Health

How Many Calories Do Household Chores Burn?

Q: Does cleaning the house count as exercise?

Yes, it counts as **light to moderate physical activity**. The WHO recommends 150 minutes/week of moderate activity, and many household chores (vacuuming, mopping, gardening) qualify. It doesn't replace strength training, but it adds to your NEAT.

Q: Which household chore burns the most calories?

**Gardening** (MET 5.0) burns the most: digging, pruning, and watering involve many movements. Mopping (MET 3.5) and vacuuming (MET 3.3) come next. Ironing and cooking burn the least.

Q: Why does gardening burn so many calories?

It involves **compound movements**: squatting, lifting, digging, and pushing. It works your legs, back, arms, and core. Plus, it's usually done outdoors in the sun (thermoregulation burns extra calories).

Q: Are these calorie estimates accurate?

Yes. The METs come from the **Compendium of Physical Activities**, the world's most widely used scientific database for estimating energy expenditure by activity. It was developed by Stanford University and is regularly updated.

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Household chores aren't just obligations—they're real physical activity that contributes to your daily calorie burn. According to the Compendium of Physical Activities, vacuuming has a MET of 3.3 (similar to a moderate walk), and gardening reaches 5.0 (like casual cycling). If you cleaned your house for 2 hours, you burned more calories than you think. This calculator tells you exactly how many, based on your weight, the type of chore, and duration.

Last reviewed: May 12, 2026 Verified by Hacé Cuentas Team Source: Compendium of Physical Activities — Ainsworth et al. 2011, Harvard Health — Calories burned in 30 minutes 100% private

When to use this calculator

You want to know how much household chores contribute to your daily calorie burn.
You can't go to the gym and want to know if housecleaning counts as exercise.
You use a fitness app and want to log household chores as activity.
You're curious about how many calories different chores burn.
You're on a calorie deficit and want to count every bit of movement.

Real example: 65 kg person, mopping for 45 minutes

MET for mopping: 3.5.
Calories: 3.5 × 65 kg × (45/60) h = 170 kcal.
Walking equivalent (MET 3.5): since the METs are equal, it equals 45 minutes of walking.

Result: Mopping for 45 minutes burns around 170 calories, equivalent to 45 minutes of walking at a moderate pace.

How it works

1 min read

METs by Household Chore

The MET (Metabolic Equivalent) measures energy intensity. 1 MET = sitting quietly.

Chore	MET	Intensity	kcal/hour (70 kg)
Ironing	1.8	Very light	126
Cooking	2.0	Light	140
Washing dishes	2.2	Light	154
Sweeping	3.0	Moderate low	210
Vacuuming	3.3	Moderate	231
Mopping / Wet cleaning	3.5	Moderate	245
Gardening	5.0	Moderate high	350

Formula

Calories = MET × weight (kg) × duration (hours)

Comparison with Exercise

Vacuuming for 30 min (MET 3.3) ≈ 30-minute easy walk

Gardening for 60 min (MET 5.0) ≈ 60-minute casual bike ride

Cleaning your whole house for 2 hrs (average MET 3.0) ≈ 250–350 calories

The NEAT Concept

Household chores are part of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)—all the calories you burn through daily movement that isn't formal exercise. NEAT can represent 200–900 calories/day and is one of the key differences between people who maintain their weight and those who don't.

Tips to Maximize Calorie Burn

Turn on music and add rhythm to your cleaning.

Go up and down the stairs when putting things away.

Clean windows and high surfaces (uses more muscles).

Do multiple chores in a row without sitting down.

Frequently asked questions

Does cleaning the house count as exercise?

Yes, it counts as light to moderate physical activity. The WHO recommends 150 minutes/week of moderate activity, and many household chores (vacuuming, mopping, gardening) qualify. It doesn't replace strength training, but it adds to your NEAT.

Which household chore burns the most calories?

Gardening (MET 5.0) burns the most: digging, pruning, and watering involve many movements. Mopping (MET 3.5) and vacuuming (MET 3.3) come next. Ironing and cooking burn the least.

How many calories does 2 hours of cleaning burn?

It depends on the chores. For a 70 kg person mixing vacuuming, mopping, and sweeping (average MET ~3.3): 3.3 × 70 × 2 = 462 calories. That's more than 30 minutes of easy jogging.

Why does gardening burn so many calories?

It involves compound movements: squatting, lifting, digging, and pushing. It works your legs, back, arms, and core. Plus, it's usually done outdoors in the sun (thermoregulation burns extra calories).

Does washing dishes burn calories?

Yes, but not many (MET 2.2). Standing already burns more than sitting. In 30 minutes, a 70 kg person burns ~77 calories washing dishes. Not much, but better than sitting on the couch.

Are these calorie estimates accurate?

Yes. The METs come from the Compendium of Physical Activities, the world's most widely used scientific database for estimating energy expenditure by activity. It was developed by Stanford University and is regularly updated.

Can I use this to calculate my TDEE?

As a supplement, yes. Your total TDEE includes basal metabolism + NEAT + formal exercise + thermic effect of food. Household chores are part of NEAT. Use our TDEE calculator for a complete calculation.