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"Cleanliness is Next to Impossible" is the sixth episode of the first season of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It originally aired on February 21, 1988.

Plot[]

The episode begins with Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger running from a giant tornado and trying to get inside the storm cellar. Piglet is suddenly picked up by the wind and Pooh and Tigger are swept away as well as they try to bring him back down. The scene shifts into Christopher's messy bedroom as the friends tumble behind the bed from the powerful current of an electric fan which Christopher manages to shut off. Just then, his mother comes in and regards how filthy her son's room is. Last time Christopher attempted cleaning his room, he just shoved everything under the bed "with the crud". His mother says he has to clean the room up properly before he goes to play outside. After remembering all the toys he lost in the mess, he decides it would be best if he cleaned up. His mother hand s her a vacuum cleaner and a bar of soap for his next bath.

When his mother leaves, Christopher looks around and complains about how long this will take. Tigger tries to help by throwing all the stuff in a big pile, then tries to cover it up with a blanket. The friends aren't satisfied with this either and Tigger gets an idea of throwing it all under the bed where he thinks the toys would enjoy the most. After the bed is stuffed up with toys, the toys suddenly disappear. The friends think this means the bed wants more and Pooh is about to throw in a shoe when Piglet stops him, saying the Crud Christopher Robin's Mother mentioned might not like it. Pooh throws it in nonetheless and immediately, the shoe shoots right back out. The friends try throwing it in a few more times, ending with the shoe pushing Tigger and Christopher into the closet which closes on them. Suddenly, an ominous voice speaks out from the bed, asking not to put the shoe in again. Pooh and Piglet nervously crawl under the bed to respond to the voice but end up getting sucked in to the under-the-bed world where a group of living crayons come and take the unsuspecting friends away.

Meanwhile in the bedroom, Christopher Robin and Tigger have escaped the closet and wonder where Pooh and Piglet could have gone. After Tigger tackles what turns out to be a pillow, Christopher discovers the shoe and realizes their friends must have gone under the bed. He crouches down and gets sucked in, followed by Tigger and the two find themselves in this dusty world where Christopher's enlarged toys are scattered everywhere. As they explore, they run into a little cluster of sneezing dust named Smudge who leads them to Crud, whom he says will be pleased to meet him. Christopher Robin believed Smudge may know where Pooh and Piglet are and he and Tigger follow.

The three arrive at Christopher Robin's other shoe which has become some sort of castle. An army of crayons line up the the entrance and at "The Boy". When the three enter the shoe, sinister laughter rings through the room and a sickly green hand made of slime and gunk beckons the boy to come closer. The hand leads to a mass of slime which emerges into a huge monster. Crud explains that this kingdom wouldn't have come to be if it weren't for Christopher Robin throwing everything under the bed. Tigger says they should just get their missing friends back and get out of this strange place as Christopher expresses his guilt for not cleaning up down here. Upon hearing this, Crud is enraged and orders Smudge to show the boy the monster's plan. Smudge pulls a rope and a river of Crud's filth and grime emerges. Christopher then spots his lost toys slaving away at the vacuum cleaner and filling it with the slime, Crud explaining this to be his "Un-vacuum" which he plans to use to spread filth everywhere and rule the world. When Tigger is sent away after expressing disgust at this, Christopher confronts the Crud and demands to know where his friends are. Crud says if the boy doesn't make things dirtier for him, Christopher will never see them again. The boy refuses to help and says "From now on, my middle name is 'Clean'". At the utterance of this word, Crud freaks out and orders his guards to throw him in the dungeon.

