Keeping your dorm clean will be the last thing on your mind during your first year, but here are the college cleaning supplies always need around.
Cleaning your dorm will become a surprisingly therapeutic chore.
But you need to have the right cleaning essentials for your dorm before you do.
In this blog post, I will list 15 cleaning supplies for college students and hopefully answer the question: “What cleaning supplies do I need for college?”
What Cleaning Supplies To Bring To College:
For dorms, I recommend getting a few basic cleaning supplies instead of bringing everything you see in the cleaning aisle at Target or Walmart.
However, do not be like me who did not bring a single cleaning supply to my dorm.
I had to borrow my roommate’s cleaning supplies when moving in AND run to the store to get some cleaning supplies for my dorm.
So this is why I’m writing this dorm room cleaning supplies list for you, so you DO NOT make my mistake. (Okay, honestly I thought my dorm was going to have a few cute cleaning supplies in the dorm for us, or IDK I didn’t know or what I was thinking.
1. Disinfectant Wipes
Disinfectant wipes should be one of the first cleaning supplies to add to your dorm cleaning supplies list. Dorms need to wipe down before you even set anything down AND should be wiped down every now and then throughout the semester/year. Especially after this pandemic, you’d need to disinfect everything. I recommend this 4 pack of Lysol Wipes because you want to have a stock.
2. Broom & Dust Pan
One of the chores you’ll be doing a lot in your dorm room is sweeping. You should bring a broom to your dorm, especially if you have tile floors instead of carpet. In my dorm room, I was like every day there was a mess on the floor or mud from my shoes on the floor. It’s also the same in my apartment. I recommend getting a broom and dustpan that has a handle so you won’t have to bend down.
3. Mini Vaccum
Stuff will fall and spill on your floor. You also can’t sweep a bed (I mean you can, but…) and a paper towel won’t be able to get every crumb from your Pop-Tart that you ate in bed. A mini vacuum will pick up all the small items and will be able to reach difficult areas that you need to clean. I recommend getting one because it will come in handy and won’t take up much space.
P.S. If you are living in a dorm or apartment with carpet, then I’d recommend searching for a vacuum that you use that is lightweight and will fit in a small corner, like this Bissell vacuum from Amazon.
4. Swiffer Sweeper
One of my top dorm room cleaning supplies is a Swiffer Sweeper. I used it every time I cleaned my dorm room and still use it to clean my apartment. It was easy to use and better for storage since it is lightweight and fits in the corner. I recommend buying a Swiffer Sweeper kit for your dorm room cleaning supplies to start off.
5. Shower Cleaner
If you have a suite bathroom or your apartment bathroom, then one of the items you should have in your dorm cleaning kit is a shower cleaner. Showers in dorms get gross quick, especially if you are sharing it with several people. I recommend this shower cleaner that I still use today. I wish I would have had this when I was living in a dorm because it was difficult cleaning a tiny dorm bathroom. All you have to do with the cleaner I recommend is to spray it daily after everyone gets out of the shower and let it sit for a while then rinse.
Also, if you want to use a shower title cleaner for cleaning days sure. But DO NOT SPRAY THEM TOGETHER. WAIT A DAY OR A FEW HOURS. (Trust me, I learned the hard way…)
6. Air Fresher
Dorms are smelly and will get a weird smell in them throughout the year. I don’t know why but listen to me when I say buy a few things of air freshener for your dorm. I used this spray throughout my freshman year of college.
7. Hand Sanitizer
Even though hand sanitizer isn’t necessarily a cleaning supply, I recommend having a lot of it, especially since you are living in a dorm. Before the pandemic, I had a bottle of hand sanitizer in my dorm and it was at the edge of my table ready for whenever I was leaving or entering my dorm. I also recommend getting a spray like this one from Bath & Body Works and a holder for your backpack.
8. Trash Can & Bags
Next, this should be on your cleaning supplies list for college because dorms do not provide them. You will have a huge trash can somewhere outside your dorm and one most likely located in your dorm’s hallway. I recommend finding a desk trash can and/or a trash can with a foot pedal that closes.
But also you should have a supply of trash bags because 1.) it’s difficult to find a hose to really clean a trash can on campus and 2.) the bags will prevent sticky stuff and liquids from getting into the trash can.
