A study of 2,000 Brits revealed just how much time is spent preparing for guests and cleaning up after family during the festive period – with the average adult slaving away for 43 minutes a day.
In fact, three in 10 claim to spend more time cleaning over the Christmas period than actually enjoying the celebrations.
It also emerged half are guilty of judging other people's homes when visiting them over the festive period.
And 72 per cent feel the pressure to clean prior to having visitors during the holidays, with a quarter claiming that being judged themselves is the top reason for cleaning over Christmas.
A spokesperson for Marigold, which commissioned the research, said: "There’s always such a build up to Christmas, especially this year when we may not have had many visitors over the past 18 months.
“It can be hard getting caught up in wanting everything to be ‘perfect’ – from the gifts to the food – but it can become exhausting, worrying about every little crumb or speck of dirt.
“I recommend focusing your energy on the areas where guests will spend the most time. Plus choosing time saving products, to make life easier.
“Keep your kitchen looking clean and uncluttered by grabbing a scourer which can lift dirt from your pans with just soapy water – so no need to leave unsightly dishes on the side, soaking for hours."
The study also found more than a third have had guests comment on the cleanliness of their home – although not always in a positive way.
As a result, two-fifths will be putting more into their cleaning efforts this year as they plan on having more guests to make up for a lack of celebrations during 2020.
However, 32 per cent have felt so embarrassed by the state of their home that they’ve avoided hosting Christmas activities altogether.
And half of those surveyed dread the great Christmas clean up – whether that’s before or after they’ve had company.
The research, conducted via OnePoll, revealed two-fifths spend more time cleaning over the Christmas period than any other time of year.
But the emphasis on a Christmas-ready, clean house has led to an increase in Brits looking forward to receiving cleaning gadgets for Christmas, with 22 per cent wanting a steam mop, and 12 per cent even asking for an electric window cleaner.
Interestingly, men are more likely to ask for cleaning gadgets for Christmas, with 23 per cent asking for a hoover versus 20 per cent of women.
And 17 per cent of men would ask for a mop compared with just seven per cent of women.
A spokesperson for Marigold added: “Cleaning can be a daunting task, especially when you want to a do a full deep clean to reset before Christmas, but we shouldn’t feel so much pressure to keep everything spick and span – it’s important to enjoy the time spent with family and worry about the tidying up later.
“Little and often lightens the load as they say – so if everyone mucks in and does little bits here and there, it can make keeping your home clean and tidy over Christmas a lot more manageable.”
TV’s Queen of Clean, Lynsey Crombie, said: “The pressure to have a perfect Christmas is high, from getting the right presents, to cooking the turkey perfectly – and having a clean house is no different.
"You want to be able to sit back and enjoy your home and make memories without stressing about which bits are and aren’t clean.
“Christmas should be about spending time with family and taking time away from work, so if you put in the effort beforehand to create a clean and tidy environment, all you’ll have to think about is wiping surfaces down and running a mop across the floors.
"If you keep on top of things, relaxing on Christmas Day should be easy.”
TOP 10 MESSES BRITS WILL JUDGE:
1. Dirty toilet
2. A messy/dirty kitchen
3. Overflowing bin
4. Messy bathroom
5. Dirty shower/bath
6. General clutter
7. Sticky floor
8. Mess on the sides/surfaces
9. Dirty dishes
10. The smell of pets
TOP FIVE CLEANING GADGETS BRITS ASK FOR FROM SANTA:
1. A hoover
2. Steam mop
3. Regular mop
4. Electric window cleaner
5. Spray mop
LYNSEY CROMBIE'S TOP TIPS TO CLEAN AT CHRISTMAS:
1. Wash dirty dishes straight away to avoid stains
Dirty dishes and Christmas go together like mistletoe and wine… and those baked on remnants can be hard to shift. Pop those dishes in the sink straight away and give them a gentle scrub with a scourer… et voila, sparkling dishes.
2. Don’t wait for the dishwasher and let the dishes pile up
With more people in the house than usual, generating multiple dirty dishes at once, there might be too much to fit in the dishwasher. So instead of letting those plates pile up between loads, wash up in between.
3. Deal with spills quickly before they turn into stains
It wouldn’t be Christmas Day without a few spills of the wine, gravy and grease variety. My tip is to keep a cloth to hand in the kitchen, lounge and dining room so you can deal with spills quickly, before they turn into stains. And if you do break any glasses, just grab a slice of bread and pick the shards up this way to save cutting your fingers.
4. Keep your surfaces shiny and smear-free to give your guests that wow factor
Your hob will be working overtime during the festive season, racking up all sorts of spills and streaks throughout the day. Bring it back to brilliant the quick and easy way by using a little warm soapy water to lift away the grime.
5. Swap the hoover for a mop to avoid noise and disruption
No one wants to get the vacuum out over Christmas, not least because of the noise and disruption so my top tip is to give your floors a quick mop. Fresh floors always make a room feel more polished, then just open the window for a few minutes to allow that lovely fresh air to circulate.
