A while back, I shared a tip about using a broom to clean your bathtub, and one unexpected benefit of that post was how useful it ended up being for people with limited mobility. But it makes sense, since you don’t need to do as much bending and reaching with a long-handled tool as you do with a standard scrub brush.
That experience got me thinking about other ways to make cleaning less painful because I knew that would make a useful post too! Below, you’ll find 9 practical tips to help you keep your house clean with less pain and discomfort.
9 Simple Tips That Make Cleaning Less Painful
1. Stand Up Straight
Whenever you vacuum, mop, rake, or shovel, avoid hunching over as much as possible. Keeping your upper body straight and knees slightly bent will reduce the amount of strain on your back.
2. Find Your Footing
Speaking of hunching over, try to keep your back straight while standing at the sink too. One simple way to make this easier is to open the cabinet door under your sink and place one foot inside. This will allow you to reach for things by bending at the knees, putting less strain on your back.
3. Reach Like A Golfer
Even picking up things around the house can be painful if it requires bending and reaching, but you can minimize strain on your back by using the “golfer’s reach.”
While reaching for something with your right hand, lift your left leg into the air behind you. (Picture Tiger Woods retrieving a ball after sinking a putt!) This technique reduces strain by distributing effort evenly along your body.
4. Automate Your Cleaning
There are all kinds of cool gadgets out there you can use to automate certain cleaning tasks! You can buy a robot vacuum, a self-cleaning litter box, and more!
These automated cleaners typically don’t come cheap, but if it means less pain for you, it could be well worth the investment.
5. Pace Yourself
Instead of wearing yourself out with a once-a-week marathon cleaning session, spread it out throughout the week. Doing one or two tasks every day may be less painful than doing it all at once!
