23 hours Ago By Andrew Whiteford
EMILY Hyde, 26, lives in gleaming Dubai where she manages six Airbnb homes. Here, she takes a swipe at grubby Brits and slams ‘cleanfluencers’ like Mrs Hinch over their sloppy standards . .
. British homes might look clean from a distance, but don’t dare touch anything in them – you might catch a bug. In fact, I would rate Brits’ standards of cleanliness a lowly four out of ten.
They make a superficial effort at best. As a nation, we love a splash of Zoflora, but forget to clean under the bed. It’s all “fragrant vibes”, but no disinfectant.
Spring cleaning season may be in full swing, but what about being clean the rest of the year? I moved from Marlow, Buckinghamshire, to Dubai three years ago and the high standard of cleanliness here makes Britain look feral. In an ideal world, we would not have the concept of a “spring clean”. I know time is an issue for many, but if you are going to do a clean, every clean should be a deep one.
Otherwise, what’s the point? There’s still dirt on the items you’ve missed. At home, I’ve definitely absorbed Dubai’s “clean to luxury standard” mindset. I can’t relax until everything is spotless.
It’s true that rich Dubai dwellers have cleaners, but many do not and still make sure their cleaning is gold standard. Laws in Dubai mean it’s an offence to dirty the city — no wonder it has been named the “cleanest city in the world” for the fifth time in a row. Cleanliness is a cultural norm, and it’s rare to walk into an unkempt home.
There’s a sense of pride in keeping your space looking its best. I moved from Marlow, Buckinghamshire, to Dubai three years ago and the high standard of cleanliness here makes Britain look feral. While many Brits say they don’t mind getting their hands dirty, they don’t get them dirty enough when it comes to cleaning their home.
And what is this love affair Brits seem to have with “cleanfluencers” like Mrs Hinch, who has 4.8million followers hanging on her every word on Instagram and rushing to B&M for her products? These highly fragranced products might make things smell good, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are clean. Take Febreze.
People are obsessed with it, but does it actually clean anything? No. Discarded condoms Since leaving my job as cabin crew in 2023 and becoming an Airbnb property manager, I make sure all my rental apartments are pristine for guests. I have seen some horrific things, from discarded condoms to clumps of hair lying around, so I supervise changeovers and do weekly, sometimes daily, inspections to make sure the five-star standard never slips.
Dubai has the wow factor, and I think part of that is because it’s so clean. It’s gleaming and glamorous — almost like another world. Even the pavements are steam-cleaned.
But hell would freeze over before we saw that in the UK, where streets and parks are littered with cans, fast-food wrappers and cigarette butts. It’s disgusting — why does no one have any respect for where they live any more? While many Brits take pride in their homes, there seems to be a disconnect when it comes to public spaces. In Dubai, the culture values cleanliness.
You get fined for littering and public hygiene offences, such as spitting or even hanging clothes on balconies. From shopping centres to public loos, officials are always checking the levels of hygiene. I encourage fines for Brits who drop litter.
Everywhere you go, you see gum on the streets. Dubai wants to keep its reputation as a high-end, luxury place, and the only way you can do that is by imposing these rules. A dirty car would also put you at risk of a fine in this squeaky-clean city, where even the public loos are cleaned to the highest standard.
In the UK, I dread using them, but here they are absolutely spotless, like a five-star hotel bathroom. In Dubai, wearing shoes in the home is considered disrespectful and unhygienic. You take them off at the door, so you are not treading dirt through the house.
It’s disgusting — why does no one have any respect for where they live any more? But Brits have no rules about shoes indoors — and it shows. I hate the smell of walking into a dirty home, too. Here, we use steam cleaners all the time, unlike Brits who simply wipe things with a duster and vacuum.
What about cleaning your couch, carpet and rugs? What about cleaning side tables, ornaments and pictures on the wall? Whenever I see a little bit of dust, I know somewhere hasn’t been thoroughly cleaned. The larger items are taken care of, but the smaller ones are forgotten. I’m sure I get less sick because I live in a place that’s scrupulously clean.
While the UK has many strengths, cleanliness inside the home and in public spaces isn’t one of them. Dubai is an impressive example of what’s possible when cleanliness becomes a shared value. It’s not about perfection, it’s about pride.
Brits could definitely take a leaf out of Dubai’s book — it’s time they cleaned up their act. FEBREZE-ING THE SOFA: This is ridiculous. You are just masking with a fragrance, not cleaning anything.
CLUTTER CHAOS: Brits like clutter, but in Dubai that’s a big problem. We keep things minimalist, making it easier to clean. WASTEFUL WIPES : While a wet wipe is convenient, it’s not going to do enough, especially in the kitchen.
Even antibacterial wipes aren’t good enough for a kitchen counter, which harbours all types of germs. SHOES INDOORS: Walking around the house with shoes on brings all sorts of dirt on to the floors and carpets. FORGETTING TO CLEAN BEDS: It was only when I moved to Dubai that I found people clean their mattresses every few months.
Brits don’t change their sheets often enough, either..
