Cooking and Cleaning and Laundry? AGHHH!
University and college students across Waterloo are settling in to their first few months of being away at school. Then, the realization hits… who’s going to do all this cooking, cleaning and laundry?
The answer, unfortunately, is you! Being away from home for the first time and the responsibilities it entails can come as quite a shock to some students. Although most are able to make it through okay, it is always helpful to get some tips to make it easier.
The 3 top areas that challenge students in Waterloo living away from home are:
- cooking
- cleaning
- laundry
So, Rez-One had put together some tips to help you take on these new-found responsibilities with a 3-part blog series dedicated to these student challenges. This month… cleaning!
Cleaning Tips for Students in Waterloo
Healthy student housing are safe and clean for the people who live there. Unlike single family homes that can be left alone for months without inspections, student residences really need to be inspected and professionally cleaned on a weekly basis to ensure all is well. Ultimately, professional cleaning services are an option to students. But if you decide you want to take on your own cleaning, you need to ensure to keep up standards of cleanliness.
While traveling to and from classes, you may bring in dirt and dust from the outside that can build up over time. Busy schedules often prevent students from picking up and cleaning up on a regular basis.
However, a simple cleaning schedule that includes vacuuming and taking off your shoes before you enter your suite can ensure that extra dirt and clutter don’t accumulate. Surprisingly, it can take just an hour a week (less than 10 minutes a day) to keep your kitchen, bathroom and bedroom clean and tidy.
Make a Cleaning Schedule
General cleaning schedules can be on daily, weekly and monthly schedules. Daily schedules can include cleaning counters, wiping spills, storing food in sealed containers, and taking the garbage out. Weekly schedules can include vacuuming, laundry, scrubbing sinks and showers, and dusting. Monthly cleaning activities can include cleaning out the refrigerator, window sills, and microwave oven. By making a cleaning schedule in advance, you can be prepared and have all the supplies you need. Work with your roommates to create a cleaning schedule that assigns tasks to everyone and includes a rotation of tasks so no one gets bored or stuck all the time with a cleaning task they don’t like.
Clean for a Safe and Healthy Environment
Everybody deserves a safe, clean and healthy home. By keeping areas clean and dusted, air inside suites is clean and fresh which is conducive to a happy and healthy lifestyle. People living in dirty environments have higher rates of respiratory irritation and are more likely to develop illnesses, like a cold or the flu.
People and pests don’t mix. When clutter collects it becomes an ideal hiding place for pests. Improperly stored food and garbage also invite pests into your suite.
You want to modify any dirty or neglectful habits you have that can make you sick or send a negative message to your roommates and family.
How to Clean
Some quick tips to keep your suite clean and healthy:
- Air fresheners, cleaning products, pucks, sprays, and other household products can produce fumes that may be harmful to your health.
- There are simple and inexpensive tools such as brooms, mops, sponges to help do the job.
- Have disinfectant wipes and a scrub brush readily available to perform some light wiping, dusting and scrubbing.
- You need a sponge and just 1 tsp. of eco-friendly dish detergent mixed with 1 qt. of warm water is to clean the inside of your microwave, kitchen counters and stove tops.
- For cleaning the toilet bowl, mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar. Then, pour into the basin and let it soak for a few minutes. Scrub with a brush and rinse.
- For window cleaning, mix 2 tsp. of white vinegar with 1 liter warm water and wipe with a sponge. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean the windows.
- For a simple yet effective bathroom tile cleaner, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water. For tougher jobs, first wipe surfaces with vinegar and follow with baking soda to scour.
- A simple sweep of a broom will clear the dust off floors.
- You can use baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes to absorb household odors.
- Tidy up your clutter regularly so that books and clothing don’t get “lost” when you really need them.