{"id":2988,"date":"2024-03-20T08:46:18","date_gmt":"2024-03-20T08:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/?p=2988"},"modified":"2026-03-02T10:09:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T10:09:15","slug":"9-tips-for-spring-cleaning-a-student-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2024\/03\/20\/9-tips-for-spring-cleaning-a-student-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"9 tips for spring cleaning a student kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter how you frame it or how many times you do it, it\u2019s difficult to motivate yourself to do housework – n<\/span><\/strong><\/span>evertheless, it needs to be done. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

And research<\/a> shows a good spring clean can actually leave you feeling calmer, happier and more focused. It\u2019s all about a tidy space and a tidy mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, we\u2019re sharing our top tips for tackling a shared kitchen in student accommodation. The best way is to divide and conquer, so g<\/span>rab your roommates, put some music on and get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wash the pots<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with an easy one…<\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re sharing a kitchen with other people, and you\u2019re all busy with your studies, dishes can pile up pretty quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The bigger the pile gets, the less you want to sort them – especially if they\u2019re not all yours. The solution? Clean them together, with one person washing, one person drying and one person putting them away. The time will fly by if you\u2019re chatting, and it\u2019ll be less of a chore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting the dirty dishes out of the way will make a dramatic difference to your kitchen space. <\/span>While you\u2019re there, stick your tea towels in the washing machine to freshen them up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dust your appliances<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Things like the kettle, toaster and microwave will be a constant on your kitchen counter, which means they\u2019ll attract dust.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only does it look bad, it can also cause problems for our health and worsen conditions like asthma.<\/span><\/p>\n

Run a soft cloth over your appliances, not forgetting the tops of cabinets and the fridge. For a better result, moisten your cloth slightly with water.<\/span><\/p>\n

And remember that dust will also collect on your floor, around cupboards and on skirting boards. Now is a good time to give it a sweep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wipe your surfaces<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kitchen surfaces are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, so keeping them clean is essential given it\u2019s where we prepare our food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Antibacterial spray designed for the kitchen is usually a good way to go, especially when you\u2019re facing a sticky worktop. Just make sure you read the instructions to check it isn\u2019t going to damage your surfaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s amazing how much we can achieve when we\u2019re armed with antibac spray, but it isn\u2019t enough alone. Every so often, you should also sponge them down using hot, soapy water.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mop the floor<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One of the best time-saving products I\u2019ve ever used is a mop stick. It has a cleaning pad on the bottom and makes mopping floors as easy as wiping your worktops. <\/span><\/p>\n

The good thing about them is that they make light work of grime and dirt. And, when you\u2019re done, you can rinse or dispose of the cleaning pad without fuss. Plus, it takes up hardly any space, which is a big bonus when it comes to student accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Start by clearing everything out of the way – you can stand things in the corridor or place them on the table while you work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whichever mop you choose, use your cleaners as instructed and get to work. You should always start in one corner and work backwards, making sure you\u2019re stepping on the unmopped sections.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bring your microwave back to life<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s face it, the microwave is probably the kitchen appliance you use most often. It\u2019s easy, it\u2019s quick and it\u2019s convenient.<\/span><\/p>\n

And because you use it so often, food and grease can build up in it, making it more difficult to clean.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luckily, there\u2019s a simple solution. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with a cup of water and add some lemon juice. Then, pop it in the microwave on a high setting for a few minutes or until it steams up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wait a few more minutes before opening the door. You\u2019ll see that all of the grime is wet and can be easily wiped away with a cloth or sponge. It\u2019s as good as new in no time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tackle the oven<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Oven\"<\/p>\n

Did you know that a dirty oven can change the way your food tastes? It\u2019s also a fire hazard, so it\u2019s doubly important to make sure it\u2019s clean.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, take out the wire racks and pop them in the sink to wash later. Then, as awful as it sounds, pick up any loose bits of old food and debris which has collected at the bottom. It\u2019ll make the next part easier.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019ve emptied your oven, use an oven cleaner on the rest of the grease and splatters. Some cleaners like to sit in the filth for a while and get to work before you take a scouring pad to them, so make sure you follow the instructions on the bottle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, once everything is clean, rinsed and shiny, pop the wire racks back inside and you\u2019re done. It\u2019s always best to leave the oven a while before cooking anything.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Empty the bin<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

You should empty the bin every couple of days to make sure it doesn\u2019t overflow with waste or develop a smell.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the nicest of jobs, so taking it in turns is usually the kindest way to do it. <\/span>Once you\u2019ve emptied the bin, wash your hands thoroughly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then make sure you pop a new bin liner in it. It\u2019s easy to forget, and the next person who throws away a half-drunk milkshake won\u2019t thank you if there\u2019s no bin liner in there. What a mess!<\/span><\/p>\n

Get some fresh air<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Rooms can get stuffy, especially when you\u2019re cooking and congregating in there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Opening a window or door for an hour will<\/span> keep the kitchen nice and fresh (especially after someone has cooked something particularly pungent) and clear out any viruses or dust particles hanging in the air.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just be sure that someone is home while you\u2019re airing things out and check that you lock the windows up again before leaving or going to bed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Replenish your supplies<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve used the last of the scouring pads or washing up liquid during your spring clean, make sure to add it to your shopping list for next time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pop everything you\u2019ve used back in the cupboard and enjoy your new, clean kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n

It might even inspire you to ditch the pot noodles and finally open that student cookbook your parents got you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which other rooms would you like us to help you spring clean? Let us know in the comments…<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Lauren\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

No matter how you frame it or how many times you do it, it\u2019s difficult to motivate yourself to do housework – nevertheless, it needs to be done. And research shows a good spring clean can actually leave you feeling calmer, happier and more focused. It\u2019s all about a tidy space and a tidy mind. … Continue reading “9 tips for spring cleaning a student kitchen”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25094,"featured_media":4558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false},"categories":[4,3,6],"tags":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/files\/2024\/03\/Img318184.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2988"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25094"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2988"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4563,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2988\/revisions\/4563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}