“What Could Go Wrong”: 10 Times People Had A Worse Day Than You While Trying To Clean Their Home

Have you ever felt like your attempt at cleaning created even more of a mess than it was before? Breaking a glass while drying it, spilling detergent all over the floor when doing laundry, or bleaching your clothes while trying to get that stubborn stain from your shower.

If you’ve experienced this pain before, we are glad to report that you’re not alone. Just look at these people in the list below whose urge to clean ended up in far worse scenarios than those mentioned above. From breaking through ceilings to smashing shower doors, scroll down to wince and chuckle at some of the most unfortunate cleaning failures we at Pictolic could gather from peeps online.

While you’re at it, don’t forget to check out a conversation with cleaning expert Alessandro Gazzo and professional cleaner Axel Avery, who kindly agreed to share some tips on avoiding common cleaning mistakes and learning to tidy like a pro.

10 PHOTOS

#1 My Mother Was Cleaning The Attic

#2 I Tried Cleaning The Stain Off This Mug Until I Realized It's Part Of The Design

#3 My Wife Wonders Why The Vacuum Hasn't Been Working

We have to admit that not everyone enjoys cleaning. At least not after smashing an oven door or covering the bathroom floor with bubbles. Cleaning expert Alessandro Gazzo believes that the reason many dislike tidying up is because it’s a repetitive and mechanical task. 

“If you think about it, it’s like brushing your teeth: it’s not fun, but it’s important. You have to do it whether you like it or not, but you (and the people around you!) will notice the positive outcome. However, brushing your teeth is much easier and faster, of course. That’s why you need to focus on creating a routine that stops you from overthinking and allows you to jump straight to action.”

Meanwhile, professional cleaner Axel Avery says, “I think many people dislike cleaning because a) it’s tiring, especially if you do it for years and years; b) it’s often an imbalanced responsibility that usually falls heavily only on a single member of the household (which leads to arguing, frustration, etc.); and c) it takes time and energy away that you can spend doing something more productive or fun (which is why many people hire a house cleaning service).”

#4 My Tenancy Ends Tomorrow After 2 Years In This Flat. Today, While Cleaning And Getting Everything Ready To Move Out, I Hit The Oven's Door And Broke The Glass. Bye Bye Sweet Deposit Money

#5 My Mom Erased Part Of The World While Cleaning My Globe

#6 Washed My Measuring Cup And All The Lines And Numbers Came Off

Indeed, cleaning can be a true pain sometimes, but it often proves to be very beneficial to our mental health—an aspect Gazzo finds the most enjoyable about it. “We all know a clean space helps you stay healthy in the physical sense (by sanitizing surfaces, killing mold, etc.) But what I like the most is that you also improve your mental health. 

If you clean your home regularly, you feel more at ease, you forget about the stress of not finding your items, and you are more focused (this is key if you work from home). If you stop thinking of cleaning as a burden, it becomes one less burden in your life.”

#7 I Just Wanted To Clean The Window

#8 My Brother And I Were Cleaning Out The Attic, But Then I Heard A Loud Crash And Saw This Above Me. I Chose To Take A Photo Before Asking Questions

#9 I'm Doing Renovations And My Roomba Found A Tiny Piece Of Sheetrock

Avery likes to clean professionally because it makes other people’s lives easier. “You know, it’s not easy to run a home and have a social life, work, and spend time with your family. In a more personal sense, what I enjoy about cleaning is that it helps me keep my life in order and structure. I think your home is (most times) a representation of what is going on in your life. If your house is a mess, it’s highly unlikely that your life is under control.”

To befriend cleaning and avoid failures in the future, experts point out a few mistakes people should refrain from making. The first one Avery indicates is using the wrong cleaning products. “You don’t need a strong, borderline-toxic cleaning chemical. Most things in your home just need an all-purpose cleaner. The simpler and more versatile your cleaning products are, the more efficient you will be at cleaning.”

#10 I Clean Pools And Today I Knocked A Huge Potted Plant Into The Water