In a cell made of dominoes and playing cards, Pooh states that they should get out and Tigger yanks at the bars, enthusiastically calling out "Let me outta here! Let me out, I tell ya!" Piglet wipes away at the dirty floor and realizes the floor is nothing but dirt as it sinks down and opens up as a hole that gradually gets larger and sucks the trio down into a hallway a giant crayon boxes where they get chased by Crud's crayon army. They batter through the battalion with Christopher Robin's missing roller skate but crash and break it, having them resort to a plan B to rescue their friend. They disguise themselves as a crayon and sneak into the bed like cell where Christopher Robin is being kept. Upon freeing them, the crayons find them and chase them into Crud's Throne Room. Christopher bravely goes up to confront the monster who plucks the boy of the ground in anger. The bar of soap slips out of Christopher's back pocket and Pooh hurls it back up to him. As Christopher holds the soap up to Crud, making him cower, the boy's toys burst in with the vacuum cleaner, now back in its original functioning state. They turn it on and defeat Crud and Smudge who fly into the tube.

Back in the bedroom, Christopher Robin and the friends rush to put everything in their proper places so Crud would never return. Before long, his Mother comes in amazed but one last sock on the floor. She is about to throw in under the bed-presumably to test her son-but Christopher snatches it away and puts it in the laundry basket. The Mother lets her son go out and play, but Christopher says he has to take a bath first which surprises his Mother.

Cast[]

Songs[]

Home video[]

UK[]

  • Bubbles and Troubles (VHS)

Trivia[]

  • Moral: It's important to keep your room clean and put everything in its proper spot.
  • The title is based on the catchphrase: "Cleanliness is next to godliness."
  • In the opening scene, Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger have a fantasy sequence in which they are being chased by a tornado (later revealed to be a fan). The backgrounds are painted to look like the sepia-toned Kansas from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, with A. Arnold Gillespie's muslin sock tornado that sends Dorothy and Toto to the land of Oz, given a personification.
  • This episode was never released on VHS or DVD in most places of the world; its only home video release so far was in a VHS published in the UK.
  • During the song "Under the Bed" at the beginning of the episode, the Pixar Ball makes a cameo.
    • The song itself is also credited in the closing credits.


v - e - d
Winnie the Pooh logo
Media
Films: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (video) • Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (video) • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (video) • The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (video) • Winnie the Pooh and a Day for Eeyore (video) • Pooh's Great School Bus AdventurePooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin (video) • Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (video) • The Tigger Movie (video) • The Book of Pooh: Stories from the HeartWinnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh YearPiglet's Big Movie (video) • Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (video) • Pooh's Heffalump Movie (video) • Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (video) • Super Sleuth Christmas MovieTigger & Pooh and a Musical TooSuper Duper Super SleuthsWinnie the Pooh (video) • Christopher Robin (video)

TV Shows: Welcome to Pooh CornerThe New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (video) • The Book of PoohMy Friends Tigger & PoohPlaydate with Winnie the PoohMe & Winnie the Pooh
Video Games: Winnie the Pooh in the Hundred Acre WoodTigger's Honey HuntPiglet's Big GameWinnie the Pooh's Rumbly Tumbly AdventurePooh's Party Game: In Search of the TreasureKinect: Disneyland AdventuresKingdom HeartsKingdom Hearts Birth by SleepKingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesKingdome Hearts IIWinnie the Pooh: Adventures of the Hundred Acre WoodAnimated Storybook: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey TreeAnimated Storybook: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger TooKingdom Hearts IIIDisney Emoji BlitzDisney Heroes: Battle ModeDisney POP TOWN
Cancelled: The World According to Winnie the Pooh

Disney Parks
Fantasy GardensGarden of Twelve FriendsHunny Pot SpinLe Pays des Contes de FéesPLAY!Pooh's Hunny HuntPooh's Playful SpotThe Magic of Disney AnimationThe Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Entertainment: "A Whole New World" A Magical Disney SongbookFantasy FestivalIt's Party Time... with Mickey and FriendsMickey's Magical Music WorldMickey presents: “Happy Anniversary Disneyland Paris”Once Upon a MouseWinnie the Pooh and Friends, too!Wondrous Journeys
Restaurants: Crystal Palace
Shops: Pooh Corner
Parades: Celebrate A Dream Come True ParadeDisney's FantillusionDisney's Magical Moments ParadeDisney's Party ExpressDisney Carnivale ParadeDisney Magic on ParadeDisney on Parade: 100 Years of MagicDisney Stars on ParadeDreaming Up!Flights of Fantasy ParadeHappiness is Here ParadeJubilation!Mickey's Rainy Day ExpressMickey's Storybook ExpressTokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLights
Fireworks: Disneyland ForeverMomentousOnce Upon a TimeRemember... Dreams Come TrueWondrous Journeys
Spring: Disney Color-Fest: A Street Party!Disney's Easter WonderlandDisney's Spring PromenadeHippity Hoppity SpringtimeUsatama on the Run!
Summer: Mickey's WaterWorks
Halloween: Happy HallowishesMickey's Boo-to-You Halloween ParadeMickey's Halloween Celebration
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy ParadeDisney's White Holiday ParadeLa Parade de Noël Disney

