Household chores require continuous movement and physical effort, contributing meaningfully to overall daily energy expenditure. The calories burned through activities like scrubbing, sweeping, and lifting are a significant part of Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). Understanding the energy cost of these daily tasks puts the physical demands of maintaining a home into a measurable context. The intensity and duration of the chores performed are the primary factors determining how much energy is used.
The Metrics of Calorie Burn
The energy expenditure of any physical activity, including housework, is quantified using the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET). One MET represents the energy a person expends while sitting quietly at rest, standardized to approximately 3.5 milliliters of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight per minute. To calculate the calories burned per minute, the activity’s MET value is multiplied by a person’s weight in kilograms and then divided by 200.
Body weight is a major variable, as heavier individuals naturally burn more calories performing the same activity. For example, an activity with a MET value of 4 means the body is expending four times the energy it would at rest.
Calorie Burn Rates for Common Tasks
Housework activities are categorized by intensity, reflected in their MET values, ranging from light-intensity tasks below 3.0 METs to vigorous tasks at 6.0 METs or higher. Light chores, such as dusting and polishing furniture (MET value around 2.5), translate to a low-level calorie burn. For a 150-pound person (68 kg), light dusting for 30 minutes burns about 60 to 70 calories.
Moderate-intensity activities require sustained effort, generally falling in the 3.0 to 4.0 MET range. Vacuuming (3.0 METs) can burn around 125 calories in 30 minutes for a 150-pound individual. Mopping floors with moderate effort (3.5 METs) burns roughly 100 to 120 calories for the same person in a half-hour session.
The most physically demanding chores, such as vigorous scrubbing of floors on hands and knees, are rated at a high 6.5 METs. This type of cleaning can expend nearly 200 calories in 30 minutes for a 150-pound person. Moving furniture and boxes is also high-intensity; carrying household items upstairs can reach up to 9.0 METs, burning over 275 calories in the same period.
Maximizing the Energy Expenditure
To elevate calorie burn during routine housework, focus on increasing intensity and engaging larger muscle groups. Increase the speed of the chore, moving faster while sweeping or mopping to raise the heart rate and total energy used. Reducing rest periods between tasks maintains a higher, consistent level of exertion.
Incorporating more resistance and a wider range of motion also enhances the effect. For instance, stepping into a full lunge with the vacuum engages the large muscles of the lower body, boosting calorie burn. Squatting deeply to clean low surfaces or lift heavy items recruits the core and leg muscles more effectively than simply bending over.
Housework vs. Formal Exercise
Housework is an excellent contributor to total daily energy expenditure, falling under Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). This sustained, low-to-moderate intensity activity can account for a substantial portion of daily burned calories, helping to counteract a sedentary lifestyle.
While housework provides genuine physical activity, it generally does not replace the benefits of structured, formal exercise. Dedicated strength training and high-intensity cardio are designed to target fitness goals such as muscle building, cardiovascular conditioning, and bone density improvement.
Housework is often variable in intensity and lacks the progressive overload required for specific, high-level fitness adaptations. However, engaging in 30 minutes of any physical activity, including housework, five days a week yields significant health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease. Formal exercise is a targeted approach, whereas housework is a functional activity that supports overall health and movement.