New research into the psychology of cleaning has revealed that over one in 10 Brits see cleaning as a major source of stress in their lives. Over a third of us (34%) feel pressure to be seen as a clean or tidy person, and the research clearly shows this goes both ways, with over 80% of Brits admitting to making assumptions about people based on how messy they are. Nearly half (48%) of Brits believe a messy person is also disorganised, and over 1 in 4 believe messy people to be unhygienic.

Despite the clear pressure Britain feels to be clean � and be seen as clean � UK opinion remains divided when it comes to our domestic duties. Over a third of us can�t relax if our home is untidy and nearly one in five (18%) even find cleaning a way of de-stressing. Despite the fact that a quarter of us would be more inclined to clean if we could make it more fun, Britain definitely seems to be coming down against our dreaded chores � perhaps unsurprisingly � with over a third (37%) saying cleaning takes up too much of their spare time and 35% stating outright that cleaning is never fun!

When it comes to cleaning, the battle of the sexes is in full force. On the defensive, over half of British men believe they are stereotyped as being �undomesticated� or lazy when it comes to chores around the house, perhaps backed up by the one in 10 women who believe cleaning is a major source of conflict between them and their partner. However, when it comes to matters of the heart, men and women are united with over 40% of Brits in both camps admitting that they�d be put off by a potential partner if they were messy or untidy. As a nation we are more relaxed with friends and family, with only 9% of us feeling embarrassed if a friend saw an unclean home.