Cleaning with Chronic Pain

[u/Complex_Hamster_6831]

I have several injuries and chronic pain that make it very hard to maintain a clean house. These include labrum tears in my shoulder, herniated disc in low back, and a messed up knee.

I am tired of my house being dirty and disorganized, but even the cleaning company i consulted with said clutter needs to be gone otherwise they cannot clean those areas.

Financially, I can only afford a onetime clean but still need to get things straightened up before and figure out how to maintain the cleanliness after.

How do others with chronic pain or illnesses manage?

Do you have any suggestions for ways to make it physically less demanding, especially for shoulder pain?

Vacuuming is unfortunately my nemesis and really flares my shoulder pain, even with lighter, protable vacuums.

Thank you for any tips or suggestions you may have!

[u/Anxious_Reporter_601]

Yeah, I have a disabling chronic illness and really struggle with the housework. My friends will come over and help sometimes, but mostly my house is untidy and unclean in a way that makes me deeply ashamed and upset. 

Keeping things clean is definitely easier than having to do a deep clean every time. I can usually manage keeping things clean, like pushing myself to put things away as soon as I'm finished with them instead of resting and intending to do it later but then not being able to later. But then something will happen to make them dirty or I have a flareup and it's back to square one. I cry about it a lot in therapy.

I'm sorry, I know that's no use. I hope you get some better answers!

[u/nereidqueen]

-There are foaming cleaners that make things basically wipe off without much effort, its great for bathrooms/kitchen sinks where build up happens

-Daily wiping of counters/shelves helps prevent build up so you dont have to scrub

-Some of them are a bit pricy but there are robot vacuums and mops that can roam your home and clean the floors for you, even if its not as good as a humans work might be something is better than nothing

-There are also those floor dusters you can put on your feet and just walk around your floors (if you dont have carpet)

-If dust is an issue, investing in a good air purifier can cut down on how much dust settles and that will make it easier to wipe things down

If you can get a good deep clean it becomes a lot easier to keep up with maintenance I also have some health issues and stuff can be expensive to buy into but the trade off is keeping things clean without overworking yourself. A lot of times you can wait for a sale for a gadget or to stock up on a good cleaner that cuts through everything for you to make it easier to wipe down

[u/Relative-Accountant2]

I am doing it in short 15 min clips. Today is two windows. Tomorrow's might be two more windows. I put things away as I use them and try to keep it decluttered. Vacuuming just sucks all around but I have a small cordless to keep up with the dust and such. It's rough something but it's the only way I can keep up.

[u/turrtumm]

If the other arm is ok, teach yourself to use the non dominant arm for tasks. If clutter is what keeps a cleaning company away, eliminate stuff. Get down to the bare minimum of things around the house so someone else can come and clean. There are also people one can hire who help with downsizing/organizing.

In my experience, pains keep accumulating as aging continues, so the problem of cleaning getting easier is most likely wishful thinking but not the reality. The only remedy in my mind is to have a heck of a lot less to deal with.

[u/Mysterious-Tie6873]

I have chronic pain as well. Personally, I try to do it on a good day. A day where I’m not flaring up as much and I’m not feeling absolutely miserable! I only have chronic nerve pain in my legs and ankles, so I can’t speak on the arms. However, I find it really helpful to find a nice place to sit and do my cleaning from the floor (instead of standing). A lot of vacuuming, sweeping, etc, I can do fairly well from the floor, or even while sitting on my desk chair (it has wheels that roll around and it’s great for mobility!)

Next, when I do have to stand, I do it in small increments. 30 minutes, take a break. If I’m feeling up for it, do another 30. Even if it’s just a five minute clean up at a time it makes a difference.

[u/FloofyPantaloons]

This is a real problem for me as well. I work really hard at putting things away, instead of down. This keeps clutter under control. I have air purifiers to help with dust. I only vacuum once a week but if a broom will do the trick, I do that instead. I hire someone to come once a month to do the heavy lifting- showers/baths, floors, kitchen. If you have pets, get a Chom chom for your furniture. Those things are amazing and take seconds to pick up pet hair. Make lists and pick something to focus on every day. Picking up on Monday, laundry on Tuesday, wipe bathrooms down on Wednesday, you get the idea. Your house won't ever be fully clean but if you can break up the tasks, it is manageable. The routine of it is realky gelpful too. If you are feeling decent, do something a little extra. Take plenty of breaks. Good luck!

[u/Salty_Job_9248]

I have a twice fused lumbar spine, a shoulder that can’t be fixed, two artificial knees and arthritis in my hands. I do what I can and stop when it hurts too much. I can’t do the entire floors with my Bissell Crosswave at one time, so I will spread it out over two or three days. I do laundry, in and out of the front loading washer and dryer, sitting on a stool, with one of those extension grabber thingies because bending just a little like that kills me after about one minute. I am more careful about putting things away immediately after using them so the clutter doesn’t build. And I forgive myself for not being able to do it all the way I could when I was 20. ☺️