house cleaning

[/haʊs ˈkliːnɪŋ/]
nounpl: house cleanings
limpeza da casa
1. The act of cleaning the interior of a residential dwelling, including floors, surfaces, and rooms
I do house cleaning every Saturday morning.
Eu faço limpeza da casa todo sábado de manhã.
2. A thorough removal of dirt, dust, and clutter from a home
Spring house cleaning is a tradition in many households.
A limpeza profunda da casa na primavera é uma tradição em muitas casas.
3. A professional service provided by cleaning companies or domestic workers
We hired someone for house cleaning services.
Contratamos alguém para serviços de limpeza da casa.
4. Figuratively, the removal of unwanted elements or reform of an organization
The new manager implemented a house cleaning of the department.
O novo gerente realizou uma limpeza administrativa do departamento.
In Brazil, house cleaning (limpeza da casa or faxina) is often a shared family responsibility, though hiring domestic workers for this purpose is common in urban areas. The term 'faxina' is widely used in informal Brazilian Portuguese. In the USA, 'spring cleaning' is a traditional seasonal practice rooted in historical cleaning practices when homes were opened after winter. The term has also acquired metaphorical usage in business and organizational contexts, referring to restructuring or removing inefficiency.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
housecleaningcleaningtidying upspring cleaningdomestic cleaning
Antonyms / Antônimos
messinessclutterdisorder

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
limpeza da casa
Most common term used across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
limpeza da casa / faxina
Faxina is also commonly used in informal contexts
São Paulo
limpeza da casa / limpeza doméstica
More formal business term for cleaning services
Portugal
limpeza da casa / limpeza doméstica
European Portuguese uses similar terms with formal variation

Related Words

sweepvacuumdustscrubmoptidyinghousehold chores

Related Idioms & Phrases

a clean sweep
spring cleaning
cleaning house
housekeeping
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