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Can You Vacuum While Pregnant? (Read Before Trying!)

Yes, you can vacuum while pregnant, provided: 

  • You are not exposed to chemicals.
  • You are not bending for long to vacuum,
  • You are taking breaks frequently.
  • You stay away from the litter box.
  • You avoid cleaning the bathroom.
  • You are not doing extreme mopping.

Continue reading for a detailed step-by-step guide to safely clean and vacuum your house while pregnant.

Table Of Contents

🤰 How To Vacuum Safely While Pregnant?

How to Vacuum safely While Pregnant

Research on mother-child pairs shows that a clean environment at home leads to intact infant development in the mother’s womb. So, vacuuming can be done while pregnant, provided you take efficient measures.

Usually, in the second trimester, moms face health issues such as acidity, spotting, cervix pain, and pain in the low placenta. So, it’s important to take rest and frequent breaks when vacuuming.

Nonetheless, it is better to avoid vacuuming if the mother-to-be is advised to take complete bed rest or suffers from any other complications.

Follow these safety tips for vacuuming while pregnant:

  • Read the cleaning solutions’ labels and avoid “toxic” ones. Buy natural cleaners instead.
  • Never mix ammonia and bleach when cleaning, as the mixture produces toxic fumes and smells harsh.
  • Do not stand or bend for long hours when cleaning. Take frequent breaks.
  • Buy a small cordless vacuum cleaner with maximum noise reduction to reduce manual work and save you from headaches.
  • Have proper ventilation in the room when vacuuming.
Also Read: Should You Vacuum Daily?

👉4 Household Chores To Avoid During Pregnancy

4 Household Chores to Avoid During Pregnancy
  • Work involving heavy lifting: For a smooth pregnancy journey, avoid lifting heavy objects or shifting furniture. Work involving heavy lifting may cause strain in the lower back and inflammation.
  • Dealing with chemicals: Remove all aerosols and insect sprays from your home. Take care when working with detergents, paints, and cleaning solutions, as they contain toxic chemicals.
  • Bending and climbing: It’s best to avoid household chores that require bending (mopping, floor cleaning, laundry) or climbing (fan or ceiling cleaning, climbing on a stool or ladder) because a mom-to-be is prone to falling, backaches, and sciatica. 
  • Cat litter: Avoid changing or cleaning kitty litter boxes because cat feces can infect you with toxoplasmosis, leading to premature delivery or miscarriage.

💢 Things to Keep in Mind

  • Vacuuming can cause sciatica (inflammation of the sciatic nerve causing pain from the lower back to the leg), so avoid rigorous floor scrubbing.
  • Research has found that altered gut microbiota growth can occur with very high vacuuming or cleaning frequencies (more than twice per week) during pregnancy, so limit vacuuming and cleaning work or take help.
  • You must consult your doctor for better precautions and advice in case of any complications while vacuuming/cleaning while pregnant.

🤰 How To Safely Clean Your House While Pregnant? 

How to safely Clean Your House While Pregnant

Follow these best tips to clean your house safely while pregnant:

🧹Mopping and Vacuuming

  • Take frequent breaks when mopping or vacuuming.
  • Avoid bending too much, as that may cause sciatica.
  • You must care for your belly and back, so invest in an upright mop or vacuum cleaner.

🛁Bathroom cleansing

  • Avoid cleaning bathrooms, as it requires handling pungent cleaning solutions and slippery wet floors.
  • You can make natural cleaning products at home using lime, white vinegar, and baking soda.
  • Always wear gloves and a mask when working with harsh cleaning solutions.

🧼Cleaning Ceiling Fans and Hanging Window Curtains

  • Increasing belly and overall weight gain cause a shift in the body’s center of gravity, making you prone to disbalance and fall.
  • Avoid climbing stools and stairs to clean the ceiling fans and hang window curtains.
  • Alternatively, use extended poles with an attached brush to clean ceiling fans.

💩Dirt and Litter Cleaning

  • Using a broom to clean up litter and dirt around the house may be harmful.
  • Consider switching to wiping the dirt and litter in easy-to-reach areas of your house.
Also Read: Where To Dump Mop Water

🧺Laundry

  • Switch your normal laundry routine to less frequent laundry.
  • Use laundry carts to move linens to the washing machine.
  • Delegate the chore to someone else if you’re suffering from high blood pressure, placenta previa, or preterm labor symptoms, and your doctor has advised you not to carry heavy laundry.

Can you clean with bleach when pregnant?

Bleach harms pregnant women, so we advise you to either limit its use or wear a mask and gloves. However, stay away from inhaling such toxic and harsh cleaning products.

Also Read: Can Cleaning Be Your Hobby?

👀 Can You Vacuum While Pregnant: FAQs

When to stop bending during pregnancy?

It’s safe to stop bending in your third trimester of pregnancy, as you will face difficulty and pain in your hips, legs, and back thanks to your increasing belly size exerting extra pressure on your lower body. So, asking for helping hands from Month 7 is always better.

Can I vacuum in early pregnancy?

Yes, you can vacuum in early pregnancy (first and second trimesters), provided:

1. You stay away from toxic house cleaning products.
2. You don’t clean cat litter boxes.
3. You don’t inhale aerosol sprays and fumes.
4. Don’t exhaust yourself with rigorous house cleaning and vacuuming.

Is hoovering while pregnant safe?

Yes, hoovering while pregnant is safe in early pregnancy, provided you are neither bending too much nor exhausting yourself. Do not stand for long hours when hoovering, as it may lead to sciatica. It is advised to avoid hoovering in the second and third trimesters.

Is it safe to clean the bathroom while pregnant?

No, it is unsafe to clean the bathroom while pregnant because bathroom cleaning supplies and solutions have harsh chemicals that may harm you and the developing baby.

To clean the bathroom while pregnant:

1. Ask for your partner’s or a cleaner’s help.
2. Make your natural cleaners using baking soda, lemon juice, and vinegar.
3. Use rubber gloves and a mask when cleaning the bathroom.
4. Stay away from aerosols.
5. Immediately consult a doctor if you suffer from any health issues.

Can you sweep and mop while pregnant?

Yes, you can sweep and mop during pregnancy with a few precautions:

1. Don’t stand or bend for too long to sweep and mop, as it may lead to back pain.
2. Don’t lift heavy items or shift furniture.
3. Take frequent breaks.
4. Avoid extreme mopping and sweeping, as it may lead to sciatica.
5. Stay away from toxic and harsh cleaning solutions.
6. If you experience any sort of pain, consult the doctor.

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