8 Tips for the College Student Away from Home
by Amy Sardone
on Oct 11, 2024
If you’ve got a first-time college student heading off to live on their own in a dorm or apartment, share these tips for keeping their living space neat as well as guarding their own health.
Dear super-excited first-time dorm dweller:
1. Towels should always be hung up to dry thoroughly between uses and washed after 3 – 5 uses. If the towel has blood, sweat, food, etc. on it, it should go right in the laundry as soon as it’s dry. Even storing damp towels leads to smelly mold and mildew. If you’ve got the space for it, buy a foldable drying rack.
2. Sheets should be washed at least every two weeks, or more often if you sweat a lot. Here’s a short video from Home-Ec101.com to explain why and gross you out:
3. Socks and underwear should be washed after each wearing. (History tells us this must be stated in writing.) And let’s not argue the vagueness of what is considered “wearing.” Bras can be worn a few times unless the wearer was perspiring a lot.
4. "Wash other clothing as needed, using common sense." Look, just wash the rest of your clothes often enough so you don’t stink. Period.
5. A large laundry net bag is great when you want to wash a couple of items with a friend’s load of laundry. The bag keeps your stuff separate and easier to keep track of.
6. Keep a container of disinfecting wipes handy at all times. They can be used on most surfaces and can pick up crumbs and wipe away sticky messes as well as prevent bacteria from spreading. This is important!
7. Eating and drinking in your room are inevitable which means so are spills. Clean them up really well or you’ll attract bugs. A roll of paper towels tucked in a closet or corner is essential.
8. A very small bottle of dishwashing liquid will come in handy because you will eventually have a cup, plate, or utensil to wash. You can use a paper towel as a dish cloth.
These are just a few tips to keep in mind. In short, don’t stray too far from how things were done at home – chances are, they were done that way for a good reason. You’ll do great!
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