Living in student accommodation? Helpful tips on staying healthy and preventing pests 

As students return to college after the winter break, many are moving back into shared accommodation at the height of cold and flu season.

With more time spent indoors during the colder months, maintaining good hygiene in shared spaces is essential to help prevent illness and ensure a healthy start to the new semester.

Rentokil Initial is reminding students that simple hygiene practices, along with basic pest-prevention measures, can significantly reduce the spread of winter illnesses and unwanted pest issues in shared living environments.

The company has the following tips on hygiene in shared spaces and how to avoid pests.

Keeping Germs at Bay in Shared Accommodation

Shared accommodation and student events with lots of people together indoors can provide the perfect conditions for viruses to spread from one person to another.

How can you enjoy the fun of such events, while hopefully avoiding getting sick?

Prioritise handwashing

Around 80% of infections are spread through poor hand hygiene and contact with contaminated surfaces.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap for 20–25 seconds, especially before eating or cooking, after using the toilet or shared facilities and when returning home.

Disinfect shared surfaces regularly

Touchpoints commonly used by multiple people, like door handles, light switches, taps, kitchen counters and shared appliances, should be cleaned frequently to reduce cross contamination risks.

Avoid sharing personal items

Towels, cutlery, cups, plates and kitchen utensils should not be shared.

Be mindful of face-touching

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, particularly after coming into contact with communal touchpoints. If you do need to touch your face, be sure to wash your hands.

Help reduce the transmission of seasonal illnesses

Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, using a tissue or your elbow — NOT your hands (even when wearing gloves!), as you could contaminate surfaces you touch afterwards.

Stay home if unwell

If you develop flu-like symptoms, limit contact with others and remain at home until at least 24 hours after any fever has passed.

Keep hygiene essentials handy

Carry hand sanitiser and use antibacterial wipes or sprays for quick cleans of shared surfaces, particularly during busy days on campus.

Colm Moore, Regional Technical Manager at Rentokil Initial, said: “After the Christmas break, students return to college accommodation at a time when hygiene really matters.

“High footfall, shared facilities, the circulation of seasonal viruses and colder temperatures can increase the risk of both illness and pest activity.

“However, consistent good hygiene habits can help protect both health and living spaces during the new semester.”

Pests to watch out for

While winter illnesses may be top of the mind as students return to college, Rentokil is also reminding students of the importance of being aware of common pests that can become more prevalent in shared accommodation during the colder, wetter weather.

Two pests that students should be particularly aware of are bed bugs and silverfish.

Bed bugs are elusive and expert hitchhikers, making their way into new places on luggage, clothing, and other personal items.

Check for the presence of dark stains on mattresses from bed bug excreta, often referred to as ‘faecal spotting’, to be cautious of any unpleasant, sweet, sickly scents in a room, to inspect bedding for small dark blood spots, as well as checking key areas including bed frames, mattresses and wardrobes for shed exoskeletons, or even live bugs.

If an infestation is suspected, then report it immediately.

Silverfish are another nuisance pest students may encounter. These small, silver-grey insects are typically found in damp, dark areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

While not harmful to health, they feed on starchy materials and can damage books, photographs, clothes, and other household items.

To prevent them, students should keep accommodation clean, store food in sealed containers, reduce humidity with ventilation or dehumidifiers, and fix leaks or seal cracks where possible.