A third of Brits to join in the big Spring Clean as one in 10 say they never clean inside their oven

• A third (32%) of Brits give their home an extra thorough, top-to-bottom or deep clean when the days start getting warmer or lighter
• One in 10 (9%) Brits who have an oven say they never clean inside it
• Sales of kitchen cleaners have risen by 5%, from £29.6 million in 2013, to £31.2 million in 2014

As this Friday (20th) marks the Spring equinox, many Brits will be heralding the first weekend of Spring by dusting away the cobwebs around the home. Indeed, new research from Mintel reveals that a third (32%) of Brits give their home an extra thorough, top-to-bottom or deep clean when the days start getting warmer or lighter.

What is more, whilst over one in five (22%) Brits who do cleaning tasks in the kitchen say that it is the most important room in their home, Mintel’s research has pinpointed the areas and appliances in the kitchen most in need of a Spring Clean. Although almost half (46%) of Brits say they clean the kitchen worktops once a day or more and over a third (38%) say the same of cleaning the sink or draining board, one in 10 (9%) Brits who have an oven say they never clean inside it, whilst the same number (9%) say they never clean the inside of cupboards or drawers.

Other areas which look most likely to be in need of a good scrubbing are the inside of the fridge/freezer, with almost half (46%) of Brits who own one saying they clean it once a month or less. Cleaning the microwave could also be a target as a quarter (26%) of Brits who own a microwave say they clean inside it once a month or less and a further 5% say they never clean it at all.

Richard Caines, Senior Household Care Analyst at Mintel, said:

“With a third of consumers planning to join in the Spring Clean, it will typically be areas which are looked over in the everyday cleaning chores, such as ovens, microwaves and the insides of cupboards and fridges, which will receive the most attention. As cleaning the oven is so often neglected by consumers, making this task easier therefore needs to be the primary focus of marketing campaigns to encourage more frequent cleaning of the oven and usage of oven cleaners.”

Whilst Spring Cleans are often seen as a chance to improve the aesthetics of the home, for many it is also a chance to make sure hygiene levels are in tip-top condition. Indeed, over half (56%) of Brits who do cleaning tasks in the the kitchen say that having a clean kitchen is important for their family’s health, yet one in five (21%) say they struggle to find enough time to clean their kitchen properly.

And it seems that the market is benefiting from the importance Brits place on maintaining a germ-free kitchen. Sales of kitchen cleaners rose by 5%, from £29.6 million in 2013, to £31.2 million in 2014, in addition sales of antibacterial multi-purpose cleaners rose by 11%, from £78.1 million in 2013 to £86.3 million in 2014. Furthermore, appliances have also been receiving more tailored cleaning attention with sales of appliance specific limescale removers rising by 20%, from £10.9 million in 2013 to £13.1 million in 2014.

When it comes to product choice, when cleaning the kitchen worktops almost two thirds (63%) of Brits who do cleaning tasks say they have used a trigger spray over the past six months, whilst cleaning wipes have been chosen by a quarter (24%) for cleaning the inside of cupboards and drawers in the same time period. It seems that the traditional cloth and soapy water it still trusted though, with half (50%) of Brits using this method for cleaning the inside of the fridge or freezer over the past six months.

“The most versatile products for cleaning the kitchen are clearly trigger sprays and a cloth and soapy water, which in many cases will be being used in combination for a range of jobs, including cleaning the worktops, hob or inside the fridge. More recently launched product formats, such as dispensers need to communicate more strongly their versatility in the kitchen, while the nature of cream cleaners in terms of requiring scrubbing and rinsing makes it more difficult for them to encourage usage beyond where a more abrasive action is needed.” Richard comments.

What is more, with one in five (20%) Brits who use products for cleaning the bathroom and toilet agreeing they struggle to find enough time to clean their bathroom, it’s sure to be another target for the Spring Clean. However, it seems that for many the effort of cleaning the bathroom tends to be short lived. Indeed, a quarter (24%) say that as soon as they clean the bathroom it seems to be dirty again. But Mintel’s research shows that for many a dirty bathroom is seen less as an eye-sore and more of a health hazard as over half (57%) agree that having a clean bathroom and toilet is important for their family’s health.

Moreover, it seems that products that carry additional germ-killing and odour eliminating capabilities are top of the wishlist for bathroom-cleaning Brits. Whilst 89% of Brits purchase bathroom cleaning products, 53% would be interested in bathroom and toilet cleaners with longer-lasting antibacterial protection and 47% are interested in products that eliminate lingering odours.

Whilst four in five (79%) Brits are buyers of cleaning products for the kitchen, it seems there is still strong demand for products with extra capabilities. Of Brits who buy cleaning products for the kitchen, half (50%) would be interested in buying products with extra power to remove burnt-on food and grease without scratching and 46% are interested in products that leave a longer-lasting antibacterial protection.

Press review copies of the report and interviews with Senior Household Care Analyst, Richard Caines, are available on request from the press office.