What Is Rage Cleaning? Here's How to Use the Viral Housecleaning Method

The act of harnessing rage and frustration and channeling it into productivity is often how change is made. And now, it's changing the way you clean. Captured in countless TikTok videos both comedic and more serious in tone, rage cleaning releases pent-up rage into the elbow grease it requires to clean a home.  

One TikToker calls rage cleaning a type of “daily therapy,” while others claim it’s a somatic and therapeutic way to get through some of the more mundane or tougher tasks of home life. Rage cleaning isn’t for everyone, but if you’re looking to spice up your cleaning routine, here's what you need to know. 

What Is Rage Cleaning?

Rage cleaning is the concept of using emotion (usually anger or frustration) to motivate an at-home cleaning spree. It’s become popular online and a way for people to channel their internalized rage into mandatory chores. Rage cleaning can be a specific task or a deep clean of an entire space, and it may lead to some realizations that support and could help subside the rage. 

Typically a solo activity, rage cleaning is used to help manage big emotions in a controlled and productive way. As the Mayo Clinic recommends exercise and movement for dealing with anger, it can even be viewed as an anger management coping strategy. And, be it that emotions are typically a constant in life, you'll likely always have some motivation for grabbing the mop or broom. Clean house for life? Sign us up.

How Can Rage Cleaning Be Useful?

Rage cleaning can help release internalized emotions and also offers the opportunity to begin processing them. In addition to being cathartic, rage cleaning can also help check chores off a list, resulting in a cleaner and less chaotic space which may lead to a healthier mindset.

It's worth noting though that the practice can have its downsides if it becomes compulsory or obsessive. Some may also find rage cleaning more stressful if the tasks turn into sensory overload. To keep things in check, set a timer to keep yourself from getting carried away, and do your best to focus on only one task at a time. Also, be sure to prioritize your own sensory needs: If you find rage cleaning becoming more stressful than helpful, stop.

Rage Cleaning Tasks

Rage cleaning isn’t a prescription of a strict method—it’s what you make of it. Rage cleaning tasks may look like a deep scrub-down of the bathroom, screaming at full volume while running the vacuum, organizing a closet while freely throwing clothes or unbreakable items.

If you find the task cathartic, you can consider it rage cleaning. See some ideas and examples below.

Spirited Scrubbing

Grab a brush and engage those triceps. The generally time-consuming and physically demanding job of giving your shower tiles and floor a strong scrubbing is the perfect activity for rage cleaning.

Vigorous Vacuuming

Use your frustration to lug this heavier appliance around your home. Try focusing on methodically vacuuming for satisfyingly even carpet lines, and don't forget to vacuum under the furniture, too. (The more pushing and pulling, the better.)

Actively Organizing

Rage cleaning hinges on busying your body with activity and your mind with distraction. Combine the exertion of moving boxes and the mental stimulation of cataloging, and re-organizing a neglected area of your home can check off both.

Weed Whacking

Cleaning up your garden can sometimes be a strenuous task—especially if you've let weeds or overgrowth get out of hand. The next time you're feeling frustrated, use that energy to yank up stubborn weeds or other gardening tasks that'll leave you wiping your brow.

Flipping Mattresses (Instead of Flipping Out)

According to experts, you should be rotating and flipping your mattress at least every three months to avoid indentations and combat wear-and-tear. But that's easier said than done—who wants to struggle under the weight of one? Save the strain for when you need to blow off some steam.