Jessika Vandivier
The Paw Print
One responsibility that has latched on to my young adult life is cleaning my place of residence. I am learning now that I really took for granted all the tasks my mother seamlessly preformed. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t one of those lucky children that didn’t have any chores. I helped out with the dishes, taking out the trash, and keeping my room picked up.
However, now that I am on my own I have discovered that those little details don’t really mean a whole lot in the grand picture of keeping an apartment clean. There is so much more work into maintaining a place and making sure it stays livable. This article’s mission is to help you organize your cleaning schedule and give you tips on sustaining cleanliness in your pad.
First, let’s talk about what products you should purchase. A toilet cleaner is an absolute must-have. Also make sure you purchase a toilet cleaning brush, or you will be stuck scrubbing it with a rag. Next on your list should be an all-purpose cleaner. The product I recommend the most is Spic n’ Span. You can use it on your bathroom and kitchen counters, along with your sinks.
A broom and a mop are also necessities. If you are trying to save on money, ditch the mop bucket and plug the kitchen sink instead. The broom doesn’t need a dust pan, you can simply use a piece of paper to sweep the dirt onto and throw the whole thing in the trash.
Another purchase you should make is wash rags and paper towels. The rags can be used over and over again, but the paper towels are good for cleaning off nasty things like the back of the toilet seat. You can just throw the used towel away and never have to touch it again.
A couple of extras you can pick up are air fresheners and candles. If your place smells good, everyone will be impressed.
Now that we discussed what products you will need to make your place clean, let’s talk about the best way to execute the mission. I prefer to break it down and take it one step at a time, starting from the inside out.
The first room I clean is my bedroom. This entails gathering laundry, making my bed, and organizing all of my school work so it is not scattered throughout the room. Make this process easier on yourself and blast the tunes or put on a good movie.
Also, a good tip to remember is that no one can see under your bed, so utilize it. Also never forget to wash your sheets; bed bugs are not attractive.
The second room to clean is the bathroom. I do this second because it is smaller than my bedroom so it is a smaller task and it gives me a break before I move into the main part of the house. Be sure to clean the toilet really well, especially if you are a boy. No girl is going to date you if your bathroom is gross.
Comet is the best brand of toilet cleaner I have found. Sprinkle it all over and start scrubbing. Be sure to use the Spic n’ Span on the counter and the faucet so there is no toothpaste or makeup stains present. When you are all finished with the bathroom, flush the toilet to get any extra cleaner out and spray a few streams of air freshener to leave it smelling nice and clean.
The next room I move to is the living space. Now, if you have roommates, they should of course be helping you with all of this, with the exception of your private bedroom. Every other room is the responsibility of every resident. The living space should be organized and tidy because it is the first impression people get when they walk in.
The kitchen is equally as important. If you live in an on-campus apartment, your living room and kitchen are like one big space. It is easiest if these are cleaned at the same time.
Make sure you do the obvious kitchen chores, such as dishes and taking out the trash. Also remember to clean the counters. The more you keep the counters clean, the less germs you have to worry about accumulating. Mop the kitchen floor really well to get any nasty stuck-on food off. Also, while you have to mop water made, go ahead and mop the bathroom too.
When you are finished cleaning everything, light a few candles and spray some air freshener throughout the place and you will be living organized and happy.
To make sure your place stays nice and fresh, repeat this cleaning process at least once a week. It is easiest if you set aside a certain day of the week to be your “cleaning day.” This ensures that it actually gets done and guarantees that you won’t be living in a health code violation.
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