Can Your Cleaning Routine Double as a Workout?

If you’ve ever wrestled a duvet into its cover by yourself, then you know just how physically taxing housework can be. But can cleaning your home be as beneficial as a formal exercise routine? We asked experts whether your chores can replace your Pilates class.

Does Housework Count as Exercise?

Yes, cleaning your house is exercise! However, your chores likely don’t burn as many calories as a trip to the gym, so they shouldn’t be your only form of exercise.

“Doing housework absolutely contributes to caloric expenditure — all physical activity counts,” Dana Angelo White, registered dietitian nutritionist and certified athletic trainer, tells HGTV. “It’s hard to gauge and varies by weight, age and gender, but some estimates indicate that housework can burn about 150 to 200 calories per hour. It’s not a ton but adds up over time.”

Some tasks are more rigorous than others, but any activity is better than nothing.

“Active cleaning certainly counts as movement, though as a complement to structured exercise, rather than in place of it,” Chris Mohr, dietitian and exercise physiologist, tells HGTV. “Vacuuming, dusting, gardening and weeding are some [chores] that come to mind and are more active than many other daily tasks, though any and all movement is fantastic.”

Can You Turn Your Chores Into More Effective Exercises?

If you want to get more physical benefits out of your cleaning tasks, there are ways to turn them into more challenging exercises.

“When you are vacuuming, you can lunge walk or do some high knee marches instead of just taking steps,” Gaetana Deiso, athletic trainer and functional movement specialist, tells HGTV. “You can also turn sweeping, mopping or vacuuming into an interval workout. Do the task faster for one minute and then slower for 30 seconds.”

You can also incorporate weights for a greater challenge. For example, Mohr wears a weighted backpack while mowing the lawn. However, White warns this can put extra strain on your joints and increase the risk of injury.

How Should You Clean and Exercise Safely?

Deiso says that form is key to avoiding injuries from any chore, especially if you’re amplifying it.

“What I would avoid and be aware of is repeated twisting or bending over as this can strain your lower back. Squatting instead and bending at the knees can be [safer] and add a strength component,” she says. “Make sure when cleaning or scrubbing that you’re not holding awkward positions for an extended period of time.”

Multitasking is also a safe, effective way to merge your cleaning and exercise routines. For example, you could do squats or crunches while waiting for a load of laundry or dishes to finish.

Bottom Line: Making your cleaning tasks more physically challenging or working out while you’re doing your housework are both practical ways to get more exercise. While cleaning alone is not enough to replace a formal workout, you’ll still benefit from the movement, and you can combine your routines to get more bang for your buck.