Ironing revealed as the most avoided chore by Brits

As a nation we Brits love to see a clean and tidy home – certainly, if #cleantok’s 24.9 billion views on TikTok are anything to go by, we get plenty of satisfaction from watching messy areas being transformed. But how many of us enjoy cleaning our own homes? Cleaning takes time and is a chore that is eastly pushed aside for more exciting activities but, when we do decide to bite the bullet and pick up the cleaning materials, it appears that some chores are more likely to get done than others.

A recent survey of 2000 Brits by fitted furniture specialists Hammonds found that ironing is the nation’s least favourite chore, with 17% of respondents admitting their dislike. Closely following ironing in the top five worst chores was cleaning the oven, which 13% admitted to dreading, cleaning the shower, bath or sink (10%), cleaning the loo (9%) and dusting (8%).

Vacuuming floors and doing laundry, on the other hand, were rated as the UK’s favourite chores, selected by 13% and 12%, respectively. So at least we Brits are wearing clean clothes but, perhaps more often than not, they remain un-ironed.

The survey also revealed that 44% of respondents believe that they do all the household chores for their home, with no sharing of tasks at all. This can lead to tension in the home, with 22% admitting that they argue with their partner over them not doing their fair share.

And it appears that the old-fashioned view of women doing the housework still rings true, as shockingly just over half (54%) of women believe that they are keeping their homes clean unaided.

Cleaning doesn’t have to become a dreaded task, though – household chores will never be anyone’s favourite pastime but they can be made much more bearable. Try making a list of chores that need completing as compartmentalising tasks makes them easier to accomplish. Playing music or listening to an audiobook while you work is an excellent distraction too.

Keeping on top of household chores is also essential in reducing household chore anxiety.

Kirsty Oakes, head of product and marketing at Hammonds Furniture, explains: “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! 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. Using storage for items and making sure everything has a place where you can store it is a great way to eliminate any clutter and can make a space feel much tidier straight away.”

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