When life throws you a curve ball start cleaning?

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I am sure we all know that in life we will face many challenges some that we can anticipate and others that come as a surprise. When it comes to my situation it was over 5 years ago when I suffered a work related injury and had to stop working. Since I was no longer working and my wife works a full-time job it has become my responsibility to take care of the majority of household cleaning - I guess this is when I became a house husband. As my wife works a full time job I believe it is only fair that I help out as much as I can. After all in any marriage or relationship it is our jobs to try and help each other out.    

Dishwasher

Now I must be completely honest that there are times when having Muscular Dystrophy tends to make household cleaning a little more challenging. Especially when it comes to cleaning dishes which can involve standing for a long period of time and the over use of our arms muscles. Thankfully a few years ago we were able to purchase a used portable apartment sized dishwasher. This made life so much easier resulting in me only having to load and empty the dishwasher. This took away the physical demands I was used to dealing with when washing dishes the old fashioned way. But like most things in life good things don't last forever as just a few months ago our dishwasher broke to the point it would be too costly to repair. So now it's back to the pain in the arms of washing dishes by hand. Thankfully my wife pitches in as much as she can but I simply don't think it's fair for her to come home after a long day of work and have to wash dishes. So currently I do my best at trying to stay on top of keeping the dishes clean, but it really doesn't take long for the sink to fill up again. So a few weeks ago we tried using paper plates but that can get pretty expensive as well - plus it's not very kind to the environment. I guess for now a dishwasher is something we have to do with out. All I can say is that dishwashers go a long way in making the lives of those living with physical limitations so much easier.    

Next comes the household chore a vacuuming, one aspect of cleaning that some people hate but I actually enjoy. Over the last few years I have found that when it comes to vacuuming that small light weight vacuums work best. Especially for those of us who find it difficult lugging around your old fashioned upright vacuum. I can't even count the number of times mine has tried to trip me up having me come pretty close to being the first person to die or break their leg from vacuuming.

Dyson Digital Slim

 Anyways when it comes to vacuuming the most popular yet very expensive light weight option is the Cordless Dyson Digital Slim Multi Floor Vacuum. Being able to own one of those would be a dream come true. Currently I am using a much larger and heavier upright Bissell vacuum which someday's seems to weight at least 20 pounds. Which only helps to make vacuuming a major workout. Since I am unable to afford the high price of the Dyson one cheaper option would be the $20 Bissell light weight 3-in-1 vacuum. Sure the Cordless Dyson Digital Slim Multi Floor Vacuum would make cleaning so much easier but sometimes the cheaper option is the better choice - especially if you live life on a budget.

Next up it's the most hated cleaning task ever created which to me would have to be cleaning tile floors. The most common option is mopping the floors but take it from me all it takes is one slip and fall on a wet floor to have you considering other options. Biggest issue with mopping is having to deal with a bucket full of water which can spill over and become a safety hazard. So when it comes to cleaning the floor up until recently I was using the Swiffer but a few months ago I switched to using the Vileda ProMist Mop. My only complaint is that squeezing the trigger to spray the cleaning solution too often tends to aggravate my arm. If I clean the floors throughout the day and not all at once it tends to not bother me so much. Some days though I do wish I had the iRobot Braava™ Floor Mopping Robot. That way I can sit back and relax and not worry about cleaning the floor everyday. But like the Cordless Dyson Digital Slim Multi Floor Vacuum any iRobot device is it's going to cost you a lot of money. That just the way things are when it comes to products created to make our lives easier. So for now until prices come I will have to settle for the Vileda ProMist Mop.

All I can say is when it comes to being responsible for cleaning around the home with any type of physical disability you have to find what works best for you. All I can recommend is finding light weight products that help to make cleaning less physically demanding. If you are lucky enough to have someone do all the cleaning for you then I hope you appreciate all the hard work they do. If there is anything I have learned over the years it's that cleaning is very physically demanding. Sure some of us might be at the point where we are unable to help clean but for those who can we should pitch in however we can.


Related Posts:
My Personal Story: Growing up with Becker Muscular Dystrophy,
Living with Muscular Dystrophy & Dealing with "Weak Days",
Living with a disability & suffering a work related injury,
The importance of having an accessible kitchen,
Tips for creating the perfect accessible home &
When stairs become your worst enemy