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heragenda.com
article
https://heragenda.com/p/cleaning-keeps-stress-down
Cleaning regularly can keep stress down; it is an opportunity to focus on turning dirt and mess into cleanliness. This is also a time to center yourself; some people play music and zone out into their own world.
## Cleaning Positively Affects Your Mental Health
Oxford CBT says cleaning is just as beneficial for our mental health as mindfulness related activities. For some people, coming home to a clean and organzed house helps them to unwind after an overwhelming day. [...] Her Agenda
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# How Cleaning Can Keep Stress Down
pexels-olly-3768910
Source: Pexels
By Candis McDow
Oct. 7 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
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Have you ever heard the phrase “cleanliness is next to Godliness?” Well, cleaning can be beneficial in multiple ways. Stress, in particular, can be overwhelming; however, cleaning can be a significant stress reliever. [...] Distractions are great jewels in life. Having the ability to take time away from stressors gives the brain time to relax and process things. Cleaning is a great distraction, especially when things become overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, and/or stressful.
O
oxfordcbt.co.uk
article
https://www.oxfordcbt.co.uk/stress-management-cleaning
Clutter and mess can be linked to negative emotions like confusion and tension. Whereas a clean and tidy home leads to positive emotions such as a sense of calm and well-being. By sorting and organising the clutter and mess around you, you can reduce any stress or anxiety you may be feeling and this will help you feel like you are taking control of your life. The physical activity of cleaning combined with the result of a cleaner home helps reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and depressive [...] Can cleaning help you reduce stress? There are lots of different ways that we can manage our stress. We each have our routine that we reach for when we feel overwhelmed. Some may try yoga, or mindfulness exercises, maybe even head to the hairdressers or for a massage. For others, dusting shelves, wiping down the kitchen or organising is their way to deal with stress. Cleaning is just as beneficial for our mental health as mindfulness related activities. For some people, coming home to a clean [...] responsibility for keeping your living space clean and tidy. Working together and finding compromises will be beneficial to your mental health, as well as others and will improve relationships with positive feelings.
E
elevaterecoveryhomes.com
article
https://elevaterecoveryhomes.com/cleaning-as-self-care
Daily cleaning behavior, mundane as it seems, may serve supplementary coping functions that not only attenuate stress but also sustain positive self-evaluation and curb defensive behaviors in the face of threats to any facet of the self.
Cleaning does more than tidy your home. It:
Regulates emotions
Processes stress
Restores confidence
Provides control
Grounds you in the present [...] Cleaning can help reduce stress because it offers a sense of control, especially when everything feels overwhelming – the act itself is often predictable and tangible, which can be comforting when your thoughts are racing. It also creates immediate, visible results that boost mood and confidence.
### Is cleaning a form of self-care? [...] Your home reflects your mental state. When your space is cluttered, your mind feels the same way. Research shows that messy environments increase stress hormones, make it harder to focus, and contribute to anxiety and depression. But cleaning isn’t just about having a tidy house – it’s an act of self-care that directly impacts your emotional well-being. Understanding this connection can change how you think about household chores and give you a practical tool for managing your mental health.
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news-medical.net
news
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Investigating-the-Link-between-Cleaning-a…
Cleaning is considered to be a form of stress relief, among other activities such as mindfulness and exercise practices. Research has demonstrated that cleaning can yield several positive effects on mental health. Among them, a sense of control and a calming effect caused by the engagement of cognitive capacity in a repetitive activity is the most notable.
## The Link Between Cleaning, Physical Health, and Mood [...] Environmental uncertainty and uncontrollability are sources of stress in humans, which prevents normal functioning. Response to this form of uncertainty is ritualization, which involves limiting expressions and activities in repetitive motor patterns. [...] Cleaning results in good mental health through several mechanisms. The absence of clutter can reduce the overstimulation produced by too many visual stimuli, enabling increased focus and the ability to concentrate. In addition, cleaning can enhance mood, particularly when engaged in mindful activity whilst doing the cleaning activity – moreover, the active cleaning itself can result in environmental certainty and controllability, thereby reducing anxiety.
