50 Times Things Were Completely Transformed By Cleaning Them (New Pics)

For some people, cleaning or tidying up is close to torture; especially when it comes to things and places that have been waiting for their turn for quite some time. Decluttering a garage or doing a deep clean of all the bedrooms, for instance, can seemingly last ages. (In most instances, it can also feel like a good workout session at the gym.)

Even doing the laundry can become quite a quest, considering that clothing often has to be picked up from random corners around the house—especially if it is home to a child or two—washed, folded, and ironed (depending on how willing you are, of course). Not to mention sorting out whatever it is that’s happening on the chair—you know, that temporary stop where worn clothes end up as they alternate between the bed and the aforementioned chair itself.

According to The Waycroft’s 2022 survey, roughly 36% of Americans try to tidy up daily (around 33% do so weekly). A similar number of people tend to do a deep clean at least once a month, which likely requires taking care of more than just the chair and calls for a before and after picture to make the end result seem even more impressive.

The Waycroft revealed that nearly 26% of those surveyed consider themselves “neat freaks”, saying that their home is always clean. Half of surveyed Americans said their homes are frequently clean and one percent admitted to being “total slobs”, as their place is never like that.

The data pointed out that the majority of people (46.5%) clean their homes themselves or share such duties with their partner (27%). Others leave it to their partners or moms (and other relatives) to take care of; some—less than 3%, though—pay someone to do it (housekeepers, for instance).

Leaving clean-up duty to your partner might not slide with everyone, though. Not only that, certain habits when it comes to cleanliness alone can be deal breakers for people. According to the 2022 survey, leaving dirty dishes laying around, for instance, is considered the biggest cleaning-related deal breaker for nearly 27% of people.

Never offering to help with the chores or walking around in dirty clothing would send roughly one-in-five significant others out the door. Moreover, nearly three-in-ten people would rather give up spending time with their beloved family members than live with someone who doesn’t leave their shoes by the door.

Considering that cleaning habits can differ drastically from person to person, it is no surprise that they differ from country to country as well; though people all around the world seem to unanimously agree that they enjoy a tidy home. Kärcher’s survey of 6,000 people from Brazil, China, Germany, France, Poland and the US revealed that roughly 90% of participants consider a clean home important or very important. The survey pointed out that out of the six countries, Brazil is in the lead based on where people value cleanliness the most.

Another thing quite a few countries have in common in regards to cleaning is changed habits before and after the pandemic. The Independent pointed out that according to recent studies, people in numerous countries, including Spain, China, and the US, just to name a few, have upped their game when it comes to cleaning since Covid struck.

It doesn’t take a pandemic for people to start furiously scrubbing their homes; sometimes all it takes is relatives coming over for a visit. That is why the holidays are often not only about quality family time, but dusting, mopping, and vacuuming as well. A survey of 2,000 Americans showed that half of them are stressed beyond belief about holiday cleaning, People reports.

The biggest headaches during such times seem to be caring what others think about one’s home, worrying about missing some spots while cleaning and having high standards when it comes to it in general, as well as having kids who are not willing to keep a place tidy for a longer period of time.

Even if it seems to stress people out, cleaning can actually have a positive effect on them. For one, it allows them to feel a sense of accomplishment, especially when the end result is clearly visible. Director of the Bio Behavioral Institute in New York, Dr. Fugen Neziroglu, told Real Simple that after cleaning, we get to enjoy an end product. “In many tasks you don't get an end product that's so observable.” (It sure is in the before and after pictures, at least.)

Real Simple also emphasized that tidying up our space evokes a feeling of control, which can be comforting. In addition to that, it can even reduce stress. Studies show that the state of our environment and even the words we use to describe it indeed affect our mental well-being; those who refer to it as “restorative” seemingly experience lower levels of stress.