Does Your School Make the Grade When It Comes to Cleaning Up?

It’s about that time. Just a few short weeks and hundreds of students, faculty and staff will be coming back to school. Now’s the time to do a thorough cleaning to ensure your building is sparkling and germ-free when those hallways start filling up again. 

Here’s a checklist to make sure your school gets an A+

• Clean and disinfect high-touch items and focus on common areas. You know the drill. Items that get a lot of contact, such as desks, chairs, tabletops, doorknobs, whiteboards, computers, light switches, and drinking fountains, should get a dose of extra loving care by your custodial staff before school starts. An article on CleanLink reported that Charles Gerba, a professor in microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona found in his studies that absenteeism at one school was cut by 50 percent when the desks were disinfected daily. In addition, focus your disinfecting efforts on restrooms, gyms, locker rooms, and cafeterias. Areas such as these in a school are a breeding ground for bacteria, germs and mold. 
• Test Your Air Quality. Is your HVAC system in good shape? Now’s a good time to have your system serviced, clean the air ducts and install air cleaners or filters. Clean air eliminates odors and helps reduce trips to the doctor, allergy flareups and asthma attacks. 
• Choose safe cleaning products. Be sure to choose cleaning products that are safe for people of all ages and especially for those who may be sensitive to strong chemicals. Ensure that your cleaning staff reads and understands all instruction labels and safety precautions before use.
• Clean floors. Lots of feet bring in lots of germs. Make sure you start off on the right foot, by properly vacuuming and mopping floors. Carpets can retain moisture, which will lead to mold and the growth of viruses. Vacuuming regularly will help reduce dust and dust mites, improving air quality. Focus on entrance and exit mats, too, and any other high traffic areas. 
• Make sure custodians have routine checklists. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), regular cleaning and disinfecting can help prevent infectious diseases like the flu from spreading throughout the school. If you use your own custodians, August is a perfect time to outline a cleaning schedule for your crew to follow. If you outsource your cleaning, a detailed plan is most likely already in place, but it is always good to review and make any necessary updates.

A clean school not only looks good, it helps keep students and staff in the classroom, instead of sick at home. It also promotes academic success, makes for happier and more productive teachers and increases an overall sense of pride in the school. Looking to outsource? At 4M, we can help you get your school ready for the new year and keep it in tiptop shop all year round. We pride ourselves in delivering the best, innovative, safe and sustainable cleaning and service solutions for your facility. CLICK HERE to contact us.