For every student, a dorm becomes a new home and place where you relax and spend time studying or hanging out with friends. For this reason, it is very important to keep your dorm healthy and clean. This way you will always be able to return to a comfortable place after a long day. Here are some tips to keep your dorm tidy.

Clean before you move in

Your dorm will probably already be cleaned before you start living there, but still, you never know if some spots are perfectly sanitized. Dust accumulates pretty quickly so it would probably be there when you enter the dorm. Things that are especially prone to getting bacteria are those objects that are frequently touched, such as doorknobs, drawer pulls, and switch plates. If your budget is a bit tight you can make cheap and effective homemade cleaning products and spare yourself of all those potentially harmful chemicals that commercial cleaning products usually have. Some alcohol, baking soda, vinegar, and essential oils just to make it smell nice can do wonders. Don´t forget to clean floors and keep them that way because floors are prone to piling up dirt. Make sure you always take off your shoes and wipe all the spills immediately.

Keep your towels dry

This applies not only to your towels but any other wet surfaces you might have in your dorm. Towels are generally wet but they should be dried fast and not be left in that condition. There should be a spot in your bathroom where a wet towel can dry fast and naturally, like a small towel hook close to the window. Leaning your towels wet for a long time can add dampness to the room and even damage the surfaces like wood. Needless to say, mold likes dampness and it develops perfectly in humid environments. This is precisely why you should be careful with this.

Keep your dorm clean

There must be a healthy habit of cleaning your dorm occasionally even if it’s not too dirty. Don’t wait for the mess to build up, make sure you clean every once in a while and maintain your dorm room spotless with little effort. Let’s say that each week you could invest an hour or two to wipe all the surfaces and remove the dust. Also, pass the vacuum cleaner and pay special attention to the bathroom. If you have a kitchenette in your dorm, make sure to wipe everything too, clean your dishes right away to avoid funny smells, mold, bacteria, or insects. Your counters, countertops, and appliances should be sanitized thoroughly. There are some cleaning hacks to do it fast and efficiently.

Run pest control

All students should generally be informed about pest infestation prevention especially when it comes to pest control. These insects are unfortunately common in many dorms and you should do your best to keep them away from your room. Other than keeping the place clean, you should pay special attention to not leaving any food and drink left anywhere in your dorm since cockroaches are attracted to them. Also, make sure to take out your garbage frequently. These are some basic sanitary measures for pest control.

Don’t smoke inside your dorm

Cigarettes are very harmful for reasons we all already know but smoking indoors can make it all even worse. Other than getting you into trouble it can make the indoor air quality very bad and the smell won’t just go away if you ventilate the room. It can penetrate the walls and stick around for a long time. You want to avoid that. If you need to smoke, do it outdoors and make sure your guests do so as well.

Clean your dorm at the end of the semester

Just like you should clean your dorm when you start living there, you should clean it at the end of the semester as well. The maintenance staff will do a great deal of cleaning but still, make sure to clean any mess you leave behind because otherwise some of it might be waiting for you when you come back. Make a big cleaning at the end of the semester that will include the appliances, taking out the trash, thoroughly vacuuming everything, even the curtains, wiping the floor, and deep cleaning the mattress. This way you will make sure that your dorm is neat next time you arrive.

Your dorm will be your room for a long period. Make sure you treat it that way. Keep it neat and clean to make the most out of it. Your productivity will be enhanced and you will spend your time in a healthy environment.