When a student is new to a college, they are thrown into an environment where they encounter many people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in their immediate personal space, such as an apartment or dorm. They can easily get sick and catch anything from the common cold to some of the deadliest types of diseases. But, the good news is, they can easily do things about it, so they minimize their exposure to these germs. Today, we will discuss 25 areas to clean in a dorm room to help prevent illness and maintain a clean and presentable space.
I divided the areas to clean in a dorm room into four sections: bedroom areas, kitchen areas, bathroom areas, and common areas.
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Note: the trick is to do these tasks regularly. It needs to be done at least once or twice a week unless otherwise mentioned below.
Below is the list of areas that need to be cleaned and the frequency of cleaning.
Bedroom Areas to Clean in a Dorm
Keyboard - Spray a cloth with a cleaning solution and wipe down the keyboard when the laptop or external keyboard is turned off.
Laptop cases - Since you will probably be taking the laptop everywhere you go, wiping the outside every few days will help keep it clean.
Cellphone screens - Cellphone screens can get extremely dirty due to the touchscreen. Wipe the screens when the device is off.
Cellphone cases - Don't forget the cases; you can easily use a cloth and soak the case for a few minutes in a bowl of warm water and a squirt of dish soap.
Tablets (affiliate) - is similar to the cellphone screen, be sure to clean this regularly, especially if it is a touch screen.
Writing Utensils (affiliate) - Is there a pen or other writing tool you use a lot? Wipe it down with a disinfectant wipe(affiliate) often.
Computer (affiliate) mouse - do the same with the mouse you use; wipe it down with a disinfectant wipe at least once a week.
Headset or earbuds (affiliate) - Keeping these items clean will help them last longer. The New York Times has a great article about how to clean headphones and earbuds.
Kitchen Areas to Clean in a Dorm
Inside and outside of the water bottles - clean the inside and the outside of your water bottle. And never leave the lid on for too long. Water needs to be removed after each use. It will get stagnant.
Glasses and mugs - Another area you should clean in a dorm is the glasses and mugs. Leaving them in the sink will pile up, and if the glasses or mugs have milk in them, they will smell up the room after a day of sitting out.
Plates and bowls - If you don't clean plates or bowls right away, the food in them will harden and become smelly. Soaking them with water will help, but it shouldn't become a habit to leave these items in the sink.
Refrigerator handles and inside the fridge and Microwave - You can use the all-purpose disinfectant cleaner you use for the kitchen. However, if you have a stainless steel refrigerator handle, check out this post for instructions from HGTV.
The Today Show has great tips on how to clean the inside of the microwave.
Countertops - Especially if you have a small countertop that everyone uses, it's essential to clean this area at least once a day. Use countertop disinfectant cleaners, like Lysol Pro Kitchen Spray Cleaner and Degreaser Antibacterial.
Cutting boards - Whether you use wood or plastic cutting boards, they should always be cleaned after every use. You can read more about how to clean this on the Real Simple magazine website.
Reusable Straws - Whether you have stainless steel or other types of straws, be sure to have a straw brush (Amazon (affiliate) Affiliate). These are so handy for cleaning the inside of the straw. You can easily add a little dish soap on the brush and run it through the straw, and then rinse the inside with water.
Common Areas to Clean in a Dorm
Doorknobs - This area needs to be cleaned once a week.
Railings - If your dorm or apartment has stairs, you should clean the railings once a week to minimize the transfer of germs.
The printer (affiliate) display - If you have a printer (affiliate) in your room, you should clean off the touch screen display periodically, mainly if someone else uses it as well.
TV remotes or any other remotes you may have - This is a hotspot for germs. Cleaning this every week and more frequently when your roommates are sick. Visit our post about how to clean electronics.
Vacuum (affiliate) cleaner - Just emptying the vacuum (affiliate) cleaner is not enough. You should turn it over and clean out the hairs of the brushes at the bottom. If they do not budge, use scissors and cut the hair out. Always use gloves and a mask, especially if you have multiple roommates.
Fan blades - Cleaning fan blades at least once a month can help reduce dust in the room. And, if you are sensitive to dust, this should be a priority. Be sure to stand in a secure area while cleaning these blades. Home Depot has some great tips on how to clean blades using a pillowcase.
Tops of picture frames and window sills - And the last area to clean is the tops of picture frames and window sills. The top and bottom of picture frames and window sills are highly essential for reducing dust in a dorm room. You can use an all-purpose spray cleaner(affiliate), and a microfiber cloth(affiliate) works nicely.
Bathroom Areas to Clean in a Dorm
Toilets - Of course, I had to add toilets. Look for a cleaner that sains disinfectant cleaner on it. It may also have bleach.
Tub or Shower - The next area to clean often in a dorm room is the tub or shower. Using a shower cleaning daily will maintain the space but cleaning it at least once a week with a disinfectant cleaner. I prefer the foaming ones.
Floors - Typically, there are no rugs (affiliate) on the floors in dorms. However, if you do have area rugs (affiliate), be sure to shake them into a trash can (affiliate) to remove the dust. If you really want to shake it out, ask your RA if you can shake it outside the building and where to do that.
Cleaning the floors can be done using Swifter wet pads or another all-purpose floor cleaner.
REMINDER: Always clean your hands after returning to the dorm from outside, before doing anything else. Remember to wash your hands for 20 seconds before, during, and after preparing food to help minimize the spread of germs.
I hope this post helps you keep your dorm clean and reduce the germs in your new home. Please leave a comment with any questions you may have about your cleaning routine.
Visit our other College Dorm Posts for more tips!
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