The simple act of tidying your home contributes to Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT). NEAT includes all the calories burned from movement that is not formal exercise, eating, or sleeping. NEAT is a significant component of your total daily calorie burn, and common chores like folding clothes are a prime example of this low-intensity movement. This simple household routine is a measurable form of physical activity that adds up over time.
The Specific Calorie Burn for Folding Laundry
Folding laundry is a light-effort task that contributes steadily to energy expenditure. For an individual weighing approximately 150 pounds, one hour dedicated to folding clothes will burn around 136 to 143 calories. This number is an estimation, as the exact expenditure depends on personal factors like body weight, working speed, and whether you are standing or sitting. A heavier person naturally burns more calories performing the same task due to the increased energy required to move a greater mass. Adding movement, such as walking to put away items between folds, slightly increases the overall calorie count. The 140-calorie-per-hour figure serves as a good benchmark for a typical adult.
Measuring Energy Expenditure: The MET System
The scientific way to standardize the energy cost of activities like folding laundry is through the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) system. One MET is defined as the amount of oxygen the body uses while at rest, roughly equivalent to sitting quietly. Activities are assigned a MET value indicating how many times more energy they require compared to resting. Folding or hanging clothes is typically assigned a MET value of 2.0, meaning the task requires twice the amount of energy the body uses when completely still. The MET system allows researchers to estimate calorie burn across a wide range of activities.
How Folding Laundry Compares to Other Chores
Folding laundry, with its MET value of 2.0, sits on the lower end of the calorie-burning scale compared to more vigorous household tasks. For a 150-pound person, the activity burns significantly fewer calories than chores requiring greater physical exertion or movement. For instance, washing dishes by hand for half an hour may burn around 68 calories, which is comparable to the hourly rate of folding laundry. However, activities like vacuuming can burn approximately 248 calories per hour due to the motion and effort of pushing the machine. Moderate effort mopping or scrubbing can require up to 240 calories per hour, nearly doubling the rate of folding.