Brits have shared the top things they hate most about cleaning their bathrooms – such as the residue around the toilet (29%), and having to remove clumps of hair (25%).
Other reasons for hating the household task include that it is boring, time-consuming – and makes people sweaty.
And more than a tenth (12%), of the 2,000 adults polled, say they dislike the smell of cleaning products.
As a result, the bathroom gets a “deep clean” less than once a week – with almost half (46%) saying they would rather leave the chore to someone else in the house.
Just one in ten adults claim to actually enjoy the process of cleaning the bathroom – although 38% love knowing the room is germ-free once they have finished cleaning, with a third (34%) enjoying the rewarding feeling afterwards.
However, 48% admit they will only really give the bathroom their full attention when they are expecting guests – with 14% admitting that sometimes, they don't even bother using cleaning products.
Many will often just give their bathroom a cursory clean, taking around 10 minutes each time – and using water to give things a quick rinse, or a bit of toilet roll to wipe down sides, instead of a sponge.
However, the top reasons Brits would feel compelled to really clean their bathroom include noticing a dirty mirror (28%), clogged drains (32%) – or a build-up of facial hair around the sink (50%).
A spokesman for Flash and Viakal, which commissioned the research, said: “Cleaning the bathroom can often be an overwhelming task, so we tend to put it off – which is why we have updated the Flash Spray Wipe Done formula.
“Just because something looks clean, particularly in the bathroom, certainly doesn’t mean it’s free of grime or other nasties.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of those areas of life where you can’t really get away with cutting corners – so using effective products to keep on top of it daily can help to ease the load.”
The research, conducted via OnePoll.com, also found that limescale is the bathroom-cleaner's worst nightmare, as nearly a quarter (23%) get fed up dealing with the chalky deposit left around the shower.
And although many adults don’t actually spend a lot of time cleaning their shower, more than a third (36%) said this is because they simply don’t have time.
However, limescale is also misunderstood by many – with more than four in ten (41%) reportedly not being concerned by the issue, which is often found in areas with hard water.
This is despite just over one in ten (11%) having had to replace sink taps as a result of limescale, while 15% have swapped out their shower head.
And while two-thirds (65%) accurately guessed it is caused by hard water, 11% think it’s a symptom of clogged hairs in a drain – while one in ten even believe they will struggle with it if they use too much shampoo in the bath or shower.
Flash and Viakal’s spokesman added: “Limescale is bad news in the bathroom because it’s hard to clean – but it can also have an impact on your energy bills.
“The Carbon Trust found that a 1mm layer of limescale causes a 7% increase in energy input to the boiler, to get the same heating result as a boiler free from limescale.
“This could cost the average household an extra £200 per year in energy costs – but a weekly clean with the right products can help keep on top of this.”
TOP 10 THINGS BRITS HATE MOST ABOUT CLEANING THE BATHROOM:
- The residue around the toilet
- How long it takes
- The hair that needs removing
- The gunk that accumulates around the sink
- The limescale in the shower
- It's boring
- The smell of the cleaning products
- How sweaty it makes you
- The smell of the bathroom
- Bending down to access hard-to-clean areas
