Do you dread cleaning? Is it the least enjoyable part of your day? You’re not alone.

In a 2019 survey conducted by Yelp of 2,000 Americans, they found that 80% of chore-doing respondents have disagreements with their partners about chores – with a fifth of them stating that disagreements happened often. The study found that they disagreed mostly on when to do housework (53%), followed by how to do it (50%), and lastly, who should do it (48%). 

Astoundingly, 61% of chore-doing respondents admitted having to reclean their homes after their partners did.

With so much aversion to housework and chores, is it really possible to love cleaning and housework?

It starts by changing your perspective

Everyone can learn to love cleaning. It’s just a matter of changing how you look at it and having the right attitude. One of the best ways to do that is to see how cleaning can benefit your life.

Here are some of the ways cleaning can enrich your life.

Cleaning can calm your mind

Cleaning can provide a respite from the stresses of everyday life. For just a few minutes in your day, you can take a break from the hustle and bustle to focus on just one thing you have control over. 

"We want to be able to do something when we get anxious, and what we really want is to be in control and take action," says Alicia H. Clark, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist in an interview with Good Housekeeping Magazine. Dr. Clark explains that cleaning can be “excellent self-care”. "You’re taking control of something that you can, but you’re also making your environment more soothing," she explains. "Since there are other concerns occupying your mental state, you cannot tolerate disorder because you need tolerance for what is going on with the bigger issues in your life."

The act of cleaning forces your mind to focus on the task at hand, whether it’s dusting, mopping or folding the laundry. And since most chores tend to be repetitive, cleaning can be meditative too. 

Cleaning can be freeing

In her popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo offers up this profound piece of advice: “The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” 

In a lot of ways, cleaning can be a truly freeing experience. "Cleaning can be a beautiful practice of non-attachment and realizing that we are not defined by the things that surround us,” explains mindfulness expert Elizabeth Su in an interview with Elite Daily.

Think about it. It’s one part of your day when you can be alone with your thoughts. So use that time to think about what matters in your home and in your life.

Cleaning is a great exercise

Aside from being a stress-buster, cleaning has plenty of aerobic and strength-building benefits too!

According to Shape Magazine, an hour mopping up dusty and dirty floors burns 153 calories, vacuuming for 30 minutes burns 119 calories, washing floors can burn as much as 187 calories, and moving around furniture for 15 minutes can burn 100 calories.* So the next time you take a dance with your broom, put on your favorite playlist and work up a good sweat. Your health and your home will thank you for it.

*All calorie counts are estimates based on a 150-pound person. Calorie counts will vary depending on the intensity of the activity, body composition, and weight.

Cleaning gives you a sense of accomplishment

Cleaning the toilet or scrubbing the floors may not seem like an accomplishment, but there’s something deeply satisfying about seeing a spotless room with everything in its rightful place.

With cleaning, we “get to have an end product. In many tasks you don’t get an end product that’s so observable,” says Dr. Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D., director of the Bio Behavioral Institute in Great Neck, New York and author of Overcoming Compulsive Hoarding in an interview with Real Simple.

The simple act of cleaning teaches us about how we approach and deal with the challenges in our lives. “When we set out to accomplish a goal like cleaning the fridge, we gain confidence that we can succeed,” adds Marla Deibler, Psy.D. director of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia in the same interview with Real Simple.

Cleaning teaches you to take things one step at a time. If a task seems too overwhelming, you break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. You plan, anticipate, and adapt until it no longer seems so intimidating. The satisfaction comes in seeing the fruits of your hard work because a clean home is a healthy one. 

Learn to love cleaning with Sapadilla Eco-cleaners and soaps

Sapadilla gives you more reasons to fall in love with cleaning. Our smart formulations, with plant-based ingredients and only 100% pure essential oils, leave your home sparkly clean and smelling wonderfully fresh. They’re great for your home and great for the planet too. Who knew cleaning could be such a beautiful thing?

References

Lewis, Tara. “Yelp Releases 'Modern Love and Household Responsibilities' Survey.” Yelp, Yelp, 15 Aug. 2019.

Rope, Kate. “8 Secrets Why Women Love to Clean.” Real Simple, Real Simple, 29 Aug. 2014. 

Capetta, Amy. “How Cleaning Is Helping Me Manage My Anxiety.” Good Housekeeping, Good Housekeeping, 23 Oct. 2019. 

Kondō, Marie., and Emily Woo Zeller. The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Unabridged. [United States]: Tantor Audio, 2015.