How to Burn Calories and Lose Weight by Cleaning House

Losing weight is a goal for millions of people, and so is keeping up with the housework. Don't feel like you have time to hit the gym and the laundry? That's ok - here's how you can work on cleaning house and losing weight at the same time.

It doesn't matter if you're a working mom, a career dad or just hitting the books in your first term at college; finding the time to get all those items on the "To-Do" list done can be a very daunting task. Often we look at a list of our personal goals and there are so many that they seem insurmountable. Luckily, if you've ever spent an hour scrubbing countertops or mopping floors you've already discovered that house cleaning and burning calories go hand-in-hand. So roll up your sleeves, grab your mop, and start tracking your calories burned (and losing weight)!

Thanks to sites like www.Bitter Poison.com it's easy to calculate how completing common house cleaning tasks results in calories burned. I plugged in various activities that I complete when I'm cleaning house so that I could see how calories I burned, and here are my results:

Ironing: 30 Minutes

Calories Burned: 97

Stop wearing wrinkly shirts and trousers to the office! Not only are wrinkles unsightly and unflattering, you are missing out on burning calories by wearing clothes that have not been ironed. Yes it's true that minor wrinkles can be "fluffed" out in the dryer, but if your dryer is anything like mine it won't be able to flatten deep creases.

House Cleaning Tip: Save space and time by getting a fold-out ironing board that hangs on the wall and can simply be pulled down when in use.

Washing Windows: 30 Minutes

Calories Burned: 146

It's easy to ignore grime on windows when you have curtains or blinds to cover them up. Fight the urge to skip the windows when you are cleaning because it is a great upper body workout! Not only will you be glad for the calories burned while working out your shoulders, biceps and triceps; but you'll also be more apt to open your windows and let natural light into your living space.

House Cleaning Tip: Professional window cleaners don't use newspapers to wash their windows; instead they use a kit of items that can be picked up at your local grocery store. Check out the article How to Clean Windows Without Streaks by Sydney Ellis to find out what you need for your window cleaning toolkit.

Mopping: 20 Minutes

Calories Burned: 110

If you have the blessing of living in a home without carpet, get mopping! Not only will you be astonished at how much more pleasant it is to go barefoot around the house, but you'll also be burning calories near what you would playing a game of volleyball.

House Cleaning Tip: Don't forget to sweep before you mop for an added clean feeling and even more calories burned.

Vacuuming: 20 Minutes

Calories Burned: 97

Dirty carpets can be a blessing in disguise! Pull out the vacuum and burn close to 100 calories doing the "vacuum shuffle". Seriously, dancing with your vacuum produces more calories burned than slow dancing with your sweetheart.

House Cleaning Tip: Don't wait until your vacuum bag is ready to burst to change it out, as it can harbor allergens that are pushed back out into the air. Invest in a vacuum with a HEPA Filtration system, and change both the filter and the bag regularly.

Scrubbing the Floor/Tub: 10 Minutes

Calories Burned: 91

Put your Scrubbing Bubbles away and pick up a heavy duty sponge and some old-fashioned bathroom cleaner. Not only will you get rid of the stain Uncle Phil left when he spilled wine in the den, the ring around the tub and that odd mystery spot in the middle of the living room, but you'll burn massive calories doing it!

House Cleaning Tip: Make sure to use the proper sponge or brush for the job to avoid scratching or damaging walls, floors and fixtures. Check out How to Select the Right Sponge for the Job by Susan M. Keenan for tips on selecting the right sponge.

As you can see, an afternoon spent cleaning house really adds up. Just completing these 5 tasks results in 541 calories burned. That's the same as heading outside for two hours of golf! Although house cleaning may not be as fun as hitting the links it sure beats spending two hours at the gym and yields instant results; and besides, I wouldn't know whether to use the 9 iron or the putter anyway.

Want to read more about losing weight? Click the links below:
A Smaller Bottom
Calories Burned During Running, Cycling and Walking
Ten Things that Will Keep You from Losing Ten Pounds