MOTHERS COME CLEAN ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL DAY
-- New Survey Reveals A One-Day Vacation From Housework Just Isn't Enough --

New York, April 10, 2000 - From her many jobs as cook, cleaner, grocery shopper, chauffeur and social director, mom typically receives just one day off a year - Mother's Day. In a new national survey by The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA), 82 percent of moms said that they would like to see the housework vacation that they enjoy on Mother's Day happen more often.

"Today's mothers have to juggle so many more responsibilities than they did when the first Mother's Day was celebrated in 1914," explains Sandy Beckwith, author of Why Can't A Man Be More Like A Woman and creator of the Do(o) Little Report, which takes a lighthearted look at male behavior. The SDA survey found that even with many mothers working fulltime outside of the home, women are still doing the majority of the housework in 46 percent of homes today, a number that has decreased only slightly (11%) since a generation ago. Says Beckwith, "A one-day break from household chores is no longer enough when the average worker can look forward to 10 vacation days each year."

Over 80 percent of Americans agree that mothers deserve more than one day off a year (87% of men/84% of women). So for grateful children and spouses who are looking for a special Mother's Day gift, the SDA suggests the Vacation from Housework Certificate, good for 10 days off during the year. And to help mom relax about the housework when she cashes in her certificate, the SDA has also created How to Help Out Mom on Her Vacation Days, which provides some basic tips to smart cleaning.

The information in How to Help Out Mom on Her Vacation Days emphasizes the importance of reading cleaning product labels and following directions, and highlights some key advice by household task. Tips include:

Laundry

• Separate colors from whites (to keep dyes from bleeding onto lighter-colored fabrics) and heavily soiled items from lightly soiled ones.
• Match the wash cycle and water level to the load.

• Use a clean, damp sponge or paper towel to clean up crumbs and other food scraps after preparing or eating food.
• Before mopping the floor, sweep or vacuum it first to get rid of loose dirt.

• To dust wood furniture, spray a dusting product on a clean, soft cloth or use a special dusting aid. Don't use a dry rag or a paper towel - this will just spread the dust and could scratch the finish.
• Put a coaster or napkin under beverage glasses to prevent water spots on wood surfaces.

"Cleaning is easier than ever before, thanks to a whole bunch of new cleaning products. And by following the tips in How to Help Out Mom on Her Vacation Days, there's no reason why husbands and children can't pitch in more around the house - and why moms shouldn't let them," says Beckwith. "Come on guys, why not give mom what she really wants this Mother's Day - more than one day off from the chores!"

The SDA National Cleaning Survey 2000, which included telephone interviews with a national sample of approximately 1,003 adults, 18 years and older, was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation International.