Cleaning is rarely anyone’s favorite activity. Ever heard a coworker gushing about all the housework they’re gonna tackle over the weekend or how excited they are about vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing? I’m willing to bet that no, those convos never happen.
However, sometimes life grabs us by the throat; be it mental health or physical ailments, there are plenty of reasons why cleaning one’s home gets put on the back burner. Sometimes we’re able to get back on our feet and tackle the mess, but other times, the task seems unbearable, spiraling further out of control.
Those in the latter situation are the people this psychology student has devoted her free time to helping. This is the story of Brogan Ingram, better known to her 4.6M followers as Not the Worst Cleaner, and her initiative to clean the homes of those incapable to do so themselves, free of charge. Let’s get into it!
More info: TikTok
Brogan Ingram, a psychology student with 4.6M followers on TikTok, has been helping people in her community by cleaning their “unlivable” homes for free
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
We’re brought up to think of cleaning as a chore. A negative one at that. The strong smells, the grossness, the effort it takes to actually see a difference—it all adds up. You’d rather spend that time watching a show on Netflix or going for a walk with a friend or, essentially, doing anything else. But it must be done for a variety of reasons.
Sadly, some people find themselves in situations where they become incapable of fulfilling those tasks that keep the home tidy and pleasant to live in. Be it mental or physical, those blockades are nothing to scoff at: when you’re literally fighting to stay alive, the last thing you’re gonna worry about are some dirty dishes.
The 29-year-old started posting cleaning videos on TikTok back in 2020, hoping to help people “achieve that physical comfort and security that a clean home brings”
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
But all those reasons get stuffed under the label of ‘laziness,’ the victim of circumstance becoming the victim of ridicule, judgment, and isolation, which backs them further into the wall of shame. The fact is, no one wants to live in a dirty home, and psychology student Brogan Ingram made it her mission to teach people this fact.
The 29-year-old started posting cleaning and organization tips videos on TikTok back in October 2020. Her mission from day one was to “help you achieve that physical comfort and security that a clean home brings. Whether it’s a lack of motivation you’re feeling, not knowing where to start or even having an abundance of clutter that you don’t know what to do with, I'm here to help.”
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
In multiple videos, she repeated that “there is no judgment here, you are welcome here, you are loved here.” From the very beginning, she was very open to people contacting her for help, tips, motivation, advice, a listening ear, or anything else that anyone may have needed, saying “you are not alone.”
“Depression, anxiety, ADHD, and so many other challenging illnesses can make cleaning an uphill battle that’s overwhelming and uncontrollable,” she said in a video. “Then the guilt flows in making things even harder and can cause you to feel as if your life is spiraling out of control. If this is you, just know that this is not your fault. Being human is hard.”
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Although her videos got quite a bit of traction to begin with, Brogan went viral when she started her initiative of cleaning unlivable homes for free as a way to make people feel better and potentially give them a very important step towards healing.
Sacrificing one day per week to begin with, she donated her time to single moms, people with disabilities, and folks “clearly struggling with mental and/or physical health,” approaching each story with kindness and respect. In addition to cleaning, she also brought the families meals, groceries, cleaning supplies, and toys for their kids, all of which came from her own budget.
The message of “there is no judgment here, you are welcome here, you are loved here” resonated with many, but it was her new initiative that made her go viral
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Her first house was the home of a struggling single mother of three children, all aged under 7. The living space had become unlivable, and the situation seemed hopeless. Yet the kind actions of Brogan and the people who assisted her efforts gave them the silver lining they needed.
“I had no idea how much need there was, especially in my community. And once I did my first house and saw the extreme amount of relief and new lease on life that this sweet woman had, I knew I had to continue on with this work,” Brogan shared.
She decided to give her weekends away to people in need, starting with a single mother of three, all under the age of 7, whose home was in a desperate condition
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Since then, she has brought to life multiple other homes, gaining 4.6M followers on TikTok and 265k on Instagram. This seemed to allow her to expand her services to 3 houses per week. She explained that she always tries to set her clients up for success after she has cleaned their homes.
“I leave clients with enough supplies to get them started with general upkeep once I leave. Depending on the situation, I will leave them cleaning charts and schedules, chore charts for kids, and resources for mental health,” she said.
