CLOROX GEN Z RESEARCH
NOV 2025
How does Gen Z clean with Clorox?
RESEARCH QUESTION
Develop and present clear, concise and compelling brand research and strategy in response to the research question.
THE ASK
AND THAT DOESN’T CHANGE WITH GEN Z
THE CHALLENGE
What’s dirtying Clorox’s relationship with Gen Z?
-> THE THREAT OF DUPE CULTURE
dupe culture is…
the trend of consumers actively seeking out and sharing cheaper, often nearly identical alternatives, or "dupes," to high-end or popular products.
In 2025, store brands had 2% more sales growth than Clorox - Mintel’s Household Surface Cleaners – US – 2025
BASICALLY
Every cent for Gen Z counts.
METHODOLOGY
-
survey
interviews
-
cabinet photos
cleaning diary
OUR FINDINGS
FINDING #1: EMOTIONAL JOURNEY
CLEANING IS A MOOD RESET
Cleaning is one of Gen Z’s accessible, reliable, and simplest ways to reset.
NOT JUST A RESET, BUT A MINDSET
cleaning cabinet photos - nontraditional research method
CLOROX OWNS THE DISINFECTANT CATEGORY…
Clorox is already a major player in the cleaning category.
Mintel’s Household Surface Cleaners – US – 2025, 2026 Global Household Predictions.
BACKGROUND
WE’RE IN ALL OF THESE CABINETS,
BUT HOW DO WE STAY THERE?
STRATEGY
tapping into Gen Z’s emotions allows Clorox to reclaim relevance by aligning the brand with a powerful sense of reset.
-> BRAND LOYALTY IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW
“Younger adults are skeptical about store brand effectiveness but still purchase private label products at higher rates regardless of income level.”
Mintel’s Household Surface Cleaners – US – 2025
TO SURVIVE
Clorox can no longer rely solely on brand reputation or heritage, it must continuously prove its value in terms that resonate with modern shoppers.
TEAM
Jackie Ouellette (ST)
Laurence Walker (ST)
Moira Sirois (ST)
Jack Nguyen (ST)
survey
CLEAR YOUR HEAD,
CLEAN WITH CLOROX.
Maintain gen z/customer retention and not become a cleaning product of the past
OUR GOAL
46
survey responses
12
cleaning cabinet photos
3
interviews
Gen Z cares more about how cleaning makes us feel than what it actually does.
44%
say “feeling organized”
makes cleaning feel satisfying.
vs
5%
say “knowing it’s actually disinfected”
makes cleaning feel satisfying.
FINDING #2: FREQUENCY
IT’S PRETTY RANDOM
“I clean when I can’t focus anymore.”
BUT SUNDAY RESETS ARE ALSO REAL
“I usually do a deep clean when my space gets overwhelming.”
52%
view cleaning as a way to reset and start fresh
“No set schedule — just when it starts to bother me.”
50%
FINDING #3: EFFICIENCY
of Gen Z primarily cleans on Sundays
TIME IS MONEY
“Recent generations of children have been in school for more of their lives, for more hours per week, with more jam-packed schedules, and with less free play, than ever.”
Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine, 2022
GEN Z NEEDS EFFICIENCY + VERSATILITY IN THEIR CLEANING PRODUCTS
50%
of respondents prefer
MULTI-PURPOSE PRODUCTS
FINDING #4: SHARED CULTURE
+GEN Z DOESN’T HAVE ANY TIME … OR MONEY
“With consumers spending an average of 29 minutes daily on cleaning, and minimal interest in increasing that number, demand for affordable, time-saving products is universal.”
Mintel - Cleaning the House – US – 2025
CLEANING IS PASSED DOWN
“IT’S WHAT MY MOM USED”
-interview
CULTURE IS USUALLY SHARED FROM FAMILIES TO GENERATIONS
Like family recipes, cleaning techniques and products are passed down from generation to generation.
CONTAINED CHAOS HELPS GEN Z STAY CLEAN
When it comes to laundry, letting one space get messy helps the rest of the space stay tidy.
“WHAT IS YOUR TOP CONSIDERATION WHEN PURCHASING CLEANING PRODUCTS?”
A majority of our participants stated that their continued use of Clorox products comes from their childhood experience of seeing their elders use them.
BUT SOME HABITS ARE UNIVERSAL
“THE CHAIRDROBE”
Clorox helps Gen Z move through this emotional arc with less friction.