Over half of British women still do 100% of the housework. (So how is that fair?)
By now, we were supposed to be living in a world of equal opportunities and shared labour, where men and women divide household chores between them and nobody is left seething with resentment at the end of the week.
Or at least, that was the idea. Unfortunately, it seems plenty of Brits are still trapped in the 1950s, with many women working full time, only to come home and pop a pinny over their business suits.
According to a new study, women still do the majority of the housework, with 54% insisting they do everything at home. It's hardly surprising that almost a quarter (22%) argue with their partners over them failing to pull their weight.
Meanwhile, 'standards of cleanliness' are a source of tension for a stressed 15%, whose idea of a deep clean is not 'shove the pizza box in the overflowing bin'.
Another source of tension for 16% was 'as soon as things are clean and tidied, family or housemates will then make a mess again'.
Alongside the more depressing findings, the survey, by furniture specialists Hammonds Furniture, also asked 2,000 Brits which chores they love and hate the most.
Vacuuming came top, unveiled as Britain's favourite household task, with 13% of householders getting active enjoyment from zooming the machine round carpets suctioning up crumbs and cat hairs. Yes, it was a very long lock-down for some, it seems.
The second favourite was laundry, with 12% getting their kicks from washing and drying a load of clothes.
But while many confessed their vacuuming joy, the most hated task was ironing, with 17% admitting they 'can't stand it.'
Also hateful for many Brits were 'cleaning the oven' (13%), 'cleaning the bathroom' (10%) and a miserable 8% confessed to a loathing of dusting
Top five least favourite household chores | % |
17% | |
Cleaning the oven | 13% |
Cleaning the shower/bath/sinks | 10% |
9% | |
Dusting | 8% |
At least we're not overdoing it. Over a third of us (37%) admitted to spending less than two hours each week tackling jobs like laundry, vacuuming and dusting.
However, our cleaning time seems to increase with age and leisure time, as it was revealed 5% of those aged 65 or older spend over 10 hours a week doing odd jobs around the house.
Of the households surveyed, almost one in five admitted that the woman was responsible for cleaning, while just 6% of men said the same.
Interestingly, we love to watch other people clean - the hashtag #cleantok on TikTok has over 18.6 billion views, while cleaning guru Mrs Hinch has 4.1 million Instagram followers for her handy household hacks and recommendations.
Watch: How to clean bathroom countertops and keep them sparkling
“When it comes to jobs around the house, it’s very easy to fall behind with each task – especially if we don’t like doing it in the first place!" says Kirsty Oakes, head of product and marketing at Hammonds Furniture.
" An easy way to make sure you don’t become overwhelmed with a list of chores is to tidy as you go, making sure items are put away when they’re no longer being used.
Read more: Wife's horror after husband paints their house as a 'surprise' while she's on holiday
“Using storage for items and making sure everything has a place where you can store it is a great way eliminate any clutter and can make a space feel much tidier straight away.
“For bigger tasks, it’s important to remember to split the load in your household and not let it be one person’s responsibility to do all the chores around the home. If each person in a home completes their own jobs, this can help ease the burden and lessen any friction.”
Rise up, women! You have nothing to lose but your rubber gloves.
Watch: Doing household chores can help your brain stay younger and healthier
