Consumer Expenditure Survey · BLS CE 2024

Laundry and cleaning products spending

U.S. households spent $209/yr on laundry and cleaning products in 2024 - 0.3% of the average budget ; the top income quintile outspends the bottom by 1.9×. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

2024 avg
$209
Budget share
0.3%

CES spend plate

Line LAUNDRY-AND-CLEANI · Laundry and cleaning products $209 · 0.3%

SHARE-TRACE · QUINT-FLAT · YOY-UNK · REAL-UNK · REGION-NE · BOOK-LOWER

  • SHARE-TRACE 0.3% of budget
  • QUINT-FLAT 1.9× Q5/Q1
  • YOY-UNK YoY n/a
  • REAL-UNK Real change n/a
  • REGION-NE Northeast leads
  • BOOK-LOWER #83/99 dollars

Nearest dollar peer: Postage and stationery ($-78)

Instrument codes from this line’s budget share, income-quintile gap, YoY move, real change vs ~21% CPI-U (2020-2024), regional lead, and corpus book size, not a budgeting recommendation.

Spend neighbourhood around Laundry and cleaning products

Lowest and highest poles plus nearest dollar peers among sibling lines, not a full-board reprint. Figures from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey.

Dollar neighbourhood · Laundry and cleaning products

Average annual spending · 2024 · poles + near peers

Source: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey As of 2024-12-31

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Spending Trend (2020–2024)

Year Annual Amount
2024 $209

Income stretch on a smaller laundry and cleaning products line

A smaller CES line: even the top quintile is $263/yr, with the bottom at $138 (1.9× gap).

Income Group Annual Amount
Lowest 20% $138
Second 20% $169
Middle 20% $217
Fourth 20% $258
Highest 20% $263

See full income breakdown →

Northeast leads laundry and cleaning products geographically

Northeast leads at $218/yr.

Region Annual Amount
Midwest $214
Northeast $218
South $201
West $211

See full regional breakdown →

Lifecycle peak · 55–64

55–64 heads spend the most on this line at $243/yr - the lifecycle peak on a smaller book line.

Age Group Annual Amount
25–34 $212
35–44 $221
45–54 $225
55–64 $243
65–74 $188
75 and older $163
Under 25 $151

See full age breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions (show 5)
How much does the average household spend on laundry and cleaning products?
The average American household spent $209 on laundry and cleaning products in 2024, according to the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. This represents 0.3% of total household spending.
How does income affect laundry and cleaning products spending?
The lowest income quintile spends $138/year on laundry and cleaning products, while the highest quintile spends $263/year, a 1.9x difference. Higher-income households spend more in absolute terms but may allocate a smaller share of their budget.
Which region spends the most on laundry and cleaning products?
The Northeast region spends the most at $218/year, while the South region spends the least at $201/year on laundry and cleaning products.
Which age group spends the most on laundry and cleaning products?
Households headed by someone in the 55–64 age group spend the most on laundry and cleaning products at $243/year.
Does household size affect laundry and cleaning products spending?
Yes. 1 Person households spend $120/year on laundry and cleaning products, while 5 or More households spend $324/year. Larger households generally spend more in absolute terms on most categories.

Other smaller CES lines near laundry and cleaning products

Dollar-amount and budget-share neighbours from BLS CE 2024 (this category excluded).

Similar dollar amount

Nearest other categories by 2024 average annual spending ($209 here).

Category 2024 avg
Processed fruits and vegetables $203
Fish and seafood $224
Toys, hobbies, and playground equipment $189
Sugar and other sweets $230
Medical supplies $233
Cereals and cereal products $240
Other apparel products and services $252
Pork $260

Similar budget share

Nearest other categories by share of the household budget (0.3% here).

Category Budget share
Cereals and cereal products 0.3%
Fish and seafood 0.3%
Medical supplies 0.3%
Other apparel products and services 0.3%
Pork 0.3%
Poultry 0.3%
Processed fruits and vegetables 0.3%
Sugar and other sweets 0.3%

Average household budget · Methodology · BLS CEX source

Informational only - not advice. See disclaimer.

Every figure on PlainHousehold is rendered directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.