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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find cleaning boring?

46 replies

angelunderneath · 03/04/2019 11:48

Just reading about how cleaning has become one of the biggest social media crazes over the past year. I tried to get on board with some of the ‘hinching’ trend and products as I liked the idea of making housework enjoyable. But nope it’s still as boring and unappealing as ever. Obviously everyone likes different things but I just don’t get it! I love the organised mum method purely because it’s about making cleaning manageable and less time-consuming, but I get little to no pleasure from household chores or products.

Sometimes it just feels like I’m the only one on Facebook not getting excited about a new scent of zoflora or cleaning my toilet.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 03/04/2019 11:51

God I'm so lazy and get no pleasure out of cleaning at all. I mostly have to force myself to do it. I go to the gym so I don't need to look at what needs done in the house

Timeforabiscuit · 03/04/2019 11:52

Yanbu!

I very much appreciate the results, but its not a source of pleasure.

occassionally I get a sense of satisfaction from a tidy drawer, and the unfuck my habitat app was in my wheelhouse as it helped turn cleaning into more of a beat the timer type game - but the scent of zoflora will never send me into new realms of pleasure!

teyem · 03/04/2019 11:53

Cleaning is a chore. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you something or high on zoflora fumes

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 11:54

I am quite an anxious and stressed person at times so the order and routine of cleaning can be soothing. You can control it, there is a satisfying outcome. To that level I find it more satisfying than enjoyable. Not the same thing as loving it. Also i try to look after things because I value them so I will keep them nice - like my cooker. It only cost £150 but that’s a lot to me so I will keep it clean

Original poster
angelunderneath · 03/04/2019 11:57

I know some people have said it helps their anxiety a lot and I know it’s always been normal for some people to really take pride in their home above and beyond most people’s standards- but I’m just genuinely baffled at the level of the craze for cleaning amongst (mainly) women atm.

I wonder whether it will be remembered as a bit of a fad and in time zoflora sales will drop and we will move on to the next ‘thing’.

OP posts:
Merril · 03/04/2019 11:58

I agree OP and it's one of those things that's never, ever finished. I get satisfaction from having a clean and tidy home when it's done but within 5 minutes of the kids and dog coming in, it's back to how it was. It's tedious and time consuming.

I can't get excited about zoflora either. From the way it's being pushed on social media, you'd think it was a miracle cure for all your problems. It's not even a cleaner, ffs.

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 11:59

This will just turn into Hinch bashing.

You either get why she does it or you don’t
Fundamentally she does it for similar reasons to me but it’s quite exaggerated because it’s a business/industry. Most people don’t clean their own homes as their job so you have to bear that in mind as to why it’s OTT

I come from a family who are all similar and feel better when things are ordered and satisfying. Except my mother who is the complete opposite so I grew up in a war zone between my parents arguing about The Mess. The more my DF wanted some kind of order in the house the more DM rebelled. She became a slovenly hoarder and it was horrible for us as DC. I do not want my DC to live in a dirty grotty messy chaos where they are too embarrassed to have friends over.

buzzbobbly · 03/04/2019 12:00

I am in between cleaners right now. I have hoovered once because at least then it looks like I've done something.

Oh, and I wiped the bathroom sink and squirted some bleach in the loo.

I'm more focused on replacing my cleaner, tbh.

Obsessive cleaning always smacks a bit too much of justification to fill empty days.

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 12:03

Please bear in mind peoples feelings when branding them down for what is deemed as ‘obsessive’ because people like to have a clean home. Comments like they have nothing better to do is just mean and childish

It’s not a badge of honour to have a dirty house or a showhome. People can do what they like to their own bloody houses

Original poster
angelunderneath · 03/04/2019 12:04

I get mrs hinch as an individual- as you say her main career revolves round cleaning and housekeeping and she has her own reasons for why she enjoys it in the first place. I’m just baffled at how much the trend has taken off amongst the general population!

OP posts:
GrumpyOldMare · 03/04/2019 12:05

I enjoy cleaning and tidying up. Think it's the satisfaction of seeing instant results of my work.

Or I'm weird.

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 12:07

It just seems to make some people feel better. The End. So what?? Why does it offend other people so much? I do not underfand this concept. So what if people make their bed every day, or hoover the floor. Is it actually bothering you strangers do this?

I understand why people hate and love zoflora, it’s not environmentally friendly. It smells really strong and that is why people like it or hate it. I am not bothered about it. I do like Cif and have done for a long time. It’s £1 and cleans everything, doesn’t irritate my hands

Megan2018 · 03/04/2019 12:13

I hate cleaning - it is why it is outsourced to a cleaner and I do as little as possible in between her visits. DH does far more than I do.

I love a clean house, but I don't get any pleasure in doing it.
Mucking out my stable though is something I very much enjoy!