9. All-Purpose Spray
I used an all-purpose spray for most of my college cleaning, especially in my apartment. I recommend having an all-purpose spray because it can be used for virtually any type of cleaning. I used it mainly for wiping surfaces. This is the closest to the All-Purpose Spray I used now!
10. Paper Towels
Obviously, this should be on your college cleaning supplies checklist! Paper towels are needed for when you spill things, need to wipe down surfaces, and any other thing.
So I’m a stan of Viva paper towels because they are almost like a towel when it comes to wiping surfaces and their rolls last a long time due to how efficient they are. I’m never going back to any other brand.
11. Sponge
On cleaning day, get yourself a nice sponge instead of a random towel that you found in your dorm room. Sponges will come in handy when you need to clean plates and scrub tiles in the shower (also please do not use the same sponge.) Get a pack with more than one sponge. You can get my exact cat sponges here that I use for my kitchen. Here is the sponge I use in my bathroom for my shower.
12. Toilet Bowl Cleaner
One of the most important cleaning supplies for university you need is a toilet bowl cleaner. Just put enough around the toilet bowl’s rim and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Sometimes you’ll need to scrub with a toilet brush if there’s stuff still in the bowl. But it’s honestly the easiest way to clean a toilet without getting grossed out.
13. Febreeze Fabric Refresher Spray
THIS BOTTLE of Frebreeze fabric spray was my holy grail during my freshmen year. This is one of the top dorm room cleaning supplies because some things you can’t or won’t be able to wash in the dorm’s tiny laundry room (e.g. your comforter). For example, I couldn’t wash my back rest pillow so I used to spray the fabric refresher or sometimes Lysol and let it sit for a few hours.
I also used the mini ones for to give my clothes a refresh. This should be one of your top college dorm cleaning supplies for how useful it’ll be when you’ll least expect it.
[Related: 21 Dorm Must Haves For Freshmen in 2021]
14. Windex
Your mirrors will get dirty and so will your windows. I recommend getting a bottle of Windex to wipe down any glass surface in your dorm room.
15. Rubber Gloves
Having rubber gloves is one of the cleaning supplies you need for college for sure. It’s a basic cleaning supply that you should have ready for cleaning day. Trust me, you don’t want to have some disgusting water touching your hand.
16. Toilet Paper
So I left toilet paper last because my dorm roommate and I bought a lot of toilet paper for our dorm but my dorm supplied some rolls every week. But they were like 1-ply sheets that didn’t work great…so I recommend buying a few rolls or a bulk supply because your college won’t supply the best, cushiony paper.
FAQ:
Should I bring a mop to college?
If you want to, but I’d recommend getting a Swiffer Sweeper. Bringing a mop also means bringing a bucket, too. You will not have enough space in your dorm for that. But if you are living in an apartment your freshmen year, you can bring it.
How do college students clean bathrooms?
As a college student, I must say that I clean my bathroom using the cleaning supplies I listed above. I have natural hair so it’s essential that I clean often because washing my hair takes time and a lot of energy. I would first clean my toilet using a toilet cleaner, spray my shower and wipe it down, then I would sweep the area. Finally, I’d use my Swiffer Sweeper to wipe my floor. I’d also take out my bathroom trash. Finally, take any towels hanging and place them in the laundry basket.
College cleaning should be simple and easy. Don’t overcomplicate it but also don’t get lazy and not clean it well enough.
Do dorms supply toilet paper?
Like I mentioned above, my dorm had a custodian that cleaned our suite bathroom and also brought 2 rolls of toilet paper. I’d recommend getting a nice brand of toilet paper because most free stuff on campus will not be the best quality. I also recommend getting baby wipes too.
Do colleges clean dorm rooms?
Colleges do clean dorm rooms before you move in, but it’s best to clean your dorm before placing your bedding or clothes in the drawers. It honestly varies from college to college. I know that at LSU, we had staff custodians that came weekly. You will have to check with your college’s residential department.
Okay, but how to clean a dorm bathroom?
That itself can be another blog post and a few TikToks…I advise you to honestly clean a little each day. Don’t leave your clothes on the floor; get a laundry basket. Use a daily shower spray. Wash your shower rug every few weeks. Little habits do you each day will help on your weekly cleaning day.
This post gave you all the college cleaning supplies you really need in 2021!
Before you go, please take the time to learn more about what to need to bring to college:
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