Moen Steps Inside a Typical Shower to Learn What Happens Behind Closed Doors; See How Your Showering Habits Compare

NORTH OLMSTED, OH--(Marketwire - Apr 12, 2012) - We all do it. In fact, most of us do it every day -- or a few times a day. Now what happens in the shower no longer stays in the shower. In a new study, Moen Incorporated surveyed hundreds of men and women to learn more about their showering behavior. Do they drink coffee? Check their e-mail? Sing a tune? Take a look behind the curtain to discover more about the thoughts and activities that take place in bathrooms across America.

Get The Day Sorted Out
"As people's lives get busier, multitasking is the norm -- and our time in the shower is no exception," said Jack Suvak, Senior Director Market Research and Insights, Moen. With 54 percent of respondents saying they have children living at home, a shower means a bit of precious alone time, and people take full advantage of the peace to think about the day, their lives and more. Family and relationships are the main topics that people think about in the shower, followed by work and chores. Bills, health and even lunch/dinner plans and grocery shopping are shared thoughts by about half of respondents. And although both men and women note that they think about similar things -- women are almost 20 percent more inclined to spend time mulling over family issues and chores than their male counterparts.

Dream A Little Dream With Me
"It's been interesting to watch how the bathroom -- and the shower in particular -- has become a therapeutic retreat in homes of any size," said Rebecca Kolls, Senior Director Home Strategist, Iconoculture: A Corporate Executive Board Company. "Living today is a juggling act. Consumers want balance, peace and tranquility, and that is now as easy as stepping into the shower. An effective showerhead brings an experience that's as good as it gets -- the golden ticket for relaxation whenever someone wants, or needs, it. It's a step away."

And, "getting away" often means daydreaming. Moen found this is also a popular pastime in the shower with 67 percent of respondents noting that they dream/think while taking a shower and 40 percent specifically thinking through travel plans or imagining where they could travel. "Our ioDIGITAL® shower controller was designed with people's time and need for a great showering experience in mind," said Suvak. "It takes care of the details, with presets for water temperature and flow, meaning people can spend more time daydreaming in the shower and less time waiting for the water to get to the right temperature or adjusting the temperature during a shower." The product features an intuitive interface with three customizable preset buttons offering precise, personalized temperature. Plus it's easy to operate -- since users can dial in and maintain temperature and flow with electronic precision.

A Private Karaoke Bar
Although people have always joked about singing during showering, the fact is -- it's happening. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they're not afraid to express themselves in the shower. Among those who do, the main reasons (by 50 percent or more) are: feeling happy, feeling relaxed, and knowing that no one can hear them singing. Of course, people also sing for less noble reasons: 12 percent of respondents sing because they're bored and six percent sing to annoy their spouse or significant other.

More of a Good Thing
With everything people do in the shower, there's still a lot more they want. More time in the shower, that is. Most people surveyed said that their daily shower lasted, on average, about 12 minutes -- but they wish it could last five minutes longer. On average males are taking a shower more frequently than females (7.5 times per week vs. 6.8, respectively). "People enjoy their time in the shower and they want more of it -- no question," said Suvak. "It's a place for them to escape, relax and wash away some of their worries." They also want to maximize every minute they're in the shower and Suvak noted that Moen has developed several products that help them do this. "We know through extensive research that keeping the bathroom clean is a major 'pain' point with people." In fact, 77 percent of both men and women say cleaning the shower walls and showerhead are the top activities that take place in the shower. "The Moen Spot Resist™ finish is designed to resist fingerprints and water spots on bathroom faucets and showerheads, so people can spend less time cleaning in the shower and more time enjoying their shower," said Suvak.

The finish is available on all Moen Brushed Nickel finish fixtures, including rainshowers. "Rainshowers are especially popular because of the great showering experience they create, and we've made sure ours delivers with a pressurized water flow that offers superior coverage," explained Suvak.

A great experience -- at the end of the day, that's what respondents say they value most about their showers. "Men and women. Young and old. A great shower has a universal appeal because it's an activity that we do every day that many of us look forward to. Whether it wakes us up or helps us wind down -- people value their time in the shower."

For more information about Moen and its products, call 1-800-BUY-MOEN or visit moen.com.

About Moen

As the #1 faucet brand in North America, Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed kitchen and bath faucets, showerheads, accessories, bath safety products and kitchen sinks -- each delivering the best possible combination of meaningful innovation, useful features, on-trend styling and lasting value.

Moen is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. (NYSE: FBHS), which creates products and services that help fulfill the dreams of homeowners and help people feel more secure. For more information, please visit www.fbhs.com.

WaterSense is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).