Penelope Cruz thinks being a housewife is the "best thing in the world".

The 38-year-old actress has been staying at home since giving birth to 17-month-old Leonardo - her son with husband Javier Bardem - and enjoys not having a job to go to because it means she can concentrate on her cooking.

She told the UK edition of HELLO! magazine: "I'm a housewife and it's beautiful, the best thing in the world. I know how to cook and it's important to me to make fresh food every day. I don't do crazy diets, just the good Mediterranean food that I love because it's important to eat well."

The Hollywood couple have houses in America as well as their native Spain and Penelope also admits she's very good with a mop and duster.

She added: "I'm good at cleaning too. I learnt that when I made the film 'Volver'. My character was always cleaning the house, so when I started preparing for the role I would go to my mother's house and to my sister's house, and they were like, 'I think she has a fever, because I don't know why else she has come to clean my house today."