40 Times Designers Forgot Things Need To Be Cleaned When Creating Them, As Shared On This Facebook Group
To most of us, cleaning is a chore. Something we do just because we have to. So we try to optimize the process as much as possible. Get it done in the fastest way possible, with the least amount of energy required.
However, some people probably haven't picked up a vacuum cleaner or a dust wand in their entire life.
There's a private Facebook group with a pretty self-explanatory title, called 'Things designed by people who don't have to clean them', and it has about 40,000 members, all sharing pictures of objects that absolutely terrify Monica Geller and Adrian Monk. From an amethyst sink to a dollhouse PC case, continue scrolling and check them out for yourself.
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Dollhouse Fishtank
Please don't treat your fish like toys! Goldfish need a 500l tank, and need a group of atleast 6 goldfish. They are intelligent and beautiful animals
The founder of the group, Will Feetham, created it out of his passion for the design world. "We spend most of our time in spaces designed by other humans, and sometimes subtle careless decisions during [the design process and construction processes] cause a huge amount of hassle for the people that use the space," Feetham told Bored Panda.
Currently, the group is private and you have to answer a few political questions to get in. Feetham has had pushback from the applicants about this as the group seems anything but political, however, he believes that the design and maintenance of our spaces are deeply political. "The entire point of 'Things designed by people who don't have to clean them' is that those who design and those who maintain are not the same," he said. "Because we spend most of our time in spaces [designed by others], this disconnect has a huge impact, especially on those who traditionally don't have power in society."
Amethyst Sink
Amethyst this size must be pretty expensive. I wouldn't waste it like that. Maybe as an ornament it would be perfect :)
"Looking at bad design helps highlight the importance of good design, and thinking about who will clean what we design makes us focus on the importance of inclusion in the design process. As a tag group, we can inject a bit of thought about these issues into a lot of different conversations which makes me so happy."
If we were to get specific, Feetham got the idea for the group from a picture of a topographical relief sink modeled after a lake, which he has been told is in the California state library. "It's beautiful, and the concept is both insightful and educational. In the execution, though, the designer didn't consider the people who would have to clean the installation. Clearly, a lot of thought went into the concept, but that thoughtfulness doesn't seem to have extended to maintenance. 'Things designed by people who don’t have to clean them' just popped into my head."
All Hail The Glow Cloud
It looks really cool but imagine the number of bugs nesting in there *shudder*
As you could guess, Feetham himself doesn't like cleaning. "As a cisgender man in our patriarchal culture, I have been allowed to do less than my share of household chores at many points in my life," he said. "Equality is deeply important to me, and I have come to understand the many ways, large and small, that the caring and cleaning work that forms the foundation of our daily existence is minimized."
According to him, our society tends to devalue the invisible service class, who are often women and people of color. So they are left to pick up the pieces, literally, and tend to the performative aesthetics of our consumer culture.
Feetham describes the content of the group as design-focused critical analysis. Some of the things that get submitted a lot are carpets in places it shouldn't be, crafts that involve gluing shells and rocks, and impossible to clean windows. "The start of the group was more focused on public infrastructure, but we also have a lot of content about consumer goods and home decor that create a maintenance nightmare."
Thanks I Hate It
I actually love this. Super cool. I would just dust it with compressed air.
This Pot
Radiator With A Bread Warmer
*shudder*
These Wine Bottles/ Decanters/ Glasses Look Really Cool, But Cleaning Them? Hell No! I'd Probably Used Them Once And Then Threw Them Into A Fireplace Or Something
Cutlery Set
Dollhouse PC
Broken Ankle Bathtubs, Fantastic
I have to think about all the little critters that could hide somewhere between the stones.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
They’re Gorgeous And I Want One, But They Must Be Such Dust Catcher
Cute But...
Those Poor Books!
