Brits clean up!

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London: British people spend almost as much on personal grooming products as they do on products to keep their house clean, according to new research from domestic cleaning company MOLLY MAID.

The survey found that 86 per cent spend up to £25 a month on cleaning products, with 85 per cent spending the same amount on beauty and grooming items.

But as far as putting those cleaning products to good use, it is the women who do most of the work around the house: only a quarter of men are responsible for all or most of the cleaning in their home compared to 69 per cent of all women. Over half (51 per cent) of women spend more than three hours a week on housework, compared to 60 per cent of men who spend less than three hours a week on house work. A quarter of men spend less than one hour a week on housework.

Both sexes may have different approaches to how much they clean, but they do agree that the kitchen is the most important room to clean, followed by the bathroom for women and the sitting room for men. But both also agree that bathrooms are the most annoying room in the home to clean and kitchens the hardest.

Although men spend almost as much on their house grooming as they do on their personal grooming, they won’t get a look in with a woman who has caught their eye if they don’t put those cleaning products to good use. The survey found that 91 per cent of women are put off by a man who doesn’t keep his house in order.

Pam Bader, Chief Executive of MOLLY MAID said: “We may spend the same amount on cleaning as personal grooming but while today’s women are putting those cleaning products to good use and keeping their home clean and tidy, men are letting theirs gather dust in the kitchen cupboard. In this time starved age when commuting takes long and we work longer hours, a MOLLY MAID clean can really help you keep on top of household chores.”

About the survey
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,997 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 9th – 11th January 2008. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

MOLLY MAID is one of the world’s largest professional domestic cleaning services, carrying out 2 million home cleans every year worldwide. Initially founded in Canada in 1979, MOLLY MAID currently trades in Canada, USA, Japan, Portugal, Bermuda, Puerto Rico and the UK

MOLLY MAID offers a 100 per cent guaranteed, flexible and affordable domestic cleaning service. Staff are fully insured, work in teams of two and arrive in MOLLY MAID branded cars, bringing with them all the necessary cleaning equipment and supplies.

MOLLY MAID came to the UK in 1985 and has grown from a standing start to 69 Franchise Owners nationwide and a current annual turnover of over £12 million.

Pam Bader, OBE FRSA, has been with MOLLY MAID since the beginning in the UK, and has given many people who do not have any formal qualifications or business experience the opportunity to run their own businesses from home. The network of Franchise Owners is a mix of both men and women who wanted to take the step into running their own business but wanted the security and support of a national brand behind them.

www.mollymaid.co.uk

Britain hangs out its dirty washing and more

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London: A new survey has revealed that 6.6 million people in Britain do not wash their hands after going to the toilet. The survey of 3,000 people conducted by hygiene and sterilising experts Milton, has uncovered the grimy truth about Britain’s attitudes to hygiene and cleanliness.

Britons may be renowned for their demure appearance but the results of the Milton survey reveal a very different story in our attitudes to personal hygiene. 36% – that’s 21 million people – said they don’t take a bath or shower every day, but that’s nothing compared with the 6% – 3.6 million people – who bathe weekly and the shocking 1% – around 600,000 Britons – who are taking a bath or shower just once a month.

82% of people change their socks and underwear on a daily basis, however there are still a significant number – working out to be around 600,000 people in the country – who claimed they only changed their underwear on a monthly basis!

The grubby tale continues when it comes to the topic of Brits and their food with a massive 69% not washing hands before eating, 27% of people claiming they pick up and eat food from the floor.

Regionally, people in London and Scotland are the cleanest with 68% bathing
daily, compared to just 23% of Irish and 58% of Welsh. However, while the
majority of Londoners are keeping clean, the capital also had the highest percentage of people only bathing once a month. In the UK, people in the South West of England have the best hand hygiene with 95% washing hands after going to the toilet, closely followed by the North West 93% and Wales 91%. Worst for hand washing were the Northern Irish with over a third not washing hands after going to the toilet, followed by Scotland 15% and the Midlands 13%.

Steve Riley from Milton Pharmaceutical commented: “Britain’s are often accused of being over the top in our attitudes to cleanliness but as these results show, for some people the opposite is true. While not washing daily may not pose any major health threats, the lack of hand hygiene, particularly after going to the toilet and before eating could be putting people at risk of serious infections. Hands are the biggest carriers of germs and viruses including Influenza, E-coli, Rotavirus and MRSA”

Milton’s Top Tips for cleanliness

• While you might maintain excellent standards of personal hygiene,
can the same be said for the person sitting next to you on the bus? It’s very easy to pick up germs and viruses from public surfaces left there by dirty hands. Keep Milton Antibacterial Hand Gel in your bag to keep hands clean while on the go and kill any germs you might pick up

• Wash towels, clothes and linen weekly as germs can quickly build up

• Don’t be tempted to pick up food dropped on the floor, even if you
keep floors really clean, the food could still be coated in millions of bacteria in a matter of seconds

• After you have prepared raw meat, germs may be left behind on the
chopping board or work surface, which will then be transferred to other foods prepared on the same board or surface. Wash chopping boards in warm soapy water, rinse and wipe over with Milton to destroy strong smells and to disinfect the surface to avoid cross contamination of foods

• When you, or others around you, have a cold use Milton
Antibacterial Hand Gel to sanitise hands and prevent the spread of the virus. Keep areas, such as your desk, free from cold germs by cleaning regularly with the Antibacterial Wipes.

Milton Pharmaceutical has over 60 years of experience in creating hygiene and sterilising products which are clinically proven to kill harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses. The range includes Antibacterial Hand Gel, Antibacterial Surface Wipes and Spray and Sterilising Fluid and Tablets.
For further information and tips on hygiene and cleaning visit < ahref="http://www.milton-tm.com">www.milton-tm.com or call 01202 780558.