Cleaning. It’s a task that is seemingly endless but has to be done. There’s a lot of factors that impact our cleaning habits: from the oddly satisfying swoosh of a vacuum to dreading cleaning the loos, household chores are a constant in our lives. But how often we roll up our sleeves for a deep clean, and who does the lion’s share of the jobs that we hate to do is what dominates cleaning conversations up and down the UK.
So we surveyed the nation to uncover the truth behind Britain’s cleaning habits, revealing the shining highs, the dirty lows, and begrudging compromises of keeping our homes spick and span.
Sweeping it under the rug: Brits’ cleaning habits
The deep clean usually entails a lot of elbow grease – dusting every nook and cranny, scrubbing every surface and putting things back in their place to get the home sparkling. It sounds ideal, but how often does it actually happen? Unsurprisingly, it varies. While some households are scrubbing their homes from top to bottom every week, others are leaving their deep cleans to chance or absolute necessity.
It turns out that Brits are rolling up their sleeves fairly often as nearly one in five (19%) admit to only tackling the deep clean every few months. Those in the “once a month” camp (17%) aren’t far behind, suggesting that those households prefer to keep a schedule, albeit a relaxed one. Plus, if you keep on top of things and clean little and often, deep cleans aren’t needed as frequently – which is what 76% of respondents admit to doing, cleaning or tidying up every day. However, once a calendar month isn’t enough for 16% of respondents, as these weekly worriers commit to a regular scrub down every 7 days to keep the grime at bay.
But not everyone reaches for the cleaning supplies as regularly as that. While a shiny, spotless home might be the goal, the reality is that busy lives, other priorities and emotional stress push the deep clean down the to-do list. This could be why 8% of respondents admit to rarely or never deep cleaning their homes. Another 7% take on the task just once a year, perhaps embodying the spring-cleaning tradition rather than treating it as a regular necessity.
Whether you’re a once-a-week perfectionist or an every-few-months pragmatist, there’s no right or wrong – just your own version of clean.
How often is your house deep cleaned? (all rooms thoroughly cleaned)? | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
Every few months | 19% |
Once a month | 17% |
Once a week | 16% |
Once a fortnight | 11% |
Only on the weekends | 11% |
Several times a week | 8% |
Rarely/Never | 8% |
Once a year | 7% |
I only deep clean when we have guests | 2% |
Once a day | 2% |
Cleaning loves and loathes
When it comes to household chores, there are some that spark a surprising amount of satisfaction, while others are dreaded by most of us. Not everyone looks forward to housework, but which jobs do people relish the most – purely for the satisfaction of getting them done?
Well, few things compare to watching dirt, crumbs and pet hair disappear in one fell swoop, leaving your floors spotless. Combine this with the enjoyable sound of those pesky crumbs being powerfully sucked up, and it’s no surprise that vacuuming or sweeping the floors take the top spot (35%) for job satisfaction. Up next is changing the linen, with 26% stating that there is no better feeling than slipping into freshly laundered sheets at the end of the day. While the physical act of swapping out the bedding is fairly straightforward, the results feel almost indulgent.
However, not everyone feels the same. In fact, 14% of Brits said that they don’t find any chores satisfying. Whether it’s due to the dislike of domestic work altogether or the lack of tangible reward in their day-to-day cleaning, there is no satisfaction to be had here.
Which household chores do you find the most satisfying? (select up to three) | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
Vacuum or sweep the floors | 35% |
Changing the bedding | 26% |
Washing clothes | 18% |
Decluttering/organising cupboards | 17% |
Wash dishes and put them away | 14% |
Cooking dinner | 14% |
Folding and putting away laundry | 14% |
I don't find any chores satisfying | 14% |
Tidying bedroom | 11% |
Hanging up the laundry | 10% |
Chore off: the jobs we’d rather not touch
If there are chores that scratch at our thoughts, then there are chores that completely do our head in too. And at the bottom of the list is cleaning the oven (35%) – and it’s not hard to see why. Scrubbing baked-on grime, grease, and stains from near-impossible to reach corners requires time, effort and a strong stomach. This job is often thankless and hard to maintain as it’s an appliance that is usually in action a lot. Unsurprisingly, cleaning the toilet is second most dreaded job, with 23% saying it’s the job they’d most like to avoid. Getting up close and personal with the loo is unpleasant to say the least, and is a painful reminder of life’s less glamourous realities. Ironically, in third place is changing the bedding with 16% saying they hate having to do it. So, while the end result is satisfying to some, wrestling with fitted sheets, heavy duvets and annoying pillow covers can mean the effort isn’t worth the reward to others.
