Cleaning is everyone's responsibility!

It is your responsibility to keep your shared kitchen, bathroom, and room clean and safe. We've answered a few frequently asked questions below.

FAQs

Whose responsibility is it to clean my flat?

The day-to-day cleaning of shared kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms is the responsibility of yourself and your flatmates. Our cleaning team clean communal areas within your halls block, and fortnightly clean corridors, shared kitchens, and shared bathrooms.

Your flat will be inspected every four weeks by our Domestic Services team.

What cleaning equipment is provided within my flat?

We will provide your flat with a vacuum cleaner, mop, bucket, dustpan and brush for use by residents.  

What Cleaning Products are supplied?

A cleaning pack is supplied for each kitchen (flat), studio or bedroom flat at the start of the year and contains the following:1L daily toilet cleaner, 1L washing up liquid, degreaser spray Orange Citrus 750ml, 5 microfibre cloths, green scouring pad and a metal scourer.

When those run out, you will need to purchase your own products.

Top tips for using your vacuum cleaner: 

• Only use the Vacuum cleaner on your bedroom carpet, to clean dry surfaces and NOT spillages.
• Do not use the hoover in your bathroom or to suck up water following a shower or spillage.
• Do not clean up bodily fluids with your vacuum cleaner.
• Please return the vacuum cleaner back to your corridor as soon as you have finished with it for someone else to use (if within a shared flat).
• Please report any issues with the hoover to reception so we can look at fixing them for you all.

How do I dispose of my rubbish?

All general waste from kitchens and bedrooms needs removing and taking to the purple bins in the external bin compound. 

Make sure to separate any items that can be recycled and put these in the green bins in the bin compound. 

And lastly all your food waste can be placed separately in the food waste bins in the external bin compound. 

What cleaning products should I buy?

For kitchens:

• Degreasers (for removing food spills and grease from surfaces)
• Oven cleaner (for cleaning the inside of the oven)
• Limescale remover (for cleaning sinks, where limescale has built up)
• Washing up liquid (for general use on sinks and floors)

For bathrooms:

• Limescale remover (for showers and sinks that have a build-up of limescale)
• Toilet cleaner (for the inside of toilet bowls)
• Bathroom cleaner (for everyday cleaning of the toilet seat, outside surfaces of the toilet, the sink, shower controls and other surfaces)​​​​​​​

How do I organise cleaning in my flat?

Cleaning the communal areas of your flat is a joint responsibility. Why not use the fridge rota to help organise the tasks? See the videos below for helpful tips on how to clean.​​​​​​​

If you have concerns regarding the cleanliness of your communal areas and require some guidance on discussing this with your flatmates, please contact us at halls@soton.ac.uk.

Watch our guides here!