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A recent survey conducted by TNS and commissioned by Jelmar, manufacturers of CLR - a popular calcium, lime and rust removing product - found that a whopping 86 percent of American vacation lodgers consider cleanliness to be the top priority when sifting through accommodation reviews prior to booking a stay.
In fact, a clean environment is so important, that 80 percent of polled U.S. guests said they would sacrifice Wi-Fi for a clean living space.
"The feeling of a perfectly clean hotel or vacation rental can provide a sense of calm and contentment; however, a dirty room can ruin a vacation experience by making it impossible to let go and relax," said Jelmar's president Alison Gutterman in a statement.
More than half (54 percent) of surveyed travelers indicated they would even be willing to pay a cleaning fee to ensure that they walk into a clean vacation rental.
Perhaps more surprising, nearly one-third (31 percent) of respondents admitted they often find themselves cleaning their hotel room or vacation rental property shortly after they arrive.
Odds are good that many of those travelers are eyeing the bathroom first.
The survey results show that more than eight out of 10 (84 percent) vacationers consider a dirty toilet to be the most frightening sight upon entering a hotel room or vacation rental property.
"Even when travelers are excused from cleaning duties on vacation and have permission to escape the rigors of daily chores, the cleanliness of our environment is clearly top of mind and of the utmost importance to travelers no matter where they're staying, be it a vacation rental or hotel," Gutterman added.
Despite the push for clean accommodations, more than one-third of those surveyed (35 percent) said they believe it's acceptable to leave a hotel room messier than a vacation rental.
However when it comes to overall cleanliness, a majority of respondents (55 percent) indicated they feel hotels are cleaner than vacation rentals, while the remaining 45 percent felt the opposite.
The survey results comprised the responses of nearly 1,500 American adults who have stayed at a hotel or vacation rental within the past two years.
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