daily time spent on all household activities
Americans age 15 and over spent just under two hours a day on household activities in 2025. This broad category includes food preparation, cleaning, laundry, household management, and lawn or garden care.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey, 202520 minutes
Average daily time spent on interior cleaning
Interior cleaning accounted for 0.33 hours per day in the 2025 survey, or about 20 minutes when converted to minutes. The figure describes the population average, not a recommended cleaning schedule.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey, 202510 minutes
Average daily time spent on laundry
Laundry accounted for 0.17 hours per day in the 2025 survey, or about 10 minutes. This is a daily average across people age 15 and over.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Time Use Survey, 2025A look at the housekeeping workforce
Federal occupation data combines private-household cleaning with work in commercial settings such as hotels and hospitals. That makes it useful for understanding the broader housekeeping occupation, while limiting how precisely it can describe residential cleaning alone.
1,332,100
Maids and housekeeping cleaners employed in the U.S.
The federal occupation profile covers workers who perform light cleaning duties in private households and commercial settings, including cleaning rooms, halls, and floors.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025 employment$35,510
Median annual wage for maids and housekeeping cleaners
This is the national median annual wage reported for May 2025. It is a workforce measure, not a local service-price benchmark.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025+7,400
Projected additional jobs from 2025 to 2035
The federal projection is 1% growth, described as slower than average. Workforce projections describe employment trends, not demand for any individual cleaning business.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 projectionMethodology and sources
How to read these figures
All numerical figures above come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The time-use figures are annual averages for people age 15 and over. The employment, wage, and outlook figures apply to the federal occupation called “maids and housekeeping cleaners,” which includes both private households and commercial establishments.
- American Time Use Survey, 2025 household activity chart, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Maids and housekeeping cleaners occupation profile, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025 employment, May 2025 wages, and 2025–35 outlook.
- 2022 NAICS definition for Janitorial Services, U.S. Census Bureau. It identifies housekeeping and maid services within the industry classification, but no Census number from that page is used above.
Cite this page
Sharon’s Cleaning Spree. “Household Cleaning Statistics: Time and Workforce.” Updated November 10, 2026. https://sharoncleaningspree.blog/cleaning-statistics
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