These are the top 10 bathroom icks according to the nation

The study, of 2,000 adults, also found they dislike the slimy gunk that lurks inside a toothbrush holder.

An ick is a modern slang term for something that gives you a sudden feeling of disgust or repulsion – and gunk in the soap dish and dental floss in the sink were also identified in the study by sustainable personal care brand Life Supplies.

To shine a light on these everyday icks, a new ‘Ick-xhibition’ photography show is open (15th January until 20th February) in Hackney, where visitors can view a series of toe-curling scenes.

Shot by photographer Angèle Châtenet, the 12-canvas gallery unveils a series of unsightly bathroom scenes from the universally icky dried toothpaste in the sink, overflowing bathroom waste bin and the sticky soap gunk on the bottle of shower gel.

James Mishreki, founder of Life Supplies, said: “The Ick-xhibition is elevating the daily grimaces we have all faced first thing in the morning, and last thing at night. It’s a visceral and in some scenes, oddly horrifying, display of the tiny things in life that can actually make us feel a bit rotten.”

Eliminating the 'ick'

The poll also found 42 per cent admitted to feeling discomfort in a friend or family member’s bathroom if they encountered an ick.

Women felt more strongly that specific bathroom icks would be a turnoff if they saw them in a love interest’s bathroom with flying finger and toenail clippings (51 per cent) and armpit hairs on deodorant rollers (50 per cent) their top bathroom turnoffs.

Further research also revealed a significant shift in attitudes towards bathroom products, revealing a clear push towards sustainability. Nearly half (45 per cent) are dissatisfied with non-recyclable products, highlighting excessive plastic in bathroom product packaging as a primary concern.

While 44 per cent expect recyclability in bathroom products, 20 per cent still encounter challenges in finding recyclable alternatives.

And 76 per cent think bathroom products need to be designed more sustainably, with 52 per cent attributing excessive waste to current packaging styles.

The classic toothpaste tube emerged as the top bathroom essential in need of a design upgrade (47 per cent), followed by pump action soap (31 per cent), toilet brushes (31 per cent), roll-on deodorant (25 per cent) and bottles of moisturiser (21 per cent).

James Mishreki, for the free ‘Life Supplies: The Ick-xibition’, taking place at Spazio Leone, Hackney Downs Studios, added: “This poll paints a promising picture for the future of bathroom product sustainability, with 57 per cent saying they have either taken steps or would like to become more sustainable and eco conscious in 2024. It’s a shame that 44 per cent say they feel guilty for having plastic bathroom products in their homes - it is a calling card to the industry to make changes. We have had a visceral response to the collection, which shows that poor product design can send a shiver down our spine, as well as cost us more money.”

The nation’s top 10 bathroom icks

1. Armpit hairs stuck on deodorant rollerball
2. Dried toothpaste crusted in the sink
3. Inside of a toothbrush holder
4. Soap gunk in the soap dish
5. Full bathroom waste bin
6. Flying fingernails and toenails while clipping
7. Crusty, congealed, or dried toothpaste around the cap
8. Congealed ‘soap snot’ on the dispenser
9. Dental floss stuck to the sink
10. Manky shampoo pumps