How to share student accommodation cleaning

22 November 2023By Amelia. A, Staff writer at Unite Students
Person rinsing a sponge under sink

It’s one thing to tidy your own room, but having a well-thought-out cleaning rota for student houses is equally important. Here are a few tips and tricks to share with your flatmates so you all enjoy a tidier living space.

How To Share Student Accommodation Cleaning

We’ve all been there: you come back from a party and crash, only to wake up craving a nice breakfast. Then you clap eyes on what we all hate to see – a cluttered and dirty flat, which instantly kills the vibe.

It’s one thing to tidy your own room, but having a well-thought-out cleaning rota for student houses is equally important.

Here are a few tips and tricks to share with your flatmates so you all enjoy a tidier living area.

Vaccum cleaner being used in living room

Work out what needs cleaning and how often

While jumping into clean up tasks headfirst shows spirit and commitment, it isn’t always the best strategy. Set up a detailed plan of action that works across a longer timeframe for all your student accommodation cleaning tasks.

Remember, this is a group effort so involve everyone. Whether you allocate areas by person or choose a more traditional day-by-day rota for accommodation cleaning, it’s important to be fair. Distribute tasks evenly so nobody feels that they're being burdened with others’ mess.

It’s also important to understand the dynamic of your group. While some people like a more communal style of living, others prefer their privacy. Adapt your plan to reflect both individual responsibilities and shared cleaning efforts.

Here’s a breakdown of important communal areas to clean, so you can start your student cleaning plans:

  • Kitchen

  • Dining area

  • Living area

  • Shared bathrooms

  • Communal hallways

The kitchen

The kitchen is the core of your student accommodation. Lots of you will be cooking for yourself for the first time, so it’s bound to get a bit messy. Here’s a few tips on why and how often you should clean your kitchen:

How often should you clean your kitchen?

Keeping the kitchen clean is super important. Bacteria and food don’t mix, and prepping meals in a dirty kitchen could lead to upset stomachs and even food poisoning. Allocate daily tasks such as washing up individually, while more intensive cleaning can be done in longer, communal shifts. We made a sample plan you and your flatmates can learn from and make your own:

Person cleaning kitchen

Daily kitchen cleaning tasks

These involve the fundamentals and should be kept on top of to avoid pileups:

  • Washing up

  • Wipe down counter tops

  • Sweep the kitchen floor

  • Rearrange dry dishes into allocated areas

Weekly kitchen cleaning tasks

While these don’t require regular attention, having someone allotted for each week ensures smoother operation for everyone in the kitchen.

  • Empty the bin (can be bi-weekly depending on number of flatmates)

  • Clean the hob hood

  • Declutter and organize your pantry and fridge

  • Clear out the fridge – check expiry dates on food

Fortnightly or monthly kitchen cleaning tasks

These might seem like unnecessary tasks, but leaving them unattended over several months can lead to bad smells, mould and damp.

  • Mop the floor with a mix of water and disinfectant

  • Deep clean appliances such as ovens, kettles and microwaves

  • Dust for cobwebs and build-ups of dirt

  • Dining area

In most homes, you’ll find that the common areas for dining and the kitchen are the same. While most of the same strategies you used for the kitchen will work here, here’s a few extra things to consider when cleaning your student accommodation dining room:

  • Clearing and wiping the table after a meal

  • Keep the table tidy, removing any unnecessary items or clutter to maintain a clean and inviting space

  • Use the sweep-vacuum-mop strategy to keep the area clean

  • Rotate and move décor and carpets occasionally so you clean below them

  • Dust off other items as well such as chair fabric, lighting and windowsills

Friends sat with popcorn watching tv

Living area

With tons of parties and movie nights to come, the living room is going to be the central point where you socialise with all your uni mates and visitors. This is precisely why you should keep it clean.

Here’s a few tips to follow:

  • Keep the area tidy. The living room is often the first place your guests see and first impressions count

  • Coffee tables can get a lot of spills and leftover gunk. Remember to give it a good wipe-down

  • Occasionally spray the area with room freshener for a welcoming scent

  • Check under the sofas and in corners for crisp crumbs and other foods

  • Sweep and vacuum the floor/carpet

Shared bathrooms

Ah, cleaning the bathroom – the most unglamorous student accommodation cleaning task. While no one really looks forward to the job, it's essential to maintain a hygienic space for everyone. Here’s how to do it.

  • Wipe down the shower cubicle floor and walls to prevent limescale and mould

  • Ensure the sink is clean

  • Use a sink unblocker to clear up plugs

  • Set up a bin for throwing out toilet paper, hygiene products and hair after shaving, and empty it regularly

  • Buy bleach, a toilet brush and a plunger

  • Mop the floor regularly

Communal hallways

British weather isn’t totally forgiving when it comes to hallways. With people in muddy shoes and dirty coats coming in regularly, mud and general detritus can build up in these areas.

  • Keep a doormat where guests and flatmates can wipe their shoes before they enter

  • Set up a coat hanger to avoid pileups

  • Vacuum or sweep the area at least once a fortnight

Shoes tidied away in hallway

Create a cleaning rota for your flat

Now that you have a better idea of how often to clean your student house, let’s talk about the ideal cleaning rota. Building an effective plan should work for everyone in the apartment. Remember, we talked about team efforts, so even if you think you have the best plan, make sure everyone is on the same page.

We’ve gathered a few do’s and don’ts that you can use to further refine your student accommodation cleaning rota:

Do rotate jobs

People might resent the idea that they're being burdened with tougher jobs. Efficiency isn’t everything, so instead try to distribute and rotate jobs fairly. This will prevent resentment from setting in if one person gets the easier jobs and someone else is stuck cleaning the toilet.

Do allocate tasks based on how long they take

Some jobs take longer than others (eg: general dusting vs mopping and deep cleaning the floor). Factor this into your rota as well to ensure all your flatmates have it equal.

Do share the cost of cleaning products

Items like washing liquid, paper rolls, bleach and sanitising spray are cheaper when bought in bulk. Share the cost with your flatmates as they’ll be used a lot in communal areas.

Don’t leave everything to pile up

A common technique used by students is to leave all the jobs for a “clean up weekend” where everyone works together to tidy up the home. While this can leave the apartment shining afterward, it isn’t that effective, as it’ll quickly get messy again. Focus on regular cleaning that makes your flat a nice place to live every day – not just on weekends.

Don’t take on more than your fair share

The attitude of your flatmates towards clean up just comes down to luck. Sometimes they aren’t that keen on tidying up, but this doesn’t mean that you should take on more than you need to. This will only reinforce the habit. Instead, try to regularly communicate the importance of student house cleaning and hygiene so they pick up after themselves.

Author photo of Amelia Adams
By Amelia. AStaff writer at Unite Students