Most of us don’t want to live in a pigsty. And regardless of our personal tastes, when we are sharing a student house with other people, we all have to be conscientious about making sure that the environment works for everyone including utility bill splitting.
House cleaning can be a contentious issue, it is one of the most common factors that result in house sharing not working for some people, and a cleaning rota is a great way to try to avoid these kinds of tensions.
Do I Need a Cleaning Rota?
In short, yes, absolutely you do! A cleaning rota is one of the most important things that you should organise when you first move into a student house. It sets out clearly what each housemate should be doing, and when. It means that there are no misunderstandings about what needs to be done, who’s doing it, there’s no moaning behind peoples’ backs, that everyone is pulling their weight, and ensures that everyone is living in a positive and healthy environment.
Keeping a rented property clean and tidy also reduces the chances of you having to pay out huge amounts of money for deep cleaning when you move out.
What Do I Do If I Have a Messy Housemate?
There is much more to a good housemate than finding one that is tidy. However, it can be difficult if you are living with others who are messy or do not pull their weight when it comes to housework.
The most important thing that you should do with a messy housemate is to try to talk to them. A lack of communication can cause resentment and issues that spread to other issues within the house.
You could also think about making sure that you buy the cleaning products and make them easily available so that it is easy for them to use, and perhaps look to invest in gadgets or appliances that make cleaning easier.
Weekly cleaning hacks
Cleaning doesn’t always have to be hard work – either for you or your housemates! Here are some useful hacks to help you to keep your home sparkling…
- Lemon juice can be used to bring out the shine on pots and pans
- Try using vinegar to remove limescale and clean windows
- Bicarbonate of soda can be used to give teaspoons back their shine, absorb food odours in the fridge, clean sinks, countertops, and utensils, and deodorise carpets when sprinkled on them.
- Use a lint roller to clean lampshades
- To clean a microwave put lemon peels into a bowl of water, place inside, and turn the microwave on, then wipe down to make it sparkle
- Clean metals with toothpaste before wiping them down
- Use baking soda with water to clean glass-top oven hobs
Weekly House Cleaning Rota
Most household cleaning rotas are separated into rooms. Some of the chores that are required in an average household include:
Living Room
- Dust
- Hoover
- Tidy
- Plump cushions
Kitchen
- Sweep and mop the floor
- Finish washing up
- Wipe down surfaces
- Throw away any old food and clean the fridge
- Put washing up away and tidy
- Clean the oven and hob
- Clean microwave
- Clean dishcloths and tea towels in the washing machine
Bathroom
- Clean sink
- Clean toilet
- Throw away any empty bottles, packaging, and finished toilet rolls
- Scrub the bath
- Wipe the shower door
- Mop the floor
- Clean bathmat and cloths in the washing machine
Normally, each housemate is responsible for their own bedroom but just like splitting bills, splitting up the cleaning should also be considered when living in student accommodation.
A typical cleaning rota template would look like this:
| Day | Housemate 1 | Housemate 2 | Housemate 3 | Housemate 4 |
| Monday: | Kitchen | Bathroom | ||
| Tuesday: | Kitchen | Bathroom | ||
| Wednesday: | Bathroom | Hall | Kitchen | Living room |
| Thursday: | Bathroom | Kitchen | ||
| Friday: | Kitchen | Bathroom | ||
| Saturday: | Kitchen | Bathroom | ||
| Sunday: | Bathroom | Living room | Kitchen | Hall |