These household chores will be done by robots by 2040

Dread doing housework? In 20 years' time you’ll barely have to lift a finger, say experts

From vertical villages to 3D-printed homes, day-to-day life as we know it is likely to look pretty different in the years to come.

Now, chores such as dusting, doing laundry and washing the dishes are set to become a thing of the past in the not-so-distant future.

In 20 years, the majority of household tasks will be carried out by robots, drones and artificial intelligence butlers rather than humans, according to a study by futurologists.

The Life More Automated Report, which was published by comparethemarket.com and written by experts including King’s College professor Mischa Dohler and futurologist Dr Ian Pearson, says that automated home helpers could save us almost two hours every day by 2040.

While inventions such as dishwashers and washing machines have already partly automated some tasks, future technology will mean these appliances will require no human input at all.

Pearson explains: “Household automation has come on leaps and bounds in the last 10 years alone, which gives an indication of how quickly our homes are set to change.

“By 2040 we will likely still be using some products we recognise today, like washing machines, but there will be a whole host of new technology that would amaze today’s homeowners. Life is about to get a whole lot easier.”

Automated home helpers

As part of the research, 1,000 British homeowners and renters were asked what they’d most like to see in their future homes.

Top of the list were house robots, which experts believe will begin appearing in homes in the 2030s.

Domestic robots could be a common sight in our homes in the not-so-distant future. Image: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz / Shutterstock

Though the first publically available models are expected to carry initially hefty price tags, coming in at about £25,000, they will be able to load the dishwasher, put away dishes, fold laundry, change sheets and move furniture around in seconds.

Homeowners are also keen to have drones in their homes, which are expected to emerge in the following decade, but at a more budget-friendly cost of about £1 each.

Experts say drones will be able to dust and clean surfaces, water plants and provide security. There’s even a suggestion they could follow homeowners around the house, warming them with infrared beams – a nifty way to save on heating bills.

Other predicted inventions include artificial intelligence butlers (think advanced versions of Siri or Alexa) and virtual chefs that appear as holograms.

Home tech of the future

The report's authors also made some educated guesses about how our appliances will evolve in the next 20 years.

Predictions include reverse microwaves that cool things down in seconds – ideal for chilling wine and beers – fridges that order food depending on what’s running low inside, 3D printers that can produce food and pillows that plump themselves.

Washing clothes is also expected to become simpler in the future, with machines that detect and remove viruses, as well as tennis ball-sized devices that can clean clothes using ultrasound waves.