The Student Cleaning Guide
Moving out soon? Top tips for end of tenancy cleaning
If you’re like me, cleaning is not number one on your priority list. Sometimes the six minutes it takes to wash up is just six minutes too many, and you swear it was you last who cleaned the bathroom. However, with the end of tenancy date looming, it’s time to put aside house politics and get the job done. Unsure where to start? Here’s my suggestions to help make cleaning less of a chore…
Round up the troops
A job shared is a job halved, and as much as you and your flatmates protest about “not making that mess”, you all live under one roof and share the responsibility. Make sure everyone is home, assign a room/chore to everyone and before you know it you can go back to slobbing on the sofa guilt free.
There’s a cleaning checklist to help you know where and what needs to be cleaned. It’ll help you divide up the jobs to be done, too.
Clean the lazy way
There are dozens of hacks to make cleaning that little but easier and tackling everything a little bit at a time means you can tackle each task at a more leisurely pace, so you’ll not be dashing round panicking on the last day. …
Using tape and lint rollers to pull dust off the lampshade, using anti bacterial wipes for everything and lining the fridge with cling film are just a few ‘hacks’ to make you feel like the boss of cleaning.
Or use some actual, useful hacks…
So running around your house in socks to pick up dust instead of hoovering may not be the most ingenious idea… but some hacks can actually be useful and friendly to the skint student. Here are some of my favourites:
- Tumble dryer sheets are great for wiping water spots off of mirrors, windows and shower doors
- Vinegar can make any surface shine. It also does wonders for water spots on taps
- Also, adding vinegar to washing up liquid can make soap scum a thing of the past
- Pouring salt on fresh stains can help lift them away (let the salt sit for 30 minutes and hover it up afterwards)
- Minging mystery gunk building up the bathroom? Vegetable oil, baking soda and a toothbrush can make it go away
Become a house proud perfectionist
Remember how you found your house when you first moved in? The bliss of knowing everything was fresh and clean and no trace of the last tenants’ antics? It’s now your turn to bless next year’s tenants with the same secure feeling.
Landlords will know the house like the back of their hand, so it’s time to say goodbye to that ‘modern art’ installation of empty wine bottles, fix that blown light bulb and hang that picture back up.
Don’t forget to report any maintenance issues that you’ve not mentioned before – make sure you mention that broken chair you decided to deal with later.
Your house will look as glorious as a ‘show home’ in no time.
If you need a bit of assistance, Purple Frog give tenants FREE magic sponges.