Tips for Making Spring Cleaning a Breeze with Arthritis
By: Emilia Kubera-Shelton, DPT
Bowie Location
If you have arthritis in your knees, back or hands cleaning may be a daunting task. But do not worry, you can still clean up the house or backyard if you plan properly. Here are some tips on how to make spring cleaning a breeze:
- Pace yourself – plan on cleaning one section of the house or yard at a time or plan on limiting your time to 30-45 minutes and be firm on not doing more that day. Include the time it takes to prepare and put away your tools.
- Choose the right tools to do the job – lightweight tools that are easy to grip are the best, having extendable handles for dusters, dust pans make it easy to reach. Don’t skip the rubber gloves, they help with grip for hands affected by arthritis and protect the skin from the cleaning agents.
- Take frequent breaks and try to change position, for example: if you have been standing and reaching up to the top of the window - sit and rest your arms and knees; if you had to kneel, bend or reach down – stand up tall and stretch your arms up; if you were gripping for a while – take time to extend your fingers and wrists.
- Convince someone to help you – having company can be a great way to reduce the workload and makes the time go by faster, it can be a great way to catch up with close family and friends!
- Take time to recover – take a short walk, take a bath to relax your body. Try to remain active the rest of the day, sitting for a long time is not good for your joints.
