This year, we conducted an insightful study on carpet cleaning trends to understand customer behavior during the holiday season. Our primary question: Do people search for carpet cleaning services during Christmas week (2024)?
The findings were quite revealing. Carpet cleaning searches hit a five-year low during Christmas week, indicating that customers are least likely to look for cleaning services during this time. Instead, it suggests that people either schedule their carpet cleaning before the festive celebrations or postpone it until after the holidays.
Our founder, Mark Ellen (Bond Cleaning Service) quoted “This study sheds light on consumer priorities, showing that while cleanliness is essential, the demand for carpet cleaning significantly drops when the focus shifts to holiday gatherings, decorations, and festivities.”
This trend suggests that most homeowners and businesses prefer to have their carpets cleaned before the holiday season, ensuring their homes and workplaces are spotless for gatherings, parties, and celebrations. On the other hand, some may postpone deep cleaning until after the holidays, once the festivities are over and any mess left behind needs attention.
What Does This Tell Us About Consumer Behavior?
Understanding this trend is crucial for carpet cleaning businesses, as it highlights seasonal shifts in customer demand and provides insights into how people prioritize home maintenance during the holidays. The sharp decline in searches for carpet cleaning during Christmas week suggests that most homeowners follow a pattern when it comes to deep cleaning their carpets. Here’s a closer look at these behavioural trends:
1. Pre-Holiday Cleaning Rush – The Need for a Spotless Home Before Christmas
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, there is often a surge in demand for carpet cleaning services. Homeowners want their living spaces to look spotless before hosting holiday gatherings, family reunions, and festive celebrations. Since Christmas is a time when guests visit homes more frequently, people make an extra effort to ensure their carpets are fresh, stain-free, and odorless.
- Families preparing for holiday parties schedule their carpet cleaning appointments well in advance to avoid last-minute rushes.
- Businesses, hotels, and event venues also increase their demand for cleaning services, ensuring a pristine look for holiday visitors.
- People decorating their homes for Christmas may clean their carpets first so that their holiday decorations, trees, and festive setups stand out against a fresh and clean background.
Because of this pre-holiday rush, many carpet cleaning businesses experience their busiest season in early to mid-December, making it the perfect time to offer promotions and early booking discounts.
2. Holiday Distractions – Why Carpet Cleaning Is Not a Priority During Christmas Week
Despite the increase in demand before Christmas, searches for carpet cleaning services plummet during the actual Christmas week. This indicates that once the celebrations begin, people shift their focus away from home maintenance tasks.
During this period, most families are busy with:
- Holiday shopping and gift exchanges, making cleaning tasks feel less urgent.
- Hosting and attending Christmas gatherings, leaving little time for deep cleaning appointments.
- Cooking and meal preparations, which take up a significant portion of their schedule.
- Traveling to visit friends and relatives, making it impractical to schedule carpet cleaning services.
Even if homeowners notice that their carpets need cleaning, they are unlikely to book a service during Christmas week because they want to focus on enjoying the festivities. Businesses in the carpet cleaning industry should expect a temporary drop in demand during this period and plan accordingly.
3. Post-Holiday Cleanups – The New Year Brings a Fresh Start
Once the holiday celebrations wind down, a new cleaning trend emerges—post-holiday cleanups. This period, starting in early January, often sees an uptick in carpet cleaning bookings as homeowners and businesses shift their attention back to maintaining cleanliness.
Several factors contribute to this:
- Spills and stains from holiday gatherings – Parties and family dinners often lead to accidental food and drink spills on carpets, prompting homeowners to seek professional cleaning.
- Pine needles and holiday decorations – If a real Christmas tree was used, pine needles, sap, and glitter from decorations may require thorough carpet cleaning.
- New Year’s resolutions – Many people start the year with a fresh mindset, making deep cleaning their home a priority.
- Businesses reopening after holiday closures – Offices, hotels, and commercial spaces may require professional carpet cleaning before returning to full operations.
Conclusion: Key Takeaways from the Carpet Cleaning Trends Study
Our analysis of Google Trends Australia data provides valuable insights into consumer behavior during the holiday season. The findings highlight a clear pattern:
- Demand for carpet cleaning peaks in early to mid-December as homeowners and businesses prepare for festive gatherings.
- Searches for carpet cleaning drop to a five-year low during Christmas week, indicating that people shift their focus to celebrations, travel, and family time.
- Post-holiday cleanups lead to a rise in demand in early January, as homeowners address stains, spills, and general wear from holiday activities.
For carpet cleaning businesses, this data emphasizes the importance of strategic marketing and service offerings. Promoting early booking discounts before Christmas and launching post-holiday cleaning deals in January can help maximize customer engagement during seasonal shifts. By aligning services with consumer behavior, businesses can optimize their efforts and stay ahead in a competitive market.
