Posted by Charlotte Salter, on July 10, 2025.
Earlier this year, the NHS issued warnings about rising flu cases, bringing renewed attention to the importance of hand hygiene and surface cleanliness. Against this backdrop, a new YouGov Surveys: Serviced poll looks at how often adults in UK follow everyday hygiene routines. From washing towels and bedlinen to disinfecting phones and using hand sanitiser, the findings highlight which habits are widely practiced, which are often overlooked, and where clear differences appear between men and women.
Hand hygiene holds strong after the toilet, but drops before meals
Most UK adults (82%) say they always wash their hands after using the toilet — slightly higher among women (85%) than men (78%). Handwashing before meals, however, sees a drop-off: only 36% say they always wash their hands before eating, and nearly a quarter (24%) say they only sometimes do. Here, men and women are more closely aligned.
When soap isn’t available, one in three adults (34%) always use hand sanitiser. But again, women show more consistent behaviour, with 40% always using it compared to 28% of men.
Cleaning habits around the home show uneven frequency
Household hygiene habits are more variable. When it comes to disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, 34% of adults say they do this once a day or more.
Toilet cleaning is a standard practice among all. Weekly cleaning is the most common (30%), with little differences between women and men.
Device cleaning is a low-priority task for many. Only 14% of adults clean their phone, laptops, or other device screens daily, and around one in six (16%) say they do so less than once a month.
Laundry habits are mostly consistent—but bed linen changes vary
Towel-changing is fairly regular, with 44% doing so weekly and another 21% doing so multiple times per week. Bed linens are less frequently changed: 39% of adults say they change their sheets weekly, while 37% do so every two to three weeks.
→ To learn more on hygiene, take a look at UKCPI’s hygiene golden rules for 21st century homes.
Methodology: This study was conducted online on 7-8 April 2025, with a nationally representative sample of 2,185 adults in the United Kingdom (aged 18+ years), using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education and region to be representative of all adults. YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets.
