From cleaning the oven to washing down the shower, there are many household chores most busy people put off. Now experts have come up with a checklist to help us keep our cleaning under control, without ending up spending hours in rubber gloves armed with a bleach gun once the mess has built up.
A team from the Good Housekeeping Institute has identified those jobs that really do have to be done every day and the others that can be left for up to six months or even a year.
The guide has been created from an almanac of recommendations and cleaning tips compiled over decades.
There are those jobs which need doing every day, often so that it can prevent the spread of germs as well as keeping the place tidy.
These include washing up dirty plates, cleaning the toilet bowl, making the beds and putting dirty clothes into the laundry basket.
The jobs that should be done once a week include vacuuming, dusting surfaces, putting towels in the wash and cleaning the bathroom, including tooth mugs.
The once-a-month list includes washing the windows, vacuuming under the furniture, cleaning blinds and even washing the doormat.
Beyond that, vacuuming the mattress, dry cleaning duvets, wiping down the inside of the fridge and cleaning the oven both inside and out can be tackled every three to six months, said the institute.
And, finally, the once a year jobs, which are more obscure but just as important, include clearing the gutters, having the chimney swept and wiping lightbulbs.
A spokesman said: ‘Our cleaning experts are always being asked exactly how often we should clean things – from beds and curtains to hobs and toilets.
‘Frankly, housework can feel like a never ending task, and nobody wants to overdo it. So here, by popular demand, we have created a guide to what to clean when.’
While the advice will be useful, it may well go over the head of many young people, who are used to being followed around by parents waiting on them hand and foot.
At the same time, many families, including those on modest incomes, now rely on help from a cleaner. And there is also a booming market in robot cleaners.
Research published by retail analysts Mintel last year found the average time households spend cleaning fell by 32minutes compared to 2014.
It said the average time per week was down from 4 hours and 39 minutes in 2014 to 4 hours and 7 minutes in 2016.
The Mintel study found cleaning the oven is the task people hate the most.Some 67per cent rank it among their top three dislikes along with cleaning the toilet – 47 percent – and windows – 41 percent.
Despite the claims of men to be taking on a greater share of household chores, women were still doing the heavy lifting in the kitchen and bathroom.
The average cleaning time for a woman was put at 90 minutes longer each week at 4 hours and 51 minutes.
Brand and household Aanalyst at Mintel Richard Hopping said: ‘The average amount of time that Brits report spending cleaning their home each week has fallen by half an hour in recent years.’
Mintel found that almost two in three – 62 percent – of the nation say they clean when they have the time. Just one in three have a schedule.
Just over four in 10 – 42 percent – say their aim is to do the job as quickly as humanly possible.
Hopping said: ‘The busy lives of today’s consumers often get in the way of cleaning routines, which means that the majority clean when they have time rather than pre-planning in advance.’