Rooms in a HouseWordMeaning

Attic /tik//phng gc mi/storage room at the very top of the house

Basement /beismnt/ tng trt/the lowest level of the house

Bathroom /b/, washroom/wa:/the room for bathing and using the toilet

Bedroom /bed/the room where people sleep

dining room /room with a table and chairs for eating; in some houses this room is only used on special occasions

Hallway(hnh lang)long narrow area that joins one room to another

kitchenplace for preparing food; sometimes has a table and chairs for eating informal meals

living room; family roomplace where family spends leisure time; often has a TV, also used for entertaining

Lobby /la:bi//hang lang trc o khoc or giy/area in the front entrance for hanging coats and placing shoes

master bedroom/phng ng ln nht cho b m/the largest bedroom in the house; used by parents

Nursery /n3:rsri//phng dnh cho tr nh/room for baby or young child

Pantry /pntri//phng/chn bt a,thc n/room off the kitchen for keeping dry foods and storage items

Patio /ptio//hin/hnh lang l thin/outdoor area in front or backyard; usually sits slightly off the ground; often made of wood

Playroom room filled with toys; books and games; indoor area for kids to play

rec room /rek//recreation room=phng gii tr/often in basement; extra room for watching TV and playing games such as billiards or ping pong

sunroomenclosed room with large windows; often used for relaxation, visiting, or reading

Furniture and DecorWordMeaning

bedlong frame with a mattress on top for sleeping; has blankets and pillows for comfort

bookshelf, bookcasetall wooden piece used for holding books

chairvarious types of furniture used for sitting on

change table /bn thay t/surface found in the nursery, used for changing a baby's diaper (t)

couch/sofa/kat/ /sof/long comfortable piece for sitting on; found in common rooms

Counter/katr/ /bn chun b n/surface in the kitchen; used for preparing food and holding small appliances

Cupboards /k^brd/ /chn/storage area with doors; used for holding food, dishes, cleaning supplies, etc.

deskpiece used for doing work and holding papers, books, writing tools; usually found in an office

dresser, bureau/bjro/ bn lm vic,bn giypiece of furniture for holding folded clothing

entertainment centre

piece of furniture for holding television, stereo, and other electronic devices

fireplacesquare opening on a wall to hold a fire and warm up the home; may be electric, gas, or wood

Mirrors /mirr/special glass placed on a wall or counter, used for viewing one's self

pictures, paintingsdecorations hung on walls or placed on surfaces; often framed

shelveslong surfaces for organizing and storing household items

tub, bathtubfound in bathrooms, a large area where you lie down and wash your body

window sills, ledges /ngng/g ca slong shelf-like surface beneath a window

AppliancesWordMeaning

dishwasherelectric appliance that washes dishes; can be "built-in" (under a sink) or "portable" (moved and attached to the sink when in use)

dryerelectric appliance used to dry laundry

Fridge /frid/electric appliance used for keeping food cold

freezerelectric appliance used for keeping food frozen (very cold)

garbage disposal /dispozl/ /phn hy rc/located inside a drain; chops up bits of food into small pieces to fit down the pipes

microwaveelectric appliance for cooking food quickly

ovenelectric appliance for baking and heating food

stove, range /bp l,c mt bp un/elements on top of an oven for heating, frying, and boiling food

washing machineelectric appliance for cleaning laundry

Cleaning SuppliesWordMeaning

baking sodawhite powder used for cleaning and removing odours

Bleach /bli:t//cht ty trng/liquid added in small amounts to water; has strong chemicals that remove stains on white clothing; also used to clean bathrooms

Broom /bru:m/Chibrush with a long handle on it for sweeping floors

carpet cleanerty thm

foam or liquid soap used on rugs (thm) and carpets

Deodorizer /di:draiz/ cht kh miproduct that removes bad smells from a room; often scented

dishwashing detergent /dit:rdnt/ nc ra chnliquid or powder soap that goes into a dishwasher

dust pan /d^st/ ht rcflat container used for collecting dirt and dust swept up with a broom

Duster my ht bia cleaning tool with a handle and feathers (or a soft cloth) used for wiping dust off surfaces

garbage or trash baglarge, heavy bag for collecting the household garbage

garbage or trash bincontainer with a lid that holds large garbage bags

glovescoverings for the hands, with separate holes for the fingers

Hose vi ti nca long tube that fills with water; often kept outside and used for outdoor cleaning

laundry detergentbt gitpowder or liquid soap used for cleaning clothes and linen

Mop /ma:p/ cy lau nhlong stick with a sponge at the bottom that is soaked in water and soap; used for cleaning floors

recycling bin thng rc ti cha container that holds paper, tins, glass, and other garbage that can be reused

scrub brush /skr^b/ /br^/ bn chi c toileta brush with a handle on it; often used for cleaning toilets

