Besides knowing the 5 tips for CNY Cleaning, meide.sg feels you should know the 5 Unlucky Chores To Avoid During CNY too!
Before anything, let us do a brief introduction. During January and February every year, Chinese people around the world will celebrate Chinese New Year with family and friends. Since a majority of Singaporeans are of Chinese ethnicity, they would celebrate this joyous occasion too.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in January 2021, Singaporeans are only allowed to meet in groups of up to 8 persons in a home, excluding household occupants. Thus, huge family gatherings of the last decade may now be a thing of the past. Additionally, this means more attention must be paid to cleanliness and hygiene. This is because more people may contract and pass germs to each other due to increased close contact during visiting.
Scientific logic aside, did you know CNY is a festival following ancient Chinese traditions too? Many old folks believe in “unlucky chores”. Here are the five unlucky chores Singaporeans should avoid during CNY!
Sweep The Floor – Avoid during CNY
Avoid this during CNY on the first (or any day) of the Chinese New Year festivities. This is because using the broom and dustpan may instead “sweep away” your new year’s luck and prosperity! Therefore, sweep your home before Chinese New Year begins. Better yet, save time and money by using our CNY spring cleaning services from MEIDE!
In case of an emergency when you absolutely HAVE to sweep, be sure to start sweeping from the outer edges of a room and sweep inwards. This saves up the luck and prosperity of your home. Who knows? This might even enable you to survive your new job, handle your mother-in-law, and fight against new strains of COVID-19 (with better luck).
Take out the garbage – Avoid during CNY
The ancient Chinese also had this to avoid during CNY: garbage must be kept within the house and not be taken out. Certainly, it is doubtful how this would work in a HDB block of flats. In a HDB flat, common trash disposal system is shared by all residents and the trash is still within the block. But remember, taking out the garbage symbolizes removing the luck and prosperity from your residence!
Be aware that spring-cleaning should be done BEFORE Chinese New Year. If you are looking to earn extra income to give your relatives in red packets, be sure to check out our page on how to become a professional cleaner. The more you clean, the more you earn!
MEIDE.SG is your number one cleaning expert. Whether you need cleaning advice, practical help, or everything done for you, just drop us a WhatsApp message! Or, if you feel up to it, join our fabulous team of cleaners and helpers!
Breaking Something Should Be Avoided during CNY
Would you rather break a heart or a teapot on Chinese New Year? Better to break up with your girlfriend and break her heart rather than a teapot, our forebears claimed! This is because physically BREAKING things will chase away the luck and prosperity in your home! Avoid this during CNY at all costs.
However, if you accidentally break a bowl or cup during Chinese New Year, immediately wrap the broken pieces with red paper and chant auspicious phrases. Say 岁岁平安 (suì suì píng ān) and you will immediately be absolved of any festivity sins. Why? Because 岁 (suì) sound nearly like 碎, which means “shattered”.
Do Not Wash Clothes Or Hair
Your mother informs you that your clothes will not be washed on the first and second day of Chinese New Year. You protest, claiming that your sweat glands are ultra-active on both days from playing energetic rounds of Mahjong with your cousins, whom you only see once a year. According to ancient Chinese customs, washing clothes on the first and second day of Chinese New Year is not recommended. This is because the first and second days are celebrated as the birthday of the Water God. Washing clothes will bring bad luck.
It does not end here! Your hair must not be washed on the first day of the Chinese New Year. This is because the Chinese character and pronunciation for hair (发) is the same as 发财. It means “strike it rich”. Thus, to preserve and enhance your wealth and prosperity, do not wash the riches from your hair on the first day of Chinese New Year. Avoid this at all costs during CNY!
Furthermore, be aware that there are hidden spots of dirt and mold that you should consider removing from your home. Such spots may not be immediately visible to the naked eye, but with our team of expert professional cleaners, we can remove those spots of mold that may diminish your Chinese New Year experience in 2021!
MEIDE.SG is your number one cleaning expert. Whether you need cleaning advice, practical help, or everything done for you, just drop us a WhatsApp message! Or, if you feel up to it, join our fabulous team of cleaners and helpers!
Do Not Use Sharp Objects Like Scissors Or Knives
Knives, scissors, cutters – all three have a common factor: they are sharp. Sharp objects should be avoided during CNY as they will “cut” your luck and prosperity. It is recommended to avoid cutting your hair too during CNY. So if you want to open that bag of Wang Wang Rice Crackers, you may need to use your teeth. And, make a rush to the hair salon before it closes during Chinese New Year!
Of course, a solution is to pre-cut or pre-open your snack bags before Chinese New Year starts. Do not say meide.sg did not warn you!
We hope this article has been useful and entertaining!
Do take note of these 5 things to be avoided during CNY. Lastly, happy wishes from MEIDE to all our readers! Have a happy Chinese New Year!
This article was originally written by and contributed by our guest writer Mr Bernard Lim – who was a sanitation equipment sales professional. He also enjoys writing about various subjects, such as hygiene and cleanliness, society and economics.
meide.sg have since vetted and modified as necessary to best suit the article to our audiences. In view of the fact that this is an article contributed by a guest writer, meide.sg, meide services, and all affiliated businesses: (1) Reserves the ownership and writing copyrights to this article nonetheless, as explicitly explained and agreed upon with the guest writer/contributors; (2) Have done our best to validate and check it against any form of copyright infringement or plagiarism. However, in any event of dispute or unhappiness, we offer our sincere apologies in advance and are open to negotiation of plausible corrective actions (eg. if adequate credits have not been given). Do contact us at admin@meide.sg in any such instances.
