ADHD Friendly Cleaning Tips
Try these tips if ADHD often interferes with your motivation to clean. Instead of struggling to adopt cleaning methods (and standards) used by neurotypical folks, these ideas are designed to work with your ADHD.
- Tackle the main part of a project first. For example, mop the high traffic area first in case you wander off mid mop job.
- Get your groove on with a dance party playlist to dump some dopamine into your system.
- Talk on the phone (or in person) while you clean. It’s amazing what gets done physically while your brain is focused on an interesting conversation.
- Do not make hard to clean purchases (eg., stainless steel appliances).
- Purchase a little something new or novel for the space that needs cleaning, but don’t let yourself put it in place until you’ve finished.
- Carry a bin from room to room for any odds and ends that need to be put away, given away, or thrown away.
- If you’re not motivated to clean, but the dust bunnies are wearing fur coats and the cupboards are a mosaic of food splatters, it’s time to invite guests over. Plan a party, game night, dinner, or even just a coffee date–whatever event gets your dopamine flowing enough to spur you into action. You’ll ignite a sense of urgency, and cleaning is easier when a fun activity is waiting on the other side.
- Keep Cleaning Super Simple
- Forget the mop and bucket! Get a microfibre mop with a liquid dispenser attached to the base of the handle.
- Overwhelmed by a clutter of cleaning products? A 1:1 solution of vinegar and water can meet almost all your cleaning needs. Fill some spray bottles and out what can and can’t be cleaned with vinegar.
- Have cleaning supplies in every room. If you want to clean one bathroom, but the supplies are in another, you risk losing your motivation by going to get them.
ADHD is a game changer. Play it your way!
Find out how ADHD brains work and how to work with them.