How many calories does cleaning burn?

A 60-minute house cleaning session burns approximately 200–350 calories for a 70 kg person, depending on the specific tasks. Intensive tasks like scrubbing floors can burn up to 6.5 MET.

Is cleaning a workout?

Cleaning involves sustained physical activity across multiple muscle groups. While it doesn't replace structured exercise, regular cleaning contributes meaningfully to daily activity levels and energy expenditure.

What cleaning task burns the most calories?

Scrubbing floors on hands and knees (6.5 MET) and moving furniture (6.0 MET) are the most energy-demanding cleaning tasks, burning 2–3× more than light dusting.

How does the session builder work?

Add multiple cleaning tasks with individual durations to build a complete session. The calculator shows per-task calorie breakdown and a total for the entire cleaning session.

Cleaning Calories Burned Calculator

Name: Cleaning Calories Burned Calculator
Author: Manish Kumar

Task	MET	Duration	Calories
Vacuuming	3.3	15 min	58
Mopping	3.5	10 min	41
Bathroom Cleaning	3.5	15 min	61
Total	3.4 avg	40 min	160

Task	MET	kcal/30 min
Vacuuming	3.3	116
Mopping	3.5	123
Scrubbing Floors (On Knees)	6.5	228
Sweeping	3.8	133
Dusting	2.5	88
Bathroom Cleaning	3.5	123
Kitchen Deep Clean	4	140
Window Washing	3.2	112
Laundry (Wash/Fold/Carry)	2	70
Decluttering / Organizing	4.8	168
Moving Furniture	6	210
Carpet Shampooing	4.5	158

Key Takeaways

A full house cleaning session (60–90 minutes) can burn 200–400+ calories depending on body weight and the intensity of tasks performed.^[1]
Floor scrubbing on hands and knees (6.5 MET) and moving furniture (6.0 MET) are the most energy-demanding cleaning tasks.^[2]
Even light tasks like dusting and laundry contribute meaningful movement throughout the day, supporting overall activity levels.^[3]

How the Session Builder Works

Per-Task Calories = MET × Body Weight (kg) × Duration (hours)

Total = Sum of all task calories

Unlike a simple single-activity calculator, this tool lets you build a complete cleaning session with multiple tasks — each with its own MET value and duration — for a realistic total estimate.^[1]

For other household activities, see our Home Activities Calorie Calculator.

Limitations and Important Notes

MET values assume continuous activity. Pauses for organizing supplies or resting reduce actual calorie burn.
Cleaning intensity varies widely — scrubbing with vigor versus light wiping can change the MET by 1–2 points.
This tool is for informational and journaling purposes only. It does not constitute personalized advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources & References

2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, et al.. J Sport Health Sci (2024)
2011 Compendium of physical activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, et al.. Med Sci Sports Exerc (2011)
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Levine JA. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab (2002)

Manish Kumar

Certified Personal Trainer & Sports Nutritionist

NASM-CPTCertified Sports Nutritionist10+ Years Experience500+ Clients Coached

NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of hands-on experience helping people build strength, lose fat, and live healthier lives. Specializing in gym-based workouts with a strong focus on lifting technique, biomechanics, and practical exercise science. Through FitLifeRegime, sharing the tools, tips, and insights that have worked for hundreds of clients — helping you start your own fitness journey with confidence and clarity.

Learn more about Manish

NASM Certified

Certified Personal Trainer & Sports Nutritionist from the National Academy of Sports Medicine

This tool is for informational and journaling purposes only.

I am NOT a doctor.

Calories Burned While Cleaning Calculator