Do you dread the thought of cleaning your house? Well, what if we told you that cleaning could actually make you fitter? Yes, you read that right!
Regular cleaning can provide you with a great workout and help you burn calories without even realizing it.
Simple tasks like vacuuming, mopping, and scrubbing can help you burn calories and work up a sweat.
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According to CalorieJam you can burn approximately 35 calories per 10 minutes of vacuuming. This will vary from person to person of course.
As a test, I vacuumed my house from top to bottom for half an hour including the stairs and set my Fitbit to ‘Workout’ mode. I vacuumed normally, i.e. not vigorously.
After 31 minutes of non-stop vacuuming my Fitbit read 182 calories, and my heart rate averaged out at 124 bpm. This was much more than I expected!
According to Nutracheck this is roughly what you can expect to burn per household job (on average):
| Activity | Calories Per Hr |
|---|---|
| Heavy cleaning (e.g. hovering) | 297 |
| Moderate cleaning (e.g. cleaning the bathroom) | 231 |
| Light cleaning (e.g. dusting) | 165 |
| Cooking | 165 |
| Decorating | 297 |
| Painting house | 297 |
| General gardening | 246 |
| Mowing the lawn | 363 |
| Mowing the lawn on a sit-on-top mower | 165 |
| Raking the lawn | 264 |
Of course there are other advantages too.
According to Verywellmind.com a clean and organized home can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve your sleep quality, and even boost your mood.
So, not only will you be getting a workout, but you’ll also be improving your mental health. It’s a win-win situation!
The physical benefits of daily cleaning
Keeping your home clean and tidy doesn’t just make your living space look nicer, it can also provide some great physical benefits.
Vacuuming and sweeping are great ways to get your heart rate up and get your blood pumping.
These activities can help you burn calories and improve your cardiovascular health. As I found, you don’t have to do it vigorously to get the benefit, a regular pace will do just fine.
Window washing is a great way to tone your arm muscles, or in fact anything that involves some reaching such as washing walls, dusting high shelves, or cleaning the bath,
Reaching and scrubbing can help you build strength in your arms, shoulders, and upper back and improve your range of motion and flexibility.
You can also work on your core muscles by standing on one leg while washing windows and improve you balance at the same time. Don’t do this whilst on a ladder though!
How to combine a fitness routine with regular household chores
Many everyday household chores can double as exercises that can help you burn calories, tone your muscles, and improve your overall health.
Here are a few tips for creating a fitness routine with household chores.
Incorporating squats and lunges
Squats and lunges are great exercises for building strength and toning your lower body.
You can easily incorporate these exercises into your cleaning routine by doing them while you vacuum, mop, or sweep.
For example, while you’re vacuuming, try doing 10 squats every time you change direction. Or, while you’re mopping, do 10 lunges with each leg every time you reach a new section of the floor.
High-energy chore dance
If you’re looking for a fun and energetic way to get your heart rate up, try turning your cleaning routine into a dance party.
Put on your favorite upbeat music and dance your way through your chores.
You can incorporate jumping jacks, high knees, and other cardio exercises into your routine to make it even more challenging.
Not only will you burn calories and improve your fitness, but you’ll also have a blast doing it!
Calf-raises while washing dishes
As you do the dishes lift yourself up onto your toes and then down again in a controlled motion. This will strengthen your calf muscles.
Squats while cleaning the toilet
When you clean the toilet, instead of kneeling down or stooping, try squatting instead. This is great for toning your booty!
Use the stairs more
If you have stairs in your house, find more excuses to use them! I’ve stopped leaving a box on the bottom stair for things to take up. If you don’t have an excuse to go up, increase your activity by running up and down a few times anyway!
Use waiting time to get fitter
While you are waiting for the kettle to boil, the air-fryer to bake, or the microwave to ping, take the opportunity to do some squats, push-ups, lunges, star jumps, or running on the spot.
The mental health perks of a tidy space
Keeping your living space clean and tidy doesn’t just make your home look nice, it can also have a positive impact on your mental health.
When my house is clean and straight, I always feel better than when it is dirty and cluttered.
When your environment is cluttered and disorganized, it can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety. On the other hand, a clean and tidy space can help you feel more relaxed and calm.
Have you ever tried to work in a cluttered space? It can be difficult to concentrate when there are distractions all around you.
As someone who has worked from home for years I always find myself working more effectively when the room is tidy.
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