Household Chores Calories Burned Calculator
Calculate how many calories you burn during everyday household chores and activities. Find out how your daily tasks contribute to your fitness goals!
How Many Calories Do Household Chores Burn?
Household chores burn between 150-500 calories per hour, depending on the activity type, intensity, and your body weight. According to longitudinal research, regular housework engagement is associated with improved physical health, mental well-being, and increased longevity.
Household Chore Intensity Levels
Based on the Compendium of Physical Activities and research evidence, here are the different intensity levels:
- Light Chores (1.5-2.3 METs): Washing dishes, dusting furniture, ironing clothes, folding laundry, watering plants
- Moderate Chores (2.5-3.5 METs): Vacuuming, sweeping floors, changing bed linens, general cleaning, cooking/food preparation
- Active Chores (3.8-4.8 METs): Mopping floors, scrubbing surfaces, organizing rooms, cleaning windows, heavy gardening
- Vigorous Chores (5.0-6.5+ METs): Moving furniture, carrying groceries upstairs, scrubbing floors vigorously, heavy cleaning
RESEARCH FINDING:
According to longitudinal research, older adults who engaged in regular housework had significantly longer survival over a 14-year period, with physical and mental health serving as key mediating factors!
Health Benefits of Household Chores
According to scientific studies, regular housework offers numerous evidence-based benefits:
Cognitive Benefits
- Improved cognitive function
- Enhanced memory performance
- Better executive function
- Reduced cognitive decline risk
Physical Benefits
- Improved cardiovascular health
- Enhanced muscle strength
- Better functional mobility
- Reduced sedentary time
Mental Wellbeing
- Reduced stress levels
- Increased sense of accomplishment
- Improved mood regulation
- Enhanced environmental control
Longevity Benefits
- Increased survival rate
- Improved health-related quality of life
- Better maintenance of independence
- Reduced risk of all-cause mortality
Household Chores Calorie Burn Chart
| Duration | Light (2.0 MET) |
Moderate (3.0 MET) |
Active (4.0 MET) |
Vigorous (5.0+ MET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | 70-100 calories | 105-150 calories | 140-200 calories | 175-250 calories |
| 1 hour | 140-200 calories | 210-300 calories | 280-400 calories | 350-500 calories |
| 90 minutes | 210-300 calories | 315-450 calories | 420-600 calories | 525-750 calories |
| 2 hours | 280-400 calories | 420-600 calories | 560-800 calories | 700-1000 calories |
Calories Burned by Specific Household Chores
| Household Activity | MET Value | Calories/Hour (150 lb person) | Health Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing dishes | 2.0 | 170 calories | Fine motor skills, stress reduction, mindfulness |
| Vacuuming | 3.0 | 255 calories | Upper body strength, core stabilization, posture |
| Mopping floors | 3.5 | 298 calories | Core engagement, arm strength, balance |
| Moving furniture | 5.8 | 493 calories | Functional strength, cardiovascular conditioning |
| Scrubbing floors vigorously | 6.5 | 550 calories | Upper body endurance, quad and hamstring engagement |
| Carrying groceries upstairs | 5.3 | 450 calories | Lower body power, cardiovascular fitness |
Formula for Calculating Household Chores Calories Burned
Calories Burned = (MET × Weight(kg) × 3.5) ÷ 200 × Duration(min)
- MET Value: 1.5-6.5+ (based on chore intensity from Compendium of Physical Activities)
- Weight: Your body weight in kilograms
- Duration: Cleaning time in minutes
- 3.5: Standard metabolic factor
Household Chores vs. Other Physical Activities
| Activity Type | Calorie Burn (1 hr) | Mental Benefit | Skill Development | Unique Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housework (moderate) | 210-300 calories | Very High | High | Practical outcomes, sense of achievement, improved living environment |
| Walking (moderate) | 240-300 calories | High | Low | Outdoor exposure, vitamin D, consistent intensity |
| Swimming (leisure) | 400-500 calories | Medium | High | Full-body, non-impact exercise, cooling effect |
| Yoga (gentle) | 150-250 calories | Very High | High | Structured flexibility, mindfulness focus, breathing techniques |
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References
- Chu, L., Gong, X., Lay, J.C. et al. The perks of doing housework: Longitudinal associations with survival and underlying mechanisms. BMC Geriatr 23, 355 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04039-1
- Rodriguez-Stanley, J., Alonso-Ferres, M., Zilioli, S., & Slatcher, R. B. (2020). Housework, Health, and Well-Being in Older Adults: The Role of Socioeconomic Status. Journal of Family Psychology : JFP : Journal of the Division of Family Psychology of the American Psychological Association (Division 43), 34(5), 610. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000630
- Murphy, Marie & Donnelly, Paul & Breslin, Gavin & Shibli, Simon & Nevill, Alan. (2013). Does doing housework keep you healthy? The contribution of domestic physical activity to meeting current recommendations for health. BMC public health. 13. 966. 10.1186/1471-2458-13-966.
- Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, Barreira TV, Hastert M, Kracht CL, Schuna Jr. JM, Cai Z, Quan M, Tudor-Locke C, Whitt-Glover MC, Jacobs DR. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: A third update of the energy costs of human activities. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2024;13(1): 6-12.
