Spring cleaning is one of my favorite things to do. I am a very clean person, I wipe down and dust almost daily, vacuums consistently, and cannot stand dirty dishes. This got me thinking about how other college students clean. Am I an obsessive cleaner? maybe. But do most college students know how to properly clean? maybe not. I stopped doing dishes for a weekend in my room. I wanted to see how my roommates would react and if they would do anything. Long story short, I ended up making a bigger mess for myself to clean up Monday morning when my little experiment was over.

I asked them why, three roommates, by the way, none of them did anything. Two answered: we’re used to doing it and one answered: I don’t know how to do it as well. So this is a list of all of the things you should know to make sure your home and your space are as clean as they can be:

1. Use the right spray.

I cannot stress this enough: Windex is for windows and mirrors only. You cannot use it on your wood! It will cause the staining to run! Also, while it does clean off kitchen counters and other places like that, it is the best idea to use a spray that is multi-surface and kills germs. Cleanex wipes are good for this too but leave a residue and don’t pick up dust as well. Use a good spray like this one and a microfiber cloth and you’re good to go! Pledge is the best thing to use on real wood as well.

2. You have to vacuum before you mop.

Not vacuuming before you mop does nothing but push dirt around. I vacuum at least once a week and I don’t have pets. Use fabuloso with warm water and a sponge and your floors will be clean as a whistle after you vacuum! Also the purple one smells the best.

3. Carpet cleaner does work.

Vacuuming is great but for best results I sprinkle carpet cleaner like this one, vacuum after letting it sit, then I use a carpet scrubber like this one to get out any tough stains. It’ll make your carpets and rugs last longer and smell way better than just vacuuming alone.

4. Have a different sponge for every activity.

If you chose to use a sponge for cleaning off counter tops and floors and such, make sure you have a different sponge for each job. This way there is no cross contamination or chance of one kind of cleaner ruining your other furniture.

5. The fridge should be included in your cleaning routine.

I hate to break it to you, but your fridge may be the dirtiest part of your house. If you store your fruits and veggies in the drawers without drawer liners, there’s probably some gunk in there. Also, store meats properly on the bottom shelf so they can’t drip down and contaminate other food. Just take all of the food out, spray with a kitchen cleaner & wipe down. Same with your microwave! A bowl of water and vinegar, microwave for a minute, wipe down and you’re good to go!

6. Dishes are the devil.

Ok, maybe that’s a bit dramatic. But, nothing makes me feel lazier or dirtier than dishes in the sink. Make it a habit to start small with your cleaning if this is hard for you and just trying putting your dishes in the dishwasher right after you use them!

7. Don’t ignore the bathroom.

Buy a toilet cleaner that’s super easy to just pop a tab on the side of the bowl and it cleans it with every flush like this one or one that you can just run around the rim, leave for a few, the flush! Also, spray your shower with bleach, leave and wipe down or run your shower, good as new!

8. Not everything has to be dusting or spraying.

Spring cleaning is also for the soul! Clean out the clutter that is weighing you down mentally. Donate or sell clothes online, organize your bookshelf, update your picture frames, rearrange your room, whatever makes you feel brand new is worth doing!

Happy cleaning!