Mopping grubby floors, sorting the laundry, and finally getting your house may seem like a positive way to start 2024, but is it bad luck to clean on New Year’s Day?
That’s right, don’t grab your bucket and bleach yet, because superstition says you should avoid doing chores on January 1.
So, if your New Year’s Eve celebrations mean that a hangover has stapled you to the sofa, you might have just found the perfect excuse. Result!
So, why is cleaning on New Year’s Day said to bring bad luck?
Here’s what you need to know.
Why is it bad luck to clean on New Year’s Day?
Much of the folklore surrounding cleaning at New Year seems to date back to Chinese traditions, but many of the superstitions are observed around the world.
Many cultures have superstitions, myths, and old wives’ tales that say you shouldn’t do any cleaning at all on January 1.
For instance, doing laundry on the first day of the year is said to ‘wash away a loved one’, meaning that a friend or family member will pass away in the following 364 days – Now, if that’s not a reason to steer clear of JCloths, we don’t know what is!
Washing clothes or dishes on New Year’s Day will simply ‘wash away good luck’ and sweeping the floors could also sweep away good fortune.
Even emptying your bins and taking out the rubbish is also a big no-no on New Year’s Day, as superstition says that removing things from the house could encourage prosperity to disappear.
Some traditions from various parts of the world also say that what you do on the first day of the year will reflect how the rest of it pans out.
So piling into the housework on January 1 suggests you’re in for another 364 days of hard, boring graft – and nobody wants that.
Of course, these are all just myths. But we’ll probably leave the bins, just in case.
What brings good luck on New Year’s Day?
Well, for one thing, taking a break from the boring stuff isn’t all bad.
Enjoy your chore-free day, and take some time for yourself – banish any feelings of guilt.
Several New Year traditions are said to invite good luck, good fortune, and possibly even wealth into your life. These include:
- Eating 12 grapes at midnight
- Wearing white
- Taking a stroll with an empty suitcase (to bring good fortune to travel).
Or, if you’re sure it’s all baloney, then get vacuuming and put those bins out!
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FAQs
People believe that if you do clean on January 1, you end up sweeping away all of the good luck that's stored away in your home for that coming year, so you wait until January 2 to complete your household chores like laundry, dishes and tidying up instead.
Why shouldn't you clean on New Year's day? ›
For centuries, the Chinese have believed cleaning on the first couple of days of a new year, especially sweeping on New Year's Day, brings bad luck. Since this seems to be one of the oldest New Year's superstitions, go ahead and skip the sweeping.
Why are you not supposed to shower on New Year's day? ›
This means washing or cutting it off is seen as washing your fortune away and dramatically reduces chances of prosperity in the year ahead. Actually, LNY fundamentalists will tell you taking a shower is also off-limits on the first day for the same reason.
Why you can't clean up on New Years? ›
Also washing clothes or dishes on New Year's Day is said to simply 'wash away good luck' and sweeping the floors could also sweep away good fortune that would enter your house in the coming year.
What should you avoid on New Year's day? ›
Avoid breaking things on the first day. Don't cry on the first day of the year. At midnight, open all doors to let the old year escape. Make loud noises at midnight to scare away evil spirits.
What chores not to do on New Year's day? ›
Don't wash those clothes
This is an odd one. According to folklore, if you wash clothes on New Year's Day, you'll be “washing for the dead” or washing a loved one away -- meaning someone in your household will die in the coming year.
Can I wash my hair on New Year's day? ›
No washing or cutting your hair
It is believed that if you wash your hair on New Year's day, you'd also be washing away all your luck. It's somewhat similar to if you cut your hair, you'd be cutting your life shorter!
What am I not supposed to do on New Year's day? ›
Or take out the trash, or wash your clothes, or sweep your house... as the superstition goes, if you do, you might accidentally wash good luck and loved ones out of your life. Other beliefs state that whatever you do on New Year's is what you'll be doing the rest of the year.
Should you clean your house on New Year's Eve? ›
One common tradition is cleaning your house thoroughly on or before New Year's Eve. Out with the old, in with the new they say. Most people believe in the idea that cleaning your house before the first day of the New Year ensures that you don't carry in your old, somewhat soiled, life into the New Year.
Can you eat eggs on new year's day? ›
Foods white in color, such as rice, bread, eggs, and tofu. According to ancient Chinese beliefs, white symbolizes death– so it is considered unlucky to eat on New Year's Day.
Around the world, people celebrate with a variety of traditions, like watching the Times Square ball drop, making New Year's resolutions, and even preparing lucky foods for the new year. There are countless ways to mark the occasion, many of which can be enjoyed right from your own living room!
When to not do laundry? ›
Age-old wisdom suggests you shouldn't do your laundry on New Year's Day. The superstition says that if you choose this — the first day of the year — to do your washing, you will be washing away good luck or washing away a loved one. Either way, it's something that you might want to avoid.
Is it good or bad luck to clean on new year's day? ›
Don't Clean the House on New Year's Day - You will wash away any good luck coming your way.
Why can't you wash new year's day? ›
According to an ancient myth, washing your clothing on these days could lead to "washing a loved one away" and could also bring about bad fortune, as doing laundry or the dishes around the New Year will wash away all your good luck.
What are you not supposed to do on the first day of the new year in Scotland? ›
Leaving the House Before Midnight: It is also considered unlucky for anyone to leave the house before the first footer arrives. The act of stepping out, even briefly, before the first foot crosses the threshold is believed to bring misfortune.
What are you supposed to do on New Year's day? ›
Around the world, people celebrate with a variety of traditions, like watching the Times Square ball drop, making New Year's resolutions, and even preparing lucky foods for the new year. There are countless ways to mark the occasion, many of which can be enjoyed right from your own living room!
What days can you not do washing? ›
Good Friday
It doesn't land on the same day each year, but — as the name suggests — it's always a Friday. You might want to give it a miss if you're thinking about doing some laundry on this holy day. That's because some Catholics believe it's bad luck to wash your clothes on Good Friday.
Why shouldn't we wash clothes in the night? ›
Do not wash or dry cloths at nightAt the point when we clean, wash or dry clothes around evening time, negative energy enters and when we wear them toward the beginning of the day, the impact of that energy falls on our body, which is hurtful.
