8 Classic Pinoy Household Chores We All Dreaded as Kids

Ah, the golden days of our youth. Remember those days when your parents assigned you dreaded household chores and you had no interest in doing them? Your friends were asking you to play outside, and doing these hateful tasks meant you’d miss out on the fun things they were doing.

But no matter what the circumstances were, you had to unwillingly do them. Or else, a swat of crispy walis-tingting would land on your bum, or your mom would go on a full megaphone mode and lecture you about all sorts of unrelated things. Here are eight classic Pinoy household tasks we all dreaded doing growing up.

1. Washing the Dishes

One of the most common chores in every Filipino household is washing the dishes. After every meal, someone had to face the mountain of dirty plates, glasses, and utensils. The task was especially dreadful after big family gatherings like birthdays, Christmas and New Year, where the pile seemed endless.

2. Sweeping the Yard

In the Philippines, many homes have a yard that requires regular sweeping, because leaves from the trees outside would not just stop falling. This chore often meant waking up early on weekends to clean up fallen leaves, dirt, and sometimes, trash brought in by the wind. Plus, the intense heat of the sun didn’t make it any easier.

3. Mopping the Floors

Mopping the floors was another task that seemed to take forever, especially if you had to do it the traditional way—using a “basahan” (rag) and a bucket of soapy water. Ensuring every corner was spotless and streak-free was no easy feat.

4. Watering the Plants

While some kids might have enjoyed this chore, many found it tedious. Watering the plants meant lugging heavy watering cans or hoses around the garden, making sure every plant got enough water, and dealing with the occasional muddy splash. Forgetting to water one spot, and your mom’s favorite plant would die in no time because of the extreme heat.

5. Doing the Laundry

Laundry day was a big event, and we all hated it, especially before the advent of automatic washing machines. Washing clothes by hand, scrubbing stains in a “tabla,” rinsing, and wringing out water took a lot of time and energy. Hanging the clothes to dry under the sun was another step that couldn’t just be skipped.

6. Ironing Clothes

Once the clothes have completely dried, what comes next is another task we especially hate. Ironing was a meticulous task that required patience and attention or you’ll end up burning yourself and the clothes. From school uniforms to everyday wear, ensuring that every garment was wrinkle-free and neatly pressed was a responsibility many kids wished they could avoid.

7. Cleaning the Bathroom

Scrubbing the bathroom floor, cleaning the toilet, and making sure the sink was spotless were tasks that most of us dreaded. Although the bubbles and a little sliding on the wet floor were particularly enjoyable, the smell of cleaning chemicals and the hard-to-reach corners made this chore especially unpleasant.

8. Running Errands

Being sent on errands to the local “sari-sari” store was a task we didn’t just hate, but almost loathed. Whether it was buying a missing ingredient for dinner, fetching a household item, or being asked to buy soft drinks in the middle of a meal, these errands often interrupted many moments of our childhood and came with the added pressure of remembering every item on your mom’s list.