Characters
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Winnie the PoohChristopher RobinPigletTiggerEeyoreRabbitKangaRooOwlGopherBeesHeffalumpsWoozlesMr. Narrator

Welcome to Pooh Corner: Robert Rabbit
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Mrs. RobinBirdzillaMama HeffalumpJunior HeffalumpPapa HeffalumpCrowsKessiePygmy PigletsCrudSmudgeStan and HeffWoosterBrunoTed, Pinky & Vacuum HeadPack RatsNasty JackNasty Jack's GangBugsJagularRabbit's relativesLong John CottontailDexterSkippy
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin: SkullasaurusTyrannosaurus Rex
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You: Winifred
Pooh's Heffalump Movie: LumpyMama Heffalump
My Friends Tigger & Pooh: DarbyBusterBeaverWoodpeckerOpossum Twins
Pooh's Super Sleuth Christmas Movie: Santa ClausHolly
Winnie the Pooh: BalloonThe BacksonRabbit's Friends and Relations
Christopher Robin: Evelyn RobinMadeline RobinGiles Winslow Jr.Cecil Hungerford
Winnie the Pooh for President: Rodney the Rotten Wolf

Episodes
Welcome to Pooh CornerThe New Adventures of Winnie the PoohThe Book of PoohMy Friends Tigger & Pooh
Locations
Hundred Acre WoodPooh's HousePiglet's HouseTigger's HouseRabbit's HouseEeyore's HouseOwl's HouseRabbit's GardenChristopher Robin's RoomSkull CaveNorth PoleGopher's TunnelsHeffalump HollowThe Scary Woods
Objects
Winnie the Pooh dollWinnie the Pooh storybookRock Remover
Songs
Movie Songs

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: "Winnie the Pooh" • "Up, Down, Touch the Ground" • "Rumbly in My Tumbly" • "Little Black Rain Cloud" • "Mind Over Matter" • "A Rather Blustery Day" • "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" • "Heffalumps and Woozles" • "Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down" • "Hip-Hip-Hooray!"
Boo to You Too! Winnie the Pooh: "I Am Not Afraid" • "I Wanna Scare Myself"
Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin: "Forever & Ever" • "Adventure is a Wonderful Thing" • "If It Says So" • "Wherever You Are" • "Everything is Right"
A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving: "Hooray, Hooray!" • "Berrily We Roll Along" • "Our Thanksgiving Day" •
Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving: "Seasons of Giving"
The Many Songs of Winnie the Pooh: "It Really Was a Woozle, Yes it Was"
Sing a Song with Pooh Bear: "Kanga Roo Hop" • "Harvest What You Grow" • "My Song"
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You: "Girls are Like Boys" • "When the Love Bug Bites" • "Places in the Heart"
Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year: "Jingle Bells" • "Snow Snows" • "Happy Pooh Year" • "Hunny, No Not For Me" • "Auld Lang Syne"
The Tigger Movie: "Someone Like Me" • "Whoop-de-Dooper Bounce" • "Lull-a-Bee" • "Round My Family Tree" • "How to Be a Tigger" • "Your Heart Will Lead You Home"
Piglet's Big Movie: "If I Wasn't So Small" • "A Mother's Intuition" • "With a Few Good Friends" • "Sing-Ho (For the Life of a Bear)" • "The More It Snows (Tiddely-Pom)" • "The More I Look Inside" • "Comforting to Know"
Springtime With Roo: "We're Huntin' Eggs Today" • "Sniffley Sniff" • "Easter Day With You" • "The Way It Must Be Done"
Pooh's Heffalump Movie: "Little Mr. Roo" • "The Horribly Hazardous Heffalumps" • "The Name Game" • "Shoulder to Shoulder" • "In the Name of the Hundred Acre Wood/What Do You Do?"
Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie: "Trick 'R Treating With Our Friends" • "Brave Together"
Winnie the Pooh: "The Tummy Song" • "A Very Important Thing to Do" • "The Winner Song" • "The Backson Song" • "It's Gonna Be Great" • "Everything is Honey" • "Pooh's Finale" • "So Long"
Christopher Robin: "Goodbye, Farewell" • "Busy Doing Nothing" • "Christopher Robin"

