How to Use TikTok’s ‘Angry Cleaning’ Trend to Get a Cleaner House

Creating and sticking to a cleaning schedule is difficult, but only because life is difficult. Finding time to clean can feel impossible, especially when you’ve had a stressful day at work, with your family, or just in general. But what if you could harnessing that negative energy and turn it into cleaning power? That’s the idea behind TikTok’s “Angry Cleaning” trend, and if you’re as grumpy as I am, you mind find it helps you get your home a lot cleaner.

What is TikTok’s “Angry Cleaning” trend about?

I found the term “angry cleaning” on TikTok, but quickly realized it describes something I already do: Whenever I’m annoyed or upset, I start to clean—usually something that requires a little oomph, like scrubbing or vacuuming. It turns out I’m not alone.

There are a few benefits at work here. Pouring your negative energy into cleaning can distract you from whatever is annoying you, providing a menial task you can accomplish without a lot of active thinking. It lets you physically work out your negativity, especially if you’re really putting some muscle into whatever you’re doing (cleaning the oven is a good task). It also gives you a positive end result that can lift your spirits and make you feel motivated: After cleaning for a while, your head will feel clearer and you’ll have a cleaner oven to show for it.

How to incorporate “Angry Cleaning” into your routine

I’ll stop short of recommending that you wait to clean until you’re upset; you should still try to follow a cleaning schedule and stay consistent with your efforts to tidy up. Nor do I recommend intentionally pissing yourself off so you can work up the motivation to scrub all those dirty pans.

When the opportunity to Angry Clean arises naturally, however, it pays to find the right outlet. Choose an arduous task like cleaning the bathroom grout, so you can really put your back into it and physically work out your anger. It needn’t be something truly strenuous—I like folding laundry when I’m mad because I get to slap the folded garments down on the pile with a bang. Whatever works!

This isn’t really the time for something that takes brainpower, like decluttering. Angry Cleaning is most effective when you can focus on feelings over thoughts, so stick to mopping the floor extra hard. I’m generally a proponent of cleaning your home in small bursts, so tap into that thinking to bust through one annoying, laborious cleaning task while you’re good and pissed.

I’m not Angry Cleaning will fix whatever is bothering you, but it can help you let off some steam and will allow you to think a little more clearly afterward—and in a neater space to boot. Challenge yourself to work quietly on one task, see it through with no distractions, and reevaluate how you feel afterward. Think about what’s bothering you, or just focus on cleaning, but don’t take any steps to address what’s wrong until you’ve finished your project and given yourself a jolt of accomplishment. Your problems, and your to-do list, might both feel a bit more manageable afterward.