It’s no secret children spread germs easily — from the flu to the typical stomach bug to whatever else may be “going around.”
School-aged children are at higher risk for flu complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and they say the flu can be spread to a person only 2-to-8 hours after getting on a surface. A study found even biweekly cleaning of high-touch surfaces like desks and computers reduced student absences from gastrointestinal illnesses. Aside from the obvious health benefits, a clean classroom can let teachers and students focus on the real reason they’re there — to learn. We’ve put together a checklist to ensure students and teachers have a safe and clean classroom that promotes a productive learning environment.
1. Keep Things Organized
The first step to a clean and sanitized classroom is to keep things organized. When every desk, pencil, and toy has a home, surfaces are easier to access for cleaning, and it’s easier to spot what needs to be cleaned. Start with your desk, and make your way around the classroom, making sure everything has a place. The hardest part is keeping it there, so you have to be disciplined to keep a routine. In time, it’ll be second nature.
2. Clean High-Touch Surfaces Regularly
Every school or district may have its own policies when it comes to cleaning, so it’s important to stick to those. Usually, daily cleaning of high-touch surfaces is a must. The CDC recommends immediately wiping down visibly soiled surfaces, and if they have any bodily fluid, use gloves and take other precautions for your safety. But what high-touch surfaces need to be cleaned? Start with this list and then think about what you and your students touch throughout the day — it could even be a fun learning experience to see where little handprints are left.
- Countertops
- Doorknobs
- Trashcans
- Desks
- Toys
- School and art supplies (and what they are stored in)
- Technology (computers, keyboards, tablets, etc.)
- Whiteboards/smartboards
A weekly electrostatic spraying service can help keep germs at bay on high-touch surfaces longer, making daily cleanings more powerful. It can be a great addition to regular school cleaning services.
3. Keep Hands Clean
Speaking of little handprints, to ensure a clean classroom, keep them clean. We all carry up to 3,200 bacteria on our hands at any given moment, according to research from the University of Colorado, giving those thousands of germs ample opportunity to latch onto any surface touched. Teaching kids good hand hygiene is the first battle, but ensuring they can keep their hands clean is the next. Having hand sanitizer, hand soap, and paper towels available so everyone in a school or daycare can properly wash their hands is important to prevent the spread of harmful germs and viruses.
4. Don’t Skip the Floors
More than 420,000 different types of bacteria live on the average shoe, according to research done by the University of Arizona. Carpets or porous tiles can be a catch-all for dust mites, germs, and viruses. While regular vacuuming can grab some of what’s tracked in, a deep cleaning of carpet and floor can rid floors of grimy germs. If students do any activities on the floors at your school or daycare, they can encounter leftover contaminants a simple sweep may miss. A clean classroom starts from the bottom up.
Enviro-Master Services Ensures Clean Places for All Ages
We are proud to serve schools and daycares to keep kids in our communities safe. We keep classrooms, campus bathrooms, and desks clean for ages 2 to 22. We offer a wide range of services tailored to your specific facility’s needs. From the water fountain to the desk and everything in between, we help you provide a safe learning environment. We use safe products that still get the toughest jobs done. We wouldn’t send someone in to clean a classroom without being in one first. Our Health and Safety Technicians have undergone extensive training to learn the ins and outs of industrial cleaning. You can feel confident your classroom or daycare will be clean with us!
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