The "big clean"—the one you put off for days before finally committing to it in one go, swallowing up a good chunk of your afternoon. Paradoxically, the more you dread getting started, the longer you keep at it once you’ve begun.
According to an IFOP study on French people and household hygiene, 78% of those who clean their homes spend at least 30 minutes on it per session, with 41% spending an hour or more. This figure confirms that, contrary to the idea of ​​cleaning as a series of small daily tasks, the reality for many looks more like an intensive, one-off session rather than regular maintenance spread throughout the week.
The study’s most surprising finding lies in a near-counterintuitive paradox: the people who say they dislike cleaning "at all" are actually the ones who spend the most time on it once they start—more than the average French person. In other words, once begun, the dreaded chore tends to turn into a longer, more intensive session than it does for those who enjoy cleaning. A plausible explanation: putting off the big clean allows clutter and dust to accumulate, which inevitably extends the time required once you finally tackle the job, creating a self-perpetuating cycle.

What this task actually entails

A full cleaning session involves treating all surfaces in the home at once—vacuuming, washing floors, and dusting furniture and surfaces—as part of a comprehensive maintenance approach rather than a series of isolated tasks spread across the week. Allow about 60 minutes for a complete session—a timeframe that aligns with what French people themselves reported in the IFOP study.

Tips and tricks for an effective deep clean

Following a logical order makes a big difference: starting by dusting high surfaces (shelves, furniture) before vacuuming, and finishing by washing the floors, prevents you from having to go back over areas you’ve already cleaned. Working in the wrong order (floors first, dust later) effectively undoes some of the work you’ve already done.
Mentally breaking the session down into distinct zones (one room at a time, rather than one task at a time throughout the entire home) allows you to track tangible progress and reduces the feeling of an endless project—which is particularly helpful for those who dread the task, according to the IFOP study.
Finally, not letting clutter build up over several weeks is the best way to shorten each cleaning session: the shorter the interval between deep cleans, the less dust and mess there is to tackle, which breaks the cycle often seen among people who dislike the chore.

With 78% of French people spending at least 30 minutes on it (according to IFOP), a deep clean remains an intensive session rather than a quick task. And if you are among those who particularly dread this moment, know that you are not alone: ​​statistically, you are the very person who spends the most time on it once you get started.