Housework, something that has to be done daily and is not always fun. From vacuuming, to cleaning the bathroom and from ironing to washing dishes. Something you can't get away from. However, doing housework also has its benefits. Besides keeping your surroundings clean, doing housework also gets you moving. You might not realise it right away, but doing housework is a sport in itself. Read how sporty you actually are while cleaning.
Intensity in doing housework
While doing housework, you can control the intensity. Are you ready for that solid workout? Then don't make it easy on yourself when you get going. Going to clean the bathtub? Instead of running a cloth over it, you can start briskly brushing and scrubbing. By putting all your energy into it, you are really getting something out of your cleaning. That way, you are burning calories and your house will soon be gleaming clean. So two birds with one stone!
How many calories do you burn doing housework?
The amount of calories burned is determined by the intensity of the household chore. Of course, this varies from task to task. Below, we list some of the most tiring household chores. We also give tips on how you can make sure you burn the most calories while housework.
1 Bathroom cleaning: about 400 calories per hour
Cleaning the bathroom can be done in several ways, that is, at different levels of intensity. By thoroughly cleaning all of your bathroom by hand, this is one of the most intensive workouts in the household. This way, you use your arms while cleaning and by having to move around each time, the leg muscles are also trained.
2 Mopping: approx. 300 calories per hour
Mopping by hand an intensive household task where quite a lot of calories can be burned.... In fact, with hand mopping, you train the whole body. For instance, you train the arms by mopping and while standing up and squatting again, you use the leg muscles intensively.
If you use a mop on a stick, it is already less heavy and therefore less intensive.
3 Window cleaning: about 300 calories per hour
Window cleaning is very tiring. It starts with the kitchen ladder or even a ladder. Climbing up and down makes you burn 150 calories an hour already. Added to this is the vigorous scrubbing with the arms. Once your windows are shiny clean again, you have already burned 300 calories.
4 Vacuuming: approx. 250 calories per hour
While vacuuming, you mainly use the arms. As you keep pushing and pulling the hose in all directions, you use the biceps and triceps a lot. You can make this household task more intense, burning more calories. For example, instead of bending down, try going through your squat when you need to be under a table or cupboard. As soon as you start feeling the thighs, you know your muscles are doing their best!
Still, would you prefer to actually exercise instead of combining it with housework?
In fact, we at FriskFysio also offer physiofitness, here we help guidance during exercise, set personal goals and provide a tailor-made exercise programme. Take contact with us and KEEP ON MOVING!
