light and heavy cleaning??

mrsbuzz

what do you consider light cleaning and heavy cleaning. I mean I can work up a sweat cleaning 2 bathrooms. So if you guys have some examples of both please fill me in. Thanks

Kate_UK

I class every day cleaning, vaccuming, cleaning the bathroom, picking up after my daughter etc as light. Anything that involves moving furniture around and cleaning behind it I list as heavy.

VCStarr

I look at it as scrubbing the floor or bathtub as heavy cleaning.
I see dishes, sweeping, washing counters and table as light cleaning...
If you are moving vigorously or using a lot of strength, heavy
If you are not really raising your heart rate much, light

Rjperron

If I'm sweating or if my heart rate is up for an extended time, then I consider it heavy (cleaning bathrooms, vaccumming, shampooing carpets/scrubbing). If not, then I consider it light (dusting, doing dishes, picking up stuff the bf leaves on the floor, etc.).

Egger29

Light Cleaning would be simple tasks that only take minor movements.- Dusting, wiping counters, folding laundry, filling the dishwasher, cooking, clearing the table etc.. You're on your feet which is a step up of sitting on the couch.

Heavy cleaning would be more involved tasks that use multiple muscle groups. - Changing the bed, scrubbing out the shower, sweeping, vacuuming (moving furniture), Collecting garbage.

General housekeeping is a combination of both.

CArdiovascularly, if memory serves correctly..Light cleaning is about 3.5 calories/minute...heavy 5.2..

Main thing is, you burn more calories moving around than sitting idle.

MardellD

I have often wondered the same thing. I don't consider the basics like washing dishes, sweeping floors as either... heavy cleaning to me is total house clean, moving furniture to vacuum etc. If I break it up then cleaning bathrooms and washing floors would be light. I guess for me it's how long I go at it and how much I do. If I make 20 trips up the stairs carrying things then that would be a bit heavier. (This is my normal day since I am completely OCD when it comes to cleaning :S)

HeidiMightyRawr

General household cleaning and most other things I count as light. Anything that involves lifting heavy things around such as moving furniture or if I'm working at a realllly fast pace then I would count it as heavy.

mrsbuzz

thanks everyone!

ChubbieTubbie

I count most cleaning as light, since I feel awkward counting it at all. I can really work up a sweat picking up toys and whatnot from the kids, since they're little bundles of dectruction and mayhem and leave a path similar to tornadoes in their wake...I don't sweat and increase my heart rate near as much when I'm scrubbing the tub or floors.

jillybeanruns

If you don't have a HRM and you're classifying cleaning as a workout (which I don't do) be very careful. MFPs numbers for cleaning are particularly over-inflated...you're best not even logging it as a workout.

AmandaR910

Just to make sure I'm not overestimating my burn, I always log all cleaning as light and always log half the time I actually cleaned.

shannon717717

Just to make sure I'm not overestimating my burn, I always log all cleaning as light and always log half the time I actually cleaned.

I agree,I always log all of my cleaning in but as light with 1/2 time.I count it because I do sweat when I clean,so I know it's burning calories. Good topic!

backinthenines

I don't count cleaning at all. I don't regard it as exercise.

Perhaps if I dug up the whole garden I would count it or moved heavy furniture, but not washing dishes etc.

FearAnLoathing

I dont even count my house work