I Love The Idea Of A Volcano Egg Cup As Much As The Next One, But You Will *never* Get All The Gross Crusty Egg Yolk Out Of All Those Crevices
The Opposite Of Mini
This Would Be A Pain In The Butt To Clean, But 11/10 Would Buy Anyway
And It's Not Even Cute
1970s Was Such A Cursed Period For Interior Decorating
That Is The Car Of Someone Who Has Given Up, That Thing Does Not Get Cleaned
Stunning Fireplace
All Those Tiny Eyes
Imagine eating cereal before bed and waking up at night and that thing is next to your head on the side table
Stair Handle
I Would Have A Very Bad Time Checking If My Nails Are Clean Or Not
Erm...
A Gift For The Coffee Lover You Also Hate
Mud, Poop Dog, Dirt, Sand...
Poop dog! 😂 Sometimes I love it when people don’t proof read what they write.
Those Crevices In The… Whatever That Is
It’s All Beaded
Oh My
Ah yes, the succulent nail art. Made only for photos and not actual wear. SimplyNailogical did a video recreating this trend a while back.
Cursed
My New 1.5l Snorlax Mug That I Got From Zing. Didn’t Realise It’s Mouth Was A Big Hole
This Is What Happened In Jumanji
Fluffy Guitar
I Hope They Took The Keys Out
I Got One Of These For My Daughter. The Hot Liquid Needs To Go Through The Hole Into The Space Between The Outer And Inner Walls Of The Mug. I Have Tiny Bendy Brushes And It’s Still A Nightmare
Found In My Local Marketplace
Dust
Spotted On Instagram.. But Like That’s Just Going To Get Disgusting
I Mean, Super Cute. But Still... (I Would Buy This For My Girlfriend Anyways Hahahahahahaha)
Found In My Local Marketplace
This Window. Bonus Cobweb Magnet Lightpiece
Woodworking
Fuzzy Crocs
Washing machine. As long as you air dry them they should wash well. Wouldnt trust the drier. May melt or disfigure them
This Armchair
Honestly, when was the last time any of you cleaned the legs of the chair? I don't see a problem here.
This Awesome Cat Teapot My Sister Gave Me
My Workmate's New iPhone Case. Looks Cute Though
This. It’s Dusty, The Dust Sticks To It, And I Can’t Wash It Because It’s Solid Bronze. I Hate It
Have you tried a vacuuming? I recently vacuumed a very dusty ceiling and was pleasantly surprised.
Sink At Local Restaurant. Very Pretty But Probably Hard To Clean
Stunning!
The Only Thing I Can Think Of Is Why??? Why Would You Do This To Human Race????
Your designers were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
This Bathroom
It Reminds Me Of Those Cozy Blankets That’s Are Really Soft At First But The More You Use It And Wash It The Material Just Gets Super Matted And Gross Looking And It’s White ??
That Would Take One Hell Of A Unique Magnet Scrubber
So Now Amazon's Advertising This To Me
How Dirty Do You Doorknobs Get?
This Celling Is Giving Me Hives
How Do They Expect This To Be Cleaned? Hot Water And Shaking?
The Glitter Texture
I Want Them But I Don’t Want To Clean Them
My auntie once stepped in a huge dog poop wearing rope sandals. Fun times.
Super Cute, But, Knowing Myself, That Would Become A Bacteria Pool In Short Order!
Finally Found Something Worthy Of This Group?? I Get The Ergonomic Stand And Point But It’s A Waste Of Coffee Space And Imagine Cleaning It Every Day?!
After The First Muddy Boot, Then What
Serving Tray
Hard to tell on my mobile, but that probably is not full of voids. Birdseye-anything is sought after and expensive.
Just... Why??
This Is A Mini Cast Iron Pan My Roommate Got As A Gift And He Was Complaining The Entire Time While Attempting To Clean It (And Rightfully So)
These Bastards. I’m Never Buying A Crystal Again
No Photos Posted Of The Inside, But I Imagine This Would Be A Nightmare To Clean Out
O My
Was At Voodoo Doughnuts And Was Thinking About Buying A Mug, And Then I Thought Of This Group And How The Hell Would I Clean It Properly?! Maybe It’s Just For Decor
If You Even Tried Dusting This It’d Rip The Duster And Ur Hand Apart
Broom Broom Broom Broom I Want You In My Room
So since covid, I have learned most people don't clean, or don't know how to clean nor disinfect. So not something considered when purchasing
No one desinfects everything because we cannot live in a sterile environment. We need lots of them bugs to stay healthy. On the other hand I one saw a class mate of my then preschooler with the same reusable drinking bottle as my kid. It had actual fungus in the mouth piece... It's not just not knowinghow to clean, it's more the not getting what is dangerous and what parts are more important to clean... Like drinking bottles...