Those “clearly struggling with mental and/or physical health” were the people Brogan focused on, approaching each story with kindness and respect
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Thousands of people were very supportive of Brogan’s actions, yet there were those that led with judgment, critiquing both the people living in such conditions and Brogan herself. “I have to remind followers regularly that absolutely no one wants to live the way these folks do, and it’s not an active decision they are consciously making,” she told Buzzfeed.
“The last thing they need is an immense amount of judgment from someone else. Their worth as human beings isn’t dependent on the cleanliness of their homes.” In one video she revealed that her intelligence was questioned and that she was told she deserved horrible things to happen to her for helping these people.
Not only does she clean their homes, but she also leaves clients cleaning supplies, and often gets the family meals, groceries, and toys for the kids
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
All she had to say to these people was: “A day or 2 of my time helps these folks feel less overwhelmed, helps them feel human again. If you’re someone leaving horrible negative comments and you’re so concerned, go help someone in your area! It could be your friend, family, loved one or neighbor struggling like this. Compassion goes a long way!”
On the other side of the spectrum, there were those that expressed interest in offering a similar cleaning service to people in their community; however, Brogan gave a few warnings. “These cleanings can be toxic if you’re not prepared or equipped; can also be very mentally challenging. Sometimes after hard cleans, I will see bugs in my home that aren’t really there, and I will have nightmares. It’s not as easy as it looks.”
Clutter and mess directly affect people’s mental health, making easy tasks seem impossible, taking away motivation, and leading to procrastination and guilt
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
The direct correlation between the cleanliness of one’s home and mental health is oftentimes acknowledged, yet the complexity is not fully understood. During the last 8 years of studying psychology at university, Brogan developed a curiosity for this topic, as the correlation between the two elements seemed “understudied, under-discussed, and [lacking] awareness.”
“Clutter and mess subconsciously affect our brains in ways that we don’t realize. Our brains take in all of our surrounding stimuli, and if we are living in a messy, cluttered environment, it can actually trigger a low-grade fight or flight mode,” she explained.
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Unhygienic and messy living conditions “raise cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone,” she continued. “This can make easy tasks seem impossible, it can take away motivation, and it leads to procrastination. This directly impacts anxiety, depression, sleep patterns and can raise the chances of developing heart disease.”
Psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter explains that clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime, distracting us from what our focus should be on, and making it more difficult to relax. Finally, clutter creates feelings of guilt and embarrassment, yet the anxiety of actually tackling the issue may surpass those former emotions.
It’s best to make a small habit of cleaning daily, rather than having a huge clean once every so often. This can help reduce the resentment we feel toward cleaning
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner_
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner_
For those of us who struggle to maintain our homes, Brogan has some advice. “A good Scrub Daddy and dish soap are essential and will get you a long way if you’re just starting out! You can build your supply as you go but start with the basics.”
“Instead of waiting two weeks and spending an entire day cleaning the house top to bottom, break it down into room sections and do 30 minutes a day. It’s life-changing and will help you to avoid that negative mindset and resentment toward cleaning in general,” she added.
Many people loved this idea, yet there were those that judged both the homeowners and Brogan, stating that they deserved horrid things to happen to them
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
All Brogan has to say to such people is that if they’re so concerned, they shouldn’t be leaving comments but rather helping the people in their community
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
As advised on Psycom, one should start with small habits that can become a regular occurrence rather than the ever-so-often grand clean.
Make your bed, reward yourself with little bits of sweets after each completed chore, set a 20-minute timer to get you focused on the task at hand, and listen to a podcast or your favorite tunes to make the time go a bit faster.
The final message is: “Your self-worth isn’t dependent on the cleanliness of your home.” We wish Brogan all the best for the future!
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
Let us know your thoughts on the story, as well as your cleaning tips, in the comments section below!
Image credits: nottheworstcleaner
We wish Brogan all the best for the future, and we look forward to joining her in her journey of making people’s lives better. I’ll leave you with one last note from Brogan: “Always remember to treat everyone with kindness, as you don’t know what’s going on behind closed doors.”
You can watch the first video that started it all here
Don’t forget to upvote and leave us your thoughts and cleaning tips in the comments below! Bye for now!