Wanting to have a clean home and having a clean home are too often very different things. But what if you knew there were inherent health benefits of a clean home? Would that inspire you to get your house in order? The truth is that there are a number of great outcomes associated with keeping your home clean and clutter free. And it’s not just us saying that; science backs us up on this topic.
According to research by NiCole Keith, an associate professor at Indiana University, the cleaner a home is, the healthier its occupants. That’s because house cleaning takes energy, and that energy relates to physical activity. While some people aren’t likely to go outside for a run, walk, or bike ride, they will pick up a broom and mop to clean the house. After all, cleaning your house can burn up to 200 calories an hour. Not too shabby.
There are a number of benefits associated with a clean home. Let’s look at six of them:
1. Lose Weight
One of the best health benefits of a clean home is a one-two punch. Not only will you burn calories when you clean your house (even if it’s just spot cleaning), regular house cleaning usually means better organization. And wouldn’t it be lovely to have an organized kitchen full of better-for-you foods?
Women eat more sweets when they’re stressed, and a messy home is definitely stressful! Coming home to a clean home means you’re not reaching for the sponge or spray bottle or, worse, a carton of ice cream. Instead, you have time to make a healthy meal for the family and snack on a fresh carrot stick while that’s cooking.
2. Reduce Stress
After a busy day at the office or carting around the kids, who wants to come home to a messy house? That’s just one more thing on your to-do list. Ugh. Whereas, when the dust and clutter are gone, you enjoy another of the health benefits of a clean home: less stress.
As an added bonus, think about how stressful managing household cleaning chores is on a relationship. Who’s responsible for what? Not only will your personal stress levels decrease when your house is clean, but your relationship stresses disappear as well. Bonus!
3. Improve Safety
If you have small children in your home, you know that clutter is everywhere. Ever tripped over a toy you didn’t expect to be there? And what about those painful late-night LEGO discoveries? Ow!
Safety is one of the important health benefits of a clean home—and not just for your family but your visitors as well! After all, a clean home is clean inside and out, and anything can become a fall hazard, which exposes your family to liability should someone be injured on your property.
4. Decrease Asthma and Allergy Symptoms
It should come as no surprise that when you reduce the dust in your home, you’ll reduce your allergy and asthma symptoms. This requires regular dusting, vacuuming, and mopping. But it doesn’t stop there. The less stuff you have in your home, the easier it is to keep it clean. Reduce the clutter, along with the dust, and you’ll really see the increased health benefits of a clean home.
5. Fewer Illnesses
Germs tend to linger. Unfortunately, most of us probably don’t clean the areas where those germs live quite as often as we should. That includes bathrooms, the kitchen, and toys that end up in the hands and mouths of children, our biggest germ carriers. Are you wiping down kitchen cabinets and appliances before and after cooking? What about the faucets in the bathroom? These are areas that often get missed, and by not staying on top of that house cleaning, your family is more susceptible to getting sick.
You can turn that around by cleaning regularly. Healthier family, fewer doctor bills!
6. Get Rid of Pests and Bugs
Bugs and rodents love dirty homes. They like to hide in the crevices between walls and floors, in the back of pantries and cabinets, and other areas where there might be water or food. With regular house cleaning, you’ll eliminate many of those pests’ favorite places to hang out. Of course, in the desert of Arizona, even the cleanest house may attract bugs and rodents looking to escape the extreme heat, but without a ready food source, they’ll soon be on their way.
Are You Missing the Health Benefits of a Clean Home?
Keeping up with work, family, and home can be a challenge. It’s no wonder most of us leave the house for the last thing on the list. But what if having no time to clean means you’re missing out on the health benefits of a clean home?
It doesn’t have to be that way.
Carnation Home Cleaning is here to help you make your home clean and healthy. Contact us to get a quote and rest easy knowing your home—and family—are protected.