How To Be Mindful While Cleaning

No one loves cleaning regardless of what they tell you.

They may enjoy having a clean home, they might even like the routine, but no one wants to be scrubbing grit off a shower drain with a toothbrush and steel wool when there are countless other things far more pleasurable than Comet cleaning powder. But what most people don’t recognize is that cleaning your home is an incredible way to practice mindfulness – and it’s a practice that doesn’t come easy to everyone.

My house isn’t always clean. I’m not sure why the qualifier “always” is important here because it’s a reminder of how far I’ve come over the years, mindfully taking care of me and mine. This isn’t a judgement of others and how they keep their home – just a recollection and reminder of what I’ve learned and gained along the way from practicing mindfulness as I clean.

Needless to say, I’ve put down my phone and turned off my favorite podcast, Stuff You Should Know, to clean in silence to focus on the world around me instead of drowning it out. I’ve turned down the volume around me. It’s quieter. It’s also more encouraging to pay attention to what I’m doing in the moment.

As I sweep, I pay attention to the way the broom strokes feel. The way the floor feels beneath my feet, the way the dust collects. I become aware of my breathing – in, and out, and in, and out. Tension begins to dissipate, leaving me feeling fulfilled and less of a slave to the chores of my house.

I no longer think 3-4 steps ahead. I no longer continue a stream of thoughts about the future, about judgements I’m making (oh my word, this floor is SO dirty), expecting things to be different, or even dwelling on the past. With every slow, careful stroke of my broom – or every wipe of my rag, there is no stream of thoughts. I can acknowledge they’re there and let them pass by without engaging.

It takes time to cultivate a practice of mindfulness. Like any change in your habits or routine, this one took time to implement effectively. There were times when I would fixate on a thought, or a thing and my mindfulness would go out the window. But I’m only human (we all are) and good things take time.

Here are some of the rules of implementing mindfulness as you clean your home.

Do the work with gratitude.

An attitude of gratitude makes the rest of the world feel a little bit lighter and brighter. If you’re cleaning your home, taking care of your things, and owning only what makes you happy, be grateful for what you have. Being grateful helps you cultivate intent – and your intention is to be mindful.

Do one thing.

Many of us are repeat offenders of overstimulation. The TV is on, the kids are talking, someone is watching a video on their phone, and there’s dinner in the oven while you’re trying to finish a work deadline. How blissful would it be to do one thing, and one thing only? Don’t watch tv. Don’t listen to your favorite podcast – no matter how badly you’d like to hear the next episode of Last Podcast on the Left or This American Life. Just sweep. Just wipe. Just wash dishes.

Just be. Unless you’re cleaning coffee stains out of your white rug. Then maybe hustle a little, multi-task with your white vinegar and club soda, and battle that stain. Even then, it’s the little wins that help us find the wonder and mindfulness of our daily lives.

And finding wonder in small moments is what life is truly about.

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