9 Ways To Make Cleaning Less Painful | One Good Thing by Jillee

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!

6. Store Supplies Smartly

Consider the way you currently store your cleaning supplies. Are they conveniently located for the tasks you use them for? For instance, if you have to go downstairs to the kitchen to grab what you need to clean your upstairs bathroom, you can save some effort by moving those supplies upstairs.

7. Spring Into Action

When it comes to stains on clothing and carpets, the sooner you address them, the better! It takes a lot less effort to remove a recent stain than an old, set-in stain.

8. Let It Sit

Never underestimate the power of letting things soak. If there’s a crusted-on mess in one of your pots or pans, fill it with hot, soapy water and let it sit for a couple of hours. To clean stubborn soap scum in your shower, apply your cleaning spray and let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Giving those cleaning products time to work often means a lot less scrubbing!

9. Use The Right Tools

Keep an eye out for tools that can make cleaning tasks easier. For example, this Baseboard Buddy tool has a cleaning pad attached to an extendable handle, so you can wipe your baseboards clean without bending or reaching! There are plenty of other tools that can make cleaning easier, too.