One may think that cleaning a dorm room should be the easiest thing to do since it is less than 200 square feet. Well, it should be a lot less difficult to clean with the right cleaning supplies. It is bad enough that dorm rooms are so tiny, it could be worse if the tiny, cramped room is dirty as well. This can be extremely disturbing. In this article, I have discussed 7 dorm cleaning supplies every student needs and you should look forward to getting them.
The essential dorm cleaning supplies every student needs include:
- Disinfecting wipes
- Small Vacuum cleaner
- Carpet Spot Remover
- Room Spray
- Paper Towels
- All-purpose cleaning spray
- Shoe deodorizers
As a freshman in college, I can say for sure there is nothing more tedious than cleaning. The dorm room is usually a tight space, with limited natural light and not much privacy. Because of these facts, any cleaner or household item you bring will be put to good use. Check out the list below to see 7 dorm cleaning supplies every student needs.
7 Dorm Cleaning Supplies Every Student Needs (Including Product Recommendations)
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Disinfecting wipes
These are great for surfaces like your desk or tables that easily get dusty. They can be used to wipe down almost any surface. I find them handy and take them almost everywhere I go, especially now that Covid-19 is lurking all about. You could check the recommendations below:
Solimo Disinfecting Wipes are lemon-scented wipes that come in 3 packs of 75 pieces each bringing it to a total of 225 wipes. It kills 99.9% of bacteria in 15 seconds. It is ideal for wiping off tough messes and the packs are convenient for moving around.
You can also try the Nimbus multipurpose wipes. It is an Aloe Vera-based wipe. It is an eco-friendly hand and face wipe that is hypoallergenic and safe for the whole family including kids. It has a resealable lid that makes it easy to fit into purses and bags.
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Small Vacuum cleaner
Emphasis on small but not cheap. Yea, I know it could be tempting to grab a small, cheap vacuum cleaner to save cost but trust me, it will probably stop working after a couple of weeks. Vacuum cleaners are essential, especially the ones that help you pick up stuff from the floor. Below are some recommendations.
MacLife Handheld Vacuum is a cordless, lightweight, and portable handheld vacuum ideal for cleaning small spaces. It has a long battery life that comes with 2 different attachments to meet your cleaning needs. I also recommend the BLACK+DECKER dustbuster Handheld Vacuum. It is a cordless, handheld, portable, wet, and dry vacuum. It is designed for quick clean-ups and spills and includes a wall-mountable charger.
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Carpet Spot Remover
These come in handy to remove tough stains from your carpet especially if they are brightly coloured. Getting a carpet spot remover will come in handy. One of the products I recommend is the Resolve Professional Strength Spot and Stain Carpet Cleaner. It lifts out stains and neutralizes odours, leaving your dorm carpet smelling fresh. It penetrates deep to help keep the stain from reappearing and is also good for a wide variety of tough, everyday stains.
Folex Professional Carpet Spot Remover is another alternative. It gives instant results and can be used for carpets and upholstery that can be dampened with water. It does not contain solvents of any kind.
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Room Spray
400″>Dorm rooms are likely to get cramped with so many things and have the tendency to smell stale and musty no matter how much you clean. To get the air in the room smelling fresh again, a small can of room spray air freshener can give you a long-lasting scent.
Yankee Candle Concentrated Room Spray is an excellent option to buy. It neutralizes room odours for up to 4 hours and fills the room with your favourite scent. It comes in various fragrances and gets room fixed with just 2 sprays. Another product is the Stand Around Creation Air Freshener-Deodorizer. It can double as linen and room spray. It contains essential oils and leaves the room smelling good.
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Paper Towels
This is useful for a wide range of cleaning. Paper towels always come in handy to clean spills especially since you don’t have to worry about washing them. They can also be used as napkins while eating. You should consider getting the Presto! Paper Towels, a super absorbent and Flexi-size to allow you to suit your towel to your mess.
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All-purpose cleaning spray
As the name suggests, this supports a good number of cleaning purposes. They clean any kind of surface in your dorm such as countertops, sinks, mirrors, etc. They also come in a wide number of fragrances according to your preference. You could start your dorm cleaning by giving everything a good spay then, wiping it all up.
You can get Mrs Meyer’s Clean Day multipurpose surface spray that removes stuck-on dirt. It also removes odours from non-porous surfaces in the house and has a refreshing scent too. The RepelWell Multi-Protect Stain & Water Repellent is another product I can recommend. It is an eco-friendly cleaning spray, safe for all kinds of surfaces including delicate fabrics like suede and silk. RepelWell uses hydrophobic technology that repels liquid to keep your belongings clean and looking as good as new.
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Shoe deodorizers
While this may not be a cleaning supply, it sure will keep all that shoe stink away from your tiny dorm room. All you need to do is place them in your shoes and out goes the stink. For recommendations, you can try the Tofume Shoe Deodorizer. It is pine-scented with no artificial ingredients. It is strong but safe and lasts up to 60 days.
