Biggest Cause of Petty Arguments for Co-Habiting Couples? Bathroom Etiquette
Here at ukBathrooms we recently conducted some research into what were the causes of petty friction for co-habiting couples. And we found some interesting results from ‘leaving the loo seat up’ to ‘shavings in the sink/bath’ and ‘squeezing toothpaste from the middle of the tube’.
Moving in with someone for the first time is a steep learning curve, especially for those who have lived on their own at some time or not had to share all their space with someone else. So you can expect a few teething problems when co-habiting with your loved one and it seems one of the biggest issues is bathroom Etiquette.
Sometimes the most innocuous habit you have could cause one of the biggest arguments you have as a couple. So here at ukBathrooms we asked people:
‘Do you regularly bicker with your partner?’
88% of those answered ‘yes’ they did, so we then asked those who answered yes whether their arguments could be considered ‘petty’ or ‘serious’. Most people (69%) said that their arguments were petty, rather than serious so we have not hit relationship ending levels for bad habits. However finding out what caused these so called petty arguments was most interesting. Choosing from a list of options here is the astonishing results, we asked:
‘What is the biggest cause of petty arguments in your relationship?’
- Poor bathroom habits – 44%
- Uneven chore sharing – 41%
- Television channel choice – 37%
- Wearing shoes in the house – 29%
- Disputes over children / family – 26%
To be honest here at ukBathrooms we could easily identify with many of these irritants, but when it comes to bathroom habits, this is where most people find the line we all agree that if a partner was guilty of any of them or all we wouldn’t be best pleased.
Biggest bathroom irritants:
- Leaving the loo seat up – 48%
- Shavings in the sink/bath – 36%
- Squeezing toothpaste from the middle of the tube – 27%
The irritants above caused the most problems because those affected had to use the bathroom after their partner and had been confronted with either the loo seat being left up, shavings all over or a squished toothpaste tube. Interestingly we also found men were often the guilty partners when it came to poor bathroom etiquette, women made up 67% of those aggravated!
Our Director, Peter Gregg said:
“It’s no wonder that poor bathroom etiquette causes bickering in relationships. Whilst certain things can be avoided, there’s no getting around a left-up loo seat! Persistent shavings remaining in the sink or in the bath are also understandably annoying. What will visitors think when they see that? Not to mention the fact that hair can easily clog up the drains and cause blockages, which would no doubt create another argument!”
He continued:
“They are all understandable niggles and a normal part of most couples’ everyday lives. It’s good to see that they’re branded as minor causes of arguments though; I’d hate to think that couples separate due to poor bathroom habits!”
So when you’re thinking about moving in with a loved one for the first time, you better be aware of any habits you have which could annoy your partner. And it’s also worthwhile choosing somewhere with more than one bathroom or a bathroom which has his and hers sinks.