What is your least favourite household chore or the ones you dread the most? | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
Oven cleaning | 35% |
Cleaning the toilet | 23% |
Changing the bedding | 16% |
Scrub shower/bath | 14% |
Cleaning the windows | 14% |
Folding and putting away laundry | 14% |
Cleaning grout | 13% |
Wash dishes and put them away | 12% |
Mopping | 12% |
Hanging up the laundry | 10% |
Britain’s chore chart
Household chores often feel like a never-ending job but who does the majority of them? For many Brits, 67% to be precise, cleaning is a solo responsibility and they opt to handle the majority of household chores themselves. Whether it’s a result of control or meeting certain standards, many people prefer to take charge of cleaning jobs to make sure that things are done “their way”. Plus, one person’s clean can be another person’s bare minimum, and sharing responsibilities might lead to disagreements about what “clean” really means. This could be why 41% of Brits admitted that chores have caused conflict in their house. Other factors like time and routine also come into play, so if one person spends more time at home due to working from home or being a stay at home parent, they might naturally take on a larger load.
However, for 16% of households in the UK, the chores are a split straight down the middle. Here perhaps, open communication about expectations over shared responsibilities is reducing the potential for imbalance or resentment.
Who is responsible for the majority of household chores in your home? | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
Myself | 67% |
Spouse/partner | 12% |
Shared equally among adults | 16% |
My children | 1% |
My parents | 2% |
Hired help | 1% |
Bringing in cleaning reinforcements
But if cleaning really is something you’re positively phobic about, and the other half or the kids aren’t likely to lend a hand soon no matter what you bribe them with, then maybe it’s time to look elsewhere for help. A quick Google search or social media sweep can pair you up with the prime of local cleaners in a flash and, provided they’re not oversubscribed, they could be round to scrub and dust before you’ve even plugged in the vacuum.
Having said that however, hiring a cleaner isn’t for everyone. 38% of Brits still can’t afford one and consider it a luxury, while an industrious 33% prefer to do it themselves anyway. 5% won’t hire one as they’re concerned about having someone they don’t know inside their house. Meanwhile 12% are on the fence and thinking of giving it a go, while 7% hire a cleaner once a month to add a bit of polish to proceedings.
Do you hire a cleaner to assist with your household chores? | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
No, I can’t afford it | 38% |
No, I prefer to do it myself | 33% |
No, but I’m considering it | 12% |
Yes, occasionally (once a month) | 7% |
Yes, regularly | 6% |
No, worried about security/privacy | 5% |
What the nation would forgo for a cleaner
So as we’ve seen, many Brits wouldn’t hire a cleaner on the grounds that it’s simply too expensive to do so. So we posed the big question: if push came to shove – what would you give up to be able to afford a cleaner?
Well, the trend of Brits being a nation of DIY cleaners continues to hold strong. A huge 51% of those asked simply wouldn’t give up anything at all, preferring to don the duster and do it themselves. After all, it’s a decent bit of exercise too. That factor might also go some way to explaining the top thing Brits would give up, with 18% expressing that they would ditch unhealthy takeaways for the chance of a cleaner house (and possibly a cleaner diet too!). Coffee trips follow close behind on 12%, while 12% of Brits would drop their gym membership in favour of having a cleaner working out in their homes instead.
If you can't afford a cleaner, what would you be willing to give up in order to afford one? | Respondents (%) |
---|---|
I wouldn't give up anything | 51% |
Takeaways | 18% |
Coffee trips | 12% |
Gym membership/ fitness classes | 12% |
Dining out | 10% |
Social "nights" out/ trips to the pub | 9% |
Live the dream: keep your home clean
So let’s scrub up. Although there are plenty of sparkling cleaners available for hire out there, it’s clear that Brits would much rather clean, dust, and vacuum their homes for themselves. Of course, that’s only ever possible if you have the right tools to hand to make all chores less of a bore – and at Currys we have everything you need. A carpet cleaner will ensure you make a clean sweep of the hallway and living room floor, while a wet and dry vacuum cleaner is just the job for any lingering pet pongs from your furry friends. Meanwhile a pressure washer or steam cleaner guarantees miles of smiles for your tiles in the kitchen and bathroom.
And if, at the end of the day, cleaning is still not your thing, then why not treat yourself to a mini-robot invasion? With a robot vacuum all you have to do is point it in the right direction and leave it to trundle away happily while you do something much more pleasant. Welcome to the future of cleaning.
Methodology
The survey involved 2000 UK residents between the ages of 18-96 and was conducted using Pollfish.