'My hobby is cleaning houses for free, now I’m a millionaire’

Meet the self-made millionaire who earned her fortune cleaning filthy houses - for free.

Auri Kananen, 30, travels the world tackling dirty homes - visiting the UK, Switzerland, Sweden and the US in the last year.

She films herself cleaning and uploads the videos to social media - where her huge following has attracted ad revenue and sponsors.

Auri, from Tampere, Finland, does the actual cleaning for free - often to help those in need.

But, through her ad deals and social media accounts, she's become a millionaire - with her YouTube channel raking in more than €500k just last year.

She said: “Cleaning is fun - the best thing ever. I absolutely love it. It makes me feel satisfied. Happy, very relaxed - like my life is complete.”

Auri started cleaning houses on the weekend for free in 2020, but still worked her 9-5 as a cleaning supervisor during the week.

She then launched her own business the same year.

Auri first posted videos in 2020 - and since then her following has skyrocketed.

She now boasts 10 million followers on TikTok. She also has accounts on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Auri said: “I remember being excited to have 100,000 followers but now to have 10 million is crazy – It’s like I have my own cleaning crew I am very thankful,

“The money didn’t change who I am, I just love cleaning and sharing it to the world.”

"I love my job. It is super satisfying when you can wipe a thick layer of dust. It’s just the best feeling ever,

“I’m chasing this feeling week after week and I’m always trying to find dirtier and dirtier houses."

Ironically, despite spending hours each week in filthy houses, Auri doesn't have much of a sense of smell.

She said: "I think I’m nose blind. Mouldy trash always smells the same."

The houses she cleans are gross - most are piled knee-deep in rubbish, have dirty kitchens, a fridge full of mouldy food, sometimes rats occupy the house.

But Auri doesn’t mind, she says “the dirtier, the better”.

She said: "I cleaned was a big house in Finland that took five of us three days to clean.

“You couldn’t even see the floor it was so full of trash.

“The resident hadn’t seen their own kitchen in three years. There were rats as well, they had eaten the sides of the doors, the sofa, and chairs.

"It was a crazy cleaning experience."

Often the people who live in these dirty houses are unable to clean their homes themselves.

Auri said: “Usually the person has some sort of illness, sometimes they have trauma.

“Some have physical issues limiting their mobility, meaning they can’t keep their house very clean.”

She says mainly friends and family of loved ones in desperate need of help contact her.

She said: “Most of the time these people are struggling in a circle of negativity - I want to try and break that circle for other people so they can make a positive change like it did.”

Auri struggled with depression herself previously in her life for around ten years between the ages of 10 and 19.

She said: “I can relate to these people who need help because I have felt like they have before so it feels really good that I can help these people out at no expense,

“The people are very thankful for me cleaning their houses with some even writing to me a few months after to thank me,

“Some tell me that I have helped them start breaking their negative cycle, which makes me feel great."

You can find her on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram @aurikatariina