Perfect Songs for Cooking and Cleaning

By Iva-Marie Palmer

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Who says you can’t sashay while you sauté? Shimmy while you spot clean? Bop while you mop?

Cooking and cleaning will feel less like, well, chores if you time them to an upbeat soundtrack. Below, find 20 songs that top our charts. Then, add a comment to share your favorite tracks to play while you tackle chores.

1. “Start Me Up” — Rolling Stones. We know Mick and Co. weren’t singing about housework motivation but, hey, it works.
2. “Rich Girl” — Gwen Stefani. If you were a rich girl, you could hire a maid. And yet, this song’s refrain is just the right beat for scrubbing countertops. “Na na na na na na na na,” indeed.
3. “Praise You” — Fatboy Slim. Yes, your family’s probably going to groan, “Chicken again?” But you’ve put dinner on the table, so make sure to give yourself a pat on the back.
4. “Get What You Give” — New Radicals. A grim yet catchy reminder that the laundry won’t fold itself.
5. “My Way” — Frank Sinatra. Ol’ Blue Eyes knows that if you let someone else do your chores, you’ll just have to do them again — the right way …
6. “One Way Or Another” — Blondie. Debbie Harry’s stalker song takes on new meaning when you sing, “Gonna find you, gonna get ya get ya get ya …” to stubborn soap scum.
7. “Rio” — Duran Duran. Sure, she may dance on the sand, but can Rio make leftovers seem brand-new?
8. “Walkin’ on Sunshine” — Katrina and the Waves. Bet you don’t have to vacuum sunshine …
9. “Manic Monday” — The Bangles. It doesn’t matter what day you play it, ’cause cleaning can always bring on a case of the Mondays.
10. “Help Me, Rhonda” — Beach Boys. Who’s Rhonda? And does she do windows?
11. “Daydream Believer” — Monkees. Visions of private islands and frou-frou drinks will pop in your head while you clean the toilet.
12. “Material Girl” — Madonna. The ideal soundtrack for finally deciding that hot pink, sequined bolero jacket in your closet can be donated to Goodwill.
13. INTERLUDE: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” — Cyndi Lauper. Take a break during this one. Cyndi would want it that way.
14. “Footloose” — Kenny Loggins. Kevin Bacon’s acrobatics have got nothing on you with a broom.
15. “I Want to Break Free” — Queen. Save this for the most monotonous task on your list; it’s what you’ll be thinking.
16. “Do You Believe in Magic?” — Loving Spoonful. Maybe if you did, dinner would cook itself.
17. “Soak Up the Sun” — Sheryl Crow. You, too, can soak up the sun — after the floor is sparkling.
18. “Let ‘Er Rip” — Dixie Chicks. Anyone who’s tackled a clogged drain knows fighting words like these don’t have to be about heartbreak.
19. “Dancin’ With Myself” — Billie Idol. Play this tune when your chores are done, because this classic will induce frenetic dancing — and it may not be safe to jump around while mopping floors or chopping vegetables.
20. “I See Red” — Split Enz. This bouncy bopper will echo your elevated mood, now that the cooking and cleaning are done. And if anyone in your household tracks mud on the freshly mopped floors, you may just “see red.”