Brits come clean about their grotty homes

Researchers have found that seven in ten Brits are unable to find the time to take care of everyday chores such as vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the bathroom.

Fifty-seven per cent of people even admitted they have times when they would describe their home as a ‘pigsty’ because they never have a chance to tidy it up.

More than one in five have even refused to let people into their home because it was in such a mess.

A spokesperson for cleaning product firm Spontex, who commissioned the research, said: ‘’We are leading busier lives than ever and when you are juggling so much, it’s inevitable that something has to give.

‘’And it seems that for many, staying on top of their household chores and keeping their home spotless is what they are letting fall by the wayside.

‘’But this means that many Brits aren’t happy with the state of the home, and it’s alarming to see that so many even have times when they would describe their home as being like a pigsty.

‘’Cleaning can be done in small chunks which makes it much more manageable to fit everything in and around your everyday life.

‘’If you are struggling to fit the chores in, rather than doing a big clean once in a while, running the vacuum round one day and then cleaning the bathrooms the next can make life a lot easier.’’

The study of 2,000 people found that 63 per cent don’t think their home is as clean as they would like it to be, with half of those blaming this on being too busy to clean.

Another 39 per cent simply don’t like cleaning while 21 per cent don’t think they are very good at it.

And almost a quarter say they’ve got better things to do than worry about the state of their house.

Forty-two per cent have never cleaned their home from top to bottom, and, even those who have admit it’s an average of almost five months since they last did this.

More than one in ten owned up to not cleaning their bathroom for at least a month while another one in ten even admitted it’s been a year or more since they did some ironing.

One in twenty haven’t washed clothes and one in ten haven’t got the vacuum out for a month or more.

Almost one in ten also said they haven’t used a duster in their home for at least six months, while one in twenty admitted it’s been at least a year since they mopped their floors.

More than one in twenty owned up to never cleaning their windows and 60 per cent don’t think they will ever have a spotless home.

Researchers also revealed that a third of people’s homes are such a mess, that visitors or friends have commented on the state of it.

And more than half have rowed with their other half about the mess.

It also emerged that 73 per cent of people regularly shove things under cushions or behind sofas so any clutter is out of sight when someone pops in.

And 60 per cent have shut doors to certain rooms so guests can’t see the mess.

Despite this, 90 per cent claim they consider themselves to be a tidy person.

A spokesperson for Spontex added: ‘’Our advice is to do a few, small tasks daily or several times a week rather than try and spend a whole day just cleaning. This will keep your home in top condition with minimal effort and give you the satisfaction of completing your chores.

“Many people feel a real sense of fulfilment and more in control of their lives when they are on top of jobs round the house; try not to see cleaning as a chore, why not pop on your favourite music and enjoy a bit of time away from work and other distractions and have some ‘good clean fun’ around the house!”