Cleaning instructions
According to the terms of the lease agreement, tenant is obligated to maintain the rental space while living in the student residence. It is also more cozy and better to live if the room and common area, when everything is in order. We've put together general recommendations and tips to help you keep tidy.
Daily cleaning
There is no need for major cleaning on a daily basis. However, it is wise to clean up any mess immediately, as stains (such as food splashes on the stove) may be more difficult to remove later. Also if you have flatmates, then it would be fair to them to keep common areas like kitchen, WC or shower room clean. For example, if you do not wash your dishes and leave a mess to the kitchen, your flatmates will not be able to use it.
Weekly cleaning
We recommend to clean more thoroughly weekly basis - then it is easier to maintain tidiness. We recommend to dust and wash the floors. To dust, you can use soft microfibre cloth and washing the floors with a mop and clean water. While cleaning, it is important not to forget common areas like kitchen, WC and shower room. While cleaning common rooms, you can either share chores with flatmates or draw up a schedule.
Monthly cleaning
When planning monthly cleaning, it is reasonable to take a day to do so. When you have done daily and weekly cleanings, it shouldn't take so long. Monthly cleaning should include also washing the doors, plugs and walls, if they are dirty. Also check in the shower room, if the water is going down. If not, then clean also shower drain from hair etc. What also will help avoiding drain blockage is using a pipe cleaning fluid.
Maintenance of electronic devices
To prolong the lifespan of the electronic devices, it is important to clean them. The kitchen electronics need maintaining and cleaning - stove, refrigerator, kitchen hood and oven.
Stove
Refrigerator
Kitchen hood
Oven
When using the stove, different food splashes may get on the surface of the cooking areas during cooking. When cleaning the hob, make sure that the hob has cooled down. Clean the hob with a damp cloth and a small amount of detergent specially meant for cleaning the hob. After cleaning, dry the hob, for example with a microfiber cloth. If, for example, molten plastic, film and food residues containing sugar gets spilt on the hob, carefully remove them immediately. Otherwise, they may damage the cooker.
Always make sure you close the refrigerator door! Otherwise, the refrigerator will gets frozen faster.
It is a good idea to regularly check the validity of food in the refrigerator. Spoiled products also make other foods spoil faster. The inside of the refrigerator should be cleaned from time to time, at least once a month, especially if something goes bad in the refrigerator. Clean the refrigerator with a cloth and a warm water or a neutral detergent specially meant to clean the inside of the refrigerator. As refridgerator settings, we recommend using degree of freezing on 2.
It is also important to defrost the refrigerator at least once a year. Defrosting must also be done if there is a layer of ice or snow on the walls of the refrigerator. The refrigerator is more efficient after defrosting and does not consume too much energy to keep the food cold. To defrost the refrigerator, empty the refrigerator from the food, unplug it and let the refrigerator defrost. It is advisable to place a cloth in front of the refrigerator that absorbs excess water. When the refrigerator has completely melted, clean the refrigerator with a soft cloth (e.g. microfiber material), water and a small amount of special cleaning agent, and dry the inside and outside of the refrigerator and reconnect the plug to the power supply.
NB! Do not use abrasive or strong detergents, such as glass cleaners, scouring pastes, flammable liquids, cleaning waxes, concentrated detergents, bleaches or products containing kerosene, to clean plastic parts, interior and door seals. Do not use paper towels, scouring pads, or other harsh cleaning agents.
Switch on the hood one minute before you start cooking to create a flow of air that will lead to smoke and steam being drawn into the area. Low speeds are generally sufficient to remove the small amounts of smoke and steam generated, for example, in the manufacture of pasta dishes and sauces. High speeds need to be used in the preparation of dishes that emit strong odors and odors, such as grilling, frying or cooking several dishes at the same time. If necessary, leave the hood on even after cooking to ensure that all odors and vapors are removed.
