And 31st March is officially the best day of the year to do it.

Despite a common perception that the traditional spring clean is a relic of the past, it is in fact very much alive and kicking. Research out today from TOTAL UK has revealed that 60 per cent of the GB population actually ‘like’ a spring clean and over half (51%) of drivers admit enjoying that ‘feeling’ of having a clean home and car. Nearly a quarter of a million people (236,800) even go far to say they get a buzz from it[1].

However, despite all good intentions the majority of Brits are less than thorough when it comes to cleaning. 34 per cent of the population hide their clutter or tend to move it from one place to the other and nearly a third (30 per cent) do the absolute minimum required and do it as quickly as possible.

Experts have pinpointed that if Brits are planning a spring clean they should pull on the rubber gloves this weekend. The 31st March is officially the best day of the year for the UK population to blow out the cobwebs and blitz their home and car. Dr Cliff Arnall, psychologist and former tutor at Cardiff University, came up with the date using a formula to illustrate the various emotional and environmental factors at play.

The formula for the day reads L (light) + T (temperature) + D (decision making) + [M (motivation) x R (renewal)] divided by H (hibernation)

According to Dr Arnall, March signifies the end of a demotivated and depressive few months and like animals, humans come out of hibernation to clean their territorial area, which increases the likelihood of attracting new mates and cutting down on disease.

Dr Arnall explained: “March is a time to overcome feelings of stagnation and to start making changes that focus on what makes us happy. Planned and reasonable physical decluttering and cleaning kick starts mental cleansing which translates into an enhanced positive psychological state in the form of boosted self esteem and increased creativity. This coupled with lengthening daylight and subsequent temperature rises makes plans easier to achieve.”

Corrosion expert, Dr Frank Haddleton of the University of Hertfordshire agrees that 31st March is the optimum day for cleaning a vehicle: “After the salting of icy roads all winter, there will be significant encrustations of road salt and mud on the underside of the vehicle and external paintwork. This salty, muddy grime causes the corrosion on both internal and external surfaces of the vehicle. The underside of the vehicle is of special concern as mud packing can block up the drainage holes that prevent corrosion inside the car body.”

“Corrosion is a significant contribution to the depreciating value of our cars. So it’s worth remembering that for every pound you spend on maintaining your vehicle, you save many more pounds in your pocket.”

A green clean

The study into cleaning habits also revealed that a new greener spring clean is evolving in the UK; the majority of Brits are now making a conscious ethical choice when it comes to cleaning their home and vehicle. According to the study by TOTAL UK, two thirds of Brits (66 per cent) recycle unwanted items following a spring clean, nearly half (48 per cent) pass items on to family or friends and over one in five (21 per cent) sell unwanted items on eBay.

However, whilst Brits are eager to make ethical decluttering choices, the same can not be said when it comes to washing their vehicles. Over half of the population clean their vehicles at least once a month, however 65 per cent are choosing to do it by hand. This results in a massive 130 million litres of water[2] literally being poured down residential drains every single day, the equivalent to 52 Olympic sized swimming pools[3].

Jamie Brodie, marketing executive at TOTAL explained: “Its great to see a significant proportion of the population making a concerted and conscious effort for a greener spring clean, however it is still worrying that many are unaware of the devastating impact hand washing vehicles has not only on water wastage but on the environment. I’m sure if consumers were aware bad habits would be eradicated.”

When vehicles are hand washed the waste residue includes untreated detergents, oil and surface dirt which contaminate our rivers and waterways, polluting and killing wildlife.

Jamie continued: “If all Brits made the ‘green’ decision to wash their car in a regulated car wash, not only would they reduce their impact on the environment, they would save 109 million litres of water each year[4].”

Clean Therapy

According to the research cleaning for some can be serious business, nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of us dedicate a whole weekend to blitzing away the cobwebs, whilst 22 per cent clean until they are happy in the knowledge that they can eat off any surface. For others a good old spring clean can be therapeutic and an excellent outlet for stress (6%).

In fact, many Brits admit to pumping up the stereo and belting out karaoke hits whilst working up a sweat. The survey revealed the UK’s top ten spring clean hits:

Top Ten Spring Clean Hits:

1) I Want To Break Free - Queen
2) Dancing Queen - ABBA
3) Meatloaf – Bat Out Of Hell
4) Tina Turner – Simply The Best
5) Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
6) Whistle While You Work - Disney’s Seven Dwarves
7) My Way – Frank Sinatra
8) 9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
9) Biology – Girls Aloud
10) Don’t Feet Like Dancing – Scissor Sisters

Motivation

Keeping up with the Joneses is a clear motivational factor behind a gleaming vehicle, 1% of the population admit a spring clean is required to compete with the neighbours shining example, whilst one in five (23%) pull out all the stops if they are planning to sell it.

Jamie Brodie from TOTAL concluded: “To help the British public take full advantage of national Spring Clean day on 31st March, TOTAL will be offering car washes from £2. In addition we are giving away a complete Molly Maid home spring clean every single day for 28 days from the 28th March. Plus one lucky winner will win a year’s worth of Molly Maid cleaning services, so once their home is clean it will stay that way. Entries to the free prize draw can be made via SMS or online at www.total.co.uk.”

For more information go to www.total.co.uk

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