how many calories do you burn steam cleaning carpets

How Many Calories Do You Burn Steam Cleaning Carpets [Gym or Steam?]

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Have you ever wondered how many calories do you burn when steam cleaning carpets in your house?

Well, there is no specific number of calories since people have different weights and spend varying amounts of time cleaning. These two are both important factors taken into consideration when calculating the number of calories a person is likely to burn when tidying up their carpets.

All in all, today we’re going to show you just how many calories you should expect to burn on average whenever you steam clean your carpets.

But first…

Can you really lose those calories by cleaning around the house?

The short answer is YES! But, to put it in a more vivid perspective…

Did you know that an average person may end up spending up to 15 hours a week cleaning and putting their house in order?

(I know I don’t. Coincidentally or not, I also have a few extra pounds that I just can’t seem to shed. But that’s just me!)

And during that time, you subconsciously involve yourself in low to medium intensities of cardio and strength training. If you ask me, this is a pretty darn good way of keeping tabs on your calories if you missed a day or two from your workout!

Talking numbers, an average person might burn between 170 – 300 calories an hour by doing simple cleaning at home.

Note: The lower figures represent lighter cleaning chores while the higher ones stand for higher-intensity cleaning activities that need more involvement.

Therefore, if you are an avid cleaner, then know that you’ve been unknowingly turning your household chores into basic workout sessions!

Types of carpet steam cleaners and the estimated calorie burn associated with each

So, how many calories do you really burn when steam cleaning your carpets?

Well, we put up some rough estimates for you depending on the type of steam cleaner you might be using at home or work.

From heavy-duty to the best portable carpet cleaners, we have it all covered below!

1. Handheld Steam Cleaners

portable steam cleaner for kitchen

These are the most portable carpet steam cleaners and they give you the easiest time when sprucing things up around your home.

They work best for lightweight to medium cleaning most of the time, owing to the compact sizes of most models.

Now, contrary to what you might believe, these handheld steam cleaners can offer you extended times for cardio and arm strength building since they’re easy to carry and move around.

As you reach for the curtains, beneath furniture, or your carpets, expect to burn through 94 – 110 calories for every 30 minutes you engage your body.

2. Mop Steam Cleaners

Mop steam cleaners pretty much look like stick vacuums. Most of these models are upright, have a water reservoir along their shafts, and predominantly have a mopper attachment at their base.

The good news is that you can change these attachments and put on something that suits the type of material or carpet surface you want to clean.

Nevertheless, mop steamers, though a tad larger than handheld steam cleaners, are also light and won’t make you break a lot of sweat. This is since the long handle takes off much of the load when using it to clean carpets.

That said, you may cut anywhere between 180 – 200 calories per hour using a mop steam cleaner to clean your carpets.

3. Canister Steam Cleaners

This type of cleaner is also known as cylinder steam cleaners and is larger than the handheld and mop steam cleaners.

Now, because of their bigger size, you’ll find that maneuvering and moving them requires a bit more effort than the first two. However, that does not affect their performance as they are just as effective as any other steam cleaner!

More so, the larger water tank means that it holds more water. This makes it an ideal option for cleaning bigger carpets and those that span wall-to-wall found in much larger living spaces.

With that in mind, you’ll end up burning around 220 – 350 calories per hour using a canister steam cleaner.

4. Vapor Steam Cleaners

Vapor steam cleaners are in many ways similar to cylinder steam cleaners with the only notable difference being their JUMBO size.

Many vapor steamers come with several attachments that help offset its bulkiness and help you clean multiple surfaces.

These types of steam cleaners are more expensive and are mostly used by professionals on an industrial scale!

They’re great for cleaning carpets in large office spaces, schools, hospitals, and other big premises. (Also some nasty, super dirty heavy equipment, as in the video below.) And as you’ve probably guessed, moving a vapor steam cleaner is more hectic than a cylinder model and requires a lot of maneuvering when cleaning.

If you’re one of the professionals that happen to use this type of steam cleaner, then you most likely burn between 300 to 500 calories for every hour you handle this beast!

This is the highest number among all the 4 cleaners highlighted above.

How do you calculate the number of calories burned cleaning your carpets?

As I mentioned earlier, calculating the number of calories burnt when cleaning carpets depends on your weight and the time you spend doing that specific task.

In this article, we estimated our calculations based on an average adult weighing about 180 – 190 pounds.

The level of intensity also matters as lighter tasks e.g., cleaning with a mop steamer, take up less energy while heavier tasks e.g., using a vapor steam cleaner, cuts through the most calories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories do you burn mopping a floor?

Assuming our working weight of 180lbs, an adult can burn up to 200 calories mopping a floor alone.

This can shoot up to 300 calories if a person takes longer or intensifies the task (say, if they include manually scrubbing the floors).

How many calories do you burn by vacuuming?

Vacuuming your carpets can make you release about 200 – 250 calories per hour.

Vacuuming is also considered a light-medium chore and therefore grouped with mop steam cleaners.

How do you increase the number of calories burned when cleaning?

To increase the overall number of calories burnt when cleaning around the house, you’ll have to increase the intensity of your chores and the duration you take before finishing one.

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