5 Hacks for Cleaning Under Heavy Furniture Without Hurting Your Back
Clean without a trip to the chiro.
Having a clean home is important, but it’s certainly not worth hurting yourself over. One of the biggest challenges of cleaning is getting under large, heavy pieces of furniture, such as sofas and coffee tables—these spots can be super narrow, and the furniture is often too heavy to move on your own easily. Cleaning without straining your back can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be.
Here, cleaning pros share their best tips and tricks to get to those hidden areas without risking injury—or a trip to the chiropractor
01 – Try a Long-Reach Duster
Need an easy, cheap, and low-tech way to clean that spot between the sofa and the wall or underneath a low sofa without moving a piece of furniture? Claudia Meneses, CEO and founder of AvantiGreen Eco Cleaning, suggests keeping a flexible long-reach duster or microfiber wand handy as you clean your home.
“These tools slide easily under beds, sofas, and dressers,” she adds. “They are great with dust bunnies.”
02 – Use a Long Hose Vacuum Attachment
Need to clean little nooks and crannies without straining your neck or having your back go out? Menses touts using a long hose vacuum attachment. “You stay upright while the hose does the cleaning,” she explains.
The best part is these are pretty uncomplicated to use. “Keep the vacuum low and let the wand do the reaching,” says Robin Murphy, chief cleaning officer of Maid Brigade. “If you have to bend at all, bend your knees, not your back.”
03 – Place Furniture Sliders on the Floor
If you have to clean under heavy furniture frequently and moving those pieces is unavoidable, Menses recommends purchasing furniture sliders to help you smoothly glide things around.
“You can shift a heavy piece forward with almost no effort when you do need to move it,” she says. “Your back will thank you.” Bonus: You can find very affordable options on Amazon that won’t cost you an arm and a leg (or a back!).
04 – Delegate Chores to a Robot Vacuum
If you’re comfortable with tech, Menses recommends investing in a robot vacuum to handle the hidden dust. From tables to sofas, it can fit under many heavy anchor pieces. This is likely the best choice for anyone with a bad back or who suffers from a disability.
While not the least expensive option, it’s certainly the most convenient. Best of all, you can use it to clean your whole house while you do other tasks.
05 – At the Very Least, Clean the Perimeter
Lastly, if you can’t move or get underneath a piece of furniture, Murphy suggests at least cleaning around the perimeter. It’s not perfect, but it’s certainly good enough.
“You don’t have to get all the way to the middle under a couch to make a difference,” she says. “Vacuuming or wiping the first 6 to 12 inches cuts way down on dust and allergens.”
Source: Real Simple
This article was originally published by Real Simple on December 30, 2025.
5 Hacks for Cleaning Under Heavy Furniture Without Hurting Your Back
