Written by Anouska Levart – Student Pages Features Editor
It has come to that time of year where everyone is moving out of halls; travelling back home for the summer until the next term time starts and the cycle begins again. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, “Don’t use blue tack, it leaves marks” or “Take photos when you move in so you can see how much damage you have actually done”, but a whole year has passed, and halls can be crazy. Partying can involve alcohol spills, and with people chilling in your room, anything can happen; not to mention that your poster may have left a mark or two. Universities can be picky about these things, so here are five tips to ensure you get your deposit back.
TIP 1: Getting rid of stains left by blue tack
Sometimes you are left with that greasy stain on the wall after you remove the tack ̶̶ try using a citrus-based cleaner to remove it. If you are finding it difficult to remove pieces of tack, then you can use another piece of tack to quickly get rid of it.
TIP 2: Try Magic Erasers to get rid of general stains or marks
A great way to get rid of hard to budge stains is Magic Erasers, a cheap product which you can buy in supermarkets. If you want to make your own Magic Eraser, then you can find out here.
TIP 3: Pen marks
If you happen to get any pen marks on the carpet then try using a non-oily hairspray or rubbing alcohol on it, then dab it with a white towel, moisten the area and dry it with a hair dryer. Any ink marks on your desk can be removed with a cotton ball, hairspray, or rubbing alcohol; toothpaste can even work if left for 10 minutes. WikiHow provides a few good pointers on removing those ink stains with instructions.
TIP 4: Buy some product cleaners
Chip in with your friends to buy a few strong budget cleaners, such as surface wipes, bleach, mirror cleaner, or a duster. If you have any stains on your carpet then don’t worry, you can buy carpet stain removers. There are also a lot of homemade remedies for these stains, such as using shaving cream, or 2 tablespoons of salt dissolved in ½ cup of white vinegar. Remember to hoover your room, and leave your window open to air it out.
TIP 5: Ensure you leave enough time to tidy
With all the assignments and end of year flat parties, the moving out date may seem far away, but it does creep up. You don’t want to be packing and cleaning on the day you have to move out so ensure you leave enough time to tidy and sort out your room. Remember to pack your kitchen equipment as well!
If someone is helping you move out, tell them the moving date so they can keep it free as you may need to make multiple trips.
Before you leave your room, make sure that you take a photo to remember the year that you spent in halls. If you want to send us a picture of your university room, then tweet us @StudentPagesMag.
Follow Anouska @anouskalevart
