Surprising Health Benefits of House Cleaning

Have you ever had a friend stop by unexpectedly? You probably immediately stressed out that your home was a wreck and likely over-explained why your house looked that way. You start wondering how it happened and what the quickest way to clean it up is going to be – major anxiety overload!

Don’t misunderstand, no one expects to keep a perfect home in case of unexpected visitors, but a generally clean home managed by the ease of daily pick up makes a world of difference on our family life and our health.

Kalyn Brooke and Romana D'Souza, lifestyle bloggers, give us Eight reasons keeping a clean home keeps you happy and healthy.

Burns Calories
Cleaning your home may not seem like much of a workout, but you can actually burn about 200 calories an hour while cleaning. Some of the top calorie-burning chores include mowing the lawn, sweeping/mopping, washing and drying dishes and scrubbing.
 
Lowers Stress Levels
It feels good to live in a clean, clutter-free home, but the process of cleaning can also relax you by reducing stress and anxiety levels. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, twenty minutes of cleaning activity reduces anxiety and stress by as much as 20 percent.

Improves Concentration and Productivity
A cluttered, messy home can distract even the most focused among us. Without huge stacks of papers and laundry strewn all over the place, research shows you will be able to focus better on the task at hand. According to Jeff Goins, "Clutter is the enemy of creativity." This is so true! Keeping a clean home give you literal and metal space to work and allows you to focus exclusively on the task at hand.
 
Keeps Allergies and Infection under Control
Cleaning a house frequently reduces the amount of dusts and allergens floating about. We all recognize the allergies irritate your eyes, throat and nose making it hard to just breathe. Further, using disinfectants to clean your home, gets rid of microbes, viruses, fungi and mold that are capable of making you very sick.
 
Less Maintenance and Repairs
By keeping your appliances in good condition, you'll spend less money to repair or replace them. And how do you do that? By cleaning them! It might not sound like a big deal, but I'm all about avoiding unnecessary costs, even if it means a little extra attention to keep things like my dishwasher running smoothly. If you're not sure when you'll find time to do all the extra stuff when you're barely keeping up with laundry and dishes, try to establish a regular cleaning schedule first.

Stop Wasting Time
I know it sounds super simple, but taking just a few minutes to put items away right after you're done using them has an amazing effect. Not only will you have less of a mess to clean later, you'll easily find an item within seconds of needing it. This in turn, saves time, and time is just as important as saving money!

Less Guilt about Downtime
If you have ever felt guilty about watching Netflix or reading a book because there is still cleaning to do, read on! Spread out all cleaning tasks throughout the week: Monday, tackle the master bathroom, Tuesday, the guest bathroom, and so on. Once you get that day's task completed, you are free to relax and enjoy time with family, friends, or just by yourself.

More Control
The next time you feel like your life is spiraling out of control, take a good look around your home. What do you see? Is it full of toys? Clutter? Stains? Crumbs? Those things might be a huge cause of anxiety and frustration. The thing is, you have control over those things. We can choose to sweep or vacuum crumbs off the floor, wipe down the counters, and get rid of clutter, which has an immediate effect on our mood.

The final result of your new cleaning attitude: A Sense of Accomplishment
One quick glance over your clean and tidy home, and you will get warm fuzzies whenever you think about all the hard work you've done. It also encourages you to continue the habit in the weeks, months, and years to come.


For ideas and tips on cleaning and organizing, jump to Kalyn or Romana's blogs.