## References:
## Further Reading
P
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
official
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11925691
Our work also provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning, extending the hitherto mostly experiential evidence to a new level of analysis. An additional nuance is that cleaning effects in some of the present experiments were evident for indirect measures, including pictorial assessment of basic affective dimensions and physiological markers, but not for direct verbal measures that used specific emotion terms, which can operate [...] ## found that (a) concrete visual simulation of cleaning behavior alleviated residual anxiety from a stress-inducing physical scene, an effect distinct from touch, and (b) actual cleaning behavior enhanced adaptive cardiovascular reactivity to a highly stressful context of social performance/evaluation, which provides the first physiological evidence for the attenuation of stress-related effects by cleaning. Overall, actual cleaning and simulated cleaning attenuate effects of physical or [...] Such attenuation effects were found even though cleaning would not actually resolve or reduce any of the stressors per se, which had nothing to do with contamination or disease. The absence of disgusting or immoral elements from the stress inductions also suggests that the results cannot be attributed to common theoretical accounts for cleaning effects, such as the emotion of disgust (Chapman & Anderson, 2013; Lee & Ellsworth, 2013; Oaten et al., 2009; Rozin et al., 2008; Rozin & Fallon, 1987;
N
nec.org
article
https://www.nec.org/good-hygiene-and-mental-health
A good personal hygiene routine can help alleviate stress and anxiety. Simple acts like a warm shower can put you into a calmer frame of mind. If you're up to it, you can even incorporate some simple breathing exercises into your shower routine for an extra boost of relaxation and calm!
1. Good hygiene improves sleep quality. [...] Feeling fresh and clean can lead to feeling more confident. When you feel confident, you are more likely to participate in social situations, decreasing isolation. Humans aren't meant to be alone; interacting with others can help improve your mental health as well!
1. Good hygiene reduces stress and anxiety. [...] Did you know hygiene doesn't just mean showering and brushing your hair? You can have good hygiene with your sleep and nighttime routine, too! Good sleep hygiene, including changing into clean clothes before bed and brushing your teeth, can improve mental health by decreasing stress, irritability, and depression.
When good hygiene doesn't help
C
columbiadoctors.org
news
https://www.columbiadoctors.org/news/reduce-stress-through-decluttering
Whether someone is dealing with depression or is simply overwhelmed, we often use a technique called behavioral activation, which involves purposefully engaging in achievable activities to improve mood. This approach has been borne out in research; one study even suggests that cleaning can help alleviate stress, even when the stressor has nothing to do with the clutter. Spring cleaning is a great example of behavioral activation. [...] When we evaluate someone’s mental health, we typically include appearance within an overall assessment of their ability to perform activities of daily living. If someone presents as noticeably disheveled or does not appear to be engaging in normal grooming, that could indicate the person may be struggling in many areas, including their home environment, driven by depression, anxiety, or some other mental health disorder.
## Where does spring cleaning fit into stress reduction? [...] In behavioral activation, we help our clients identify objectively achievable tasks (this will often include cleaning or straightening up) and help them differentiate these actions from the stressors and tasks that the individual finds overwhelming. We also help them chunk down any large, overwhelming task into smaller, more manageable steps.
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med.stanford.edu
research
https://med.stanford.edu/news/insights/2022/05/mental-health-hygiene-can-impr…
For most people, the concept of hygiene conjures up images of brushing your teeth, applying deodorant or taking a shower: simple, daily practices to keep your body clean and healthy.
But mental health providers say your mind can also benefit from a quick morning tune-up. Spending even 15 minutes on mental health hygiene each day can bring a host of benefits, from improved mood and better relationships to even deeper concentration and enhanced creativity. [...] "Mental health hygiene includes simple practices that improve our quality of life by preventing negative behaviors and providing emotional stability," said Hui Qi Tong, PhD, a Stanford Medicine clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences who directs the Mindfulness Program at the Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine. [...] She encourages anyone interested in the concept of mental health hygiene to find what works for them by experimenting with bringing mindful attention to different activities.