How to Unlock and Level Up Ocean Cleanup Hobby in Heartopia
The Ocean Cleanup Hobby is one of the biggest additions to Heartopia's new Call of Whales season. It gives players a new way to explore Whalefall Canyon while earning useful rewards. Instead of simply swimming through the ocean, players can now remove pollution, collect valuable Seashells, and unlock new pollutant types along the way. If you’re still not sure how, this guide explains exactly how to unlock the Ocean Cleanup Hobby and level it up quickly in Heartopia.
How to Unlock the Ocean Cleanup Hobby in Heartopia
Unlike other hobbies in Heartopia, Ocean Cleanup comes with a completely different set of tasks for players to dive into. Unlocking the Ocean Cleanup Hobby is tied directly to the Whalefall Canyon exploration progression. You cannot unlock it immediately after entering the underwater area. In fact, there are a few objectives to complete first.
Start by traveling to Whalefall Canyon through the portal located at the base of Whale Mountain. Once inside, continue following the new underwater storyline until the quest directs you to interact with the Marine Archaeology Team. These introductory quests serve as the tutorial for the underwater region and introduce you to all the new mechanics.
After reaching this point, look for the clamshell icon in the upper corner of the screen. This opens the Whalefall Canyon Exploration menu that tracks your exploration progress and is required to unlock the hobby.
Continue completing the local quests and Daily Requests available in Whalefall Canyon. These activities reward Exploration Points along with Exploration Certificates, both of which are needed to increase your Exploration Level. Generally speaking, these tasks are pretty easy. I didn't even realize I had gotten enough XP to level up the hobby.
Once enough Exploration Points have been earned, open the Exploration menu again and spend one Exploration Certificate to upgrade your Exploration Level to Level 2.
Reaching Exploration Level 2 automatically unlocks the Ocean Cleanup Hobby. Oliver will introduce the feature through a short tutorial, and the Basic Ocean Cleanup Device will be added to your collection.
From this point onward, the Ocean Cleanup hobby remains permanently available.
Since this is a limited-time event, we can't say for sure if this hobby will still be available once the Whale Event ends. Best to grind it out now and not risk it.
How the Ocean Cleanup Hobby Works
After unlocking the hobby, equip the Ocean Purifier from the Tools menu before heading back into Whalefall Canyon.
You’ll see Pollutants all throughout the canyon as dark, contaminated formations. Walk up to one and hold the cleanup button until it is fully absorbed by the device. Successfully removing pollution rewards Hobby Experience, Exploration Points, and Seashells. I noticed that they're actually not that hard to miss, you can spot them with just a bit of concentration. Initially, it's better to focus on one region to complete quests tied to this hobby, and then move on to other available areas.
While absorbing pollution, pay attention to the crosshair. If it suddenly turns red, stop holding the cleanup button for a moment and wait until it returns to its normal color before continuing. Trying to force the cleanup while the crosshair is red will slow the process.
Seashells are valuable collectibles that will naturally accumulate during cleanup sessions. Collecting different shell varieties also contributes to Ocean Cleanup Collection Points. These can help players earn ocean-themed furniture and other cosmetic rewards over time.
Some pollutants behave differently than standard ones. Cracked pollutants are easy to recognize thanks to the glowing cracks running through them. After they're cleaned, they shatter into several smaller regular pollutants that must also be removed individually.
As your Exploration Level increases, additional pollutant types become available, making cleanup more varied and rewarding.
Before heading into Whalefall Canyon, it's a good idea to bring plenty of food so you can restore energy without interrupting your exploration. Keeping a few meals on hand will make farming pollutants much more easy. I also stacked up on Repair Kits since this new tool loses durability pretty quickly.
How to Level Up the Ocean Cleanup Hobby Faster
The fastest way to level up the Ocean Cleanup hobby is to combine cleanup sessions with daily exploration objectives.
Every pollutant removed grants Hobby Experience, but to level up quickly, you need to consistently earn Exploration Points through Whalefall Canyon activities. Daily Requests are one of the most reliable sources of Exploration Certificates, which are required every time you want to raise your Exploration Level.
Instead of spending time cleaning random locations endlessly, focus on completing the available exploration objectives first. Once those are finished, continue clearing nearby pollutants for additional Hobby Experience and Seashell rewards.
As your Exploration Level rises, the Ocean Cleanup system gradually unlocks better upgrades and rewards. There are 10 levels to upgrade through.
How to Remove The Corrupted Debuff
While removing pollutants or spending extended periods inside contaminated areas, you can become affected by the Corrupted debuff. When corrupted, Energy consumption increases.
Thankfully, removing the debuff is fairly simple. Cleansing Anemones found throughout Whalefall Canyon can remove corruption instantly. During the Ocean Cleanup event, nearby D.G. members can also help cleanse teammates. Outside the canyon, returning home and taking a bath will remove the debuff as well.
Keeping the debuff under control lets you get longer cleanup sessions without constantly worrying about running out of Energy.
FAQs
How do I level up the Ocean Cleanup Hobby quickly?
Complete Daily Requests every day, continue earning Exploration Points, raise your Exploration Level whenever possible, and regularly clean pollutants throughout Whalefall Canyon to gain Hobby Experience and Seashells.
What rewards do I get from Ocean Cleanup?
Players earn Hobby Experience, Exploration Points, collectibleSeashells, Gold, Ocean Cleanup Collection Points, ocean themed furniture, improved cleanup device upgrades, and access to additional pollutant types.
How do I remove the Corrupted debuff?
The Corrupted debuff can be removed by interacting with Cleansing Anemones in Whalefall Canyon, receiving help from other D.G. members during cleanup, or taking a bath after returning home.
- Released
- January 8, 2026
- Developer(s)
- XD
- Publisher(s)
- XD
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Casual, City Builder, Immersive Sim
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