What Cleaning Tasks Do You Find Gross Yet Satisfying?

published Nov 7, 2017

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Cleaning is, by nature, kind of gross. I mean, sure, your home ends up clean afterwards, but you’re taking on dirt and dust and grime so you’re going to get a little dirty in the process.

And even though some tasks are dirtier than others, it’s often those really nasty tasks that are the most satisfying to finish. Maybe because it feels good to take your frustration out on grout that needs a particularly good scrub, or maybe you just love a job well done.

That said, we want to know what tasks you find satisfying, even if they’re a little gross in the process. I’ll go first: As much as I really don’t enjoy cleaning anything in the bathroom, there’s something about scrubbing under the rim of the toilet bowl and getting it super sparkling clean that makes it worth it.

I also asked our staff this same question, and here’s what they had to say:

“Removing the shower drain cover and extracting the hair grossness.” — Maggie Lambert, Account Executive

“Sweeping the huge dust bunnies out from under the sofa. The more there are, the more fun it is.” — Charlotte Parker, Social Media Manager

“Wiping down the sink faucets and making them all shiny.” — Nicole Lund, Executive Assistant

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman/Apartment Therapy)

“The dishes… I cant stand gross dish water but love an empty sink.” — Chris Cortimiglia, Account Executive

“Really gross dust that accumulates on top of fridges and door trim work. Six-foot-four people notice how grossly dirty the tops of things get.” — Chris Phillips, VP of Sales Development

“Scrubbing off that sticky grime that accumulates on anything and everything around the stove.” — Brad Benson, Creative Manager, Integrated Marketing

“How about cleaning the part of the toilet that’s bolted to the floor?” — Rachel Hathaway, Web Engineer

(Image credit: Marisa Vitale)

“Not super gross but clearing the lint trap in the dryer is always satisfying. Though your hands do get a little dusty which is not a nice feeling.” — Kath Nash, Graphic Designer

“I like cleaning gutters. A bit gross, but fun and very satisfying.” — Elaine Harman, Web Engineer

“Cleaning my hairbrush. I call what I pull off the ‘hair donut’.” — Christine Gallary, Kitchn Food Editor-at-Large

“It’s super satisfying to fold a thin towel over a toothpick and collect the grime from inside the crannies on my faucets and drains.” — Taryn Williford, Lifestyle Editor

Now, it’s your turn: Tell us the cleaning tasks you find gross—but still totally satisfying—in the comments.

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Cleaning