Table 1:
Use of cleaning products as reported by parents for children at 3–4 months of age
| Cleaning product | No. (%) of responses reporting use of cleaning products n = 2022 |
Average use score* | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Never | < Monthly | Monthly | Weekly | Daily | ||
| Hand dishwashing detergent | 44 (2.2) | 9 (0.4) | 17 (0.8) | 124 (6.1) | 1828 (90.4) | 3.82 |
| Dishwasher detergent | 343 (17.0) | 23 (1.1) | 39 (1.9) | 506 (26.0) | 1111 (54.9) | 3.00 |
| Multisurface cleaner | 404 (20.0) | 139 (6.9) | 329 (16.3) | 891 (44.1) | 259 (12.8) | 2.23 |
| Scented laundry detergent | 611 (30.2) | 40 (2.0) | 66 (3.3) | 975 (48.2) | 330 (16.3) | 2.18 |
| Toilet bowl cleaner | 377 (18.6) | 83 (4.1) | 440 (21.8) | 1084 (53.6) | 38 (1.9) | 2.16 |
| Unscented laundry detergent | 696 (34.4) | 14 (0.7) | 26 (1.3) | 856 (42.3) | 430 (21.3) | 2.15 |
| Glass cleaner | 549 (27.2) | 178 (8.8) | 479 (23.7) | 751 (37.1) | 65 (3.2) | 1.80 |
| Eco and organic cleaners | 800 (39.6) | 76 (3.8) | 222 (11.0) | 647 (32.0) | 277 (13.7) | 1.77 |
| Alcohol-type hand sanitizer | 928 (45.9) | 218 (10.8) | 181 (9.0) | 356 (17.6) | 339 (16.8) | 1.49 |
| Floor cleaner | 778 (38.5) | 228 (11.3) | 459 (22.7) | 530 (26.2) | 27 (1.3) | 1.41 |
| Fabric softener | 1080 (53.4) | 48 (2.4) | 77 (3.8) | 631 (31.2) | 186 (9.2) | 1.40 |
| Disinfectant in home | 1059 (52.4) | 161 (8.0) | 302 (14.9) | 443 (21.9) | 57 (2.8) | 1.15 |
| Bleach | 944 (46.7) | 426 (21.1) | 355 (17.6) | 272 (13.4) | 25 (1.2) | 1.01 |
| Bathroom tile cleaner | 1153 (57.0) | 153 (7.6) | 361 (17.9) | 344 (17.0) | 11 (0.5) | 0.96 |
| Spray air freshener | 1280 (63.3) | 256 (12.7) | 113 (5.6) | 253 (12.5) | 120 (5.9) | 0.85 |
| Solvent (paint or polish remover) | 1074 (53.1) | 572 (28.3) | 294 (14.5) | 82 (4.1) | – | 0.70 |
| Liquid or solid air freshener | 1550 (76.7) | 140 (6.9) | 83 (4.1) | 106 (5.2) | 143 (7.1) | 0.59 |
| Disinfectant in bedrooms | 1538 (76.1) | 94 (4.7) | 154 (7.6) | 218 (10.8) | 18 (0.9) | 0.56 |
| Dusting polish or spray | 1593 (78.8) | 122 (6.0) | 145 (7.2) | 156 (7.7) | 6 (0.3) | 0.45 |
| Plug-in air freshener | 1697 (83.9) | 92 (4.5) | 46 (2.3) | 37 (1.8) | 150 (7.4) | 0.44 |
| Furniture polish | 1631 (80.7) | 140 (6.9) | 144 (7.1) | 106 (5.2) | 1 (< 0.1) | 0.37 |
| Oven cleaner | 1554 (76.9) | 344 (17.0) | 98 (4.8) | 25 (1.2) | 1 (< 0.1) | 0.31 |
| Drain cleaner | 1526 (75.5) | 399 (19.7) | 67 (3.3) | 21 (1.0) | 9 (0.4) | 0.31 |
| Chemical hand cleaner | 1840 (91.0) | 93 (4.6) | 42 (2.1) | 31 (1.5) | 16 (0.8) | 0.17 |
| Floor polish | 1875 (92.7) | 63 (3.1) | 51 (2.5) | 33 (1.6) | – | 0.13 |
| Silver or brass polish | 1927 (95.3) | 74 (3.7) | 16 (0.8) | 4 (0.2) | 1 (< 0.1) | 0.06 |
Note: FUS = Frequecy of Use Score, – = no response for use of a particular product on a daily basis. The distribution of responses for self-reported average frequency of use for each cleaning product that we considered in creation of the FUS is shown.
*
We calculated an average use score for each product by summing the total number of frequency of use points (never = 0, < monthly = 1, monthly = 2, weekly = 3 and daily = 4) that were generated by the product, divided by the number of participants in our sample (n = 2022), then rounded to 2 decimal places. Smaller values indicate a lower overall frequency of use for that product.