No matter how many years go by or how many countries change, there are Cuban customs that seem impossible to leave behind. This has been demonstrated by Claudia Gómez, a Cuban who has been living in Italy for two years and who has shared on TikTok the cleaning habits she still maintains as if she were still on the island.
In a funny video posted on her TikTok account (@claudia.gmez.velz), the young woman shows that when it's time to clean the house, it's essential to have her hair up in a bun, the furniture moved, a bucket of water, a mop, and, of course, music.
"Even after two years of living in Italy, I still move all the furniture to clean," she says while showing her unique cleaning routine.
And although she has a vacuum cleaner at home, she acknowledges that she hasn't fully replaced the cleaning methods she learned in Cuba.
"Here, I use the vacuum cleaner from time to time, but at least once a week I clean with water, using the mop and the blanket for mopping," she explains in the description of her post.
Another custom she keeps intact is walking barefoot on the freshly mopped floor, a sensation she considers an essential part of cleanliness.
"After clearing the path barefoot on the clean floor, all the Cuban women will understand," she assures with laughter.
But if there's one thing that should never be missing from their cleaning sessions, it's a good selection of music. And not just any music, but those songs that remind them of their years in Cuba.
"I still play music while cleaning. And of course, it's old reggaeton. From back when I was in school," he adds.
Claudia is not the only Cuban resident in Italy who remembers these traditions. Recently, Bia Martínez, who has been living in that country for 25 years, confessed that she misses cleaning barefoot and throwing water.
Something similar was shared by another Cuban known on social media as Mariencita (@yaidleicita), who shared five Cuban habits she refuses to give up despite living in Italy, including cleaning the house while listening to music.
For Claudia, continuing to clean in the Cuban way is not an obligation, but a tradition she enjoys that keeps a part of her roots alive.
"It is a great satisfaction to clean this way with water, with the aragán and the mopping cloth," she wrote alongside the video.
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