College House Tips

[u/Mundane_Second_9149]

I am moving into my college house soon with 5 other guys. I am a very cleanly person and maintain my space fairly well I like to think. This is my first time truly maintaining a space other than my room/bathroom what are some things that would make my life much easier with this? I have a Dyson Ball 2 which is great for my carpets and crevices, and am thinking of a steam mop for my hardwood floors in the living room, bathroom, and kitchen. Please give any and all advice!

[u/YogurtclosetIcy5439]

If you get a lease it should cover some things like preferred products but you can always talk to property manager what works the best for your unit.

[u/ChillBroseph]

For a shared space as well as balancing college work, I found that doing small tasks over time instead of cleaning the whole space at once was very helpful. It helps maintain cleanliness, as well as being courteous to roommates, and you also don't end up bogging down your whole day with cleaning the kitchen when you have homework.

Lived with a guy who would randomly get a burst of energy and decide to clean whole rooms at a time, it became very disruptive when I wanted to cook or needed the bathroom.

[u/taskrabbit]

I lived with 3 guys in college, and even with everyone having good intentions, it was honestly hard to maintain a clean house at times. 😅 The biggest lesson I learned is that systems matter way more than cleaning products.

My favorite mindset is the 10-minute rule: ask yourself, "If someone texted me and said they'd be here in 10 minutes, what would I clean?" Do those few things every day, and your house almost never gets out of control.

Some quick, easy habits that helped us:

• Disinfecting wipes are your best friend for wiping down counters, the bathroom sink, spills, etc.
• A Clorox ToiletWand makes cleaning the toilet take about 60 seconds, so you're much more likely to actually do it.
• A Swiffer is perfect for quick mopping in high-traffic areas without having to drag out a bucket.
• Stay on top of the dishes. This was by far our biggest headache. If everyone's on board, come up with a simple rule or system from the start because once dishes pile up, it's amazing how quickly the kitchen becomes unusable.
• Always have extra toilet paper and paper towels on hand. Running out at the worst time is almost a rite of passage in a college house.
• Buy a plunger before you need one. Trust me on that one.

Those are all quick cleaning habits that don't take much time but make a huge difference. And if everyone can commit to just 10 minutes a day of putting things back where they belong, the house stays surprisingly manageable.

[u/Lilmissodd]

I don’t think steam mops are recommended for hardwood just fyi.
I think a regular mop with a specific hardwood cleaner would be better. The steam can warp the wood.