So, how often do you wipe your lightbulbs?

Expert guide sorts daily chores from annual ones

FROM cleaning the oven to scrubbing the shower, there are many household chores that busy Britons put off.

Now experts have come up with a checklist to help us keep our housework under control.

A team from the Good Housekeeping Institute identified jobs that really have to be done daily while others can be left for up to six months or even a year.

The guide was created from an almanac of recommendations and tips compiled over decades.

Daily chores to prevent the spread of germs as well as keeping homes tidy include washing up, cleaning the toilet, making the beds and putting dirty clothes into the laundry basket.

Tasks that should be done once a week include vacuuming, dusting, putting towels in the wash and cleaning the bathroom – not forgetting the toothbrush mugs.

The monthly list includes cleaning windows, vacuuming under furniture, wiping blinds and even washing the doormat.

Beyond that, vacuuming the mattress, dry- cleaning duvets, wiping the inside of the fridge and cleaning the oven can be tackled every three to six months, said the Institute. The annual jobs, which are more obscure but just as vital, include clearing gutters, having the chimney swept and wiping lightbulbs. An Institute spokesman said: ‘Frankly, housework can feel like a never-ending task, and nobody wants to overdo it.

‘So here, by popular demand, we have created a guide to what to clean when.’

Research published by retail analysts Mintel last year found the average time households spend cleaning per week fell by 32 minutes compared to 2014.

The figure dropped from 4hrs 39mins in 2014 to 4hrs 7mins in 2016. The study found cleaning the oven was the most hated task. Some 67 per cent rank it among their top three dislikes along with cleaning the toilet (47 per cent) and windows ( 41 per cent). Despite the claims of men to be taking on a greater share of household chores, women were still doing the heavy lifting in the kitchen and bathroom.

They did an average of 90 minutes more cleaning a week than men at 4hrs and 51mins.

Mintel found that some 62 per cent of Britons clean when they have time. Only one in three have a plan. Some 42 per cent aim to finish the job as quickly as possible.

Mintel’s Brand and Household Analyst, Richard Hopping, said: ‘The busy lives of today’s consumers often get in the way of cleaning routines, which means the majority clean when they have time rather than pre-planning...’