The surfaces of the hood must be cleaned with a damp cloth and degreasing detergent. After cleaning, dry the surfaces of the hood.
NB! Acid-based cleaners and rough cloths can damage the surface of the air cleaner. Grease residues on the hood can pose a fire hazard, so it is worth washing the hood surface regularly.
With an oven, it is important to make sure that the oven is clean. Accumulation of fat or food residues can cause a fire hazard. Regular cleaning also prevents damage to the coating material. If you are cooking food that may release fat or water (eg oven meat), use a deep tray to prevent the spilled juice from staining the bottom of the oven.
Before cleaning the oven, switch off the appliance and let it cool down. For personal safety and to save oven surfaces, clean the appliance only with water and a mild detergent. Do not use flammable products or products that may cause corrosion. Do not clean the oven with steam cleaners, high pressure cleaners, sharp objects, abrasive cleaners, abrasive sponges or stain removers.
Cleaning tips
- What kind of materials should I be using to clean?
Using just a cloth and a brush is not enough for cleaning. Special cleaning agents are required for the removal of limescale deposits, grease, etc. and you can buy them together for the apartment. With regular cleaning you will get better results more easily. - How does the garbage system work?
Garbage and used packaging should be taken out by tenants themselves and it is advisable to sort them into the respective garbage containers. Read more, how to sort garbage in the student residence's here. - Safety while cleaning
Use rubber gloves to avoid skin damage with domestic chemical products! - How to get rid of limescale?
Harpic Power Plus or Mayeri calc remover – an excellent products even for bathroom floors if used with a strong-bristled brush. Do not worry about the white bubbly reaction on the surface cleaned – the process decomposes the limescale and enables to remove it easily. - What can I use to clean the stove and kitchen range?
We recommend Cif paste. NB! Do not pour liquid over the switches, because it is very hard to get dried paste out. - How to prevent clogged pipes?
In order to prevent clogging, it would be practical to use pipe cleaning agents regularly and to clean the drain pit in the shower room. - How to clean kitchen hood's grease filter?
The grease filter can be cleaned with a dish-washing agent. Just remove grease filter from the kitchen hood, wash it, let it dry and install back.
Final cleaning
If you move out of the student residence, all personal belongings (including furniture, curtains, etc) must be removed from the room and apartment, and the room and common areas must be cleaned.
A tidy rental space meets the following characteristics:
- Toilet and shower room - the floor, ceiling, walls, door, toilet bowl, sink, faucet, mirror and other equipment are clean, the surfaces must be without of removable dirt (incl. Scale deposits).
- The kitchen - floor, ceiling, walls and all other surfaces are clean, the surfaces must be free of removable dirt (incl. Scale deposits, grease). By all surfaces is meant here also furniture (eg kitchen furniture inside and outside, tables, chairs, etc.) and electrical appliances (stove, oven, refrigerator, extractor).
- Room - all surfaces are clean. By all surfaces is meant floors, windows from the inside, window sills, furniture (eg tables, chairs, cabinets and drawers inside and outside, shelves, beds, etc.). We suggest pulling the bed away from the wall to clean from under it.
How to prevent pipe blockages:
- Always keep a strainer at the bottom of the kitchen sink, empty it into the trash can.
- Before washing, empty the plates and dishes of food waste, only then wash them.
- Do not pour food waste down the sink (e.g. coffee grounds, boiled vegetables, oil are especially dangerous).
- Once a week, boil hot water and pour a jug down the sink, it melts oils and fats.
- Shower room sink and shower drain: Do not push hair and body hair down the drain. Collect them and throw them in the trash.
- Once a month, open the odor trap under the sink and pour out the accumulated dirt, wash the cap and put it back.
- Do not use paper not intended for this purpose in the toilet (e.g. hand drying and household paper).
- Keep a suction pump handy. This will help with lighter blockages. Use it with the hot water method.
- As a last resort, use a specialized chemical with the suction pump to remove the blockage.