Everyone has a different idea of what ‘clean’ is, so, when you’re living in student accommodation with others, keep this in mind. It’s a great idea to have a cleaning rota. You might want to have it where you rotate chores or where you rotate rooms but either way, it’s something you should all agree on. It’s probably best if you stick to cleaning your own bedrooms though, you don’t want people to be moving your belongings.

Bathrooms

The less mess, the better. If you live in a shared house, maybe ask your roommates to keep their own toiletries in their own room. Or, agree on having a set drawer, cupboard or shelf, this way, you won’t be irritated by other people’s mess and there will be fewer places for dirt to build.
Encourage everyone to use the toilet brush and get into the habit of using bleach and anti-bacterial wipes once they have used it. It will help you all stay on top of cleaning, plus you’ll only be cleaning up after yourself, not everyone else. At least once a week, mop the bathroom floor using a disinfectant to prevent germs.

Kitchen

If you spill something, don’t leave it, clean it up there and then. If you’re cooking a meal, make sure that all surfaces are cleaned using anti-bacterial sprays or wipes. You don’t want to be making yourself and others ill because you haven’t disinfected the work surfaces. Similarly, just like the bathroom floor, get into the habit of mopping and vacuuming the kitchen floor once a week, especially if people wear their shoes in there.

Make sure that you wash up the pots once you have finished, don’t let them build up, it’s not fair on your housemates. In terms of the fridge, keep an eye on when foods go out of date and put these items to the front of the fridge, so people know that they need to be used. Every couple of weeks, give the fridge a whole wipe down and wash the salad drawer whilst you’re doing the pots.

Don’t forget that the oven will need cleaning too. Don’t leave this for too long as it will be harder to clean. If you aren’t sure how to start cleaning an oven, remove the shelves, wipe out any bits, put one shelf in at the bottom and put in a dish of water and half a cup of white vinegar, heat the oven to about 300 degrees and let it work it’s magic. However, if you don’t have the time to do this, then there are professional oven cleaners out there you can contact. The same goes for the microwave (put in the dish of water and half a cup of white vinegar and microwave for 5-10 minutes, depending on how powerful the microwave is). Give them both a clean at least once a month, wiping up any mess as you go along.

Keep the rubbish by the door if possible. This way, whoever is on their way out and notices the bin is full, can take it out.

Vacuum & Dust

Keep on top of these tasks at least once a week. When you decide to clean your room, make sure you clean the living room, hallways and stairs too. However, make sure that you stick to your rota, so everyone is doing their part.

Here Are A Few Cleaning Products You Might Need:

  • White Vinegar
  • Mop & Bucket
  • Disinfectant
  • Anti-bacterial Spray
  • Anti-bacterial Wipes
  • Glass Cleaner
  • Hoover
  • Bleach
  • Multi-surface
  • PolishDusters
  • Carpet Cleaner
  • Cleaning Cloths
  • Washing Up Liquid

You can buy all of your cleaning products quite cheaply at high-street stores, such as Home Bargains, B&M, Wilkinson’s and Poundland.

We hope that you have found this blog useful. If you need any help finding your student accommodation in Sheffield, please contact us today.