Believe it or not, there is an existing etiquette when it comes to cleaning your apartment. You have an obligation to keep your living space neat and free of bugs and trackable dirt since you are living in such close quarters with other people. If you aren’t the type of person who is into cleaning, you may want to consider getting some help in this area as a filthy apartment can be grounds for eviction.

First off, you need to have your blinds open when you clean so you can see the dirt you are trying to eradicate. However, since many people enjoy walking around nude or semi nude in their home, be sure that no one else can look in your window as you are cleaning in the buff. You might just end up on YouTube if you aren’t careful.

Next, be sure you do any noisy cleaning during the day or at the very latest, the early evening. Vacuums can make a lot of noise and depending on how good your building’s soundproofing is, it can sound like your neighbors are about to break through the walls.

If you are going to use a strong chemical cleaner like Tilex in your bathroom or bleach, be sure to open your windows and get proper ventilation. These products give off an incredibly strong odour that can be absolutely choking. You don’t want your next cleaning session to be your last.

If you have pets in your home, consider switching to all natural cleaning products. The last thing you want is for Fido of Fluffy to get into something that could make them sick or even kill them.

If you know that your landlord is headed over, take a moment to remove a few layers of dust from the bookshelf and push the vacuum around a little. It makes a good impression and shows that you care about your rental space.

We all know how important it is to lock our doors at night and to make sure that we spray for bugs, but the real threat to our safety may come in the form of creeping mildew and mold. Every year, mildew and mold cause billions of dollars in damage in homes around the world, some of which actually need to be demolished because of the growth. Here are a few can’t miss mold and mildew tips for your home.

While mildew growths can begin almost anywhere, the most common place is in the bathroom. Your shower curtain is usually ground zero for these types of issues. You can go out and buy a chemical laden spray that will stink up your bathroom or you can simply make a solution of water and bleach and spray your bathtub and shower curtain with that. You should also clean your bathroom on a weekly basis to ensure that dirt and grime are taken care of.

The chief cause of mold and mildew in an apartment is a lack of ventilation. There is little we can do to stop the creation of water vapour when we shower, but we can help direct that water out the window or to the nearest vent. Try using a fan in a safe place in your bathroom every time you shower. If it isn’t too big of an energy waster, you can also crack open your windows to let out excess moisture. Anything that will get that warm, moist air out of your bathroom and to someplace safe is good for your health.

You also want to keep an eye on places out of general sight, like under the sinks in both the bathroom and the kitchen and in the basement of your building if you store belongings down there. You may be bringing up more than just your bike from storage, you could be bringing a serious mold problem.