At Capsule we’re passionate about cleaning.  We live and breathe it. We are also keen to know more about what you think about cleaning, the products that help you clean and the people that inspire you.  So, this month we asked a range of cleaning-related questions to 1,000 adults across the UK.  And this is what you told us…

Q. Love it or hate it? What’s your feeling about vacuuming your home?

A. Looks like it’s love – almost a third (30.8%) of you said you enjoy vacuuming. And less than a quarter (24%) said you didn’t like it.

Q. We wanted to know how long you typically spend each week, zooming round the house, vac-in-hand

A. Seven-in-ten of you spend up to an hour a week. It seems we’re more likely to do on-the-spot cleaning – getting the vac out for a quick tidy here and there – than scheduling in a ‘big clean’ on a regular basis. That said, ten of the 1,000 people we spoke to spend more than 11 (eleven!) hours a week vacuuming their homes. They must live in very big houses, that’s all we can say.

Q. Capsule is one of the best cordless vacuums in the UK, and it’s not just us who thinks so, read what Tech Advisor says about Capsule (spoiler alert: we’re rated #1 in their league table), so we wondered how popular cordless vacuums are in Britain

A. You have great taste, well over half (56.1%) the UK population uses a cordless vacuum. And 40% of people who have never used a cordless vacuum, would like to use one. Well don’t forget, we have a Capsule Bundle Deal right now.

Q. We were keen to know who inspires you to clean – is it someone from the world of TV, someone you’ve seen on social media or a celebrity?

A. The answer was unanimous: Mrs Hinch. A whopping 40% of you named popular cleaning Instagrammer Mrs Hinch as the celebrity, Instagrammer or blogger that inspired you to clean your home. Japanese cleaning guru Marie Kondo was second (9%) and ‘How Clean Is Your House?’ presenter Aggie MacKenzie was third (8%).

And in a response that we weren’t expecting, 2% of people polled named David Beckham as their home cleaning inspiration.  The ex-England and Manchester United footballer is known for his obsessive tidying and it’s obviously rubbing off.

Q. Given the popularity of the likes of Mrs Hinch, Ellen O’Keefe, Lynsey Queen of Clean, and House To Home At Last – to name but a few cleaning Instagrammers – we wondered how much they inspired you to clean your home

A. Almost a third (31.4%) of you said you were inspired to clean by Instagrammers. Not just that, the research revealed that you are likely to clean even MORE because of social media influencers – 26.1% said that watching Instagrammers made them clean their homes more than usual.

Q. Next to the subject of the ‘spring clean’, which typically happens this time of year. We wondered if it was a bit of an out-dated idea.

A. You agreed and then disagreed with yourselves! Despite almost half (45%) saying you thought a spring clean was a bit of an old-fashioned idea, two-thirds (64.3%) said you intend to do one this year. Make your minds up!

Despite it being considered a fairly old tradition, more young people said they planned to do a spring clean compared to older generations – seven in ten (72.5%) people aged 25-44 said they are likely to do a spring clean versus half (53%) of those over 55.

Q. We asked: are you more likely, in recent years, to clean little and often rather than do big cleans?

A. It was an emphatic yes: 72% of you said you do little, but more regularly.

Q. We wondered if cleaning is becoming more popular to talk and share about

A. A split vote on this one: 38% of you agreed, but 36% disagreed.

Q.We are hugely proud of Capsule and our innovative use of carbon fibre which means we have created an ultra-light product with more power than most other cordless vacuums. So we asked you in general if cleaning products are getting better and making your life easier

A. A huge two-thirds (67%) of you said that cleaning products are improving and making your lives easier as a result.

Q. But the big question, does cleaning make you happy?

A. <drum roll> Yes! More than half of you told us you actually feel happy when you’re cleaning – 51% of you said you found it therapeutic.

So that’s it.  What are our take-outs?

• Helped by better, faster, lighter equipment – yes, such as products like Capsule – cleaning habits are changing. We have moved to ‘little and often’, grabbing the vac or cloth for that on-the-spot tidy-up, rather than waiting for a bigger, weekly clean.
• The ‘spring clean’ is alive and kicking – two-thirds of the population will do one this year
• More young people plan a spring clean than older people. This could be reflective of the current climate and the fact that more people of working age could be spending a lot more time at home in the coming months – the ‘clean home is a healthy home’ adage is probably ringing true for many people right now
• The influence of social media – Instagrammers in particular – on our at-home cleaning habits is huge
• Social media hints and tips are prompting us to clean more and adopt new ways of looking after our homes. They are enabling us to shortcut some of the more time-consuming jobs, allowing us to spend more time with our families, which is a win-win all ways round.
• And finally, the research confirms what most people knew – Mrs Hinch is still your favourite!