Sometimes two things really are better than one; two heads to solve a problem, two coffees in the morning for maximum waking-up efficiency, and always two helpings of dessert. And goodness only knows that some lucky households across the UK are blessed with that most desirable double of all: two bathrooms. For those who aren’t, Soap Supplier, the UK's leading supplier of soap making supplies and soap making ingredients, decided to ask 2,500 couples the crucial question: do you want a bathroom break up?
After all, just think of the advantages; no more having to tolerate wet, dirty towels on the floor, no hairs blocking the plughole… so it’s not surprising that, on average, a third of us (31%) would opt for a bathroom separation. Perhaps surprisingly, more men would be up for this (34%) than women (28%)!
When asked to rate each other’s bathroom etiquette, women rated their partner’s at 6/10, whereas men were a bit more praiseworthy, rating their partner’s bathroom behaviour at 7/10. Men from the North East, South East, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had the highest praise for their partner’s etiquette with a meritorious 8/10! Conversely, women in North East, East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, Wales and Northern Ireland were not quite so complimentary as they rated their partner’s bathroom etiquette at a just-about-acceptable 6 out of 10. You can see how the nation compares with this interactive map: https://soapsupplier.co.uk/infographics/bathroom-breakups/
So, when you live with your partner, what are the worst bathroom no-no’s?
Nearly half of Brits say that the worst bathroom behaviour rule to break is dripping on the toilet seat and not cleaning it up (45%), followed by not flushing (30%), not replacing the toilet paper (15%) and leaving the toilet seat up (10%).
For those not fortunate enough to have two bathrooms, the survey also revealed that half of couples in the UK feel comfortable enough to use the bathroom when their partner is on the toilet (men are more comfortable with this than women).
Finally, when asked a similar question – that is, given the choice, would couples sleep in separate beds, almost two-thirds (60%) said they would opt for a ‘sleep divorce’.
“Having one’s own bathroom is clearly highly prized,” says Nicky Story from Soap Supplier. “But if you are sharing, it’s key to maintain some bathroom etiquette for a harmonious home!”
