Thanks to Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and his celebrity interior designer chums, UK home decorators have been moving away from carpets and towards a variety of different flooring.
This shift has provided a bonanza for suppliers, who are well aware that consumers spending a small fortune on top-quality hardwood are unlikely to want to skimp on cleaning products for it.
It's not just floors that have been changing, either. A rise in the use of materials such as granite, composite, stainless steel and other metals for kitchen worktops has added to the arrival of specialist cleaning products.
"When consumers treat natural surfaces, such as wood and leather, they look for natural ingredients," says Gemma Clarke of Wheelers of Cheshire, which produces a range of beeswaxes.
"Producers of premium polish and care products are taking ideas from the skincare and beauty sectors, upgrading formulations and packaging, and recognising that, when treating their furniture, consumers are looking for longer-lasting beauty."
Experts predict this trend will continue in line with the rise of premiumisation across almost every grocery market, and canny manufacturers are spotting the opportunities.
"We noticed a gap in the market for a range of quality floor cleaners that protect, seal and nourish different types of hard flooring," says Claire Berry, marketing manager of Acdoco, which has launched a Pro Glo premium range of floor cleaners for hardwood and parquet, laminate and stone and tiles. "The formulations have been designed to work on indoor and outdoor flooring and help to build a stain-resistant layer on the surface of the floor."
Many of the best-known household cleaning brands have joined the chase for a share of the specialist market. Unilever has added Wood Floor Cleaner to its Cif range and relaunched Cif Floor Cleaner range, while Reckitt Benckiser's Mr Sheen range is set to get new packaging and a WoodCare product.
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