School Cleanliness: Tips for Creating a Cleaning Plan That Suits Your School

According to the Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, 22 million school days are lost each year due to the common cold, and up to 38 million school days due to the flu.

These numbers are staggering, but not surprising. Schools are a breeding ground of viruses, bacteria, dirt, dust, and infections. Poor hygiene leads to teacher, student, and staff absences, which can cost billions of dollars to compensate.

Considering how much money schools lose annually due to lack of hygiene, hiring a professional cleaning company or cleaning staff can contribute to saving money and cleaner schools.

Check out these school cleanliness tips that'll help you keep the entire building clean and safe for everyone.

Start With The Basics

The way to a clean school is one clean classroom at a time. Start by talking to the teachers and the tasks they can do to keep their classrooms and the teacher's lounge clean.

For example, the kids and teacher can set aside an hour each week to tidy up and declutter the classroom. Teachers and other staff can wash their coffee cups and glasses after use, and wipe off any spillage or mess they make.

These basic rules will help you and everyone at the school maintain a good level of hygiene on a daily basis. A clean working environment can increase productivity, improve the students' and teachers' mood, and reduce the number of absences.

Section Off The School

The most effective method to maintain cleanliness in school is to divide and conquer. Section off the building and make a cleaning plan for each section or by room types.

For example, you'll need one plan for all the hallways, entryways, and areas with high foot traffic. Bathrooms, classrooms, and teachers' lounges will need a thorough daily cleaning plan, while activity rooms that the kids use only a few times a week will need deep cleaning after each use.

This way of planning allows you to calculate costs, hire staff, and streamline the process. For instance, if you see some sections needing more work, you can hire more staff and get more supplies.

Do Regular Disinfection

Disinfection of all surfaces, no matter how big or small, is crucial for the health and safety of students and employees. During cold and flu season, schools are breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses, and disinfection can help reduce the number of sick people and absences.

Teachers should do regular disinfection of all surfaces in their classroom, especially doorknobs, desks, chairs, sponges, activity tools and toys, sinks, computer screens, keyboards, mice, and light switches.

Cleaning staff should disinfect bathrooms, kitchens, and common areas several times a day. Make sure each room in the school has a box of cleaning supplies at hand for everyday use or to handle any accidents.

Put Recycle Bins All Around The School

Kids and school staff are more likely to throw the trash away if trash cans are readily available. Make sure you put recycle bins all around the school premises, both inside and outside.

There should be larger trash cans in hallways, toilets, gyms, school entrances and exits, and the schoolyard. In classrooms, the teachers' lounge, and other offices, put smaller trash cans.

When you put garbage cans everywhere, they'll be hard to ignore, and there will be much fewer candy wrappers, chewing gums, and crumpled paper on the floor.

Hire A Professional Cleaning Company

Schools and educational institutions often face high turnover of the janitorial staff. Hiring and training new people is more expensive than retaining them, but luckily, there's another way to solve this problem. The most efficient and cost-effective solution for schools is hiring a professional cleaning company.

You can hire them for the entire school year, on a monthly or weekly basis, or for special school events. You'll work with trained cleaners with years of experience and expertise under their belt.

OpenWorks specializes in school cleaning services with the goal of creating a healthier, safer, and better place for learning. Our dedicated team of cleaning professionals will not only maintain but also improve the educational facilities.

Create A Cleaning Schedule For The Staff

If you want a clean school, you need a detailed cleaning plan. This simple practice will help you and your cleaning staff work more efficiently, and keep the school premises clean at all times.

You should have a schedule for each section of the school, along with the time alotted for cleaning, the supplies needed, and the staff working on it. When everyone knows what they should be doing and when, it's easier to maintain the rooms and surfaces clean.

If you hire a professional cleaning company, they'll come prepared with their own plan that you can review. Then, you can make adjustments and come up with a schedule that works for both sides.

Raise Awareness With Students And Staff

No matter how efficient and trained your janitors are, you need to raise awareness with the people that work and study in the building. Every single person should take care of the place by doing small things that mean a lot.

Throwing trash in the garbage instead of the floor, flushing the toilet after use, keeping the chairs and desks clean, and cleaning up after themselves are just some examples.

The school can organize workshops where teachers and cleaning workers will talk about the importance of hygiene, clean classrooms, washing hands often, and taking care of the school's cleanliness as a team.

You can also organize recycling and cleaning events, where school staff, teachers, kids, and parents will work together on beautifying the space.

This Is Your Best Guide To Impeccable School Cleanliness!

Keeping the school clean, tidy, and safe for everyone's health is a result of the teamwork between the kids, teachers, and the people who clean.

These tips will help you establish a solid plan to maintain a high level of school cleanliness, and teach everyone to take better care of the facility.

Wondering if you should outsource your cleaning services? We say yes! Check out this article to see why you'll save time and money, and reduce turnover by hiring a professional cleaning company.