Are you moving back home for the summer and your room needs a spruce? Maybe you’re staying in halls for another few months, or are already thinking ahead to moving into halls or your uni house next year? Whatever your plans and wherever you are, it never hurts to refresh your room.
You’ve heard of spring cleaning, but there’s no need to restrict yourself to just one season for a satisfying deep clean! From kitchen and bathroom, to your bedroom haven, having a tidy living space often makes everything seem that little bit easier.
There have been tons of studies about the positive effects of having a clutter-fee study space, and the importance of having a clean home for healthy mental well-being and relaxation. After all, tidy home, tidy mind! If you’re now thoroughly motivated to get up and give your room or home a good clean, look no further than our checklist for cleaner living for everything you need to know!
Step one: Preparation
Giving your house or flat a deep clean will probably be too much work if you try to do it all in one go. Cleaning after some proper thought and preparation will make your life so much easier – especially considering you may want to take your time and clean in stages.
Plus, if you can get away with getting your flatmates involved, that’s even better! Sharing the workload will make it more fun and time’s more likely to fly by. Whether you’re with friends or alone, stick on your favourite playlist and sweep, mop and dust away!
Step two: Equipment
Don’t dive head first into the cleaning just yet. Making sure you’ve got the right equipment and products will save you future trips to the shops when you realise you’ve got the dustpan but not the brush.
Starting out with the following should have you covered for the full cleaning sesh: washing-up liquid, sponges and a scourer, oven cleaner, bleach, a microfibre cloth, a dustpan and brush, a vacuum cleaner, a mop and bucket, multi-purpose cleaner, and window and glass cleaner.
Step three: Bedroom
If you haven’t already packed away your belongings, start by hanging up clean clothes and putting a wash on – including bedding and towels – and then tidy away any surface items.
Wipe down your desk, side tables, shelves and inside your wardrobe, then move onto cleaning your windows – including the frame and windowsill. Lastly, vacuum your floor, moving furniture out of the way when necessary. Don’t forget under your bed, under your desk and right in front of your door.
Step four: Kitchen
Start your kitchen deep-clean by washing up, then remove any remaining cabinet items so you can wipe down the shelves inside. Once done, tidy away any odd items on countertops and move onto cleaning your kitchen appliances, aka the oven, stove top and microwave.
Now, it’s time for the fridge and freezer. Throw away any old food and wipe down the shelves – not forgetting the side compartments! Move onto cleaning the windows and windowsills, and then the countertops and sink. Finally, sweep and mop the floor until it’s looking good as new.
Step five: Bathroom
It’s probably a good idea to start with your shower, as that’s going to take the longest. Spray it down and scrub the walls and shower floor – not forgetting the shower head and hose – and then chuck any remaining towels, the shower mat, flannels and shower curtain into the wash.
Moving on to one of the least glamorous jobs – the toilet. Bleach is your best friend for this one! Then, you’ll need to give the sink a thorough clean, and use your window and glass cleaner on the shower, mirror and windows. And finally – you must know the drill by now – sweep and mop the floor.
Step six: Living room, hallway and communal spaces
Decluttering is probably the biggest job in these areas. Figuring out who owns what and moving it back into bedrooms – or suitcases – is the first and most important task here. Once you’ve got clear space to work with, it should be simple.
At this point, you’ll know the routine like clockwork. Put any cushion covers, blankets, doormats etc. in the wash, clean the windows and windowsills, and wipe down any surfaces – including lamps, TV stands and tables. Lastly, time to mop wooden floors and vacuum any carpets.
And, if those bin bags we mentioned earlier were dropped temporarily in the hallway, let this serve as your reminder to take them all the way outside!
Step seven: General tips
Our final words of wisdom:
- Double-check that the cupboards, fridge and freezer are empty.
- Remove Blu Tack and sticky tape left behind from photos, posters and fairy lights from walls.
- Empty the vacuum and throw away the mop when you’re done.
- Spray some air freshener and crack open a window.
We’re really proud of our properties – and the place you’ve once called, or will soon call, home – and we want to do what we can to help you keep your flats looking spick and span. If you need any advice, check out our looking after your home page, where we’ve answered some FAQs so you can understand our expectations from tenants, plus the support we offer. In short, we all have to do our bit to keep properties and flats clean and tidy!
Looking for accommodation this summer? Our student rooms are affordable and in great city centre locations – including London, Manchester, Salford and Dundee. Whether you’re looking to book for yourself or a group, you can find out more about the summer accommodation we have available online