Relationship Milestones: Bathroom Edition

In a relationship, there's always a defining moment that means you've become completely comfortable around each other and are willing to share your most private moments with the person you love. A lot of these moments actually occur in the bathroom, arguably one of the most intimate rooms in the home where you can truly be yourself.

But how long, on average, does it take Brits to hit the most common bathroom milestones?

We surveyed the Great British public to find out how long it takes for them to feel comfortable sharing a bathroom with their partner.

We also asked them about the bad bathroom habits they're most guilty of, and which of their partner's habits drive them up the wall!

The most comfortable bathroom habits

1 - Removing makeup

96% of couples

Unsurprisingly taking the top spot as the most comfortable bathroom habit is removing makeup in front of a partner. Allowing your partner to see the real you was ranked as one of the most comfortable first steps in a new relationship, with 96% of couples revealing they're comfortable letting their partner see them without makeup on. Split by gender this is nearly 100% of women, but only 93% of men who wear makeup.

2 - Taking a shower

91% of couples

Up next, only nine percent of couples weren't comfortable showering in front of each other, but this percentage drops to five percent once they're four to five years into a relationship. Men revealed they are more reluctant to share this bathroom habit with their partner, although only by a single percent.

3 - Sharing towels

84% of couples

In third place is sharing towels, with 84% of the Great British public voting that they're willing to share their bathroom towels with their partner. Despite having a 'what's yours is mine' approach to a committed relationship, sharing towels can actually be very unhygienic and can risk the spread of harmful bacteria such as E.Coli.

Least comfortable bathroom habits

1 - Sharing a toothbrush

53% of couples

The habit most couples would never do is share their toothbrush with their partner, with 53% of respondents admitting this is a no-go in a relationship. Interestingly the total rates are exactly the same for both genders. However, couples become more likely to share toothbrushes (and a collection of germs) four to five years into a relationship.

2 - Going to the toilet

38% of couples

Up next is toilet time, with nearly 40% of couples telling us they would never go to the loo in front of their partner. Surprisingly men are more prudish when it comes to going to the toilet, with 43% opting to keep the door locked, compared to only 34% of women looking to keep this bathroom habit behind closed doors.

3 - Shaving

19% of couples

Taking third place as a private bathroom moment (that many want to keep that way!) is shaving. 19% of respondents said they would never shave in front of their partner, although unsurprisingly 10% of men revealed they are comfortable using a razor in front of a partner. Over time, the survey revealed both genders become most comfortable seeing their partner shave four to five years into a relationship.

The bathroom items couples share the most

1 - Toiletries

89% of couples

Toiletries are the most shared item between partners, with nearly 90% admitting they've borrowed their significant other's toothpaste, deodorant and other products. The rate is five percent higher for women than men, with only eight percent of women declaring they would not share toiletries with their partner.

2 - Towels

78% of couples

Being in a committed relationship means you share everything; your hopes, dreams, fears and even towels too. More than three-quarters of couples admitted to sharing towels with their partner, which could actually expose them to harmful bacteria.

3 - Razors

55% of couples

When it comes to being caught short and in need of borrowing a razor, just over half of the people we surveyed said they would share a razor with their partner. Marginally more men admitted to this, with 56% admitting they've borrowed a women's razor before compared to 55% of women using their male partner's razor when caught short!

The most annoying bathroom habits

Let's take a look at the bathroom habits that will never stop getting on the nerves of our significant others. We asked men and women to rank the habits of their partners, with a score of one being the most annoying and ten being the least, and then taking an average score.

Men's most annoying bathroom habit

Leaving the toilet seat up

Average score: 4.6/10

It comes as no surprise that men's most annoying habit according to their partners is leaving the toilet seat up. This unhygienic habit can create a mess and could lead to someone falling in if they're venturing to the loo in the night. Female partners gave this habit an average of 4.6 out of 10.

Women's most annoying bathroom habit

Leaving hair in the sink or drain

Average score: 4.6/10

Nobody likes unclogging a sink, and loose hairs can quickly build up, catching other gunk as it makes its way down the plughole. According to their partners, this is a woman's most annoying habit, with an average score of 4.6 out of 10.

The most common bathroom habits

After finding out which habits irritate our partners the most, let's dive into the bad bathroom behaviours we're most guilty of. Here are the top habits from the mildly inconvenient to the downright disgusting.

1 - Going to the toilet with the door open

45% of couples

This relationship milestone comes most naturally at a time when couples are truly comfortable with each other and able to share every aspect of themselves. Nearly half of the people we surveyed admitted to leaving the door open when on the loo, making it the most common.

2 - Leaving hair in the sink or drain

36% of couples

This bad habit often clogs sinks and drains as the hair sticks together, which can build up and create an unpleasant smell and blockage when unremoved. 36% of our total respondents admitted to being guilty of letting hair clog up the plug hole, including 47% of women, compared to only 22% of men.

3 - Not cleaning the shower when finished

32% of couples

In third place, 32% of respondents admitted to being guilty of not cleaning the shower after they've finished in the bathroom. The habit is split fairly evenly between genders with 33% of men admitting to never picking up the cleaning sponge compared to 32% of women.

Methodology

We conducted a survey via Pollfish of 1000 participants from the UK to find out about their bathroom habits and their opinions on the habits of their partners. The data was collected during September 2022.