The top ‘icks’ that put people off relationships, according to daters

“I fancied him so much. Until he clapped his hands when we landed,” admits Olga who called it off with her partner of two months after his outburst on their flight to Amsterdam.

It may seem more than a little fickle, but a new poll analysing the strangest reasons daters have ended relationships over so-called ‘ick’ (something minor that bothers you so much it turns you off them) has found an interesting array of dealbreakers.

Disgust

The questionnaire, which was put to over 2000 adults, found that half of them (65%) ended a relationship purely on the basis of an ‘ick”. 88% admitted ghosted someone completely because of it.

As someone who broke up with a guy who watched TV with his tongue resting lazily between his lips, I get it.

It might be shallow and unfair, but when you get the ick, it is hard to reverse the sudden and often inexplicable disgust that comes with a seemingly innocent move.

Kevin Achampong, a 22-year-old from Western Sydney composed a viral video of some icks which has received almost 10 million views. He says it’s something he’s felt in past relationships, but didn’t have a name for.

Bum deal

“I would describe it as something that would put you off someone … often a small habit.”

His first TikTok ick vide sees Kevin playing someone who is so disgusted after seeing her date’s bum crack, she has to ditch him immediately.

His video is based on a true story: “One of my friends told me she had that exact experience.”

The poll seems to back up his assertion that often it’s the smallest thing that can put people off the most.

Nearly a sixth (15%) have called it quits with a romantic interest because they were obsessed with star signs, while 14% have ended it with someone who clapped when a plane landed.

Speaking to some readers, we’ve compiled our own list of hilarious turnoffs that often don’t even make sense.

Dealbreakers

1.Them being spun around on the barbers chair to view their haircut in the mirror, like a reveal.

2. Watching a grown man chasing after a coin that’s rolling away from him rapidly

3. A man doing a handstand in a swimming pool

4. My ex used to pack his lunch for work and I found weirdly found it such a turn-off when he neatly packed the sandwiches, the cut fruit, the little treat wrapped in wax paper.

5. Watching him carrying an umbrella gives me bad ick. The preparation, the anticipation of water…

6. I saw a cute guy on holidays waiting at the top of a water slide for the lifeguard to let him down and for some reason I was massively disappointed he was so… cautious.

7. Whenever my boyfriend takes longer than me to get ready for a night out, I get a shudder of ick.

8. Referring to their football team as ‘we’.

9. Bad jeans that give them a shapely womanly bum. Just no.

10. When you are in the car with a guy and he thinks the beat drop is coming and he misses it and does invisible drums to the wrong point.

11. Having an Instagram account for their pet.

12. Any man ever taking a selfie.

13. Walking away angry in flip flops

14. Asking a taxi driver something and he doesn’t hear him so he pretends he wasn’t really interested anyway.

15. When he’s outside of the circle when people are dancing and can’t get in.

16. Saying ‘sorry someone’s in here’ when someone tries to open the bathroom stall.

Relationships

Online dating means that people can afford to be pickier when it comes to dating – there are obvious turns offs including bad hygiene or being rude to waiters, but the ick can arrive unannounced, over the smallest detail.

Other notable icks include running to pick up sweets from a piñata, standing with his feet point outwards, and bad or too-sensible shoes.

However, the study revealed that 35% of respondants believe that ultimately there is no such thing as being too picky when out on the dating scene, further showing the growing popularity of trying to find more aspirational relationships.

Adding to this, 48% believe their dating standards have gotten higher as they have gotten older — with those aged 65 and up most likely to feel this way.

This article was originally published in January 2023.