Say Hello to a New Approach to Spring Cleaning!

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The delights of spring have finally sprung, but a new survey from Woolite(R) Carpet finds that a majority of American women don't want to spring-clean the way past generations did -- scrubbing and sweeping their homes from top to bottom. Woolite asked 1,000 American women from across the country about their cleaning frustrations on the home front and found most prefer innovative, quick-fix strategies that make the house look tidy and clean and just get the job done.

Woolite found that many women opt for innovative stain-hiding strategies like moving heavy furniture over them or ineffective solutions like procrastinating rather than tackle them head on. In general, women today say they are just too busy to spend hours cleaning their homes and need easy, quick-fix solutions that deliver great results.

    Some findings include:

     -- It's all about looks - 71 percent of those polled said it's more
        important that their home looks tidy and clean versus being thoroughly
        clean.
     -- What lies beneath - 53 percent admit they've covered up a stain or
        mess on their carpet, and 41 percent have actually moved a heavy piece
        of furniture like a bookcase or TV stand to cover up a stain.
     -- Many are giving up on cleaning altogether - 59 percent are more likely
        to toss out a stained rug or floor mat rather than get it cleaned.
     -- Not so livable - it's such a hassle to keep the living room clean that
        once the task is done, those surveyed said they are resistant to
        resuming their normal habits. In the days after tackling this room,
        eating (44 percent), wearing shoes (42 percent) and drinking (36
        percent) are off-limits.

This survey reveals many of the intricate frustrations people feel when it comes to cleaning the home and highlights the need for quick and easy cleaning solutions. The new Woolite Rug Stick(TM) and Woolite pod(R) (Portable Oxy Deep(R)) are cleaning products that help bring needed order to the home and may even save stained rugs from being thrown into the trash.

The Rug Stick is ideal for anyone looking for more convenient, quicker and easier methods to clean high-traffic areas such as entryways, hallways and stairs, as well as pet areas that are prone to unsightly messes. When used with the improved Woolite Heavy Traffic(R) Foam with Scotchgard(TM) Protector, the Rug Stick injects deep-cleaning foam at the base of the carpet fiber, pushing dirt to the surface for easy removal.

The pod(R) is a small hand-held carpet- and upholstery-cleaning device that removes spots and stains such as red wine, cola and grape juice. The pod(R) is a convenient tool to quickly and easily take care of carpet and upholstery stains and is great for people on the go. It is ideal for use in the home, office or car. Woolite's full line of carpet and upholstery spot cleaners offers effective solutions for other cleaning challenges, and includes Oxy Deep(R), that's oxygen-activated to permanently remove set-in stains, and Pet Stain & Odor Remover + Oxygen, a pet stain removal product that removes stains and odors and discourages re-soiling.

For more information about this survey and the many cleaning solutions from Woolite, please contact Beth at beth.jester@bissell.com or Kathleen Moriarty at kathleen.moriarty@frankaboutwomen.com.

The Woolite Survey was conducted by Kelton Research between March 20 and March 27, 2008, using an e-mail invitation and an online survey. Quotas are set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the total population of U.S. females ages 18 and older.

About BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

A 132-year-old company, Grand Rapids-based BISSELL Homecare, Inc., is a floor-care innovator and international manufacturer of home-cleaning products, including sweepers, vacuums, deep-cleaning machines and cleaning formulas sold at retail locations worldwide. The company, in its fourth generation of family leadership, is the seventh-oldest privately held manufacturing company in the United States.

Woolite(R) Carpet and Upholstery is a trademark of Reckitt Benckiser licensed to BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

About Kelton Research

Kelton Research is a full-service global insights firm with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., and is America's fastest-growing national market research consultancy. Serving as strategic partner to more than 100 of the Fortune 500 and thousands of smaller companies and organizations, Kelton utilizes a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to drive tactical recommendations for clients. For more information about Kelton's services, please call (310) 479-4040 or visit www.keltonresearch.com .