Washing up, dusting, taking the bins out – we’re really not short of household chores to dislike, let’s be honest.
Doing the chores is, well, a chore… or is it? Surprisingly though, a new YouGov poll says different, as it’s been revealed that there are only a few household tasks that large numbers of Britons actively loathe, with many more liked that disliked, in fact.
While it probably has to be said that most chores and household tasks are not exactly what we’d choose to spend our time doing, the reality is they have to be done whether we like it or not.
The new survey, however, has revealed the some of us do actually ‘like’ it though.
YouGov asked a total of 2287 British adults for their opinions on a selection of chores in a bid to find out what the best and worst household task is.
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/ Credit: Pixahive | Haberdoedas II (via Unsplash)
Cooking came out on top as the most popular chore of those polled, with a clear majority of Brits (57%) saying they like rustling up a meal, alongside a further 21% who neither like nor dislike it, and only 18% saying it’s a task they openly dislike.
Nearly half of Brits (46%) say they enjoy decluttering or clearing out their house, alongside 24% who are not bothered either way. Similarly, 40% say they like tidying up, with nearly as many (35%) neither liking nor disliking it.
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In both cases, only roughly a quarter (22-27%) actively dislike making things neat and tidy.
On the other end of the spectrum, the chore that takes the top spot for being the most disliked across the board is ironing.
Taking the bins out is the chore that most divides men and women, with women nearly twice as likely to dislike doing it
Cleaning bathroom: 49% women vs 42% men Ironing: 48% vs 37% Dusting: 43% vs 38% Taking bins out: 42% vs 22% Washing up: 38% vs 24% Cleaning kitchen: 32% vs 28%… pic.twitter.com/Obfk89yhqp
Four housework staples stand out as having the fewest outright fans – ironing, cleaning the bathroom, dusting, and taking the bins out, with just one in six Brits (16-18%) claiming to like doing any of them.
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Although similar numbers of survey respondents dislike dusting, ironing, or cleaning the bathroom (41-45%), it’s ironing that has the strongest claim to being the most-hated chore overall, as not only do a higher proportion say they dislike it a lot (25% vs 16-18% for the other two chores), roughly three times as many Brits avoid doing the ironing altogether (20% vs 7%).
This makes it the only chore where the number of dislikers (43%) outnumber the combined total of those with a positive or neutral opinion of the chore (37%).
How does gender come into the conversation? Well, taking the bins out is the chore polled with the biggest gender divide.
According to YouGov, while men are equally likely to say they like (24%) and dislike taking the bins out (22%), only 9% of women say they relish the task, which is relative to 42% of them who dislike having to do it.
Featured Image – Pexels (@cottonbro studio)
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Sir Ian McKellen pays emotional tribute to long-time friend and fellow northern actor Sir Patrick Stewart
Emily Sergeant
Sir Ian McKellen has paid an emotional tribute to his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Patrick Stewart, following his death.
Sir Patrick Stewart – who was born and bred in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and is best-known for his theatre work alongside an illustrious 60-year screen career, taking on prominent roles in franchises such as Star Trek and X-Men – sadly passed away at the age of 86, with his death being announced publicly yesterday evening (29 October).
And now, his long-time friend and fellow northern actor, Sir Ian McKellen, has paid tribute.
Sir Patrick and Sir Ian shared the stage together countless times over their decades-long careers, but also famously starred alongside each other in the X-Men franchise, and subsequent Marvel movies, as Charles Xavier/Professor X and Magneto.
The tribute, shared across Sir Ian’s social media platforms, reads: “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.
“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions.
“My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”
“Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did, for not just his devoted Trekkies, but film and theatre audiences who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.
“America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin.
“But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.”
Sir Patrick Stewart’s farewell performance will be in Avengers: Doomsday, which is being released in UK cinemas on 18 December 2026
Featured Image – Gage Skidmore (via Flickr)
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Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets this Bonfire Night
Emily Sergeant
Classic FM will be back playing calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks season.
Bonfire Night may be loved by us humans for the spectacular firework displays and all the festive-themed activities that come along with it… but sadly, the November holiday isn’t quite so fun for our four-legged friends.
Loud bangs, flashing lights, and unpleasant strong smell of spent explosives are just some of the reasons why fireworks are frightening to pets.
Not only that, but with multiple bangs occurring from numerous displays across this time of year, pets are rarely able to pinpoint when and where the booming explosions are coming from, therefore creating even more anxiety around this time of year.
Classic FM will play calming music for anxious pets during this year’s fireworks / Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST (via Unsplash)
Which is why, for the ninth year running now, Classic FM is once again teaming up with the RSPCA for two Pet Classics programmes packed with ‘the most soothing and comforting classical music’.
The music has been handpicked to help calm and settle any anxious pets.
A survey by the RSPCA revealed that almost two-thirds (63%) of animal owners reported their pet was distressed during fireworks season, and that playing relaxing music was the most common way (36%) to help calm or prepare their animal.
Presenters Dan Walker, Aled Jones, and Dawn O’Porter will each host a night of the specially created programme to help keep the nation’s pets calm through the whizzes and bangs.
Dan will present the first programme on Bonfire Night itself (Thursday 5 November), and then as celebrations continue throughout the weekend, Aled will be on hand to bring some peace to Friday 6 November, and Dawn picks up the baton on Saturday 7 November.
Emily Sergeant -
16th October 2025 
