It’s already boring enough to polish your own oven and it’s no more thrilling to watch cleanliness freaks play poush-poush in the biggest cleaning competition in the country, says its host Stéphane Bellavance, who doesn’t only give one vacuum cleaner to the next one.
This spring novelty, which will not pass the Swiffer in the ratings, is called Wash to win and pitted 16 emulators of Madame Blancheville against each other in tests of removing extra-buttered microwaves or deep cleaning of chemical toilets, which saw a host of tipsy festival-goers pass by.
TVA believes that this adaptation of the Danish television format Master Cleaners has enough cleaning power to dislodge The Chiefs ! from Radio-Canada and Traitors from Noovo, who will collide as a trio on Mondays at 8 p.m.
Has Monday become the new Sunday? This time slot will be buzzing with action in the coming weeks, between a wine stain on a carpet on TVA and a coq au vin on Radio-Canada.
Wash to win is rooted in a pop-colored comic book setting of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs, which is in fact the MELS studios in Saint-Hubert, where the film was filmed The voice before Christmas.
Our princes of Pine-Sol and our fairies of Fantastik, whose ages are between 23 and 63, take on three challenges per episode in the hope of sweeping, after 11 weeks of competition, the prize pool of $10,000, i.e. the equivalent of a new Dyson (joke, of course).
In the first episode, the 16 competitors tackle crusty portable barbecues, which they must shine in 15 minutes. At their disposal: lemon wedges, white vinegar, baking soda, salt, all-purpose cleaner and degreaser.
IMAGE FROM THE SHOW
Stéphane Bellavance is the host of Wash to win.
These 16 stain remover enthusiasts scrub and scrub their small stove dressed in a white sink shirt, which they try, with more or less success, to protect from splashes.
Then, it’s time for the team challenge. With just two buckets full of water and a few basic supplies, our cleanliness ninjas take on the interior and exterior of four minivans, which have been filthy with ice cream, ketchup, dust and potato chip crumbs.
Then, the four candidates who failed the “spic and span” test end up with the elimination challenge: that of the living room carpet stained with mud, strong red wine and confetti. In 15 minutes, the two judges of Wash to win expect the rug to regain its former glory. Which turns out to be impossible, obviously.
Speaking of judges, they take themselves extremely seriously in this reality show that is nevertheless fun and friendly. They are Louis-Philippe Talbot, director of accommodation at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Montreal, and Isabelle De Palma, CEO of a high-end concierge service. These people don’t skimp on Windex.
IMAGE FROM THE SHOW
Isabelle De Palma, CEO of a high-end concierge service, and Louis-Philippe Talbot, director of accommodation at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Montreal, are the two judges of the show.
Judge Isabelle emphasizes the participants’ attention to detail, while Louis-Philippe evaluates the precision of their work. This is where the biggest dirt on Wash to win appears: in 20 minutes, no one has the time to be rigorous or meticulous in the complete washing of a car. It’s just impossible.
Result ? Challenge results still look “botched” on screen. And we do not find in Wash to win the intense satisfaction we experience when watching cleaning videos on social networks (follow the keyword #cleantok, it’s mind-blowing).
One of the judges will explain that the best way to brush a soiled carpet is on your knees (thanks for the tip!) and that it is always better to move the furniture before vacuuming (who would have thought it!) .
Why not then distill real professional tips to prevent viewers from making the same blunders as the participants?
Among the 16 competitors of Wash to win, we find several who earn their living in housekeeping. Entrepreneur Nick Meireles, 45, who describes himself as a clean artist, always lugs around dentist tools to reach and clean the less accessible crevices. Étienne Bérard, 28, never goes out without his pH meter, which helps him concoct magic potions to erase stubborn stains. Joël Lupien, 38, works on his sweeper, while Jeannette Ngo Kon, 63, applies the sanitation rules that her mother taught her.
You will also see in action the co-owner of the boutique La petite robe noire, Mélodie D’Amour, 34 years old, as well as a claims adjuster (Nathan Larose, 23 years old) and a nurse (France Proulx, 61 years old).
Last case: before the first eviction, the segment “what you will see this season” in Wash to win discloses the identity of the person leaving.
This kind of blunder, honestly, deserves a big industrial soap, a soap like the one that little Aurore was forced to bite into in 1952.
I levitate
With the advertising of Isothermic doors and windows
I really like this client called Nancy, with her two extremely finely drawn eyebrows (or eyebrows?) which remind us of the importance of doing business with real professionals. There is a fine line between good and bad windows, insists the friendly Nancy, who was advised by her neighbor Alain, the star of last year’s Isothermic advertising campaign, with his doll’s hair transplant. Long live audacity and humor.
I avoid it
The final of Witches to VAT
I was disappointed by the last episode of the first season of Witches, broadcast Monday evening. Yes, we have learned the identity of the mother of the redhead baby abandoned at Sainte-Piété Falls. We also learned the family bond that unites the carpenter Luc Tougas (Stéphane Gagnon) to this newborn, but the crux of the story remains to be unraveled. Who threatens to recreate the commune? Where is Louise, Joe’s mother (Céline Bonnier) hiding? Is Michael alive? Why doesn’t the pickleball player (Thomas Vallières) realize that Charlotte (Maée Jenkins) is 14 years old? Let’s pray to Hecate, Selene and Artemis so that the second season begins with the revelations.