There’s no denying that sometimes students aren’t the most hygienic of people! When you’re caught up in intense studying, socializing, and enjoying the freedom of living away from home, keeping on top of the housework isn’t usually a priority and the concept of a housekeeping checklist is so far off the table, that it’s been stuffed under the table along with empty food packets, and the junk mail…However, do you know just what could be lurking in your home?
Researchers at the department of biotechnology at the Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology found that the average living room contains E.coli, Proteus bacteria, Salmonella, Staphylococcus bacteria and many more nasty germs that could affect health. 
A positive note for city-dwelling students is that rural homes were found to have larger bacteria colonies than urban homes. This means that if you’re living in Mumbai, Jaipur, Delhi, or any other university city, it could be a lot worse – but that’s no excuse for ignoring the housework!
Keeping student accommodations clean, tidy, and hygienic should be a group effort between you and your housemates. It helps to have a housekeeping checklist that makes it easy to divide chores between everyone. Here are some tips to help you out:
- Ignore what you think you know about cleanliness!
Think the bathroom is the dirtiest place in your student home? Think again! According to experts, a toilet seat is ‘one of the cleanest things you’ll run across in terms of micro-organisms’. In fact, the kitchen is the worst culprit for germs, with chopping boards, cleaning cloths and sponges often harbouring more germs than the toilet. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t keep the bathroom clean, but don’t forget to prioritize food preparation and sleeping areas too.
- Rethink your exercise habits
It’s good to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle as a student (especially to burn off all those kathi rolls!), but your exercise habits could be introducing more germs to your home. Studies show that weights training equipment is often more contaminated than aerobic equipment. Keep your equipment clean and check out different sports that you can enjoy outdoors, or at the university. 
- Declutter your home
It’s tempting to leave things lying around if you’re in a rush, but stagnant items on the floor only increase the risk of germs and bacteria building up. Wash your clothes regularly and keep them hung in a cupboard or folded in drawers, and, if you exercise at home, look for equipment like pull up bars, which can be attached to the wall so they’re not taking up room on the floor.
- Make common areas a priority
While your bedroom might be in need of a good tidy, it’s important to focus on common areas such as the living room, kitchen, and bathroom – anywhere that sees the most traffic. Think about this – how many of you have walked barefoot through the living room, leaving a trail of dead skin cells to attract all sorts of nasty creepy crawlies, like dust mites? 
Dividing Chores Through A Housekeeping Checklist
If you have a large student house, cleaning might seem like it’s impossible, but the trick is to simply have a few rules in place that make it easy to keep everything hygienic and tidy. The number one rule, of course, should be to tidy up your own mess. It’s also worth implementing a rota for dealing with dust, dirt, and everyday grime buildups, and working as a group when things get really tough. Remember – you don’t have to adhere to the ‘dirty student’ stereotype!
Author Bio: A veteran of unsavoury housing arrangements, John is now the Rambo of household tasks. Obliterating his enemies (dust and grime) during the day, in his spare time John fights crime and writes sensitive poetry about clouds.
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