At first glance, cleaning means removing dirt – but from a depth psychological perspective, it is about much more than that: it is about restoring order, control and inner balance.

The Radiowissen episode ‘The Psychology of Cleaning – Between Wiping Away and Scrubbing Up Creativity’ impressively demonstrates that cleaning is not merely a practical activity, but an emotionally and psychologically charged act. It exists in the tension between a necessary duty and an individual search for meaning.

Also featured is Jens Lönneker, co-founder of the rheingold salon, whose depth psychological perspectives and studies on the significance of housekeeping provide key insights. Our depth psychological interviews made it clear that cleaning goes far beyond mere cleanliness and is closely linked to the need for stability and self-efficacy.

In times of growing uncertainty, the home gains importance as a controllable space. At the same time, people feel, amidst their busy daily lives, that they are no longer able to keep their own homes in order. Here, cleaning can represent an act of liberation. Cleaning can also become a ritual through which people establish external order – and at the same time regulate inner turmoil. The removal of dirt can symbolise the suppression of overwhelming demands and uncertainty.

The episode also highlights the ambivalence of this practice. Many people see cleaning as a tedious chore that they try to avoid as much as possible. Others, however, find it liberating, structuring or even inspiring – a moment when thoughts can be organised and new ideas can emerge.

This spectrum points to different ‘psychological uses’ of cleaning: for some, it is purely a matter of everyday functionality; for others, a form of self-regulation or a creative process in which removing the old creates space for the new.

From a depth psychological perspective, it becomes clear that cleaning often has less to do with objective cleanliness than with the desire for control. Particularly in an increasingly complex world, it allows one to experience immediate effectiveness within a clearly defined space. Visible results – the clean room, the tidy surface – create a sense of stability that is often harder to achieve in other areas of life.

You can hear these and other perspectives from further experts here in the full episode “Radiowissen – The Psychology of Cleaning – Between Wiping Away and Scrubbing Up Creativity”.