--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, you got to get the devil out…" description: "\"“You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you can clean it up!”\" — Ron Hall" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg" --- # You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you… ![“You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you can clean it up!” quote by Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg) > ““You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you can clean it up!”” [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To solve a problem, first remove the source of trouble before attempting repair. **In simple terms:** Remove the cause before fixing. Key Takeaway Eliminate the problem first. Themes problem solving prioritization cleanliness Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - home repairs - personal habits - team projects Key Concepts cause and effect strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What root cause is hidden? - How can you address it directly? A Different Perspective Sometimes the “devil” is hard to identify. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clean up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-up/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devil House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil-house-2751934/) [Fore Clean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fore-clean-2751935/) [Got Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-devil-741275/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Fore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-fore-2751936/) ## Related quotes > [“If you got the devil to pay, he'll want extra red-eye on his biscuit. He always do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-thornhorn/if-you-got-the-devil-to-pay-he-ll-want-extra-red-eye-on-his-biscuit/) [Randy Thornhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-thornhorn/) > [I got this devil in my mind and this angel in front of me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/i-got-this-devil-in-my-mind-and-this-angel-in-front-of-me/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koehler/you-ve-got-me-in-between-the-devil-and-the-deep-blue-sea/) [Ted Koehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koehler/) > [“When you've got the devil's own luck, you're immune from the usual run of disasters. Such people must be utilized.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/when-you-ve-got-the-devil-s-own-luck-you-re-immune-from-the-usual-run/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [You gotta stay on your P's and Q's. When you popping so hard, got these blessings coming down, you got the devil tryin' to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeoff/you-gotta-stay-on-your-p-s-and-q-s-when-you-popping-so-hard-got-these/) [Takeoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeoff/) > [And I flirted with the devil and he dealt me a card. He told me that you will never win. So I sold my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-williams-iii/and-i-flirted-with-the-devil-and-he-dealt-me-a-card-he-told-me-that/) [Hank Williams III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-williams-iii/) > [What is got over the devil's back is spent under his belly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/what-is-got-over-the-devil-s-back-is-spent-under-his-belly/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [“Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself Upon thy wicked dam”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-poisonous-slave-got-by-the-devil-himself-upon-thy-wicked-dam/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If we can clean up our world, I'll bet you we can achieve warp drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-we-can-clean-up-our-world-i-ll-bet-you-we-can-achieve-warp-drive/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [As long as we, in the United States, continue to insist that our politicians have to spend all of their time raising millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/as-long-as-we-in-the-united-states-continue-to-insist-that-our/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [“Where is the culture of cleanliness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/where-is-the-culture-of-cleanliness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Desire to dwell in clean environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/desire-to-dwell-in-clean-environment/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The time to clean our city of any dirt begins individual action for collective clean communities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-time-to-clean-our-city-of-any-dirt-begins-individual-action-for/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I am lonely. I clean up the house, put kids to bed and there I sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-gosselin/i-am-lonely-i-clean-up-the-house-put-kids-to-bed-and-there-i-sit/) [Kate Gosselin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-gosselin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Ron Hall > [“If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/if-mama-ain-t-happy-ain-t-nobody-happy/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“There's somethin I learned when I was homeless: Our limitation is God's opportunity. When you get all the way to the end of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/there-s-somethin-i-learned-when-i-was-homeless-our-limitation-is-god/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“he remained absolutely convinced that his way of life was no worse than mine, only different, pointing out in the process certain inconsistencies: Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/he-remained-absolutely-convinced-that-his-way-of-life-was-no-worse/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“But if you is lookin for a real friend, then I’ll be one. Forever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/but-if-you-is-lookin-for-a-real-friend-then-i-ll-be-one-forever/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“I’ve since deduced that it’s always a trap when you don’t get to eat until after you hear the talk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/i-ve-since-deduced-that-it-s-always-a-trap-when-you-don-t-get-to-eat/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“I knew Denver was sincere when he told me that he would not want to trade places with me for even one day. