Housework Across UK Still too Divided With Women Responsible for Majority of Household Chores

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P&G UK and Ireland

05 Sep, 2014, 15:00 GMT

LONDON, September 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

New Flash campaign calls for cleaning teamwork in the home  

Key survey stats:  

  • 93% of women are still responsible for the majority of housework
  • 53% of women spend over five hours a week on household chores
  • 65% of women reverted back to traditional household cleaning roles upon starting a family
  • 57% of women list having more family members as the main contributor to household tasks taking additional time
  • 60% of women stated that more help from other family members would be the biggest help when it comes to domestic chores

[*] 1,005 people were surveyed (301 males, 704 females) by Opinion Matters between 5-8 August, 2014

From scrubbing the bathroom to fighting stubborn stains and tidying away forgotten about toys, recent survey from Flash[*] reveals that a surprising 93% of British women are still responsible for the majority of housework. What's more, whilst nearly two thirds (63%) of men spend less than five hours a week on household chores, 53% of women spend more than five hours a week ensuring perfectly pristine homes.

With the majority of housework falling to women, survey findings also indicate that over two thirds (65%) of women reverted back to traditional household cleaning roles upon starting a family. Furthermore, 57% claim that having more family members is the main contributor to housework taking additional time. With many homes across the UK still suffering from a domestic divide, is it any wonder we're in desperate need of a helping hand? In fact, British women would be thrilled to see family members pitching in a little more around the house (60%).

In addition to internal pressures women face to keep their homes spic and span, research suggests that external factors also play a role. Whilst over two thirds (66%) of women feel embarrassed about not completing household tasks before having guests over, only 47% of men feel the same way. The pressure to constantly keep on top of housework appears to have women across the UK crying out for a household wingman - and that's where Flash comes in!

To tackle this nationwide domestic dilemma, Laura Kemp, author of the novel Mums on Strike has joined forces with Flash to support the UK's first campaign to support cleaning teamwork in the home. By getting the whole family involved to make housework quicker and easier - with the help of Flash Liquid-Gel and the Magic Eraser - families will have more time to enjoy the things they love.

Everyone needs a wingman when it comes to keeping the house clean and tidy. And with Laura's helpful tips and tricks, families will have all the help they need:

Laura's top tips for household teamwork:  

  • Make a family charter on household chores where things are more evenly divided
  • Swap duties occasionally to better appreciate all that is involved
  • Don't be afraid to accept help from friends, family or third parties
  • Encourage kids to take part in household duties by given them an opportunity to pitch in. Don't disapprove if they get it wrong - make it fun, offer rewards and incentives
  • Everyone deserves a break - give each other a day off from domestic chores to rest and recover

To speed up household chores, Flash Liquid-Gel and Magic Eraser provide the ultimate helping hand. Designed to clean a variety of rooms, surfaces and household stains, Flash-Liquid Gel is the first real all-purpose cleaner offering the highest level of cleaning and greatest versatility. It contains breakthrough technology that penetrates and lifts dirt easier with 2.5x more power in every drop[**]. For stubborn scuff marks you didn't think possible to remove, the Magic Eraser is great for everyday household use. Offering extreme cleaning power, you can say goodbye to stains for good.

Notes to Editors:  

Survey details: 

[*] 1,005 people were surveyed (301 males, 704 females) by Opinion Matters between 5-8 August, 2014

[**] Compared to dilute Flash Lemon

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