New research from Recycle for London shows that it could be Londoners’ bad bathroom habits that are leading many to have bad luck in the bedroom.

The study, launched to coincide with the start of Recycle Week 2016, polled over 2000 Londoners from across all 33 boroughs.

Over half (56%) of the residents in Hillingdon said bad bathroom habits would put them off living with a partner and almost half (42%) admitted that if they knew their partner had horrid habits they wouldn’t move in with them at all; this increased to 66% for those aged 18-35 across London.

When asked what their biggest turn off in a prospective partner was, the top responses included not flushing the toilet (54%), not using the toilet brush (34%) and leaving hair in the sink (28%).

Perhaps unsurprisingly over two thirds (67%) wished their partner or flatmate would improve their bathroom habits.

In addition, 61% considered not recycling items such as shampoo bottles, toothpaste boxes, toilet paper rolls and bleach bottles a bad bathroom habit that needed addressing.

Despite these statistics, recent data shows that only 33% of our waste in London is recycled each year.

Further data also highlights that bad recycling habits are leaking beyond the bathroom, with the average UK household using nearly 500 plastic bottles a year, but only recycling a little over 280 of them - less than 60%.

Recycle for London is urging Londoners to make recycling bathroom items one of their good bathrooms habits this Recycle Week in a bid to help London increase its recycling rate, and to give them a better chance of being lucky in love.

It isn’t just romantic relationships that are suffering however, as the study also revealed almost two thirds (62%) of respondents said that if they knew a potential flatmate had bad bathroom habits, they wouldn’t move in with them, while almost half (41%) agreed that it was also causing arguments with their current flatmates.

Ali Moore, Campaign Manager from Recycle for London said: “We all like to think that we have good bathroom habits, or at least that they don’t affect others we live with, but the results of our study suggest otherwise.

"Bad bathroom habits, amongst them the failure to recycle items from the bathroom, appear to be the cause of many domestic disputes and romantic rifts across the capital.

"All too often Londoners get swept up in their busy lives and forget that recycling bathroom items can make a huge difference to the world we live in.

"For instance, recycling one plastic shower gel bottle saves enough energy to power a lightbulb for 8 hours.

"During Recycle Week we are encouraging those living in London to rethink their bathroom recycling habits, not just for the sake of the environment but also to ensure harmony in the home.”

Recycle Week runs from 12-18 September 2016. Those living in London can find out more about how they can recycle better at https://www.recyclenow.com/recycling-knowledge/facts-and-info/recycle-week-2016