Trail of dust that could take you to New York and back

But the average woman walks all the way to New York simply by doing the vacuuming, a study has found.

Hoover in hand, she paces out 7,300 miles over her lifetime - the equivalent of walking to the Big Apple and back.

Vacuuming takes up two days a year - or five months of the houseproud woman's lifetime, according to the study.

This marathon effort leaves men biting the dust. Their vacuuming tally adds up to 850 miles - a less glamorous journey from Land's End to John O'Groats.

Health gurus believe vacuuming is one of the best all-round exercises that can be done at home. "Who would have thought we travel so far doing a simple task like vacuuming?" said fitness expert Mike Hill.

"It just goes to show everyday household tasks can help keep us in shape.

"Although vacuuming may not seem the most glamorous way of exercising, it's actually a good allround workout and you don't even have to leave the house."

The poll of 3,000 homeowners by vacuum manufacturer Bosch found men spend only half a day vacuuming in a typical year - just over a month of their lifetimes.

Unsurprisingly 95 per cent of women believe men should pick up the vacuum cleaner as often as they do.

Keeping the house clean and the body honed are not the only benefits of vacuuming. Forty-three per cent of those surveyed said they found it therapeutic. Almost half broke into song during a cleaning spree - although women are twice as likely to whistle while they work.

Women also tend to use vacuuming sessions to rethink the big issues in life.

One in 20 said they had made a life-changing decision while doing the housework.

Splitting up with a lover, deciding to move house or getting a new job were high on the list.

But there are downsides to domestic pride. Two thirds of those surveyed admitted to accidentally vacuuming up valuable items during a cleaning frenzy.

"It's incredible how long women spend vacuuming in a lifetime," said a Bosch spokesman. "Let's face it, most of us would rather be enjoying ourselves than vacuuming."