I consider myself quite a naturally tidy person. Sure, sometimes the dishes pile up, my long hair has been known to turn up everywhere from the floors to the kitchen sink, and my wardrobe is usually a bit chaotic. But on the whole, I try to keep my space clear and clutter-free. And there’s little that brings me more satisfaction than a Big Clean. 

You know the one: windows open and fresh air flowing in, just-laundered sheets, sparkling countertops, the washing machine whirring on its third load. It’s the time for finally doing the chores that have been building up for weeks or maybe even months – dusting skirting boards, wiping mirrors, scrubbing floors.

These days, those of us who find cleaning weirdly gratifying are able to look beyond our own homes, too. Even once we’ve finished our own routine, CleanTok is there to take us right back down the perfectly polished rabbit hole. Millions of us watch carefully curated TikTok videos of other people unblocking their drains and washing their showers (which rarely ever seem dirty in the first place). We marvel over Sunday reset routines, spring cleaning hacks and impeccable cupboard organisation. 

Whether we’re cleaning our own homes or watching others do it, it can create an inherent sense of peace – offering lightness and relief while the chaos of the world rages around us. So just why does it feel so good to refresh, clean up and make new?

Studies have shown that the state of your surroundings can directly influence your mental wellbeing, and that general unhappiness can be reduced by simply cleaning. Of thousands surveyed in 2018 by Clorox, 72% of adults reported that they sleep better in a clean house, 80% agreed that they felt more relaxed and 60% felt less stressed. Of course, Clorox manufactures cleaning products and so the results should be taken with a grain of salt – but they certainly reflect how I feel after blasting my bedroom with an arsenal of sprays. 

In contrast, a separate study published in a journal for the Society of Personality and Social Psychology found that those who described their living environments as chaotic with unfinished tasks had a higher rate of depression and fatigue. Researchers also discovered that women with self-described “chaotic or untidy houses” had higher cortisol levels, suggesting this may be because disarray indicates unfinished business to the brain, which stops it from fully switching off and relaxing. 

Our love of a household blitz also plays into our need for structure. A University of Connecticut study concluded that people gravitate to repeated routines like cleaning at times of high stress because it offers them a sense of control during hectic moments in their lives. Similar research published in the Mindfulness journal also found that individuals who were mindful while washing dishes (meaning they were in the moment and enjoying the experience) had a 27% reduction in anxiety and a 25% increase in “mental inspiration”.

The positive impact isn’t only a mental one. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the physical exercise you get from cleaning your home combined with the results of a tidy home helps alleviate tension, anxiety and depression. On top of that, some sleep experts have linked clean bedding and making your bed to better sleep.

Sounds like a win-win, right? A few hours of soothing sponging and scouring in exchange for the serenity of a newly-cleaned home. Not always.

Scroll through CleanTok once again and you’ll soon find users who refer to tidying as their “therapy”. While it’s fine if a big old sort-out helps calm and collect you, it goes without saying that it’s not a substitute for actual mental health support. And while there’s nothing wrong with channelling any restless energy into a polished space, it can become an issue when your cleanliness and need for order in your home starts to become a compulsion.

As the experts at VeryWellMind explain, if you won’t go out with your friends or you cancel plans because you haven’t finished all your cleaning tasks for the day or week, then that could be a red flag that your desire for a clean home has become a compulsion. Likewise, cleaning can become an issue if it’s impacting your physical health, feels a little obsessive, or is interfering with your schedule like making you late for work.

And of course, we must acknowledge the inherently gendered ‘love’ of cleaning, and how it is encouraged through social media. The glamourisation of domestic labour by cleaning influencers has been well-documented, with research from 2019 implying that the likes of Mrs Hinch and Queen of Clean have helped create a new “aestheticised housewife” ideal. It’s important to look past the glossiness of neatly-arranged kitchen drawers and remember that the majority of the domestic load – a sorry 60% more – already falls to women, without that narrative been glorified online. 

As such, we shouldn’t let online ‘cleanfluencer’ culture nudge us into taking on a disproportionate amount of housework compared to the men we live with (not unless they’re seriously picking up the slack in other areas).

Put simply: cleaning can be and often is fun, but it shouldn’t be your only outlet and interest. Decant your cereals and label your detergents to your heart’s content, but seek small joys in other ways too. As much as TikTok may convince you otherwise, there is so much more to life than plumped pillows and crisply vacuumed carpet lines. Tend to your own needs, make your routines work for you and never, ever let someone else’s pristine pantry make you feel bad about your own. 

Images: Getty