The Only 5 Cleaning Supplies You Need to Keep Your Dorm Room Sparkling (Really!)

Keeping your dorm room clean can feel like a huge chore, especially when you’re worried about passing Biology and making it to the dining hall in time for dinner. With everything else going on in your life, tidying up your dorm can easily fall to the bottom of your to-do list. That’s why it’s important to have cleaning supplies at the ready — it makes quick cleanups so simple. 

Two cleaning experts, Ryan Knoll, founder of Tidy Casa, and Chris Willat, founder of Alpine Maids, weighed in on the essential dorm cleaning supplies to keep in your dorm room (and, in some cases, to have for years to come). Their advice is to keep your cleaning gear streamlined and easy to carry in and out of a dorm room.

Willat swears by microfiber cloths, which he says make it so easy to wipe down surfaces. The teeny-tiny fibers and positive charge of a microfiber cloth mean it can reach, attract, and cling to dust, dirt, and other yucky stuff that lesser cotton rags or paper towels could not, according to Apartment Therapy. 

Plus, these reusable cloths offer a more sustainable alternative to paper towels. Willat says you can put them in the laundry and keep reusing them; they can last you several years if washed regularly.

This microfiber cloth bundle costs just $7.99 on Amazon and comes with twelve 11.5-inch square rags.

Knoll is a big believer in using extendable cleaning poles to dust hard-to-reach areas, such as a ceiling fan. The key is to look for a reusable option in order to save money, Knoll says (and to be eco-friendly, of course). 

This cleaning pole is available on Amazon for $14.99 and comes with a microfiber reusable duster, a flexible brush, and a ceiling fan duster for high ceilings. It can extend up to 47 inches, so it should be able to help you tackle high shelves, molding, and all of your other tricky spots. 

Willat recommends vacuuming every week to stave off the buildup of dust. Knoll, who is admittedly usually opposed to handheld vacuums, thinks they do make the most sense in a dorm room. “They’re so portable and light and something you can store under the bed,” he says.

The Bissell Featherweight Stick Vacuum, which won a 2024 Cleaning Award from Apartment Therapy and can switch between a stick vacuum and handheld vacuum, can hold up for years. Plus — get this — it costs just $33.98.

A cleaner that you can spray and use a microfiber cloth to wipe away will work for tackling most surfaces in your dorm room, according to Willat. 

My go-to is usually Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner, which has cleaner ingredients and is safe to use on tons of surfaces. Knoll says you can see what gentle cleaners are available at your usual supermarket.

This type of sponge — you probably know the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser best — is activated with water and is great for getting stains out of pretty much anything, from marks on the walls to when your roommate accidentally spills nail polish all over the carpet. Knoll recommends these because they are easy to use, affordable, and disposable! 

Important tip: You’ll want to put on some cleaning gloves before you start scrubbing with one of these, and also test it out in a small spot, because it’s super-abrasive.