Ironing Boards Found to be Obsolete

Americans are losing their zest for cleaning house, according to a recent study of national attitudes towards cleaning by Black & Decker. The study found that fully 20 percent of women and 24 percent of men are "anti-cleaners," who, like me, would do almost anything to avoid cleaning the house. Another 21 percent of women and 23 percent of men are "reluctant cleaners."Today, according to Black & Decker (makers of the Dustbuster), "wash 'n wear" and dry-clean-only clothes have rendered the iron almost obsolete. Similarly, people think nothing of tossing dirty laundry in the closet (or, in my case, under the kitchen table), sweeping dirt under the rug or "just shutting the door when company comes."About a third of all women described themselves to Black & Decker as "Felix Unger" types -- total cleaning fanatics. Then there are "stream-of-consciousness" cleaners who "clean on the fly with no particular pattern." This group includes about twice as many men than women.Although rarely used, the average American household has two vacuum cleaners and six to seven "cleaning tools," such as paper towel holders, rags and dust pans.This may also qualify as slightly questionable use of research funds, but Black & Decker picked up the tab, so what do we care?