Power-washing, pool-cleaning and mowing: Why millions are playing games about mundane jobs
Power-washing, pool-cleaning and mowing: Why millions are playing games about mundane jobs
There’s a rising trend in gaming that turns everyday chores into immersive experiences. Games like PowerWash Simulator let players don cleaning gear and systematically scrub virtual locations until they gleam with cleanliness. Launched in 2021, this game has attracted over 17 million players. Its 2025 sequel recently earned two Bafta Games Awards nominations, joining a genre that increasingly captivates audiences with repetitive, low-intensity tasks.
FuturLab, based in Brighton, created PowerWash Simulator with the goal of offering a calming escape. “We want to make the Graham Norton of video games,” explains Kirsty Rigden, the studio’s CEO. This analogy might seem odd for a game developer, but Rigden highlights the appeal of stress-free entertainment. “Graham Norton doesn’t challenge you, but it doesn’t require heavy thinking either,” she says. “You feel a sense of accomplishment without overexerting your mind.”
The genre’s appeal lies in its repetitive, meditative tasks. In PowerWash Simulator, players methodically clean one area after another, from fun houses to roller discos, following a literal “rinse and repeat” rhythm. Rigden believes this reflects current societal moods. “The world is stressful, and the game lets you focus on a single task, blocking out everything else,” she notes. “It’s like pure meditation in action.”
Such games often draw inspiration from real-life routines. Rigden’s concept emerged from watching YouTube videos of power washing, where she noticed the “simple transformation of dirt into cleanliness.” Social media influencers with massive followings now share content about cleaning, further fueling this trend. Skyhook Games, a Liverpool-based studio, has also entered the scene with Lawn Mowing Simulator, which lets players manage a lawn care business using real-world lawnmowers. A new sequel is set to take players to American trailer parks and town hall gardens.
For many, these games serve as a mental refuge. David Harper, founder of Skyhook Games, describes them as an “escape from daily pressures.” He emphasizes the satisfaction of transforming chaos into order. “You start with a messy scene, learn the skills to tidy it up, and then look back at the finished product,” Harper says. “It’s a reward for focused effort.”
The genre has become a favorite among content creators. On Twitch, streamers like Ellie Gibson, a comedian and games journalist, have embraced games such as PowerWash Simulator as a way to connect with viewers. Gibson holds the Guinness World Record for the longest gameplay session—24 hours, six minutes, and 33 seconds—while noting the game’s calming effect. “It’s like the peace you get from colouring books or knitting,” she says. “The difference is you end up with a clean monster truck instead of a scarf.”
Players have shared how these games help them through tough times. Harper mentions anxiety and mental health struggles, while Rigden highlights instances where the game aided those undergoing cancer treatments. An Oxford University study further explored this, tracking 8,600 players who logged their moods every 10 minutes during a custom build of PowerWash Simulator. The results showed 72% of participants reported feeling more uplifted after gameplay.
“Hearing how our game has helped our players with their anxiety and mental health has been really rewarding to us,” said Harper. Meanwhile, Rigden noted, “lots of people writing in and saying how we’ve helped them get through things like cancer treatments.” “It’s really lovely and uplifting,” she added.
