The true cost of cleaning: From money and time, to the environment

• Brits spend over £150 a year on cleaning products
• The average Brit spends 6.5 hours a week cleaning their home
• 16-24-year olds are twice as likely to consider the environment in their cleaning habits than over 55s
• Lynsey Crombie aka ‘Queen of Clean’ says to use hand sanitiser as a great stain remover when out and about

Keeping your home hygienic is something we all have to contend with, but a clean home doesn’t come for free. Currys PC World conducted a survey to investigate the cost of cleaning in all senses, including the money people spend and the time they dedicate to their cleaning routine, as well as the emotional and environmental impact of cleaning. We spoke to cleaning expert, Lynsey Crombie aka the ‘Queen of Clean’ and Health Psychologist Benjamin Ainsworth to gain additional insight on the topic.

Brits spend an average of £12.61 a month on cleaning products

• 16% of Brits spend over £20 a month on cleaning products
• Over half of Brits only buy branded cleaning products, with 30% of them believing the higher price point equates to quality and effectiveness
• Londoners spend 15% more on cleaning products than the national average
• 16-24-year olds spend nearly £50 more a year on cleaning products than over 55s

What’s the price tag on a clean home? In a pre-COVID-19 world, the average Brit would spend £12.61 a month on cleaning products. But, with a pandemic added to the mix, this figure is even higher, with nearly 1 in 5 confessing to spending more on hygiene and cleanliness.

Homecare expert, Lynsey Crombie aka the ‘Queen of Clean’ is all for using more affordable products, however, saying “I actually find some of the more expensive ones to be awful. A basic disinfectant and washing up liquid will always work well and not cost you much at all.”

Looking at different demographics, 16-24-year olds spend the most on their cleaning routines compared with other age-groups, averaging £14.73 a month. People in London (£14.54) and Northern Ireland (£14.02) are also the most likely to fork out more cash for a clean home, whereas those in the South West spend the least (£11.71).

Brits are spending more time cleaning since COVID-19, but wearing their clothes more times before washing

• Brits spend more time cleaning the kitchen than any other room, adding up to an average of 2 hours a week
• 2 in 5 men wear a pair of underwear more than once before washing them, with 1 in 10 wearing them three times
• Over 1 in 10 Brits would rather throw away a dirty towel than clean it
• Brits are cleaning their fridges almost four times more often since the COVID pandemic, and mopping the floor twice as often