Over one in eight (13%) homeowners and renters are planning to spend more than a day spring cleaning this year, research for home appliance maker Vorwerk has revealed.
As evenings get lighter, two-thirds (67%) of households will be gearing up for their big clean – with 45% reaching for the vacuum cleaner as their first port of call to give their homes a fresher feel and a new look during the spring season.
Of the remaining third who say they are not going to do a spring clean, the most popular reason is simply that they are ‘too lazy’ (25%) to do the housework, according to the findings for Vorwerk – the creators of the iconic Kobold VK200 Upright Vacuum Cleaner.
However, deep cleaning has certainly paid off for some as 24% of households revealed that they have found missing money. Others have also found a bizarre range of items including a box of chocolates, medical records, a pair of secateurs and a wetsuit glove!
UK’s cleanest quarters
Northern Ireland homes will be aiming to be the cleanest area of the UK during the spring season – with 77% planning on making their homes spotless this year, closely followed by 71% in the North West, and 70% in the West Midlands and North East respectively.
Yorkshire adults are the biggest culprits in the UK for avoiding certain domestic chores altogether – with 20% saying they have never done a spring clean, ahead of 18% in the East Midlands and 16% of South West households.
Top five most popular spring cleaning jobs for UK adults in 2018 %
Sorting through drawers/cupboards 80%
Cleaning the windows 77%
Getting rid of old clothes 76%
Cleaning the skirting boards 70%
Removing cobwebs 64%
Women lead the charge for committing to a spring clean this year – with one in 10 more females (71%) planning on making their homes spick and span compared to 63% of their male counterparts.
Spring cleaning is deemed a high priority across the generations too – particularly for nearly three-quarters of 45-54-year-olds (71%), over two-thirds (68%) of 55+, 66% of 25-34-year-olds, 65% of 35-44-year-olds and 63% of 18-24-year-olds.
However, there does seem to be a generation gap when it comes to the question of whether a spring clean has ever taken place at home – as more than a fifth (22%) of 18-24-year-olds admit they have never carried out such a chore, and a further 37% say they are ‘too lazy’ to commit to a deep clean this year.
Hygiene, home haven and a whole new look
The need to keep up appearances is one of several motivations for many getting their homes in an orderly fashion this year. The top five reasons being:
1) I want a cleaner home – 77%
2) I’d feel more organised – 61%
3) It’s more hygienic – 41%
4) I am house proud – 29%
5) I need to make room for new stuff – 14%
Figures suggest that a clean abode gives off a certain impression too, with 37% saying they would think that the homeowner was lazy if their home was unclean. Meanwhile, 28% say they judge the hosts negatively and 13% would want to offer a helping hand to clean.
Top five biggest turn-offs in the home %
Dirty toilet 71%
Strong smells 61%
Messy kitchen 55%
Unkempt bathroom 49%
Pet hair all over 43%
Home horrors
Visitors strongly dislike a dirty home to the point where 46% would not even accept a drink, nearly half (44%) would refuse an offer of food and 37% would hold off and use their own toilet because they would not dare to venture into the host’s bathroom.
It goes even further, with a third (33%) saying they wash their hands immediately as soon as they get home and 30% admit to cutting their visits short.
Speaking about the findings, Vorwerk cleaning expert Thomas Henningsson, said: “It’s refreshing to see that people still put value in a good, intensive spring clean to give their homes a new look following the unforgiving winter months.
“A clean home can provide a welcoming haven for friends and family and our research has found that a thorough clean gives off a good impression. It certainly pays off to go that extra mile too – as we’ve seen with people finding all kinds of items whilst cleaning.”
Get organised
Vorwerk ambassador and Channel 4 star, Lynsey ‘Queen of Clean’ Crombie, added: “A good plan goes a long way towards your spring clean and it can seem less daunting if you organise your routine into manageable chunks. You should take things room by room so it’s achievable and doesn’t seem like a chore.
“People do judge you on your homes so it’s great to see that many of us are planning a spring clean this year. I like that people do it because they are house proud – that’s something I can relate to and will be spending the time to make sure my home is spick and span for guests and my family to enjoy.”
Lynsey’s 5 Spring Cleaning shortcuts
1. To deep clean your sinks, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda over the plug hole, and then pour down some white wine vinegar. Follow this with some boiling water to flush out your drain and leave it smelling fresh
2. To get rid of those stubborn water marks on shower doors and tiles, cut a lemon in half and rub it directly onto the marks
3. If your glassware has stubborn water stains, gently rub over them with potato skins to remove the grime and rinse as normal. They will come up as good as new
4. Gently rub a tennis ball over marks on paintwork and watch them disappear
5. If you’ve got watermark rings on your table, place some fabric on top of the mark and iron the surface on a low heat.
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