Growing up, my mom used to ask us to scrub our hearts with Vim to get rid of bad thoughts or ill feelings such as jealousy. She didn't mean it literally of course but she says it all the time. 

Today i was cleaning the pot in the kitchen and saw how black the base was. The normal sponge and dishwasher couldn't do the job, no matter how hard i scrub. So i switched to the scourer and Cif cream (i don't think they sell Vim anymore nowadays) and had a go with it. 

Soon enough, the black stains start to melt and chip away revealing the 'so-called' stainless steel beneath it. And i remembered what my mom said.

And it's true. Imagine our hearts to be the pot. If you don't clean it properly, soon the black spot will grow bigger and cover your whole heart. By then, you have a dirty heart and you'll find it hard to do good deeds. 

So you have to clean it, and you need to use the right tools. Of course good thoughts and being positive would help, but when you meditate with proper dzikr and the right prayers, it works better and faster. 

P/s: this is not a product placement.