How much time do UK adults spend cleaning at Christmas?

Many said they feel pressure to clean before having visitors

Some adults said they felt embarrassed by the state of their homes (Getty Images)

The average adult spends nearly an hour cleaning their homes on Christmas Day, according to a poll.

A survey of 2,000 UK adults revealed just how much time is spent preparing for guests and cleaning up after family during the festive period, with the average adult slaving away for 43 minutes a day.

In fact, three in 10 claim to spend more time cleaning over the Christmas period than actually enjoying the celebrations.

It also emerged half are guilty of judging other people’s homes when visiting them over the festive period.

And 72 per cent feel the pressure to clean prior to having visitors during the holidays, with one quarter claiming that being judged themselves is the top reason for cleaning over Christmas.

A spokesperson for Marigold, which commissioned the poll, said: “There’s always such a build up to Christmas, especially this year when we may not have had many visitors over the past 18 months.

“It can be hard getting caught up in wanting everything to be ‘perfect’ – from the gifts to the food – but it can become exhausting, worrying about every little crumb or speck of dirt.

“I recommend focusing your energy on the areas where guests will spend the most time. Plus choosing time saving products, to make life easier.

“Keep your kitchen looking clean and uncluttered by grabbing a scourer which can lift dirt from your pans with just soapy water – so no need to leave unsightly dishes on the side, soaking for hours.”

The poll also found more than one third have had guests comment on the cleanliness of their home – although not always in a positive way.

As a result, two-fifths will be putting more into their cleaning efforts this year as they plan on having more guests to make up for a lack of celebrations during 2020.

However, 32 per cent have felt so embarrassed by the state of their home that they’ve avoided hosting Christmas activities altogether.

And half of those surveyed dread the great Christmas clean up – whether that’s before or after they’ve had company.

The research, conducted via OnePoll, revealed two-fifths spend more time cleaning over the Christmas period than any other time of year.

But the emphasis on a Christmas-ready, clean house has led to an increase in Britons looking forward to receiving cleaning gadgets for Christmas, with 22 per cent wanting a steam mop, and 12 per cent even asking for an electric window cleaner.

Interestingly, men are more likely to ask for cleaning gadgets for Christmas, with 23 per cent asking for a hoover versus 20 per cent of women.

And 17 per cent of men would ask for a mop compared with just seven per cent of women.

A spokesperson for Marigold added: “Cleaning can be a daunting task, especially when you want to a do a full deep clean to reset before Christmas, but we shouldn’t feel so much pressure to keep everything spick and span – it’s important to enjoy the time spent with family and worry about the tidying up later.

“Little and often lightens the load as they say – so if everyone mucks in and does little bits here and there, it can make keeping your home clean and tidy over Christmas a lot more manageable.”

TV’s Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie, said: “The pressure to have a perfect Christmas is high, from getting the right presents, to cooking the turkey perfectly – and having a clean house is no different.

“You want to be able to sit back and enjoy your home and make memories without stressing about which bits are and aren’t clean.

“Christmas should be about spending time with family and taking time away from work, so if you put in the effort beforehand to create a clean and tidy environment, all you’ll have to think about is wiping surfaces down and running a mop across the floors.

“If you keep on top of things, relaxing on Christmas Day should be easy.”

SWNS