Doing the dishes causes the most spats among couples

Keeping house and home in order is hard work, especially for full-time workers. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that some relatively simple household chores can cause a lot of tension in relationships.

• 90% of couples will spend up to ONE HOUR arguing with their significant other over chores!
• 15% of ex-couples revealed that quarrelling over household chores was a direct contributor to the breakdown of the relationship
• Doing the dishes is the chore causing the highest percentage of troubles, with more than half of couples arguing over it
• Dusting is the least stressful chore, with only 9% of couples arguing over it

ShowersToYou.co.uk surveyed 2,459 couples to find which chores cause the most conflicts. All chores considered in this study were a result of trawling through online forums for lists of the most commonly fought over chores within households. Turns out, the chore that causes the most rifts is pretty dirty!

• Doing the dishes is the chore most likely to cause arguments, with 57% of couples reportedly getting into a spat over it.
• Taking out the rubbish and cleaning the kitchen came second and third, at 46% and 42% respectively.
• In fourth place is cleaning the bathroom (36%) and fifth is doing laundry (29%).
• Grocery shopping came sixth at 26% – perhaps in part to many opting to do this chore solo!
• In close quarters are changing/making the bed and vacuuming, at 22% and 21% respectively, leading them to be some of the least argument causing chores, at seventh and eighth place.
• Ninth place is home to ironing, with this chore only 15% more likely to cause arguments.
• Dusting is the chore most likely to cause the least amount of arguments, with only 9%, suggesting a lot of couples are fine with sweeping this one under the rug!

Of the respondents who are no longer in relationships, 15% revealed that quarrelling over household chores was a direct contributor to the breakdown of their relationship.

• 40% of respondents disclosed that a lack of appraisal or acknowledgement for doing chores was a large factor in the sparking of arguments.
• 90% of couples will spend up to ONE HOUR arguing with their significant other over chores, with 45% of these arguments incited by a feeling of the chore not having been completed properly.
• 30% of couples argued about the timings of the chore, showing that keeping to a schedule was a high priority. Only 15% argued over who was doing what chore, and the remaining 10% argued over entirely different things, with one respondent claiming that they “didn’t like doing it” – which isn’t surprising!

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Methodology

1. ShowersToYou surveyed 1,397 ex-couples and 1,062 couples to find out which household chore caused the most arguments between them.
2. Those no longer in relationships were asked if they thought chores and related arguments were associated with the breakup.
3. The list of chores was generated by scouring Mumsnet, Reddit, and other such forums in order to find the most commonly complained about chores within thread posts.