Free tool
Cleaning sprint timer with a body double
Pick a room and a length. Tiny tasks show up one at a time, the ring counts down, and Zip cleans alongside you. Runs in your browser, no sign-up.
How to use the cleaning sprint timer
- Pick a room. Kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, living room, desk, whole home, or "I don't know where to start" if everything looks equally bad. That last one is a good default.
- Pick a length. 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes, or the 20/10 cycle for a bigger reset.
- Choose your company. Leave the body double on and Zip works alongside you. The soft tick is off unless you want it, and a gentle chime tells you when time is up.
- Press start and do the task on the card. Only one task shows at a time. Press Done when it is done, or Skip if it does not fit today. Skipping is part of the method.
- Stop when the timer stops. You get a summary of what you finished and a small reward idea. Go again only if you want to.
Tip
On a hard day, pick 5 minutes and the easiest room. A sprint you finish beats a marathon you never start.
Which sprint length should you pick?
| Length | Good for | What usually fits |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Low energy, getting unstuck | 3 to 5 tiny tasks |
| 10 minutes | A daily reset | 5 to 8 tiny tasks |
| 15 minutes | One room that bugs you | 8 to 10 tiny tasks |
| 20 minutes | A proper tidy of one area | 10 to 14 tiny tasks |
| 20/10 cycle | A bigger reset, with real breaks | Rounds of 20 minutes on, 10 off |
The task decks are written to be tiny and concrete on purpose: "Clear one chair", not "Tidy the bedroom". Small tasks are easier to start, and each one you check off makes the next one easier.
What is a body double?
Body doubling means doing a task while someone else is around, in the same room or on a video call. CHADD describes a body double as a friend or partner who works at the same time, in person or virtually, and says there has not been significant research yet on why it helps. Plenty of people with ADHD still say company makes it easier to start and to keep going.
Zip is a friendly on-screen stand-in, not a person. It "works" alongside you and says a quiet word now and then. If you want a human body double, call a friend, start the same sprint together, and keep the call going while you both clean. Our guide to body doubling for ADHD covers more ways to try it.
What is the 20/10 cycle?
Twenty minutes of cleaning, then a ten minute break, then again, for as many rounds as you like. The idea was made popular by the Unf*ck Your Habitat community, and the point is the break: you keep going longer when resting is part of the plan. The timer switches between sprint and break for you and chimes at each change. Read more in the 20/10 cleaning method.
TidySprint is made by Viral Labs and is not affiliated with any other app, author or brand named here.
Is it safe to use cleaning products during a sprint?
Yes, with the usual care. Open a window or turn on the fan before you press start (the bathroom deck includes that step too), and the deck only ever asks for one cleaner at a time. Follow the label, and never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other cleaners, because the mix can release gases that are dangerous to breathe.
Heads up
The timer runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you do here is uploaded, and it keeps working if your connection drops after the page loads. Keep the tab open, and on a phone, the screen stays awake during a sprint where the browser allows it.
Questions
Is this cleaning sprint timer free?
Yes. It is free, needs no account, and runs in your browser. Nothing you do in it is uploaded.
What is a cleaning sprint?
A short, timed burst of cleaning, usually 5 to 20 minutes, where you work through tiny tasks one at a time and stop when the timer ends.
What does the body double do?
Zip, the TidySprint dust bunny, works alongside you on screen and says a short, encouraging line now and then. You can switch it off for a quieter timer.
Does the timer keep running if I switch tabs or lock my phone?
Yes. The timer counts against the clock, so it stays right in the background. On many phones the screen also stays awake during a sprint.
Is TidySprint medical advice?
No. TidySprint is a cleaning and routine tool, not medical advice or treatment. If ADHD or anything else is making daily life hard, a clinician can help.