82% of Brits admit their homes are filthy

New figures have shown that 82% of Brits admit their homes are filthy, as they shun the once popular spring clean, for more frequent, basic surface cleans; and those over 55 are the worst culprits.

A new study of 1,000 UK families,  by online electricals retailer, ao.com, found that while this month is the most popular month for Brits wanting to do their spring clean, 1 in 10 Brits will not get round to completing it this month, or in fact all year, as they opt for more frequent surface cleans only.  Those in the South West though will aim to a big clean every two months.

Brits confessed that while their homes look presentable, they don’t have time to do a thorough clean, and believe that a simple surface wipe is sufficient. 1 in 5 Brits also admit to only deep cleaning their upstairs a maximum of twice a year as guests don’t visit this area of their home. The chores Brits are most likely to neglect include cleaning their mattresses and the tops of cupboards and shelves.

Surprisingly, 16-24 year olds have been revealed as the cleanest age group with nearly a quarter saying they do a try to do a big clean once a week. Those over the age of 55 were most likely to leave their big clean to only once a year as they believe there is no need for a big clean.

Further research also shows that the job Brits dread the most is cleaning their oven, followed by cleaning their windows and toilet. The nation also hates defrosting their fridge freezers.

Paul Whyte, who heads up ao.com’s buying teams said, “Spring has traditionally always been a popular time of year for most of the nation to complete their big clean. However for most of us, cleaning is a chore we dread and while the weather is nice, it certainly isn’t something most people want to be stuck inside doing.

“As experts, we know that there are a range of new and innovative products available that can help with cleaning and make family life much more convenient in terms of both time and ease. There are new ovens which feature pyrolytic cleaning, meaning the UK’s most dreaded chore will never need to be a hassle again as the oven uses extremely high temperatures to burn away any dirt into a fine ash. All you have to do is wipe it away. There are also fridge freezers which promise to never frost up. These new developments should hopefully make the customers next big clean a whole lot simpler and free up some precious time.”

The survey also revealed that a quarter of UK adults say they notice most ‘bad smells’ when a home is unclean, with women noticing a bad smell above anything else when visiting a family or friend’s house. Men however are most likely to notice a dirty bathroom.

Julia Harris, Managing Director of The HouseKeeper Company, commented, “It’s quite clear from the research that the big clean is slowly becoming a thing of the past, and due to people juggling the pressures of work and family, not to mention pets, some British homes, while nice to look at, can actually be quite dirty under the surface.

“There are however ways of making the process of thoroughly cleaning your home easier. We recommend working to a weekly schedule, breaking down the jobs into manageable chunks, which can be completed on a day by day basis, for example changing beds one day, cleaning the bathroom the next etc. We have also found that setting aside time on a regular basis, to do a “deep clean” turning out one room at a time on a rota system, is a very effective way to keep on top of cleaning your home.”

For further tips on making the big clean an easier and more time effective experience visit ao.com/life which provides a definitive list on how to thoroughly clean your home in 30 simple steps this spring.