Cleaning is physically demanding, especially for people with special needs or seniors. Grand strategies are required to prevent falls and back injuries while mopping floors, dusting furniture, or washing plates. Specific tools, like grabbers and grab bars (pun intended), make cleaning easy.
This guide outlines thirteen cleaning hacks that make chores easier for people with mobility problems.
Maximize the Dishwasher Potential
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You are underusing your dishwasher. The dishwasher can clean more than your dishes. It can also clean sponges, bathroom utensils, sports gear, and garden tools.
If you have a dishwasher you no longer use in the kitchen, you can use it to clean the items mentioned above.
The principle with which all dishwashers work makes them versatile. They work by spraying heated water and cleaning products on the dishes while the spray arms rotate simultaneously so no stone is left unturned.
Get a Robot Vacuum Cleaner
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While a cordless vacuum is better than a vacuum with a cord, the robot vacuum supersedes both versions. Why risk falling while vacuuming when you can assign the cleaning task to a robot?
Robot vacuums are built to be autonomous. They do not require you to control them, but you can use a smart device like your phone. You can also schedule the robot vacuum and map out your room so it can easily navigate it.
Use Grab Bars
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Grab bars are essential for people with special needs and seniors who need help moving from one place to another. Grab bars offer stability and support when doing home chores.
It is best to clean while seated, but occasionally, you will need to stretch to reach items placed on higher surfaces. This is where the grab bars come into play. To avoid falling, hold the grab bar with one hand and clean with the other hand. It might be hard to use initially, but you will adapt with time.
Give the Cleaning Products Time to Work
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You are doing a major disservice to yourself by cleaning the dishes or oven immediately after spraying the cleaning products on them. You let it penetrate the grime before washing or wiping with a clean cloth.
Cleaning products contain active ingredients that need time to work. If you don’t give them time to loosen the grime, you will struggle to get the dirt off the dishes or microwave. After applying the detergents, bleach, or soap, allow them to penetrate the grime. Then, wash thoroughly.
Soak the Dishes in Hot Water
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Food substances can become hard and difficult to clean if left unattended. To make your dish-cleaning experience smoother, soak the dishes in hot water for about 15 minutes before washing. Another cleaning hack is to prioritize the cooking utensils that are easier to clean, such as pans and pots. Leave the rest of the dishes to soak in hot water before washing them.
Steam the Microwave Before Cleaning
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Microwaves need a hot bath and time to loosen the hard grime and food residues like the dishes. With a bowl of water and antibacterial cleaning products, your microwave can become sparkling clean with minimal effort,
Put one cup of water in the microwave and heat for about five minutes. Then, give the microwave another five minutes so the steam can circulate and melt the hard grime particles. Spray the bleach into the microwave and let it soak for another five minutes. Once the grime has loosened, wipe it using a clean cloth. With this hack, you don’t have to scrub your microwave or struggle before the grime starts coming off.
Adopt Braille or Brightly Colored Labels
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Brightly colored or Braille labels will benefit people with visual impairments. You can attach labels with big fonts to your cleaning supplies using a label marker for easy identification. The colorful label is a must-have tool.
This cleaning tip is also beneficial for those who are not visually impaired but cannot read without glasses.
Neatly Organize Your Supplies
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When everything looks cluttered, you can get confused. Organizing your supplies helps you find them easily when you are about to clean. Imagine keeping your detergents in the bedroom while the vacuum cleaner is in the store; it makes it harder to retrieve the items and start cleaning.
The stress alone can wear you out before the cleaning process begins. Organize your cleaning supplies in one place to avoid stress and reduce cleaning time.
Purchase a Mop with a Long Handle
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When movement is limited, mopping becomes a difficult task. However, a long-handled mop can compensate for mobility restrictions. With a long-handled mop, people in wheelchairs don’t have to bend over before reaching wider areas of the room. This saves time and allows the user to cover more ground with little effort (pun not intended).
Long-handled mops are usually adjustable, allowing you to mop floor areas close or far from you.
Don’t Overwork Yourself
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Steady wins the race. Trying to do many things in a short amount of time can be overwhelming, even for non-disabled people. However, the urge to rush the cleaning process can be overcome with proper planning.
You should schedule different tasks on different days. For instance, clean the floor on Friday and wash the dishes on Saturday. That way, you don’t have to stress out over not being able to finish all the chores in one day:
By pacing yourself, you will be thorough yet comfortable with the progress of the cleaning process.
Hire Help
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The more you compile your hour chores, the harder it is to complete them. Sometimes, you will need to get a lot done quickly.
Suppose you expect a visitor in the next two days, and your home needs to be tidied up. Instead of going through the strenuous cleaning process and risking falling, hiring a cleaner or house help is your best option.
The cost-saving alternative is to ask family members, neighbors, or friends for help, but let’s face it: Everyone is busy. If they help you, fine; if they don’t, hire a cleaner. Platforms where you can hire cleaners include Merry Maids and Stainless Steemer.
Use a Grabber
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While the grabber is not a cleaning tool, it can help you pick up things beyond your reach. It has two points: the handle (which you can use to hold it) and the claw-like grip (which you use to hold or grip the items).
With a grabber, you can prevent hurting your back while reaching for a tool or supply. Grabbers can be purchased for as low as $13. Like grab bars, you will need time to get used to them.
Restructure the Furniture for Better Movement in the House
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Whether you move using a wheelchair or crutches, the last thing you want is to be blocked by furniture while cleaning. When the furniture creates tight spaces in certain parts of your home, rearrange the whole room so no area is out of your reach.
It would help if you asked people to help you move the furniture. Don’t hurt yourself by trying to move the furniture yourself.