AMDEA's new website highlights household chores nobody wants to do

The Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) has unveiled a new Know Watt's What website packed with savings tips for those who do the household's thankless tasks to help keep homes running smoothly.  

Leading a national campaign, a poll of 2,000 adults revealed the most thankless household tasks included cleaning the toilet, taking out the bins, putting on the washing and cleaning the oven. Other unnoticed jobs, carried out by the silent majority, included cleaning hair out of the shower plug, putting away the clean laundry, vacuuming and wiping down the hob.

The research was carried out to draw national attention to how modern appliances and small behaviour changes can make a big difference to household bills. Listing the jobs around the house that go unnoticed, 31% admitted they rarely or never witness them magically getting done by someone else. And 77% said there is one person in their home who takes on the majority of these chores. Beyond the top 10, clearing out old food and cleaning the fridge shelves (19%), defrosting the freezer (15%), and emptying the dishwasher (14%) also featured as tasks that go unnoticed, according to the OnePoll.com data. 

In a message to households, Stefan Hay, CEO of AMDEA, said: “If you are that person who always runs the washing machine or the dishwasher, especially on energy saving Eco-mode, we salute you. Even if some people in your household believe these tasks are done by ‘magic,’ rather than recognising it’s you, have faith as these small things are essential to the smooth and efficient running of a home. With constantly innovating smart tech in appliances, lots of these jobs will be made quicker, quieter and easier for you.”

Of all respondents, 85% believed such tasks are crucial to the efficiency of a household, this rises to 94% when you ask the people most responsible for getting them done. When completing these household chores, 68% are conscious of energy efficiency, only boiling the correct amount of water required or washing full loads rather than half loads. Overall, 73% think they could be doing more to be energy efficient, but holdbacks include the cost of upgrading appliances, prioritising convenience over efficiency, and lack of motivation.