Key Takeaways
- Household activities have published MET values in the Compendium of Physical Activities, ranging from 1.5 (watering plants) to 9.0 (carrying items upstairs).[1]
- Vigorous chores like scrubbing floors (6.5 MET), shoveling snow (6.0 MET), and pushing a mower (5.5 MET) have energy costs comparable to moderate gym exercises.[4]
- A 70 kg person doing 30 minutes of vacuuming uses approximately 115 kcal; 30 minutes of vigorous digging uses approximately 268 kcal.
- Multi-activity mode lets you log an entire cleaning session or yard work day as separate segments for a combined total.
- These are informational estimates for personal journaling. Actual expenditure varies with individual effort and conditions.
Quick Home Activity Calorie Charts
Estimated kcal for 30 minutes at different body weights. For informational reference only.
Cleaning & Chores (30 min)
| Activity | MET | 55 kg | 70 kg | 85 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vacuuming | 3.3 | 95 | 121 | 147 | 173 |
| Mopping Floors | 3.5 | 101 | 129 | 156 | 184 |
| Scrubbing Floors | 6.5 | 188 | 239 | 290 | 341 |
| Tidying / Organizing | 4.8 | 139 | 176 | 214 | 252 |
| Window Cleaning | 3.2 | 92 | 118 | 143 | 168 |
Home Repair (30 min)
| Activity | MET | 55 kg | 70 kg | 85 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Repair (Light) | 2.5 | 72 | 92 | 112 | 131 |
| Home Repair (Moderate) | 4.5 | 130 | 165 | 201 | 236 |
| Painting (Inside) | 3.3 | 95 | 121 | 147 | 173 |
| Carpentry (Outside) | 6 | 173 | 221 | 268 | 315 |
| Roofing | 6 | 173 | 221 | 268 | 315 |
Lawn & Garden (30 min)
| Activity | MET | 55 kg | 70 kg | 85 kg | 100 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mowing (Push Mower) | 5.5 | 159 | 202 | 245 | 289 |
| Raking Leaves | 4 | 116 | 147 | 179 | 210 |
| Weeding (Vigorous) | 4.5 | 130 | 165 | 201 | 236 |
| Digging (Vigorous) | 7.3 | 211 | 268 | 326 | 383 |
| Planting | 4.3 | 124 | 158 | 192 | 226 |
How the Estimate Works
This calculator applies the standard MET-based calorie formula using values from the Home Activities and Home Repair categories of the 2024 Compendium:[1][2]
In multi-activity mode, each chore segment is calculated independently, then summed for the session total. The weighted-average MET provides an overall intensity reference.
Cleaning vs Gym Comparison
Research comparing home-based activity to gym exercise shows that vigorous household chores can match or exceed the energy cost of light to moderate gym workouts.[4]
Home Activities
- Scrubbing floors: 6.5 MET
- Push-mowing: 5.5 MET
- Moving items upstairs: 9.0 MET
- Shoveling snow: 6.0 MET
Gym Exercises
- Elliptical trainer: 5.0 MET
- Moderate cycling: 6.8 MET
- Resistance training: 5.0 MET
- Moderate aerobics: 7.3 MET
The comparison shows that vigorous household work overlaps significantly with moderate gym activities in terms of energy cost per minute.[3]
Home Repair Effort Levels
The Compendium categorizes home repair into light (2.5 MET), moderate (4.0-4.5 MET), and vigorous (6.0 MET) tiers based on the physical demands involved.[2]
- Light (2.5 MET): Small fixes, tightening screws, minor adjustments
- Moderate (4.0-4.5 MET): Carpentry, laying flooring, general repairs
- Vigorous (6.0 MET): Roofing, heavy lifting, outdoor construction
Painting varies significantly: interior painting (3.3 MET) is mostly arm movement, while exterior painting (5.0 MET) often involves ladder work and overhead reaching.
Lawn and Garden Work
Garden activities span a wide range: from watering (1.5 MET) to vigorous digging (7.3 MET). Push mowing (5.5 MET) is notably more demanding than riding a mower (2.5 MET).[1]
Seasonal garden work like shoveling snow (6.0 MET) and heavy digging (7.3 MET) are among the most energy-intensive home activities in the Compendium database.[5]
Body Weight Factor
Body weight directly scales calorie expenditure in the MET formula. A person weighing 100 kg burns roughly 43% more calories than a 70 kg person performing the same chore for the same duration.[6]
This applies uniformly across all home activities. The calorie charts above illustrate this scaling effect across different body weights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
- Home Activities - Compendium of Physical Activities. Compendium of Physical Activities. PAC Compendium (2024)
- Home Repair - Compendium of Physical Activities. Compendium of Physical Activities. PAC Compendium (2024)
- Household activities and physical activity. PMC. International Journal of Environmental Research (2015)
- Home-based vs gym training caloric comparison. ResearchGate. ResearchGate (2022)
- Energy cost of household activities. ScienceDirect. ScienceDirect (2023)
- Physical activity in domestic settings. PMC. Journal of Physical Activity and Health (2024)
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This tool is for informational and journaling purposes only.
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