We are a Zoflora free house though - revolting stuff.

needanappp · 03/04/2019 12:17

I think a lot of it is to do with the rising number of people living with a MH condition, mainly anxiety/depression. I'm not a massive fan of hers but I must admit that when I first heard of her I looked her up on Instagram and her stories motivated me to try and sort out a working cleaning routine. I am diagnosed OCD (nothing to do with germs or routine, it's intrusive thoughts but I do also get very stressed about a lack of order in my life) which leads to terrible anxiety. I was struggling to keep my home decently clean (to my standards) with a toddler and newborn. I have found that having a cleaning routine I can do quickly, daily has given me a sense of order to that aspect of my life which has been great. Also, if I am having a particularly anxious day, cleaning is great. For some reason it's the one thing that seems to quiet my mind. I'm by no means obsessive about the cleanliness of my home and my house is absolutely nowhere near as clean as hers (who's is?!) but I suppose she did initiate bringing a sense of order to something I was struggling with so I can imagine she's doing the same for others and that's why so many are on the cleaning "hype".

Timeforabiscuit · 03/04/2019 12:18

pookiedoo

Personally, I find it deeply irritating and boring when people chime on about any subject to the exclusion of all others, topics include but not limited to;

  • cute things their toddler did
  • fitness regimes including weights lifted and times out running
  • how bladdered they got last night
  • photos of food
  • specific political causes

Cleaning products is one which has joined the list more recently, but that is my issue/preference and i certainly wouldnt expect anyone to filter their interests any more than they would expect me to enthuse.

Asta19 · 03/04/2019 12:19

Obsessive cleaning always smacks a bit too much of justification to fill empty days

Sorry but I kind of agree with this. I'm not talking about the people just wanting a clean home. That's one thing. But when it's all you do in your leisure time then I think it is because of that. When I was unhappy in my relationship and my ex sat on the sofa all weekend watching TV, I cleaned. Because I was dying of boredom! My house was like a show home. Now I'm single and have my life back (he was also quite controlling) cleaning has been relegated to being a chore again.

I have a friend and I'll ask her "what did you do at the weekend" and her answer is "cleaning". She has no young DC (all adults) so she really shouldn't need to clean that much!

Timeforabiscuit · 03/04/2019 12:23

needanappp good to hear you found something that helps you, i found paint by numbers kits really helped to get that "stillness".

I think its just the puritanical element of cleaning that just gets my back up, combined with the "cleaning is a female job" gives me a small rage.

needanappp · 03/04/2019 12:29

Timeforabiscuit I may have to give that a try! I have a a colouring book that I do find relaxing but it's near full!

I can completely understand those who find cleaning boring or loath it however as I do frequently offload some of it to DP! As long as my main routine is done, I'm calm and any extras I cant be bothered with unless I'm feeling anxious and need some relief! I do sometimes joke that if not for my anxiety attacks, no room in the house would ever get a thorough clean!!

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 14:39

@Asta19

No this is true of obsessive anything isn’t it? Cleaning is just one thing people like to make out is a very sad state of affairs, you must be so terribly sad and pathetic and empty to want to enjoy your own home to that level? Is that what you mean? Or it can’t possibly be a hobby or interest? It’s not a real one? But knitting or riding a bike for hours in lycra is a REAL hobby?

I wish people would hear how horrible and judgemental they sound. Why is it any ‘sadder’ to hear someone say they want to clean their house on a Saturday rather than go shopping? Again... not hurting you are they?

maddening · 03/04/2019 14:46

I clean and I go to the gym - I would happily do neither ever again but I have to carry on forever (however a lottery win would mean I could drop the cleaning with a daily cleaner and have a swimming pool in my own home and I love swimming compared to the gym)

buzzbobbly · 03/04/2019 14:51

No this is true of obsessive anything isn’t it? Cleaning is just one thing people like to make out is a very sad state of affairs

Because once it is clean, it's clean. Cleaning clean things for the sake of cleaning them doesn't seem at all strange to you?

(again, this is not normal cleaning to have a clean home, it is when you have a clean home and continue cleaning it.)

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 15:11

But you can’t quantify how clean someone’s house is in all honesty as your clean isn’t my clean. Some people don’t like using a toilet that hasnt been cleaned that day. Some people clean their toilet once a week and don’t mind

We all have different thresholds and ideas of what clean means to us, and what level we want to tolerate

All you are doing is passing judgement on people who don’t match your levels!

buzzbobbly · 03/04/2019 15:36

Oh dear god.

For the purposes for defining "obsessive cleaning", take that whatever you deem to be clean and then call it cleaning that again and again.

Do I judge that? Well, yes, I and most people would judge it as pretty pointless as it is already at the standard of clean that the person who cleaned it calls clean. Ergo, it is obsessively cleaning a clean thing.

One more time, it is not about your normal cleaning to your normal standards, whatever they may be, and regardless of how they stack up against anyone else.

(The word 'clean' looks really really strange now...!)

ILoveMaxiBondi · 03/04/2019 15:38

Why would you be unreasonable to find cleaning boring? đŸ˜‚ it’s hardly a rollercoaster!

PookieDo · 03/04/2019 15:55

@buzzbobbly

OCD? A mental health condition?

Ok I get it now

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