‘How to deep-clean your house’ is among top Google searches as we go chore‑crazy
Britain has gone deep-clean crazy. Demand for cleaning products has surged, with some suppliers struggling to meet demand. Of seven models of steam cleaner for sale at John Lewis last week, five were sold out.
An analysis of the most popular searches on Google reveals “how to deep-clean your house” soared last month as the UK prepared for lockdown.
Jonathan Holden, chief operating officer of Molly Maid, a cleaning company with franchises across the country, said an increase in online searches was driven by concern about viruses lurking on surfaces plus the extra time being spent at home. “Families may have children at home and pets that may not have been as exercised as much and there is an accumulation of dirt,” he added.
Dr Beckmann, a specialist cleaning product company, said sales of carpet stain remover at its online shop rose eightfold for the first three weeks of April, compared with the previous year. Sales of its washing machine cleaner increased more than fourfold.
The consumer goods giant Unilever said last week it had seen greater demand for its Cif surface cleaner and Domestos bleach, while sales of shampoo and deodorant declined as home workers, possibly in their underwear, relaxed their hygiene.
Members of the parenting site Mumsnet have welcomed the additional time for cleaning because of being confined at home. One forum member said: “Spring cleaning is in full swing, the rooms I’ve done so far are sparkling, the washing is up to date, the kitchen is tidy, [and] the pantry has been reorganised.”
Another wrote: “My oven is gleaming so much so that I didn’t want to use it. Bathroom de-limescaled, light fittings taken down and cleaned, [vacuum cleaned] behind big sofas and beds, windows and skirting boards cleaned. Paperwork filed and binned.”
There are challenges. Some members said there were piles of boxes after decluttering and cleaning, with no place to dump them because council waste depots were closed.
There is also frustration that busy homes mean the hours spent cleaning are quickly undone. One complained that despite nocturnal cleaning sessions, the home was “like the Gaza Strip by lunch time”.