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/i-knew-denver-was-sincere-when-he-told-me-that-he-would-not-want-to/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [I had become wealthy as an art dealer, but my life was never rich until I began serving in a mission and began being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/i-had-become-wealthy-as-an-art-dealer-but-my-life-was-never-rich/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“Bein friends is like being soldiers in the army. You live together, you fight together; you die together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/bein-friends-is-like-being-soldiers-in-the-army-you-live-together-you/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“I heard that when white folks go fishin they do somethin called 'catch and release.' Catch and release? I nodded solemnly, suddenly nervous and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/i-heard-that-when-white-folks-go-fishin-they-do-somethin-called-catch/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [Someone that you obviously can trust and someone that you would trust your life with - that's a really good friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/someone-that-you-obviously-can-trust-and-someone-that-you-would-trust/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“She did have one other fear, though: missing the call of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/she-did-have-one-other-fear-though-missing-the-call-of-god/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [It's not the color of our skin that divides our nation; it's the condition of our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/it-s-not-the-color-of-our-skin-that-divides-our-nation-it-s-the/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“Good medicine always tastes bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/good-medicine-always-tastes-bad/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [“You was the onlyest person that looked past my skin and past my meanness and saw that there was somebody on the inside worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/you-was-the-onlyest-person-that-looked-past-my-skin-and-past-my/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) > [Most people never really sat down and got to know a homeless person, but every homeless person is just a real person that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/most-people-never-really-sat-down-and-got-to-know-a-homeless-person/) [Ron Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) [Explore all 42 Ron Hall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/) ## More Clean up quotes > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I am lonely. I clean up the house, put kids to bed and there I sit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-gosselin/i-am-lonely-i-clean-up-the-house-put-kids-to-bed-and-there-i-sit/) [Kate Gosselin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-gosselin/) > [“The time to clean our city of any dirt begins individual action for collective clean communities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-time-to-clean-our-city-of-any-dirt-begins-individual-action-for/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Desire to dwell in clean environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/desire-to-dwell-in-clean-environment/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If we can clean up our world, I'll bet you we can achieve warp drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/if-we-can-clean-up-our-world-i-ll-bet-you-we-can-achieve-warp-drive/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [As long as we, in the United States, continue to insist that our politicians have to spend all of their time raising millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/as-long-as-we-in-the-united-states-continue-to-insist-that-our/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [“Where is the culture of cleanliness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/where-is-the-culture-of-cleanliness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Environmental cleanliness begins with individual desire to be clean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/environmental-cleanliness-begins-with-individual-desire-to-be-clean/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Along with my passion for horse breeding, I was a horse racing enthusiast... In 1974 I was elected as a committee member and subsequently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyrus-s-poonawalla/along-with-my-passion-for-horse-breeding-i-was-a-horse-racing/) [Cyrus S. Poonawalla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyrus-s-poonawalla/) > [My momma didn't clean up floors so I could be a thug... so I could wear my pants down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mr-t/my-momma-didn-t-clean-up-floors-so-i-could-be-a-thug-so-i-could-wear/) [Mr. T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mr-t/) > [If someone throws a pie at you, it's gotta stick. It's gotta be gooey. So you use a whipped cream pie. And if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soupy-sales/if-someone-throws-a-pie-at-you-it-s-gotta-stick-it-s-gotta-be-gooey/) [Soupy Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soupy-sales/) > [“Environmental cleanliness begins with each individual desire to be clean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/environmental-cleanliness-begins-with-each-individual-desire-to-be/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Disasters happen. We still have no way to eliminate earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, floods or droughts. We cope as best we can by fortifying ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/disasters-happen-we-still-have-no-way-to-eliminate-earthquakes/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“Don't let out your true behaviour in the public, even if you were born nasty, make others feel you were well bred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/don-t-let-out-your-true-behaviour-in-the-public-even-if-you-were-born/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [That area environmentally is a waste. You can't do anything. I don't care if the Sierra Club goes out there. It is fully polluted!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-daley/that-area-environmentally-is-a-waste-you-can-t-do-anything-i-don-t/) [Richard M. Daley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-daley/) [Browse all 58 Clean up quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-up/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you can clean it up!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ron Hall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-the-house-fore-you-can-clean-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clean up" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-the-house-fore-you-can-clean-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/444/ron-hall-15761_clean-up_you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-th_1082075.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know, you got to get the devil out the house 'fore you can clean it up!” — Ron Hall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ron Hall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-hall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“You know, you got to get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-the-house-fore-you-can-clean-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-hall/you-know-you-got-to-get-the-devil-out-the-house-fore-you-can-clean-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```