WARWICK, England, October 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

- Personal hygiene takes a back seat to staying in bed once winter sets in 

A study of 2,000 adults undertaken by Geberit AquaClean revealed major differences in personal hygiene routines in the winter vs summer, with many Brits (33%) halving the amount of time they spend in the bathroom during the colder weather from 30 minutes to just 15.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151012/276227 )

It's not just less time that is spent on personal hygiene in winter, but less money too. The average monthly spend on personal hygiene products in the UK is £29.57, but 18% of Brits reduce their spending during the winter.

Part of the reason for this seasonal difference is that we get less hot and sweaty during the winter months (57% cited this), but many Brits admit that it's simply too cold to shower so frequently in winter. In fact , 34% of us admit to bathing or showering less frequently in the winter, with a quarter of adults preferring to spend more time in bed as the cold dark mornings leave us feeling more tired. Meanwhile 2/3 of women shave less their legs less frequently in the winter and 56% stated that their feet are neglected in the colder months.

Raffaela De Vittorio, Marketing Director for Geberit AquaClean, which conducted the study, said: "During the winter months many of us would rather grab some extra time under a warm duvet than in the bathroom, which is where the latest shower toilet technology really comes into its own. Gently cleaning you with warm water after each use, the Geberit AquaClean ensures healthy personal hygiene levels are maintained whatever the weather."

While 15% of Brits would consider installing a shower toilet, currently just 6% of the survey's respondents use one, with the most popular way of cleaning after using the toilet being with wet wipes (40%), followed by showering (19%). However, taking a shower can be time consuming, particularly when compared to using a shower toilet.

Despite people taking less time to clean themselves during the winter months, a staggering 10% of adults admit that they don't change their underwear every day, with 1% even owning up to doing so less than once a week!

"The research shows that despite the average Brit spending less time in the bathroom during the winter, their desire to feel fresh and clean is just as strong as in the summer and with so many people admitting to not changing their underwear regularly, a shower toilet ensures that personal hygiene levels are maintained no matter what the season is," adds Raffaela.

REGIONAL FINDINGS (Area specific can be provided) 

Cleanest v Dirtiest City 

• Worcester is cleanest (90% say they found personal hygiene very important)
• Portsmouth is dirtiest city (61% say that personal hygiene was very important)

Who Spends Longest in the bathroom? 

• Brighton spends longest at 35.76 mins, 14% longer than the National Average (N.A).
• Coventry spends the least at 22.63, 27% under N.A.

Who Spends Most on Personal Hygiene? 

• York spends most £45.63, 54% more than N.A.
• Aberystwyth spends least £13, 56% less than N.A.

Home Nations Findings 

• Wales is the cleanest - 83% say personal hygiene is v important compared with 80% in Ireland, 79.5% in Scotland, 74% in England
• Wales spends longest in the bathroom at 31 mins (Ireland 29.21, Scotland 29.61, England 30.87 mins)
• Average spend is highest in Ireland at £35.36, England £27.74, Wales £22.25, Scotland £28.18

SOURCE Geberit AquaClean