Danielle Fishel Shares Tips for Teaching Kids to Take Responsibility for Cleanup

Danielle Fishel does it all, from podcast hosting to acting and dancing — but when it comes to cleaning, she has discovered a brilliant way to lighten the load.

“My least favorite cleaning task is putting away laundry,” Fishel, 44, exclusively shared with Us Weekly while promoting her partnership with Lysol to refresh her home this spring cleaning season using Lysol Lavender & Cotton Blossom scented products. “I enjoy doing laundry, but for some reason, putting it away feels so time-consuming.”

The Boy Meets World alum added, “On the bright side, my favorite cleaning chore is having spotless counters, so the [Lysol Lavender & Cotton Blossom] Disinfecting Wipes are ideal.”

Fishel explained that her countertops “always smell great” and are “always clean,” which contributes to her mental clarity.

“I dislike seeing clutter on my counters, including fingerprints and sticky substances. Therefore, I always have disinfectant wipes handy, even in my car,” she revealed.

Fishel — who shares sons Adler, 6, and Keaton, 4, with husband Jensen Karp — mentioned to Us that the peace cleaning provides is something she’s eager to instill in her children.

“I believe it’s beneficial for them to recognize why I sometimes say, ‘Oh, OK, guys, can we take a look around the house? See this?’” she noted. “I point out the things that overwhelm me.”

Fishel added, “I feel like showing them how these things affect my mood, making me feel ‘Ahhh.’ We need to tidy up so that I feel ‘Ah.’ They seem to understand.”

She communicated to Us that discussing the emotions and relief that come with a clean home has significantly improved how her kids engage with chores.

“I tell them, ‘I’m much nicer and more fun when I’m feeling good inside, but right now I feel chaotic,’” Fishel elaborated. “This approach has been wonderful, as my kids have become much more eager to help out since I started explaining it this way, and I’ll take any help I can get.”

While Fishel appreciates her sons’ assistance at home, she’s more than willing to take on tasks herself when she’s on the road for the Dancing With the Stars Tour. (Fishel competed on season 34 of DWTS in 2025 and currently serves as a guest cohost for various dates.)

“Lysol is the perfect companion for me on tour and at home,” Fishel told Us. “On tour, it was my first experience sharing a tiny space on a bus with around 10 people, which included a cramped little kitchen.”

The “Boy Meets Pod” podcast cohost described herself as “lucky” because DWTS pro Daniella Karagach would “make me breakfast every morning” during the initial leg of the tour.

“Our little routine was that she would cook breakfast, and I would clean up afterward,” Fishel reminisced. “We wanted to avoid germs, which is why Lysol [was essential since it] eliminates 99.9 percent of germs when used as directed.”

Fishel recollected how she would “clean up after every breakfast” with Lysol and how the bus always had a “delicious lavender and cotton blossom scent, even after cooking.”

Fishel remarked that it was “not a bad trade-off” to be on cleaning duty while someone else prepared her meals.

“And when you’re sharing one bathroom with 10 people on a bus, you definitely want some lavender and cotton blossoms. Trust me,” Fishel joked.

For more information on Lysol Lavender & Cotton Blossom, visit the official website. To check Fishel’s cohosting schedule for the Dancing With the Stars Tour, take a look at the lineup here.