5 Cleaning Tips for a Healthier, Happier School Year
There is nothing quite like starting off with a clean slate. A clean campus not only helps foster school pride, but it can also help cut back on the spread of viruses and bacteria.
According to the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, each year 22 million school days are lost due to students and staff getting sick with the common cold and 38 million days are lost due to the flu.
These numbers are staggering, especially when you think of just how many billions of dollars it takes to compensate for staff absences.
With these 5 cleaning tips, you can prepare your school for a great year ahead!
1 | Deep Clean
Start by doing a good deep clean of your school grounds. An effective method is to divide and conquer by working on sections of your campus at a time. In each section, go room by room. Have teachers and staff tidy up their spaces to make it easier for your cleaning crew to come in and do a deep clean.
Here are just a few of the things that should be on your checklist:
- Deep clean carpets by vacuuming and shampooing them
- Mop and polish hard floors
- Dust surfaces
- Disinfect desks, chairs, light switches, door handles, bathrooms, and other hot spots
- Use an electrostatic sprayer to disinfect sensitive items like computers and lab equipment, or soft surfaces
- Wash the windows and mirrors in restrooms
2 | Use Certified Green Products
Certified green cleaning solutions are just as powerful as traditional cleaners, but they are better for the environment and better for everyone who visits your campus! Traditional cleaners have harsh chemical smells that can irritate eyes, nose, and skin and can be especially hard on those with respiratory issues such as asthma. By switching to green cleaning products, you can eliminate the harsh chemical irritants and be kinder to the planet.
3 | Create a Cleaning Plan
Keep your school grounds clean all year long by creating a cleaning plan or schedule. Make sure that you are encouraging staff to keep their classrooms and offices tidy so that year-round cleaning can happen easily and effectively. Encourage teachers to regularly disinfect high touch points throughout the day and do additional regular disinfecting on a daily or weekly basis. Create a deep cleaning schedule, doing sections of the school at a time throughout the year, and provide that schedule to your staff so they know when their rooms or offices need to be tidy.
4| Promote Cleanliness Awareness
Raise awareness with students and staff about cleanliness and proper hand hygiene. Handwashing is the first line of defense against the spread of germs and illnesses so make sure that teachers and staff know proper handwashing techniques and can teach it to students at the beginning of the school year.
Additionally, every single person should take small actions to keep things clean. Place many trash and recycle bins around the grounds and encourage everyone to not throw trash on the floor. Everyone should also be encouraged to keep desks and chairs clean and tidy. When we all do our part, it can create camaraderie and pride by working together to keep the campus clean!
5 | Hire Professionals
Finally, hire a team of professional commercial cleaners to help! AK Building Services can assist you with a pre-first-day deep clean, routine cleaning and disinfecting, and creating a cleaning schedule to keep your campus healthy and beautiful for everyone all school year long! Contact us today to learn more about our customizable services.
