Decoded: why are people hooked to cleaning videos

Are you one of those who watch cleaning videos on loop? Well, if you look at the number of views these videos gather on social media, one thing emerges clearly—your tribe is growing each passing day. These videos fall in the popular category called Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response or ASMR.

A careful scan of social media platforms reveals the trend of cleaning videos breaking viewership records with the onset of Covid-19 pandemic when most of us remained confined to our homes.

Before we go on to explain why people are glued to such content, let’s tell you first about the recent internet record breakers.
Cleaning influencer Auri Katariina in June of 2022 shared a video on Instagram on how to clean the sink and the viewership is in millions.

Mrs Hinch, who is also a cleaning influencer, enjoys a massive following on Instagram and her 3.7 million followers call themselves Hinchers. All Mrs Hinch tells Hinchers is how she keeps her house neat and tidy.

Shows like ‘Tidying Up With Marie Kondo’ and ‘The Home Edit’ on Netflix are the go-to shows for those who find the cleaning videos satisfying.

What makes cleaning videos addictive?

Experts feel the trend has not peaked due to the rise in awareness about cleanliness but it is a sign that people are overwhelmed in their life and they find such videos soothing.

According to researchers, the transformation of a thing from being dirty to clean is captivating as it sparks psychological delight. Craig Richard, who is a professor at Shenandoah University in Virginia, says that ASMR videos are comforting and likely to be relatable to the feelings that a person receives from them.

Study suggests that 80% of people who watched ASMR videos found that it had a positive effect on their mood, while 69% of participants said that it helped in easing their moderate to severe symptoms of depression.

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