Tips and gadgets for cleaning if you struggle with mobility

Cleaning your home can be an arduous task for anyone, particularly if you suffer with mobility problems or live independently. To take some of the strain out of cleaning, we’ve put together a list of tools and tricks that will make cleaning your home easier.

Must-have cleaning tools

Before tackling the housework, it’s worth investing in a few little tools that will make the process much easier and take some of the difficulty out of the task at hand.

Power scrubber

If you don’t have the strength to scrub your counter tops, tiles or bathtub, a power scrubber will make light work of deep cleaning. With an extendable arm and rotating bristles, the power scrubber does the hard work for you and helps you reach up high and down low, and allows you to simply wipe the grime away when you’re done.

Perching stool

We spoke to Sarah, blogger at From Sarah Lex. Sarah has Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDs), and as the condition affects her joints, it can make some daily cleaning tasks difficult for her to carry out. She recommends using a perching school to help support yourself while you do the dishes and cleaning the kitchen surfaces. They’re a handy piece of kit, as you can even use it when chopping vegetables, cooking and more.

Grabber tool

Sarah also suggests investing in a grabber tool. This is particularly great if you have difficulty bending down. Use it to load the washing machine, tidy the living room or grab items from low-down cupboards – the list is endless!

Lightweight hoover or robot hoover

According to Synergy Home Care, a lightweight hoover is a must for anybody who struggles with mobility. As hoovering is often a full-body workout consisting of lifting, stretching and bending, a lightweight, cordless hoover with a wand and attachments is recommended. That way it can easily be carried around and make the task less strenuous and time-consuming.

To keep on top of daily hoovering, it may also be worth looking into a robot hoover. They can be programmed to clean as little or as often as you like, and will help keep on top of daily dust and crumbs. Some can even mop your floors!

Cleaning tricks

Equipped with the tools above, the below tricks will help you keep your home in tip-top shape with barely any effort.

Use your dishwasher to its full potential

Have you ever considered using your dishwasher for cleaning anything other than pots, pans and dishes? Here’s a list of some of the great things you can safely wash in a dishwasher:

• Rubber flip-flops, canvas sneakers and baseball hats
• Makeup brushes
• Non-electrical plastic and rubber kids’ toys
• Contacts lens cases
• Mouth guards
• Plastic hair brushes and combs
• Shower heads
• Plastic and metal garden tools
• Refrigerator shelves
• Dish soap holders/tooth brush holders
• Stove knobs, grates and drip pans

Hoover nooks and crannies

The Things has a great tip for when you’re hoovering those tiny, hard-to-reach spaces: attach a toilet roll tube to the end of your hoover and flatten the end. If you’re unable to hold it yourself, you can easily secure it with an elastic band. Use it for hoovering skirting boards, window frames (including inside the window frame!), between countertops and more.

Upgrade your broom

If you can’t get hold of a power scrubber like the one mentioned above, a broom can be great for hard-to-reach places like the far end of your tub. You can also turn it into an extended duster, by securing a dust cloth over the bristles. Use it to clean sideboards, collect cobwebs from the ceiling and dust window frames.

Clean upholstery and dusty lampshades

For a quick way to clean a sofa suite, stairlift or lampshade, use a lint roller to pick up any dust, crumbs and hair.

Freshen upholstery and mattresses

Speaking of upholstery, baking soda is great for freshening things up without having to remove the covers and wash them. According to Clark.com, just sprinkle baking soda over the area that you want to freshen up, let it sit for 20-minutes, then hoover it up with an attachment.

Remove pet hair with marigolds

If you have a furry four-legged friend, you’ll know how difficult pet hair can be to remove once it’s stuck to your upholstery and carpets! A great tip by NBC News is to clear pet hair using rubber gloves. “Just slide them on and rub down any areas that need extra cleaning. When rubber is pushed against fabric, it can generate elasticity to gather remaining pet hair. Rinse the gloves under running water when you’re done and the hair will unstick.”

Clean a burnt pan without scrubbing

If you want to clean a burnt pan but don’t have the scrubbing-power, Clark.com recommends using a solution of vinegar, water and baking soda to get your pan looking brand new again without having to scrub hard.

Clean your microwave

To clean off the hard, dried food in your microwave, put a slice of lemon in a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave for one minute. Remove the bowl (carefully - it will be hot!) and then simply wipe the microwave clean.

Easily change your duvet cover

Do you struggle to change your duvet cover? This Morning demonstrates an easy, fuss-free method of changing it that requires no struggling and lifting – just rolling!

Use denture tablets to remove hard water stains

If you get hard water rings in your toilet, Apartment Therapy recommends dropping a couple of denture tablets in the bowl, leaving them overnight, and simply flushing them away in the morning for scrub-free removal. If you use denture tablets anyway, make it a habit to pour the used solution into the toilet bowl and let it sit for a while – it will help to keep the stains at bay.