Brits spend almost £150 a year on their most hated chore… BUT what is it?

published 21 March 2018

New research out today reveals that Brits overspend by £101 on cleaning products each year - despite cleaning being the country’s most hated chore.

Cleaning is so unpopular that most people would choose to have a cleaner for a day (30 per cent) over a spa day (10 per cent) or even a day off work (9 per cent), if they had the choice.

The study commissioned by leading supermarket, Lidl UK, ahead of ‘Spring Cleaning’ season, found that 8 in 10 Brits admit to buying cleaning products even when they considered them to be too expensive. With an average annual spend of £148, over a quarter (28 per cent) of Brits said they resent paying the high prices.

In response to this, Lidl UK is reminding spring cleaners that they could save enough to afford a professional deep spring clean of their own if they switched to buying their cleaning products with the discount retailer.
In fact, the research revealed that customers could save £101 a year by swapping branded cleaning products from other retailers to Lidl's W5 cleaning range.

According to the findings, the average household buys branded washing-up liquid, toilet cleaner, kitchen cleaner, air freshener, all-purpose cleaner and bathroom cleaner at least once a month and when combined with specialist cleaning items bought less regularly such as glass cleaner, this sets them back by £148 each year.

However, British households could buy the same products throughout the course of a year from Lidl’s own W5 range for just £47 - a saving of £101 over twelve months and enough for a professional deep clean of a two bedroom home.

Only 5 per cent of the population conduct their own research into the best value cleaning products before buying them which is costing consumers valuable pounds.

'Do your research,' explains TV personality and expert in cleaning smart, Lynsey Crombie aka Queen of Clean. 'Plan the products you need to buy and take time to ensure their uses are right for the job in question. The biggest price tag and fanciest label doesn’t make it the best product.'

'When you take time to read labels and understand the product you are buying, you will start to see the product over the brand. Allowing yourself to reach out to lesser known ranges, like Lidl’s W5, will save you money and you’ll find they’re often the most powerful and effective products of them all.'

Despite ‘cleaning the bathroom’ being the second most hated cleaning task in the UK (39 per cent), bathroom cleaner and toilet cleaner are the two cleaning products that Brits admit believe they spend most money on.

Cleaning the bathroom is so undesirable that Brits would rather clean the windows (32 per cent), deep clean the carpets (19 per cent) or wash a dirty microwave (13 per cent).

'At Lidl we believe everyone should have access to the very best quality products, at the lowest price possible. Our W5 cleaning range offers the nation the right product for cleaning, whatever the task in hand, without the enormous price tag of branded items. We’re pleased we can show our customers that by shopping W5 throughout the year, they can save enough money for the little luxury of a professional deep clean in time for spring,' says Helen Watkins at Lidl.

Is cleaning your most hated chore?

Jennifer is the Deputy Editor (Digital) for Homes & Gardens online. Prior to her current position, she completed various short courses a KLC Design School, and wrote across sister brands Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes, Country Homes & Interiors, and Style at Home.