You can use Smell well Odour Eliminator and shoe Deodorizer as well. It is a blend of fine-grind-activated Moso bamboo charcoal and minerals that absorbs 3X more moisture. Simply place this in your shoes and watch the magic happen.
Tips for cleaning small spaces
- Avoid by all means cleaning agents that release toxic chemicals. Opt for natural cleaners which are just as effective and smell great. This will help you improve air quality. A small room purifier will go a long way and it is a great investment to keep viruses, germs, and air pollution under control
- To maximize space in the dorm, and keep clutter to a minimum, you need storage solutions such as storage cubes and boxes for papers.
- Have a cleaning strategy that you and your roommate have agreed to. This will help to keep the organization of the room constant and reduce the clutter to a large extent.
- To achieve a clean space, you need tools such as dusters, garbage bags, mops, vacuum, dish towels, dish sponges, etc. You also need cleaning agents like dish soap, detergent, disinfecting all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, etc.
Do you need a broom for college?
As you begin to gather the supplies you will need for college, you may be wondering whether or not to bring a broom. Do you need a broom for college?
Why You Shouldn’t Bring a Broom to College
First, I think that it is important to put your priorities in order. As you are packing your things, do not waste space with items that you don’t need. Leave the broom at home. If you have time to sweep, then you should be studying, going out with friends or doing something else more productive.
You will not have time to clean your room every day or even every week and when you do clean it will be with a mop or vacuum cleaner. Bringing a broom would take up too much space in your car or dorm.
Where You Can Find a Broom for College
If there is an emergency where the floor needs to be swept, then go ahead and buy one at the store. Most campuses have stores where students can buy just about anything they would need while living in their dorms including brooms and other cleaning supplies.
The last place I lived at school had paper towels, laundry detergent, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies all sold on campus at very reasonable prices. There is also usually a discount store within
Who cleans the bathrooms in college dorms?
It’s a simple fact of life: If you live with a bunch of other people in close quarters, bathrooms get dirty. And if you’re living in a college dormitory, where the occupants are not always mature enough to keep things clean on their own, things can get messy fast.
Depending on where you go to school, you might have communal bathrooms in your dorm — meaning multiple students share a bathroom that’s not attached to any individual room — or private bathrooms inside your rooms. Either way, someone has to keep these spaces clean.
The Dorm Cleaning Crew
In many cases, this job goes to the dorm staff. Members of the housekeeping staff handle cleaning common areas like lounges and lobbies along with restocking paper towels and toilet paper in communal bathrooms. Facilities personnel will also often take care of general maintenance and repairs throughout the building.
If you go to school at a big enough university where there are numerous dorm buildings (or even just one big one), there might be an entire team of people whose sole job is to keep those facilities clean and maintained. But if you go to a smaller school or one without much of a budget for housekeeping, maintenance and upkeep might fall on the shoulders of the students who live there
How do you clean a college shower?
A shower is a place of solitude and personal reflection. We use our showers to cleanse ourselves of dirt, grime, bacteria, and other contaminants. Unfortunately, the area we use to clean ourselves can become a haven for those same nasty things. If you are sharing a shower with your peers (college dorms), it’s important to keep the area as clean as possible to prevent the spread of disease.
Here are some tips on how to clean a college shower:
Sweep the floor and remove any large debris.
Use a bathtub scrubber and sprinkle baking soda on it before scrubbing the tub/shower stall walls. (this is an eco-friendly alternative to using harsh chemicals).
Rinse well with warm water. (the baking soda will leave behind a residue if not rinsed well)
Fill up two spray bottles: one with white vinegar and another with rubbing alcohol. Spray down all surfaces including handles, knobs, drains etc… Let sit for 5 minutes before wiping down everything again (you mustn’t let the solution dry on any surface).
Rinse well with warm water after wiping down all surfaces.
FAQs
What cleaning supplies do you need at college?
You will need to have paper towels, disinfecting wipes, sweeper mops(this is a sweeper that doubles as a mop), a mini vacuum, and other kinds of deodorizers to keep your room smelling fresh.
How should I clean my dorm room before move-in?
To clean your dorm room before you move into it, you can follow the steps below:
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as door handles with a disinfecting wipe
- Wipe surfaces and walls with an all-purpose disinfecting cleaner
- Sweep and vacuum the floor and corners along the walls
- Spray some deodorizers to make it smell like home
How often should I clean my dorm room?
You could make a plan to clean your room either weekly or daily. Whichever way you choose, I am going to show you a couple of hacks you can adopt:
Weekly room cleaning plan
- Vacuum/ sweep and mop
- Clean out the fridge
- Take out the trash( this should be done more frequently)
- Do your laundry
Daily room cleaning plan:
- Make your bed
- Tidy up
- Do your dishes
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces
Conclusion
Your cleaning checklist should be all checked now. It is never a good idea to leave out cleaning supplies from your list. Living in a dorm is no easy feat. A clean dorm room will make the experience worth it. That does it on our review of 7 dorm cleaning supplies every student needs.