A staggering 2.4 million couples row twice a week about who should tidy up with arguments becoming so heated it affects their sex lives and causes some to break up.
Two thirds of women have refused to have sex when distracted by clothes that need to be folded, hung up or put away.
The research found one in five couples, 18 per cent, row at least once a week about which one is causing the mess.
Women's biggest complaint was revealed to be their man leaving piles of clothes on the floor, with 36 per cent irritated by this.
Unfortunately for them, 18 per cent of men still believe it is their partner's job to clean the house, with just 5 per cent taking responsibility themselves.
This slack attitude just increases domestic friction, the study by furnishing store Ikea found.
As a result one in six women - 16 per cent - resort to shouting at their boyfriend or husband to get him to tidy up.
And 10 per cent bribe their man with the promise of an "early night" if they keep the house tidy.
But a third concede it is less of a hassle to tidy up themselves than continually nag.
Partners are most likely to row about the amount of cosmetics and clothing their other half owns, and where they leave it.
A fifth of men (18 per cent) complain their girlfriend has too many beauty products, and 17 per cent say they own too many shoes.
A third (31 per cent) believe their partner simply has "too much stuff".
Furthermore, 13 per cent of women say they would break up with a man if he refused to change his messy habits.
Others find cunning ways of dealing with clutter, sneakily throwing it out or hiding it, the study found.
A third of Brits (29 per cent) have intentionally thrown out items belonging to their partner in a bid to free up space, and then claimed it was a "mistake".
And half (47 per cent) remove clutter from communal areas and hide it in their bedroom when expecting guests, because "no one will go in there".
One in seven women, 15 per cent, say the most stressful thing about moving in with a partner is having to share wardrobe space.
Unlike women, just a quarter of men (23 per cent) say they have turned down a night of passion because their partner's bedroom was too messy.
Graphic designer Rachel Hughes, 34, from Portsmouth, Hants, said: "I argue with my boyfriend every week about the state he leaves our house in.
"He seems to think it is acceptable to leave his dirty clothes in a pile at the end of the bed, but then moans about my shoes 'littering' the wardrobe.
"I do nag him to try and get him to pull his weight but I eventually end up cleaning by myself anyway. It is easier than continually nagging him."
Gemma Arranz, from Ikea, said: "People have very different ideas about what 'tidy' means, but it is still remarkable how many couples argue several times a week about mess and clutter in their homes.
"Our findings show stereotypes continue to ring true, with men annoying their partner by leaving piles of clothes in the bedroom, while women have too many shoes and cosmetics.
"It is sad some argue so much it affects their love lives or may even lead to them splitting up, when simple storage solutions could help them live happily."
TV psychotherapist Stelios Kiosses said: "The results highlight that some men aren't pulling their weight when it comes to keeping a tidy home.
"For women, a house left in a mess symbolises that her partner doesn't care about how she feels.
"Women tend to express this by increasing the amount they complain, but men misinterpret this and tend to take it as a remark meant to make them feel incompetent.
"Mess then becomes a barrier between the couple, creating feelings of resentment.
"Few couples realise the importance of dealing with it until it is way out of control.
"Piles of stuff in every room may affect the couples ability to think clearly, relax, and enjoy their living space so it's important to have storage space for every item to prevent more pile-ups."
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