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16 Household Chores Women Wish Husbands Did Without Being Told

Updated on November 2, 2025 by TMM Staff ยท Dating & Confidence

A long-haired, bearded man in a tank top and shorts is sweeping a light wood floor in a sunlit living room with many house plants.
ยฉSandra Seitamaa/Unsplash.com

There are things that every man knows in a relationship, and the stern, unflinching look of disapproval ubiquitous to all wives is one of them. This look usually manifests on their faces when their husbands fail to do certain tasks. They seriously dislike having to tell them again and again about completing a task. Still, men are nebulous creatures; we often forget what it was that was being asked of us. The same ignorance extends towards household chores as well. We tend to forget quite readily what our wives want us to do. This continues unless the wife makes a snide remark or reminds us of our obligations. However, this kind of tarnishes the whole point of marital collaboration, as wives hope, no, wish with all their heart that their husbands would do something without being told to do it. There are some chores that especially nettle women, and they profoundly hope that men can do them without being told. So, if you want to learn about what these chores are and how you too can attain peace in your marriage by completing them, then read on.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • The Dishwasher Dilemma
  • Cleaning the Kitchen Counters
  • Folding the Laundry
  • Refilling the Ice Trays or Water Jug
  • Cleaning the Bathroom Sink
  • Taking out the Trash
  • Replacing the Toilet Paper Roll
  • Vacuuming and Cleaning
  • Cleaning the Mirror and Bathroom Counter
  • Making the Bed
  • Put the Dirty Clothes in the Hamper
  • Replace Household Items before they Run Out
  • Cleaning Up after Having Snacks
  • Cooking When She’s Tired
  • Fixing What’s Broken
  • Actually Meaning it when You say You Have Got This
  • Final Thoughts

The Dishwasher Dilemma

A man in a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants is loading white dishes into an open dishwasher in a modern kitchen with brown and light wood cabinets.
ยฉGetty Images/Unsplash.com

Wives constantly have to remind their husbands to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It makes things much easier for them. It certainly doesn’t help when they have to collect these dishes from the sink, from the living room, or from any other place where their husbands leave them.

Cleaning the Kitchen Counters

A man with a beard, wearing a beige sweatshirt and blue jeans, isย washing dishes in a sink in a bright, modern wooden kitchen.
ยฉGetty Images/Unsplash.com

Wives keep hoping against hope that their husbands will grow some sense and clean the kitchen counters after cooking or brewing some beverage. They tend to leave a veritable mess of crumbs, spills, sauces, and utensils after them. This doesn’t sit well with wives and leads to many altercations with their husbands.

Folding the Laundry

A smiling father and daughter are sitting on a bed together, folding laundry with a wicker basket between them.
ยฉCurated Lifestyle/Unsplash.com

Men need to understand that it is simply not polite or organized to leave laundry heaped on the bed or the couch. Simply fold the laundry properly and put it away in the cabinets. It’s easy and takes no more than several minutes.

Refilling the Ice Trays or Water Jug

A person's arm reaching into a refrigerator to grab a frosty glass bottle of water.
ยฉNatalia Blauth/Unsplash.com

Wives surely get irritated when they find the water jug or ice trays empty when they need them. Assuage their grief and irritability by refilling the jug and ice trays when you are done with them. It shows that you care and give high regard to your wife’s comfort.

Cleaning the Bathroom Sink

Hands in yellow gloves are spraying cleaner over a white bathroom sink.
ยฉKateryna Hliznitsova/Unsplash.com

Men are bound to leave behind an appalling mess in the bathroom when they are done shaving, washing their face, and completing the customary ablutions. However, this mess is frowned upon intensely by the wives. So, be a considerate husband and make a point of cleaning the bathroom sink once you are done using it.

Taking out the Trash

A child and an adult carrying large bags of trash across a grassy area outdoors.
ยฉGetty Images/Unsplash.com

Trash really begins to stink up the house and tends to fan the flames of rage in the wife’s mind as well. She sees you acting all cool and nonchalant and this serves to elevate her resentment to unprecedented levels. You should eschew this by taking out the trash as soon as the receptacles reach full capacity. This will keep your home’s air and your relationship from stinking up.

Replacing the Toilet Paper Roll

Close-up of a person holding an armful of five rolls of white toilet paper.
ยฉElly Johnson/Unsplash.com

This really isn’t that difficult. All you need to do is replace the toilet paper once it runs out. Also, please don’t leave it on the top of the commode or the sink. Just put it in its right place and all should be well.

