How to Talk About Cleaning in English | English Conversation Practice for Listening & Speaking

🧼✨ Cleaning in English doesn’t have to be confusing.
Welcome back to English Made Easy — the podcast designed to help you master practical English for everyday life. In today’s episode, Alice and Bob tackle a topic everyone deals with (no matter where you live): cleaning.

Whether you’re talking about your home, asking someone for help, describing a mess, or shopping for cleaning supplies, this episode gives you the real vocabulary you actually need — explained simply, with clear examples you can copy and use immediately.

✅ What You’ll Learn in This Episode (Cleaning Vocabulary & Everyday English)
🏠 1) The most common rooms you clean

We start with the basics—because cleaning vocabulary changes depending on the room:

Kitchen

Bathroom

Living room

Bedrooms

🗣️ 2) The essential cleaning verbs (action words)

Bob breaks down the “big three” verbs that English speakers use all the time:

Clean vs. Tidy up vs. Organize

To clean = remove dirt or germs (“I cleaned the table.”)

To tidy up = put things back where they belong (“I tidied up the room.”)

To organize = arrange items neatly so they’re easy to find (“I organized my bookshelf.”)

Then we expand your vocabulary with must-know verbs you’ll hear everywhere:

dust / dusting (remove dusty layers from surfaces)

scrub / scrubbing (clean hard using friction)

sweep (use a broom to move dirt)

vacuum (use a vacuum cleaner to suck up dust/hair/crumbs)

wipe down (quickly clean surfaces)

mop / mopping (wet-clean hard floors)

🧰 3) Cleaning tools you should know in English

This episode gives you a full everyday cleaning toolkit vocabulary list:

cloth (sometimes “rag”)

sponge

broom

dustpan

mop

vacuum cleaner

Plus: the key phrase “to avoid streaks” when cleaning glass and mirrors.

🧽 4) Words for different types of mess (dust, dirt, grime, spills)

Not all mess is the same — and English has different words for it:

dust → the light layer on furniture (you “dust” it)

dirt → general soil/grime

grime → sticky, built-up dirt

spill → liquid mess (“I spilled coffee.”)

grease → oily dirt in cooking areas

soap scum → bathroom buildup (especially in showers)

🧴 5) Cleaning products & supply vocabulary

You’ll also learn common product words you’ll see in stores:

disinfectant / sanitizer (kills germs)

all-purpose cleaner (general cleaner for many surfaces)

bathroom spray / toilet cleaner

glass cleaner / window cleaner

degreaser (strong cleaner that breaks down grease)

And an important technique word:
✅ soak / soaking = letting cleaner sit before scrubbing

🍽️🚿🛋️ 6) Cleaning English by room (kitchen, bathroom, living room)

This episode is super practical because it shows what people actually say in each room:

Kitchen

wash up / do the dishes

scrub the sink

wipe down the counters

use degreaser for stove/oven grease

let it soak before scrubbing

Bathroom

focus on disinfecting

scrub the shower / tub

clean the toilet bowl with a toilet brush

wipe the seat and handle with disinfectant wipes

Living Room & Bedrooms

mostly dusting and vacuuming

for hard floors: sweep, then damp mop
✅ “Damp” means slightly wet — not soaking wet.

💬 Useful Real-Life Phrases (Copy & Use)

If you want to sound natural fast, try these:

✅ “Could you please help me tidy up this room?”
✅ “Do you know where the mop is?”
✅ “I need to wipe down the counters.”
✅ “I’m going to vacuum the carpet.”
✅ “This cleaner helps avoid streaks.”

🎯 Quick Practice Challenge (1 Minute)

Pick one room in your home and describe what you’re doing using 3 verbs from the episode.

Example:
🟦 “I’m going to tidy up the bedroom, dust the shelves, and vacuum the floor.”

Do this once a day for a week and your “everyday English” will level up fast.

📌 Key Vocabulary From This Episode

clean • tidy up • organize • cloth • rag • sponge • broom • dustpan • mop • vacuum • dusting • grime • spill • disinfectant • sanitizer • all-purpose cleaner • degreaser • wipe down • scrub • sweep • damp • streaks • soak • soap scum

🎧 If this helped you, subscribe for more practical episodes of English Made Easy — next time, we’re covering the vocabulary of cooking.
💬 Comment below: Which word was new for you—degreaser, dustpan, grime, or streaks?


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