Spring into Cleaning
Joint-friendly tips for big housecleaning jobs.
by Rosanna Scott
Prioritize. Decide which cleaning projects are best suited to spring. Save the rest for summer, fall and winter projects.
Plan your attack. Tackle tasks in an efficient order. Some jobs are better for morning work, others are best left for later. Switch from hand work to reaching work to bending work to avoid stressing any one part of your body too long.
Avoid the urge to do it all at once. You can spread any one project out over days or weeks, if necessary. For example, tackle overhead cobwebs one room at a time.
Rest on schedule. Plan rest periods every 15, 30 or 60 minutes to conserve energy. Forging ahead may let you cross another task off your list sooner, but often sooner means sorer.
Take it with you. Avoid repeat trips to the closet for cleaning supplies by wearing a work apron with pockets for bottles, sponges and rags. Don’t load up too much or the apron may become heavy and stress your back and shoulders. Or try a wheeled utility cart to transport supplies from room to room. Another option is to buy multiple supplies and store them in key areas of your home, such as the bathrooms and kitchen, and on upper and lower floors.
Choose the right tools. Use joint-friendly cleaning tools, such as long-handled dustpans. Choose tools and products that are made to be lightweight, automatic, long-handled, ergonomic or quick-acting. Get caught sitting down. When possible, use a bar-height stool with footrests to allow you to sit during projects, such as polishing silver.
Protect your joints. Don’t grip cloths when cleaning. Keep your hand flat when moving the cloth or use a duster that fits over the whole hand. When cleaning with water, use a large sponge instead of a cloth, so you can squeeze out the water easily by pressing down on the sponge with the palm of your hand.
(Arthritis Today, March-April 2005)