Vacuuming and Cleaning

A casually dressed, barefoot man is vacuuming a patterned rug in a modern, sunlit living room.
ยฉGetty Images/Unsplash.com

Women love a clean house, and usually it is the husbands who make an absolute mess of things. But you know what they like even more? It is when their husbands vacuum and clean without being told to do so. This wins some major brownie points in their favor.

Cleaning the Mirror and Bathroom Counter

A person wearing a yellow glove is cleaning a mirror with a soapy, orange and black sponge.
ยฉKarola G/Unsplash.com

Splatters of toothpaste, fingerprints on the mirror, and generally looking like a typhoon went through; that is the condition of the bathroom once you use it. Wipe down the mirrors and the bathroom counters once you are done to avoid your wife getting mad.

Making the Bed

Man in a camp collar shirt making his bed.
ยฉNatalia Blauth/Unsplash.com

Men should start the day off well and ensure peace in their household by making the bed once they wake up. Wives are susceptible to becoming increasingly irritated and belligerent at the sight of a messy bed in the morning, after all. Also, this gesture shows that you care.

Put the Dirty Clothes in the Hamper

A light blue plastic laundry basket filled with clothes against a plain white wall.
ยฉAnnie Spratt/Unsplash.com

The dirty clothes go into the hamper, not under it, not beside it, but inside it. Remember that the next time you hurl them towards the hamper without any precision or care for your aim.

Replace Household Items before they Run Out

A man in glasses, a white shirt, and an apron is reaching up to place a small white cup on a wooden shelf in a commercial kitchen.
ยฉJonathan Borba/Unsplash.com

Keeping track of crucial household items like coffee pods, paper towels, soap, detergents, and more isn’t solely the wife’s job. She will certainly appreciate it if you replenish any item that’s running low without being prompted to do so.

Cleaning Up after Having Snacks

Close-up of a hand in a green and white cleaning glove wiping a wooden table with a white cloth.
ยฉFaruk TokluoฤŸlu/Unsplash.com

Snacking during late-night movie marathons, bonding with friends, and having an awesome time can feel amazing. However, this tends to leave behind a mess that needs intense cleaning and sweeping. Don’t leave it to your wife; take the initiative and clean up after yourself.

Cooking When She’s Tired

A man in a white T-shirt is cooking in a dark kitchen, illuminated by the bright, yellow light of the stove area.
ยฉAaron Thomas/Unsplash.com

A wife rarely asks for this favor because she knows it’s her job. But there might be some instances when she’s tired from bringing the kids back from school, shopping for groceries, or doing any other domestic tasks. You should ease her burdens by cooking up something convenient and tasty. Let her know that you have her covered in her hour of need and value what she brings to the relationship.

Fixing What’s Broken

An overhead view of a man lying on a wooden floor, fixing a plumbing issue under a kitchen sink next to an open yellow toolbox.
ยฉCurated Lifestyle/Unsplash.com

A malfunctioning light fixture, dirty air filters, taking out expired items from the cupboard, cleaning the fridge, dripping faucets, and other invisible chores around the house irk wives considerably. You should fix what is broken without being asked and accord your wife the peace of mind that she covets.

Actually Meaning it when You say You Have Got This

A woman standing on a ladder and a man handing her a small item.
ยฉGetty Images/Unsplash.com

Women aren’t looking for perfection but rather collaboration. Take the initiative and follow through on your promises regarding chores without being asked. You should be sincere and true to your word about household chores.

Final Thoughts

ยฉNatalia Blauth/Unsplash.com

Wives aren’t looking at chores when they constantly remind you to complete them. She is looking for the empathy, attention, and effort that you bring to the relationship. She wants you to strengthen the relationship by being more mindful, focused, and present. Doing household tasks without being prompted is an expression of this resolve.

Dating & Confidence

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About TMM Staff

The Modest Man staff writers are experts in men's lifestyle who love teaching guys how to live their best lives.

If an article is published under TMM Staff, that means multiple writers worked on it. For example, sometimes several of us have experience with a certain brand, so we collaborate to publish a more thorough review.

Or, if an article was originally written by one person, but then it was updated by someone else, we'll re-publish it under TMM Staff.

Remember: all of our articles (including those below) are written by real people with decades of combined experience in men's fashion and lifestyle topics.

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