The Tories said "worrying" figures showed only a small minority of NHS trusts in England were using all the cleaning products recommended by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to fight bugs like MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley accused Gordon Brown of "grandstanding" and only being concerned with headlines while "letting patients down."

But the Department for Health insisted that deep cleaning was just part of a "comprehensive strategy" to improve cleanliness and tackle infection across hospitals. The Tory argument was based on "fundamental misunderstandings".

The Conservatives said they received replies from 128 out of the 171 NHS Trusts in England following Freedom of Information requests about their cleaning regimes.

They claim their research shows that 85% of hospitals did not use hydrogen peroxide vapour in their deep clean; 16% of hospitals did not use chlorine; 18% of trusts admitted using steam cleaning which it is claimed is not effective; while 9% of trusts complied with all the HPA guidelines on deep clean.

Some 5% of trusts admitted they do not clean the bed spaces of patients with Clostridium difficile daily with chlorine; and 9% of trusts do not clean all commodes, toilets and bathroom areas after each use by a Clostridium difficile patient with chlorine.

Mr Lansley said: "These worrying figures expose Gordon Brown's deep clean as nothing more than a political stunt.

"If he'd really cared about reducing infections he would have made sure it was carried out properly and the right products were used. Sadly, all he cared about was grabbing a good headline.

"Clostridium difficile rates have soared under Labour and yet they've failed time and again, to back the evidence-based strategies for zero tolerance of infections. Gordon Brown and Alan Johnson should be ashamed of their grandstanding, and for letting patients down."