Households told to make one change to mop to stop homes smelling 'whiffy'

One in three Brits haven't changed their mop head in six months, meaning they're simply moving germs around their floors.

A poll, of 2,000 adults, found one in 10 will use the same whiffy mop head 100 times before switching it over.

While 53 per cent admit they rarely clean the areas behind appliances, and let the dirt build up.

And when they do get around to mopping, 41 per cent won't change the water in the bucket until it 'looks dirty'.

Geli Lee, home cleaning expert and engineer at Dyson [Dyson.co.uk], which commissioned the research to launch its wet floor cleaner, the WashG1, said: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home.

“Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home.

“It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should.”

The study also found that while 45 per cent will change the dirty water when they go between rooms, nine per cent never swap it for clean liquid, therefore spreading dirt from room to room.

And five per cent keep the same mop for a year or more.

It also emerged 28 per cent admitted to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less.

While only 41 per cent have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60 per cent are only motivated to clean when there is visible dirt or dust.

But 22 per cent are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them, with one in four ‘extremely worried’ about dust.

Geli Lee, home cleaning expert and engineer at Dyson, added: “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner.

“Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution.”