How to Talk about Housework

How to Talk about Housework

In today’s lesson, we will be learning practical vocabulary regarding housework. It is undeniably beneficial to know how to talk about housework because it is an everyday topic.

We usually use the verb “do” to talk about housework.

DO THE CHORES

Chores are tedious, boring housework you have to do, such as cleaning, dusting, washing, tidying in general.

For example:

• I hate doing chores. I love ironing, though.
• Sara has so many chores to do for the weekend. She needs to mow the grass, prepare meals for the next week, vacuum, and do the laundry.

DO THE LAUNDRY

If you do the laundry, then you wash your clothes, sheets, towels, etc. You can do it in your washing machine or at the public service laundry.

How to talk about housework

For example:

• I’m afraid I can’t go for a coffee with you on Saturday. I have to do the laundry.
• Luckily, I did the laundry on Saturday morning so I’m free all Sunday. Let’s go to the beach!

DO THE CLEANING

Doing the cleaning refers to a house or flat cleaning (removing dirt and dust) in general.

For example:

• My husband helped me do the cleaning after our son’s birthday party.
• I have two flatmates with whom I share chores. My turn to do the bathroom and kitchen cleaning is on Wednesdays.

DO THE WASHING

If you do the washing, then you wash your clothes. However, if you

DO THE WASHING UP

it means that you wash the dishes.

For example:

• We’ve just got back from holiday, and all my clothes are dirty. It’ll take me some time to do the washing.
• I asked Paul to clean the table after dinner, and I’ll do the washing up.

TIDY UP

Meaning: to clean and organize a space, making it neat and orderly. It’s often used in everyday language to describe the act of putting things in their proper place and getting rid of clutter.

• They spent the afternoon tidying up the garden.
• After the party, everyone helped to tidy up the living room.

MAKE THE BED

Making your bed means tidying it so that someone can sleep on it.

How to talk about housework

For example:

• Dorothy made the bed with clean sheets.
• All children must make their beds right after they get up.

TO DUST

If you are dusting, you’re using a piece of cloth or a duster to remove dirt and dust from the furniture.

For example:

• We live near the road, so we have to dust our place quite often.
• Pauline took a piece of cloth and started dusting the bookcase.

TO POLISH

If you want to polish, you’ll need a clean cloth and a polishing spray or cream. You rub it into your floor or furniture and rub it until it gets shiny.

• The cutlery is very shiny after Peter polished it.
• I like it when my floor is polished and my carpets clean.

TO MOP

Mopping refers to cleaning the floor with a wet piece of cloth attached to a holding stick. It usually comes with a bucket of water and detergent.

For example:

• Be careful how you’re walking. The cleaning lady has just mopped the stairs.
• Will you please mop the floor in the kitchen? Someone has spilt the milk.

TO SWEEP

Sweeping is pushing rubbish off the floor with a brush attached to a holding stick.

How to talk about housework

For example:

• Pauline was sweeping crumbs off the kitchen floor when the waiter came in.
• We’re going to sweep the leaves off the ground.

TO WIPE

Wiping means removing dirt off a surface with a piece of cloth.

For example:

• Diana wiped the table with a wet and then dry cloth.
• You can dust the shelves by wiping them gently with this fabric.

TO VACUUM CLEAN

Vacuum cleaning or vacuuming is cleaning using a machine called a vacuum cleaner which consists of an engine and a long pipe. It sucks up dirt from carpets and furniture.

For example:

• Sean vacuumed the carpet until it was clean.
• The bed is full of crumbs; we need to vacuum-clean it.

It’s a long list of chores, let’s name some more:

• do the cooking
• set/lay the table
• take out the rubbish
• go shopping
• mow the grass
• do ironing
• fold clothes
• hang clothes to dry
• air clothes and sheets or blankets

How to talk about housework

Useful expressions

From top to bottom

Meaning: to clean a place thoroughly.

• Sandra cleaned her flat from top to bottom last weekend.
• We decided to clean the house from top to bottom before our guests arrived.

Spick and span

Meaning: spotlessly clean and tidy. It is often used to describe a place or object thoroughly cleaned and in perfect order.

• George took pride in keeping his car spick and span, both inside and out.
• The kitchen was spick and span after the thorough cleaning session.

Neat and tidy

Meaning: clean, organized, and well-arranged. It’s often used to describe a place or object that is orderly and free of clutter.

• The office was neat and tidy, making it a pleasant place to work.
• The garden was neat and tidy, with well-trimmed hedges and clean pathways.

Every nook and cranny

Meaning: every small and hidden part of a place. It is used to emphasize thoroughness in cleaning.

• Jane cleaned the house, getting into every nook and cranny.
• John vacuumed every nook and cranny of the car, making it spotless.

Spit and polish

Meaning: refers to making something very clean and shiny, often through meticulous and detailed cleaning. The phrase originates from the practice of using spit to moisten a cloth for polishing, especially in the military for shining boots or other equipment.

• The antique furniture received a thorough spit and polish, restoring its original lustre.
• She gave the silverware a spit and polish before setting the table for the dinner party.

Do the spring cleaning

Meaning: to thoroughly clean and organize a place, typically a home, during the spring season. This tradition stems from the idea of refreshing and tidying up after the long winter months.

• Every year, we do the spring cleaning to get rid of clutter and make the house feel fresh.
• She decided to do the spring cleaning over the weekend, tackling every room in the house.

Now that you’re acquainted with the vocabulary, you can discuss these questions:

1. What is your favourite chore?
2. What is your least favourite chore, and why?
3. Which household appliance do you use the most?
4. Which chores do you do that your parents didn’t do when they were your age?
5. Have you ever been paid for doing chores?
6. Do you ever pay someone to do the chores for you?