Many men will rub their hands in glee to find that one in three women in a recent study admitted that they find housework therapeutic.

According to a Daily Mail article, a survey of 2000 women found that the respondents felt a sense of achievement and pleasure from doing the household chores – knowing that if surprise visitors dropped by, their homes would look and smell fresh and clean.

Four out of 10 women in the study, conducted by Zoflora disinfectant, kept their passion for housework to themselves never telling their partners how they really feel.

Chartered psychologist Dr Jane McCartney suggested that women might enjoy the sense of control in keeping their environment clean, particularly if they view the state of their homes as a personal statement.

“The sense of achievement is an important factor in a person’s well-being and cleaning is an area where this achievement can live beyond the actual task itself,” she told the publication.

A fresh-smelling home was a top priority, with more than 75 percent of those surveyed admitting that they judge others on how their homes smell.

While 40 percent revealed that they took sole responsibility for cleaning, most indicated that tasks that took too much time or effort or that were considered disgusting were left to their partners.

Vacuuming came up as the favourite chore, while cleaning the oven was deemed the least favourite.

After vacuuming, tidying was second on the list of favourites, followed by wiping surfaces clean, doing the clothes washing, hanging clothes on the line, changing the sheets, dusting, doing the dishes, ironing and mopping the floor.

Cleaning the toilet was the second on the list of chores most disliked task, followed by cleaning the shower,  defrosting the freezer, cleaning the fridge, sweeping the floors, washing up, taking the rubbish out and vacuuming the stairs.