Load More Replies... Most of this stuff is no worse than carpet in general and most reusable water bottles.
Some of these were good, some...wow. if you're going to get certain things, please learn how to keep them clean so as to not get sick.
Fun to look at and see how many useless and dangerous items that people come up with.
I would like to add to this...anything that's Sterling Silver. OMG, deliver me from evil.
I'm sorry. Most of this thread is a waste of space. There are so many interesting, lovely pieces here. Yes, they need special care. So what? a lot of people followed Marie Kondo and got rid of a ton of things to simplify their lives. Now quite a few regret it.
Sometimes you just got to throw caution to the wind and not let the moment pass by how hard it's gonna be to clean or how practical it it. Bust out the good China that only comes outfit holidays. Packed away for a year, it requires a good wash too. It's not bringing anyone a smile hidden in the back of a closet it the dark.pulling out a treasure that has been eaten by mice or mold is worse.
absolutely terrify Monica Geller and Adrian Monk. I LOVE THE REFERENCE.
Simplify, not complicate, your life. If you really need something funky and uncleanable, put it under or behind glass. These are the very definition of tchotchke... useless, decorative items that need to be dusted.
The person who runs that group doesn't understand that people take pride in their jobs and are grateful that there are people who provide jobs. But as a privileged CIS man he probably will never understand that, and instead looks down his privileged nose at people who do manual labor. How is he going to help the people who take his garbage to the dump, fix his stinky plumbing and other people who do the dirty jobs that this clean freak is too good to do. He should be ashamed, no wonder his group is private probably full of snobby elitists.
So since covid, I have learned most people don't clean, or don't know how to clean nor disinfect. So not something considered when purchasing
No one desinfects everything because we cannot live in a sterile environment. We need lots of them bugs to stay healthy. On the other hand I one saw a class mate of my then preschooler with the same reusable drinking bottle as my kid. It had actual fungus in the mouth piece... It's not just not knowinghow to clean, it's more the not getting what is dangerous and what parts are more important to clean... Like drinking bottles...
Load More Replies... Most of this stuff is no worse than carpet in general and most reusable water bottles.
Some of these were good, some...wow. if you're going to get certain things, please learn how to keep them clean so as to not get sick.
Fun to look at and see how many useless and dangerous items that people come up with.
I would like to add to this...anything that's Sterling Silver. OMG, deliver me from evil.
I'm sorry. Most of this thread is a waste of space. There are so many interesting, lovely pieces here. Yes, they need special care. So what? a lot of people followed Marie Kondo and got rid of a ton of things to simplify their lives. Now quite a few regret it.
Sometimes you just got to throw caution to the wind and not let the moment pass by how hard it's gonna be to clean or how practical it it. Bust out the good China that only comes outfit holidays. Packed away for a year, it requires a good wash too. It's not bringing anyone a smile hidden in the back of a closet it the dark.pulling out a treasure that has been eaten by mice or mold is worse.
absolutely terrify Monica Geller and Adrian Monk. I LOVE THE REFERENCE.
Simplify, not complicate, your life. If you really need something funky and uncleanable, put it under or behind glass. These are the very definition of tchotchke... useless, decorative items that need to be dusted.
The person who runs that group doesn't understand that people take pride in their jobs and are grateful that there are people who provide jobs. But as a privileged CIS man he probably will never understand that, and instead looks down his privileged nose at people who do manual labor. How is he going to help the people who take his garbage to the dump, fix his stinky plumbing and other people who do the dirty jobs that this clean freak is too good to do. He should be ashamed, no wonder his group is private probably full of snobby elitists.
