These are the top chores that cause couples to argue – sound familiar?

Ugh, household chores. They’re the bane of our existence.

They’re never done and dusted (excuse the pun). As soon as you take the bin out it starts to fill up again and as soon as you wash the dishes there are more piling up.

So it’s no wonder that we get frustrated with our partners when they don’t pull their weight with odd jobs or do them well.

In fact, one in six people said they would end their relationship with their significant other over household chores.

The percentage was higher among 18 to 25-year-olds (31%) compared to 35 to 44-year-olds (21%), according to a survey of 1,500 Brits.

But which chores cause the most arguments between couples? Well a whopping 55% of Brits said the general tidying of the house was a major sticking point.

There’s nothing worse than pointless mess, right?

Washing up was the next major cause of arguments with 35% of Brits saying scrubbing those plates clean causes plenty of friction.

The grotty tasks of cleaning the toilet and taking the bins out were joint third place, causing arguments for 30% of couples.

But it’s no wonder couples are bickering. A separate study in the Journal of Family Psychology found that cleaning up when you get home after a long day actually prevents the body from reducing its levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) which can leave us feeling on edge.

And according to another survey of 2,000 Brits by Hammond’s Fitted Furniture, this frustration with chores is felt largely by women, with 54% of them believing they take care of all the housework.

This is supported in the latest survey conducted by Tapi Carpets & Floors, which found that one in three women don’t believe the chores are split evenly. However 38% of men disagreed with this and believe they are pulling their weight around the home.

Well, if that isn’t an argument waiting to happen.

Other household chores that cause conflict are cleaning the bath, hoovering, cleaning the shower and filling and emptying the dishwasher.

Brits who live in London were the most likely to leave their partner over chores (22%) while those in Manchester (19%) and Newcastle (18%) followed closely behind.

In fact it’s not just the type of chore that causes arguments, one in 10 Brits said that a fight starts when deciding how to split the housework.

A whopping 60% of Brits admit to arguing with their significant other over chores, so it’s no wonder it causes us to question our relationships.

Relationship and Sex Therapist, Georgina Vass had some advice on how to approach the topic of chores with your partner.

She said: ‘There is no set formula on how we should be splitting chores and this will vary based on the needs and shared vision of what an ideal household looks like to each couple, but all time is created equal. 

‘If you feel as though you’re doing the majority of the work, and your significant other isn’t helping out then I’d advise anyone to talk to their partner and see if you can both commit to a goal of balancing your hours.

‘It may be helpful to create a list of the chores that absolutely need to get done for the functioning of your household and cut out those that aren’t necessary.

‘Once your list is finalised, explicitly assign the specific chores to each partner and then allow that partner to master their domain.

‘Remember, it may take time for a partner to develop skills in a new area. Try to be patient with this process, a shift in thinking and forming new habits takes time and effort, its possible that mistakes may be made along the way.

‘The chore war embodies so many topics in relationships from ideas around gender roles and values to how we show appreciation and communicate with others.

‘When it feels like an argument is brewing, try to understand your partners needs and how the chore may be reflective of a larger topic to them such as a way to be appreciated, cared for, or a demonstration of your commitment to change.’

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