It was National Quiet Day this week - where snoring, loud eaters and the ‘Go Compare’ song were banned. These aural irritations have been named among the nation’s most annoying noises, a study has revealed. The spouse’s nightmare - snoring - took the top spot, with six in 10 adults plagued by the intrusive sound from their other half. Loud slurping from a cup of tea, a self-service till’s ‘unexpected item in bagging area’ announcement and the constant pinging of mobile phones also appeared on the list. Power drills, phone keypad beeps and Jimmy Carr’s laugh also made it along with dripping taps, creaking doors and noisy washing machines. It also emerged that silence really is golden for 84 per cent of Brits, who say they spend less than ten minutes a day enjoying real peace and quiet. And on average Brits would pay over £310 for just ONE HOUR of silence, if they couldn’t get it any other way. A spokesperson from home appliance manufacturer Whirlpool, which commissioned the study to mark the first National Quiet Day, said: “Noise irritation is one of the biggest bugbears of modern life, and incredibly the majority happen within our own homes, and it’s something that can arise at any time. “Whether it’s the person next to you snoring all night long or your washing machine making a racket while you’re trying to watch TV, it’s surprisingly easy to get wound up by annoying sounds. “Unfortunately, many of the noises are part of our everyday life and in the environment where we live and there is little we can do to avoid them. “But protecting yourself from loud sounds in the home, and making sure you have a quiet haven to escape to when the noise gets too much, can really help, and that’s why we are promoting National Quiet Day on Wednesday, September 14.” Snoring was named the most annoying noise in the poll of 2,000 people, followed by loud chewing, a dog barking, fingers down a chalkboard and loud slurping from a tea or coffee cup. A car alarm, motorbikes, people talking loudly on their mobile phone, a car running outside your house early in the morning and a crying baby completed the top ten. Sniffing, the rustling of food wrappers while you’re watching a film or TV show, a badly played violin and someone grinding their teeth also featured in the top 20. Popular songs didn’t avoid the list with Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ being labelled an annoying noise, alongside ‘The Crazy Frog Song’, ‘The Go-Compare’ advert theme tune and Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’. Washing machines were far and away voted the noisiest kitchen appliance, with half the population ranking them louder than food processors, blenders and kettles. Seven out of ten people believe their washing machine is either fairly noisy or very noisy and half believe that constant noises - like a washing machine’s spin cycle - is worse than a sudden loud noise. A spokesperson for Whirlpool added: “The trend for open plan living has its many advantages, but it can be problematic when noisy appliances are situated in the same room as where the family eats, works, entertains and relaxes. “Traditionally, washing machines have been responsible for much of the noise in the home, but Whirlpool is dedicated to improving people’s everyday lives, and has therefore invested heavily in noise reduction technology. “The innovative ZENTechnology, in the new Supreme Care range of washing machines, offers the quietest spin cycle on the market, meaning people can get on with life, undisturbed by the sound of their washing machine.” Researchers also found more than 80 per cent of adults say that peace and quiet is important to them. National Quiet Day 2016 is to be held on Wednesday, September 14. More details at www.quietday.co.uk. TOP 50 MOST ANNOYING SOUNDS 1. Snoring 2. Loud chewing 3. A dog barking 4. Fingers down a chalkboard 5. Loud slurping from tea or coffee 6. A car alarm 7. Noisy motorbikes 8. People talking loudly on their mobile phones 9. A car running outside your house early in the morning 10. A crying baby 11. Road drills 12. Constant text message/email alerts 13. Self-service checkouts saying “Unexpected item in the bagging area” 14. Sniffing 15. Rustling of food wrappers during a film or TV show 16. Dripping taps 17. A badly played violin 18. A fork scratching on a plate 19. Grinding teeth 20. Bad singing 21. The “Go Compare” song 22. Dentist drills 23. Coughing 24. Microphone feedback 25. People kissing loudly 26. The Crazy Frog Song 27. “Whistle-breathing” 28. Vuvuzelas 29. Justin Bieber’s song “Baby” 30. Tapping nails 31. Biting nails 32. A clock ticking or a loud watch 33. Jimmy Carr’s laugh 34. Your morning alarm 35. Fire alarms 36. Creaky doors 37. Polystyrene squeak 38. Some children’s toys 39. Children playing outside early in the morning 40. Loud yawns 41. Squeaky brakes on a bike 42. Phone keypad noises 43. An angle grinder 44. Psy’s song “Gangnam Style” 45. People talking on the train/tube 46. Sports commentary 47. Your neighbour’s TV 48. Dial-up modems 49. Car/bus horns 50. A chainsaw
The Go Compare song has been described as one of the " nation ’s most annoying noises , " according to a recent survey commissioned by Whirlpool . The financial services comparison website 's theme tune plays alongside snoring spouses , slurping jokes and comedian Jimmy Carr ’s laugh . " Noise noise is one of the biggest complaints of modern life , " said a Whirlpool reporter .