What parts of the home do people neglect to clean?

End of tenancy cleaning is the single biggest cause of deposit deductions, which is why having a cleaning checklist to ensure your property is in a good condition is important for both landlords and tenants.

When a tenant moves out of their rental property, they are required to leave it in the same condition that they moved into it in. This means that it must be cleaned to a professional standard.

But while it is strongly advised that you use a professional cleaning company, some tenants prefer to do the end of tenancy cleaning themselves.

However, fresh research has identified the parts of the home that many people ‘rarely’, as well as ‘never’, consider cleaning.

A survey of 1,748 British homeowners and renters by End of Tenancy London found that ‘lighting fixtures’ (77%) is the primary aspect in the home that Brits rarely clean. Thereafter, 72% very occasionally wipe down their shoe rack/shelf. In third place, 68%infrequently wash their curtains and/or dust their blinds every few months.

Surprisingly, given the unpleasant odours and stains that can manifest from open/spilled food and drinks, a high proportion of Brits (60%) clean the inside and outside of their fridge/refrigerator only once every three to six months, while 41% do not regularly vacuum or mop underneath and behind heavy furniture, such as sofa, drawers, cupboards.

Just over 44% leave months apart when trying to make the inside and outside of their microwave spotless – worrying when factoring in the many stains which could accumulate overtime from food splashing/spilling whilst in the microwave.

Focusing on what Brits neglect to clean, 82% state they never bother to clean their air vents. Subsequently, given the prevalent build-up of dirt and discolouring on the grouting of tiles – 75% fail to ever give their grouting a good scrub.

With the remote undoubtedly being used every day as individuals unwind in front of the TV at the end of a busy day – 71% have not once thought to wipe their remote controls down with a cloth. Door handles/knobs is another feature of the home we touch on daily bases – yet 67% confess to never cleaning them.

Some 44% shockingly never keep in mind bins in their home as a household object they should consistently be washing with hot water and soap.

Ivan Ivanov, the managing director of End of Tenancy Cleaning London, said: “We all know cleaning is an integral part of the home owning and renting experience. Yet, it seems to daunt many of us. Particularly, due to the time and effort required. Many of us end up putting it off or are occupied by a ton of other responsibilities.

“This research carefully highlights the aspects of the home that Brits either rarely or never clean. Whilst some may come as no shock, others are highly surprising – given how frequently they are used every day.

“Brits certainly need to take a more proactive approach towards cleaning all sections of the house rather than just the essentials. Doing so, will enhance the aesthetics of the home and facilitate a more organised living environment.”

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