Why Cleaning Is More Than Just a Chore for Me

Why Cleaning Is More Than Just a Chore for Me

Cleaning as Part of My Identity

Growing Up in a Latina Family and the Value of Order

If you grew up in a typical Latin home, cleaning was not just about dusting or making the house smell nice. Cleaning was a ritual that honored, showed love and respect to the people with whom you shared the same roof, and gave thanks to life. Saturdays were almost always a family affair; someone was at the stereo with all the volume up, bleach and lemon smell were in the air, and everyone was giving their share of the work. It was not something you did if the mood struck you; it was the custom of our house.

I’m not certain that I was glad of it when I was a child. I recall that I did not like the situation when my mother was trying to convince me to clean my room or sweep. Cleaning was different at that time; cleaning was something obligatory. However, I realized how much those family traditions had influenced me after I became older and left my parents’ house.

One of the memories I keep going back to is my mom teaching me how to fold clothes “properly”; To her, folding your clothes properly was a sign of respect for your belongings. I didn't believe her then, but now I find myself folding towels nicely or folding the shirts in the closet just like she had taught me. These days, when I play music and start cleaning the countertops, I feel her voice saying that a clean room is a happy room.

I quite often do similar things with the people you mentioned but this is more true about my weekends. Every Saturday or Sunday I do the so-called "reset cleaning" that I consider a cleaning of the house in a different way, not cleaning everything and little by little but making the house ook and be used. I scrub all of the surfaces, mop the floor, dust, and just get everything to feel like it is where it should be. It is a sort of demarcation between weeks and being like, "Alright, you made it, now let's start again."

Monthly, I do an exception to the rule when I have my deep clean. At that time, I move furniture, vacuum behind the couch, dust behind appliances, wash windows, and sort through closets. Cleaning is hard, sweating, getting dirty, sometimes feeling like it is never going to end. Anyway, the reward afterward is beyond comparison. There is one thing in particular that is very satisfying and that happens when you are in a perfect room and you know that you got it to that level of perfection by your own hard work.

Why are these rituals so important for me

Not only have the rituals been a symbol of cleanliness, but they have also been a source of order, an order that was usually disorderly and hard to overcome. They continue to be the cadence of my days and weeks and, at the same time, a guarantee that by cleaning my house I have also cleaned my soul. In an intricate way, they make me feel linked to my ancestors. When I whitewash and listen to music, I see relatives as I momentarily relive my childhood, those Saturday mornings.

Life With a Shedding Dog

On the other hand, my dog is far from that. She is the epitome of all that is good, loving, and loyal, but because of her shedding, she lets out fur into every corner of the house. No matter how much I vacuum or mop the floor, it is as if I have to do it again the next day because there are hairs everywhere, again.

I was angry with them, too, at the very beginning. I used to talk to myself and say, "Why clean if it is just going to get messy again?" However, I became more compassionate towards them. I am not the one who will be vacuuming and mopping the floors but they will still be my daily rituals of love. Every time I remove her hair, I always tell myself this is the way it would feel if she were by my side, the part of the privilege and the responsibility of taking care of a living being who gives so much in return.

I think her "helping" methods were the least funny things and absolutely not of my liking. Most of the time, when I am mopping, she will come, be a witness to her happiness as she does by wagging her tail and shedding her hairy all over the place. Meanwhile, this is somewhat an eternal loop: clean, shed, and then again clean. Sometimes it simply makes me laugh because it is her style. There is something strange about finding comfort in the rite; it is a sign that my house is still alive, that it is full of life and love.

Add to that, I came across a lot of "secrets." The shedding of the fur will be cut down to a great extent if you brush your dog regularly. The vacuum cleaner made only for pet hair is my smartest purchase. Honestly, I also have lint rollers in each room: the living room, my bedroom, and even my car. These minor things make a big difference in living with dogs on a daily basis.

Cleaning for Love, Not Perfection

One major thing that my dog has always taught me is that a clean environment does not necessarily mean that it is perfect. In case I were asked to maintain a perfect house all the time, then I would unquestionably go crazy. So, what I have gotten to know is the value of things that matter less, and that is comfort, health, and love. When I clean, it is not that I am seeking for perfection; rather, I am making a home in which both of us can feel comfortable. Sometimes she is with me when I am doing my cleaning, and she is wagging her tail, and I think she knows that I am also doing the clean up for her.

My Space Says a Lot About Me

The house where I live means more to me than just a bunch of walls and a couple of pieces of furniture; it is a part of me. A clean, welcoming house gives me the same vibe as if I were being nice to myself. I don’t aim for perfection because perfection is an impossible goal. I do, however, target the truth. A spotless, well-ordered home is a mirror of my promises: to love, respect, and cherish other people.

The realization that I needed to like the trip was my second turnaround. I used to clean the house in a very rushed manner just to save some time for the "more important" things. I am doing things differently now. With a song in my mouth and no hurry, I let myself be taken by the cleaning, folding, or wiping’s rhythm. It is almost like meditation. The work that was once a household chore has now turned into a source of mindfulness.

Real Life Hacks That Work for Me

Through all this, I have come up with tips that have made the cleaning process easier and have also been a sustainable habit of cleaning. The very first one is the creation of small daily routines. When the bed is made in the morning, I get the chance to start the day on a good note. After cooking, the counters are cleaned in order to prevent the occurrence of grime. At night, five minutes are enough to get rid of the things that are on the floor or put back the things that are yours, and the morning becomes much easier. In these small areas, people most of the time prevent the mess from spreading further
Silent Therapy through Cleaning 

At that time, I was convinced that cleaning was one of my guilty pleasures that I could never share with anyone. The simple process, water splashing in the bucket, a new wash with its strong smell, and the room's view which has changed - all of these were giving me a great feeling. Every time cleaning out refreshes my brain, takes out my nervousness, and gives me the feeling of calmness.

On the contrary to all of that, the honesty is that cleaning makes me the happiest. To my home, to my family, to their principles which they have passed on to me, and to my dog who not only gives me fur but also love. During these moments when I am tired and do not feel like doing it, I still go on with my practice of persuading myself that the house does not need to be cleaned but should be.