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We all want to have a clean home, but physical limitations and chronic pain can make this challenging or nearly impossible. Whether it’s due to limited mobility, fatigue, migraines, arthritis, or another reason, here are some helpful cleaning tips and tools to make cleansing easier. Remember to always consult with your healthcare team to ensure safe practices.
Reconsider your expectations
After dislocating my shoulder in 2020, I had to rethink the way I cleaned and maintained my home. There were some tasks I simply couldn’t complete, and I had to readjust my expectations to give myself wiggle room. Losing mobility—whether temporary or permanent—is a humbling experience that’s part of the acceptance process. It’s an inside job, and it’s not easy.
Satellite Cleaning Kit
When mobility is limited, having to walk from the bathroom to the kitchen and back again just to get your cleaning products can be a hassle, as can carrying heavy items like product bottles. Installing small satellite cleaning stations in your home allows you to clean on the go and take an extra step to keep your house clean.
Your appliances can help you
If you have a dishwasher and/or washing machine, you can use the cleaning power of these appliances to clean more than just dishes or clothes. Prepare some delicate bags to put small items such as shoes (for example: rubber sandals, Crocs, canvas and nylon shoes) into the washing machine. If using a dishwasher, add items such as hairbrushes (pull out the hair first), bathroom accessories (such as soap dishes and toothbrush holders), hard plastic children's toys without batteries, certain types of pet toys, and pet bowls.
Arrange work rhythm
If you suffer from chronic pain and/or fatigue, you need to pace yourself so you don’t overexert yourself. You might clean the sink today, the counters tomorrow, and the floor (or a small section of it) the day after tomorrow. Get a sense of how long you can work and what tasks you can accomplish before you burn out, and break down your tasks accordingly.
Cleaning
Clutter makes cleaning more difficult—the more stuff you have to move, the more stuff you have to clean. Clear as much clutter as possible. Ask for help when moving large items, but remember that life is easier with fewer things.
Request for help
If professional cleaning services aren't right for you, consider asking family or friends for help. There's no shame in asking for help, especially with something like cleaning. You can turn it into a social gathering that also includes a little tidying up. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish if you just ask. Additionally, you can do a quick Google search to see if you qualify for government assistance. While searching for these programs can be time-consuming, the result—a paid helper—will seem worth the effort.
Help Tools
Use a rolling cart to store and move your cleaning tools and supplies. Instead of carrying your items everywhere, you can simply place everything in the rolling cart and move them as needed so you can take everything with you. It's also a great way to stay organized.
Grip handles can help you reach items and make organizing easier by keeping you from bending over at home. Avoiding bending over is one of the first things occupational therapists recommend to people with limited mobility, and grip handles can help with moving up and down.
These are useful for those who find repetitive squeezing motions difficult. When you pull the trigger, it sprays out a thin, long spray, which reduces the amount of squeezing motions you need to do. It covers more surface area, which helps disperse the product effectively and work, so you don't have to work so hard.
Using an electric floor scrubber can do the heavy cleaning for you, and you can easily reach high and low areas due to the longer pole. It is perfect for bathtubs, tiles, skirting boards, floors, and more. If you are looking for an affordable option, consider using a “stick sponge.” While this requires manual scrubbing, you still get the benefit of a retractable pole that allows you to reach high and low areas.
Vacuum cleaners are lighter than ever, battery life is amazing, and cleaning technology is very advanced, so it's a good idea to invest in a good vacuum cleaner. Look for vacuum cleaners with push-button functions, and ones that allow you to easily change tools and nozzles. The Dyson Omni is my top choice.
If you have arthritis or limited hand movement, removing and replacing tools may be more difficult. Robotic vacuums can patrol your floors and do the work for you; however, be aware that they may not be as thorough as cordless vacuums and will require more regular emptying.
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Melissa Maker is a cleaning expert, author, and Clean My Space channel on YouTube With over 2.1 million subscribers, her tips and videos have been seen around the world helping people like her find faster, easier, better cleaning in record time.
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