Television Songs
Welcome to Pooh Corner: "Welcome to Pooh Corner Theme Song" • "Try a Little Something New" • "The Right Side" • "Yes, I Can" • "You're the Only You" • "I Hum to Myself" • "Please and Thank You" • "Responsible Persons" • "You're the One and Only One" • "Welcome to Pooh Corner Ending Theme"
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: "Pooh Bear" • "'Cause It's Make Believe" • "The Floating Song" • "Nothing's Too Good for a Friend" • "Under the Bed" • "I Don't Have A Name" • "King of the Beasties" • "The End" • "Pirates is What We'll Be" • "Tigger the Private Ear is Here"
The Book of Pooh: "Everyone Knows He's Winnie the Pooh" • "Goodbye for Now" • "Your Best Wishes" • "On the Double" • "Who is Me" • "Think, Think, Think" • "A Day in the Life of a Pooh" • "What Piglets Are" • "I Watch for Signs" • "We're Making a Cake" • "If I Could Be Big" • "Isn't That Funny?" • "Everyone Wants a Valentine" • "That's What We Do" • "Keep it Simple" • "Have You Got a Book For Me?" • "Give It a Try" • "On Your Way Back Home" • "The Birdbird Song" • "Nightmare Wranglers" • "Carry On" • "What's Your Name, River" • "Where Do Words Go?" • "Under a Spelling Bee's Spell" • "Adventure" • "Stripey McSnarl Always Gets His Man" • "Mental Altitude" • "I Want to Know Everything Now" • "Happy Tailiversary" • "Get Growin'" • "Tigger's Lullaby" • "Perfect Party" • "If We Were Talkin'" • "Someone New to Meet" • "My Hero" • "Broken Friendships" • "Do the Roo" • "Call Me Buck-a-Roo" • "At Chez Piglet" • "Nothing Ever Happens" • "Too Much Honey" • "Lost in a Book"
My Friends Tigger and Pooh: "My Friends Tigger & Pooh Theme" • "A Few Simple Rules" • "Bouncin'" • "The Grass is Greenier" • "The Password Song" • "Underneath the Same Sky" • "One Big Happy Family" • "Think, Think, Think" • "The Question Song" • "Floating in a Cloud" • "Different Can Be Good" • "The Little Things You Do" • "There's a Party" • "No More Fun In the Snow" • "Butterflies" • "What Makes a Pony a Pony" • "When We Work Together" • "Christmas Comes Tomorrow" • "Time to Go (On a Trek Through the Snow)" • "Snowman Song"
Miscellaneous: "Luv-a-bye" • "Playtime Song" • "Learning Song" • "Friendship Song" • "Snug as a Bear Can Be" • "The Scrapbook Song" • "Pooh for President"

See Also
Winnie the Pooh Discovers the SeasonsToo Smart for StrangersThe Disney AfternoonThe Many Songs of Winnie the PoohSing a Song with Pooh BearSing a Song with TiggerWhoopty-Dooper-Loopty-Looper-Alley-Ooper bounce • "Into the Hundred Acre Wood!" • Broadway musicalTales of Friendship with Winnie the Pooh
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