Sunday, June 5, 2011

Non-negotiable.

   I think Tide has been stalking me (kidding!).  For ages, I've been saying that hygiene is non-negotiable.  It is a must.  And what tag-line does Tide come out with this spring?  "Style is an option.  Clean is not".
   In that spirit, I've put together some often-overlooked ways for college students to clean up, since we're not always great at that (looking at you, boys!).
  1. Vacuum your floor.  Have you seen what you track in?!  (Or you could Swiffer your floor... see #4) 
  2. Dust all over!  Your bookshelves, top of your dresser, top of your fridge, under your bed, your lamp... anywhere and everywhere.
  3. Clean your bathroom.  If you live in a dorm with a hall bathroom, take the initiative and tidy up a little.  Your hall mates will love you for it!
  4. Buy a Swiffer and lots of Lysol wipes.  Okay, that's not exactly a cleaning chore, but they will help with all of those surfaces that get gross in college housing.
  5. Shower with an antibacterial soap, instead of frou-frou, "smelly stuff" shower gel.  It kills potentially odor-causing bacteria that other soaps may miss, leaving you smelling cleaner for longer.  Our family has always used Lever 2000, but Dial and Dove make good bar soap as well.
  6. Floss.  Just do it.  Start the habit. (That's the hardest part, for me)
  7. Brush your retainer!  If you don't, and you wonder why it smells... this is why.  I find that brushing it works much better than just soaking it in mouthwash.  (Does anyone else still wear their retainer?)
  8. Pumice your feet, and I'm not just talking to girls.  Just because boys will be boys does not mean they have a free pass to have nasty feet!
  9. Scrub your baseboards.  My mom does this every month or two - they attract dust like mad, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  Go over them with a Lysol wipe every once in a while, and it'll make a big difference!
  10. Air out your room!  Small spaces smell stale speedily (like the alliteration?  I'm a major word nerd).  On a nice day, open the window for an hour or two.  It's so much better than Febreeze!

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