Meet the cleanfluencers: The new internet sensation sweeping TikTok
The internet has a new kind of influencer: the 'cleanfluencer'. As the self-explanatory name suggests, a cleanfluencer creates content related to cleaning, organising, and decluttering. Particularly on the popular short form video sharing site TikTok, the videos posted by cleanfluencers are being watched by millions, reported news agency Agence France-Presse. Finland native Auri Kananen is one of the world's most successful cleanfluencers with 9 million followers. She told AFP, "I love cleaning, I love dirt." She added that she remembers when she had just 19 followers. "Even then it felt really cool to have 19 strangers wanting to see me clean," she added.
Auri said she travels to the dirtiest homes possible in the world. Wearing her pink rubber gloves, she dusts, wipes, and organises even as peppy music plays in the background.
The rise of cleanfluencers
As mentioned above, cleanfluencer is basically a social media influencer who cleans and shares videos on social media sites. Cleanfluencers offer quick and easy solutions for keeping homes clean and organised, attracting a large audience. They often focus on niche areas, such as cleaning fridges or getting rid of stubborn stains, providing useful and practical advice. They have gained popularity in recent years as people become more interested in maintaining a clean and organised living space.
Some cleanfluencers have even turned their passion into a full-time career, partnering with brands and creating their own product lines. The trend of cleanfluencing has become so popular that it has spawned its own subculture, with social media communities dedicated to sharing cleaning content and communities of like-minded individuals who share a love for keeping things clean and tidy.
Marie Kondo, the first cleanfluencer?
Japanese organising consultant, author, and television personality Marie Kondo may have kicked off the 'cleanfluencer' revolution. She is best known for her KonMari method of organizing and decluttering, which involves gathering all of one's belongings, sorting them into categories, and only keeping items that "spark joy." She has written several books on the subject, including The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which was translated into multiple languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
She was also featured in the Netflix series called Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, in which she helps people declutter their homes and lives using her method. After the birth of her third child, Kondo is no longer the clean freak she used to be.
