Keeping your space clean is a universal part of life — and if you’re learning Korean, it’s super helpful to know how to talk about cleaning, organizing, and tidying up in Korean!
Whether you’re doing chores at home, cleaning an office, or helping someone tidy up, this post covers the most important Korean cleaning-related vocabulary and expressions you’ll need. Let’s tidy up your Korean vocab! 🧹✨
🧽 General Cleaning Vocabulary in Korean
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 청소 | cheong-so | Cleaning |
| 정리 | jeong-ri | Organizing / tidying up |
| 청소하다 | cheong-so-ha-da | To clean |
| 정리하다 | jeong-ri-ha-da | To organize / tidy up |
| 청소기 | cheong-so-gi | Vacuum cleaner |
| 빗자루 | bit-ja-ru | Broom |
| 걸레 | geol-le | Rag / mop |
| 쓰레기 | sseu-re-gi | Trash / garbage |
| 쓰레기통 | sseu-re-gi-tong | Trash can |
| 휴지통 | hyu-ji-tong | Waste bin |
| 먼지 | meon-ji | Dust |
| 얼룩 | eol-luk | Stain |
| 세제 | se-je | Detergent |
| 소독제 | so-dok-je | Disinfectant |
| 물티슈 | mul-ti-syu | Wet wipes |
🛋️ Places & Items Commonly Cleaned
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 집 | jip | House |
| 방 | bang | Room |
| 거실 | geo-sil | Living room |
| 주방 | ju-bang | Kitchen |
| 욕실 | yok-sil | Bathroom |
| 창문 | chang-mun | Window |
| 바닥 | ba-dak | Floor |
| 천장 | cheon-jang | Ceiling |
| 침대 | chim-dae | Bed |
| 소파 | so-pa | Sofa |
| 책상 | chaek-sang | Desk |
| 선반 | seon-ban | Shelf |
🧴 Cleaning Tools & Supplies in Korean
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 진공청소기 | jin-gong-cheong-so-gi | Vacuum cleaner |
| 대걸레 | dae-geol-le | Floor mop |
| 행주 | haeng-ju | Dishcloth |
| 고무장갑 | go-mu-jang-gap | Rubber gloves |
| 걸레자루 | geol-le-ja-ru | Mop handle |
| 빗자루와 쓰레받기 | bit-ja-ru-wa sseu-re-bat-gi | Broom and dustpan |
| 유리세정제 | yu-ri-se-jeong-je | Glass cleaner |
| 세탁세제 | se-tak-se-je | Laundry detergent |
| 표백제 | pyo-baek-je | Bleach |
| 살균제 | sal-gyun-je | Sanitizer |
🗣️ Useful Cleaning Phrases in Korean
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 청소해야 해요. | cheong-so-hae-ya hae-yo | I need to clean. |
| 방을 정리했어요. | bang-eul jeong-ri-haet-seo-yo | I tidied up the room. |
| 먼지를 닦아 주세요. | meon-ji-reul dak-a ju-se-yo | Please wipe the dust. |
| 바닥을 쓸고 있어요. | ba-dak-eul sseul-go i-sseo-yo | I’m sweeping the floor. |
| 창문 좀 닦아 주세요. | chang-mun jom dak-a ju-se-yo | Please clean the windows. |
| 쓰레기를 버려 주세요. | sseu-re-gi-reul beo-ryeo ju-se-yo | Please take out the trash. |
| 이거 얼룩이에요. | i-geo eol-luk-i-e-yo | This is a stain. |
| 세탁기가 고장났어요. | se-tak-gi-ga go-jang-nat-seo-yo | The washing machine is broken. |
| 주방을 청소하고 있어요. | ju-bang-eul cheong-so-ha-go i-sseo-yo | I’m cleaning the kitchen. |
| 정리 정돈 잘 되어 있어요. | jeong-ri jeong-don jal doe-eo i-sseo-yo | It’s very well organized. |
🧼 Bonus: Cleaning Habits in Korea
- No shoes indoors: Always take off shoes at the entrance.
- Cleaning is often done on Fridays or weekends as part of routine weekly tasks.
- Many homes use multi-purpose wet cloths and air purifiers (공기청정기) for dust.
🎯 Practice Time!
Can you answer these?
1️⃣ What’s the Korean word for “to organize”?
2️⃣ How do you say “Please throw away the trash”?
3️⃣ What does “먼지” mean?
Try writing your own cleaning sentence in Korean! 🧹
📚 Want to Learn More?
✔️ Renting a House in Korean
✔️ Directions & Positions Vocabulary
✔️ Korean Cooking Vocabulary
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