<h2 class="wp-block-heading eplus-wrapper" id="crosshead">Dirty secret</h2>

Housework is an endless unwinnable war on grease and grime, fought mostly by women.

Spain plans to end this gender imbalance. A new app will log chores and shed light on the "invisible tasks" done by women.

In the 1960s, they did over 85% of the housework. The gap has narrowed slightly and UK men now do an extra 24 minutes a day.¹

Gender norms are "strong and sticky", says sociologistSomeone who studies human social behaviour. Modern sociology was developed by European thinkers in the 19th century, but it is also based on the writings of African American thinkers like W. E. B. DuBois. Joanna Pepin.² Men are still reluctant to do jobs considered "women's work".

Many use self-tracking apps to log their health. Fans say they make us happier. But can they also solve inequality?

From the washing machine to the robot hoover, technology has revolutionised housework. But labour-saving tech also raises "standards of cleanliness" and puts more pressure on women, says expert Leah Ruppanner.

She says we need a "cultural shift" with an honest debate about expectations. Gender expert Kate Mangino suggests couples keep a record of who does what.

But researchers have also found men "see mess differently" and disagree on the value of housework.³ Sometimes the law decides. In 2017, a Spanish court told a man to pay his ex-wife €23,000 (£20,000) for her housework.

One solution is to pay people for chores. The International Wages for Housework Campaign calls for a "care income" for all unpaid work.

One day in 1975, the women of Iceland went on strikeWhen people refuse to work until their demands for changes have been met. . Fathers were forced to take children to work. One of the strike's results was the world's first elected female head of state.⁴

Studies also show women do more "cognitiveRelating to the processes of thinking and reasoning. " labour than men: essential planning and organising. It is unclear how an app will measure this.

But expert Kate Mangino says men should welcome equality. Equal partners are "exhausted" but stronger and happier working as a "team".

Yes: Knowledge is power. Men may think they do their fair share, but the data will reveal the truth. This app will divide jobs fairly and end rows over whose turn it is to empty the bins.

No: What a chore! The last thing we need is another app tracking everything we do. And it will not work because people will never agree on what counts as work or how to measure it.

Or... Like all technology, this app is a tool. On its own, it will not solve the problem of gender equality. But it can help start a discussion about this issue and begin to change gender norms.

Sociologist - Someone who studies human social behaviour. Modern sociology was developed by European thinkers in the 19th century, but it is also based on the writings of African American thinkers like W. E. B. DuBois.

Strike - When people refuse to work until their demands for changes have been met.

Cognitive - Relating to the processes of thinking and reasoning.