Bezzy Members Share Cleaning Tips for People with PsA

From taking breaks to getting help from others, here’s how Bezzy members with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) approach household cleaning tasks.

If you have PsA, everyday household chores such as cleaning can be extra challenging at times. These activities may increase the pain and exhaustion you’ve already been experiencing or trigger a flare. 

Tasks that involve water and cleaning solutions, such as washing dishes or doing laundry, may cause discomfort, especially when dealing with skin and nail lesions. Using rubber gloves could be one way to protect the skin.

“A flare in psoriatic arthritis of the hands may make it challenging to clean because of pain and impaired mobility,” said board certified dermatologist Alix Jude Charles MD, FAAD.

“Contact with water and cleaning solutions would not have an effect on the underlying joints as they are located very deep to the skin, but any psoriasis of the skin of the hands could become more itchy and irritated by contact with a cleansing agent,” said Charles.

Repetitive physical motions, standing for long periods, and bending may be painful. “Psoriasis can cause not just arthritis but also enthesitis, which is inflammation of the tendons. People with psoriatic arthritis or enthesitis might find it difficult or painful to stand for long stretches of time,” said Charles.

What can you do to make housework more manageable? Members of the Bezzy PsA community share tips that have helped make their lives easier when it comes to maintaining a clean and tidy house.

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Spread out the work and pace yourself

“Don’t do it all in one day! Spread it out over the week.” — Yogi Scott

“I attack my house until I’m too pooped to pop. I nap a few minutes then hit it again.” — MommaLlama

“I can’t clean everything in one day. I have to spread it out. I already hate cleaning, so I don’t like spreading it out — I like getting it over with, but I can’t do that anymore.” — southernlatina

“During a flare, I find all chores challenging. I have been in a flare for a year and a half now. Vacuuming seems to be the most challenging. For most of my life, I set aside Saturday morning to get all my general house cleaning done. Now, I do one thing per day. For instance, Mondays are set aside for paperwork, correspondence, bills. Tuesday, I do the dusting and collect the garbage. Wednesday is project day or mending clothes. Thursday is bathroom day. Friday is vacuuming. Laundry is spread out. I do one load of laundry a day.” — Christine Schmelling

“Cleaning the bathroom is challenging. I try not to clean it all at once.” — Anonymous

Be kind to your body by respecting your limits

“Folding gets me. I have absolutely been known to just have a clean laundry basket and grab clothes out of there. Trying to get better!” — southernlatina

“I try to vary my position — I choose to be seated for certain specific chores. If I need to stand for a longer period, I will either take a rest and lie down or have one leg resting on a little bench.” — Nadege

Consider getting help

“In addition to the cleaning I do, my housekeeper cleans every 2–3 weeks and does a good job.” — eboringer

“Cleaning showers and toilets is challenging. My tip … my son hired a cleaning service for those jobs.” — Jeanne Klein

Look for arthritis-friendly cleaning tools and products

“I recently purchased a Fuller Brush cordless sweeper to quickly clean a bunch of cat hair.” — eboriger

“Let the cleaning solutions do the heavy work for you! Intense scrubbing sessions can leave our joints in serious pain. You can spray cleaning solution and let it sit for a bit to make it so the dirt and gunk comes up easier.” — Jenny, Bezzy PsA Guide

“Vacuuming and moping are challenging! I use a combo machine that does both at once.” — Anonymous

Perhaps some of these tips will help you perform your most dreaded chores with a little more ease and comfort. For more tips, live discussions, and to connect with Bezzy members living with psoriatic arthritis, be sure to visit the Bezzy PsA forum.