Sponge /sp^nd/ ming bt bina soft cleaning product that absorbs water and is used for washing surfaces

stain removercht ty vt bn kh tylaundry product used specifically on spots that regular laundry detergent cannot clean (stains include red wine or blood)

vacuum cleaner/vkjum/ my ht bia machine that sucks up dust and dirt on the floor as you push it around

Vinegar /vinigr/ gima clear sour tasting liquid mixed with water and used for cleaning; environmentally friendly alternative to store bought cleaners

Linen and Laundry termsWordMeaning

bath towellarge towel used for drying the body after a shower or bath

face cloth or wash clothsmall, square shaped towel or cloth used for washing the face and hands

fitted sheetsheet with elastic that goes on top of the mattress and stays in place

foldverbmake articles of clothing small and neat for storage

hand towela towel hung in the bathroom; used for drying hands

hangernouna wire or plastic hook used for hanging clothes in a closet

ironnoun and verban electric appliance used for making clothes flat; to remove wrinkles

king sizethe largest size bed or bed covering

laundrynoundo the laundrythe washing of clothing

pillow casea covering similar to a sheet that protects the head cushion

queen sizelarge size bed and bed covering (smaller than king, larger than double)

sheetnouna light cover on the bed

singlesmallest bed or bed covering size; made for one person

stainnouna spot that is difficult to clean

top sheetthe sheet that goes on top of the fitted sheet and under a heavier blanket

twin sizebed or bed covering size that is larger than a single and smaller than a double; used for one person

Describing words for HousekeepersWordMeaningExample sentence

allergicwhen a person must stay away from a certain food or cleaning product because it can cause them to get very sickOur daughter is allergic to that laundry detergent.

cleanremove dirt and stainsWhen the kitchen is clean I will start on the laundry.

clogged, pluggedwhen something is blocking the hole of a tube or pipeThe kitchen drain is clogged with potato skins.

dampa little bit wetI hung up your suit, but it is still a little damp.

dirtyopposite of cleanThe floors are dirty because the kids walked through with their boots on.

dustywhen furniture and surfaces are covered with a small layer of matterThe office furniture upstairs is very dusty.

filthyvery dirtyThe bathroom is filthy because we went away for the weekend and left the kids at home.

messyout of order, opposite of neat and tidyThe children's rooms are messy, but it's their job to clean them.

neat, tidy (often expressed as "neat and tidy")in good order, opposite of messyThank you for leaving the house so neat and tidy.

slipperysurface that is wet or polished and is easy to fall onI just mopped, so the floors are a bit slippery.

soapycovered with lots of soap bubblesCan you rinse the dishes again? They are still soapy.

wetfilled or covered with water, opposite of dryI put the dryer on twice but the clothes are still wet.

environmentally friendlygood for the world, doesn't contain strong chemicalsWe only use cleaning products that are environmentally friendly.

Action words for HousekeepersWordMeaningExample sentence

clean; clean upremove dirt, dust, and other messesAfter you clean up the kitchen you can take your break.

drytake the water out of somethingPlease dry the dishes fully before you put them away in the cupboards.

dustremove the dust from surfaces such as furnitureI'm sorry I forgot to dust the entertainment stand last week.

finish; completehave no more work to doI'm finished everything on the list, so I guess I'll be going home now.

freshen upmake a room smell and look more invitingThe master bedroom is relatively clean, but you could freshen it up a little.

hang; hang uporganize and store items (often clothes) by putting them on hooks and hangersAfter you have folded the laundry, please hang the guest towels in the washroom.

mop; mop upclean the floors with soap and waterThe dishwasher flooded, so I mopped up the water.

organizesort or put away in a neat and tidy mannerI organized the indoor and outdoor shoes.

polishwipe with a special cleaner that makes something (such as floors) shine; remove smudges or printsMake sure to polish the silverware before you put it away.

rinsepour water over something for a long time to remove soapYou'll have to rinse the dishes a little better. My coffee tasted soapy today.

sanitize; sterilizeremove any bacteria or other harmful substances that could cause illness, often by using boiling water or a special cleanerYou have to sterilize the baby bottles in boiling water.

scrubuse a lot of physical energy and a heavy cleaning tool to remove dirt or stainsYou'll have to scrub the upstairs tub because it's pretty dirty.

tidy; tidy upmake a room or area look neat by organizing and putting things awayYou don't need to vacuum the family room, but you could tidy up the books and toys.

vacuumuse a special hose that sucks up dust and dirt from the floors and furniturePlease pick up large items like coins before you vacuum the basement.

washmake clean with water and soapPlease wash the windows with water and vinegar.

waterpour water onto plants or grassYou forgot to water the indoor and outdoor plants.

wipe; wipe upclean up a mess or spillDon't use bleach to wipe the counters.