London - There are the really big issues that divide couples… and then there are the very, very small ones.
Minor irritations such as leaving wet towels on the bed and flicking between TV channels cause most of the 312 arguments that the average couple has each year, researchers say.
Those little habits can become such a big problem that one in five Britons has even considered them a reason to split up.
According to the researchers, women tend to become more frustrated with their partner’s habits than men. The most common complaints include loo roll not being replaced, lights that aren’t switched off and the toilet seat being left up.
But men aren’t immune to getting irritated either. They grit their teeth when their partner takes too long to get ready, clogs up the plughole with hair or nags them about chores.
But although a quarter of those polled say nagging helped to change their partner’s behaviour, most of us would rather refrain.
Eight out of 10 said they’d usually just clean up after their other half rather than moan.
Nick Elson, of betterbathrooms.com, which carried out the research, said: “All couples argue but to see how much time they argue over simple things was a bit of an eye opener.” – Daily Mail