When you are pregnant, you may find yourself suddenly motivated to clean more than you usually do. Of course, you may not, and that is also perfectly normal. I never experienced an overwhelming urge to clean house during either of my pregnancies, although I did clean a little more than normal during my second pregnancy. Cleaning during pregnancy is not harmful in and of itself. When the urge to clean strikes, be careful about what products you use to clean, and about some of the chores that you choose to tackle.
If you have been bitten by the housekeeping bug, your first order of business is to check your cleaning products to see if they are safe to use. If any of them say “danger”, “toxic”, or “poison” on the label it is not a good idea to use them while you are pregnant. This does not mean that you have to refrain from doing things like cleaning your oven. It does mean that it’s time to leave those bottles on the shelf (or have someone else safely dispose of them) and get some safer natural or non toxic cleaning supplies. If you have the time, you can save yourself some money in this department by looking online for “recipes” for making all kinds of non toxic household cleaning products. My personal favorite is using a bowl of water and white vinegar to clean the microwave – it works like a charm.
Even if you are using safe cleaning products, it is wide to open the windows or turn on the bathroom fan to keep fresh air circulating as you clean. Save chores that involve any heavy lifting or moving furniture for times when there’s someone around to help. Also, protect your skin by wearing gloves. Even safe cleaners like vinegar and water can make your hands dry, and skin is more easily irritated during pregnancy.
Photo by seemann on morguefile.com.
