Abstract   This essay is analysing the presence of cleaning and grooming in the novels Shakespeare’s Landlord and Dead Until Dark, both by Charlaine Harris. Against the backdrop of teratology, the essay demonstrates how cleaning and grooming are means for the female protagonists Lily and Sookie to get rid of their inner and outer monstrosities. Their respective monstrosity is defined against the definition of monstrosity by David J. Skal in Monster Theory Seven Theses and the need to get rid of monstrosity is discussed against the theories of Julia Kristeva and Mary Douglas.