Here at Green FM, one of our specialist offerings is the cleaning of education facilities, such as...
Cleaning in schools directly impacts learning. Discover tips on choosing the best school cleaning company to ensure a healthy, safe learning environment.
Think about walking into your school early on a crisp morning. The floors are gleaming, the classrooms are spotless, and the air smells fresh. Isn't that inviting?
It is! But it's not just about gleaming floors and the smell of fresh air. Keeping your school clean is pivotal in creating a conducive, sanitised, and healthy learning environment.
According to the U.K. Department of Education, cleaning in schools is attributed to helping prevent the spread of illnesses and can reduce student absenteeism rates. Plus, it helps improve academic performance. Who wouldn’t want that?
Let's get down to understanding why cleaning in schools is of utmost importance and how to choose the best cleaning company for your school.
The need for cleaning in schools
Cleaning in schools not only looks great but is also a matter of health and safety.
According to a survey, an astonishing “90% of school students report that the condition of their school toilets has had adverse emotional or physical effects on them. And 30% of students mentioned that they actively try to avoid using school bathrooms, which hinders their ability to concentrate on their studies.”
Schools are constantly bustling with people and activities, quickly becoming a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, impacting student welfare and disrupting educational outcomes. Regular cleaning is necessary, but achieving a deep, effective cleaning in schools requires more.
But what’s the difference between a regular clean and a deep clean?
When we talk about cleaning in schools, it's important to distinguish between regular cleaning and deep cleaning, as both play crucial roles and provide different benefits.
Regular cleaning is the daily routine that includes tidying up classrooms, taking care of spills, mopping floors, cleaning toilets, sanitising common touchpoints like door handles, and removing waste.
Areas that require regular daily cleaning:
- Desks and countertops
- Doorknobs and handles
- Computer keyboards and mice
- Faucet handles and sinks
- Light switches and other frequently touched surfaces
- Hands-on learning items
- Phones
- Toys
- Toilet bowls, seats, and roll holders
Ref: How To Clean and Disinfect Schools To Help Slow the Spread of Flu | CDC, A school cleaning checklist that you don't want to miss! (interworldcleaning.com)
Maintaining a clean, healthy school environment is a task that requires dedication. While it may be possible to perform surface-level cleaning tasks without school cleaning services, ensuring proper cleanliness that supports health and hygiene usually requires a more in-depth approach.
Regular cleaning might remove surface-level dirt and dust, but it's often insufficient to tackle deep-seated germs that may be hiding in difficult-to-reach spots, carpets, or on high-touch surfaces that aren't cleaned daily.
This is where deep cleaning comes in, ensuring a comprehensive, intensive cleaning process that universally touches every nook and cranny of your school. Let’s see what deep cleaning involves.
Understanding deep cleaning in schools
When we refer to deep cleaning in schools, we're talking about a comprehensive, intensive cleaning process that goes far beyond the remit of regular cleaning.
Regular cleaning routines often focus on everyday tasks, such as wiping down surfaces and sweeping floors. However, they might not target more deep-seated germs or harder-to-reach areas.
Deep cleaning targets more deep-seated germs or harder-to-reach areas like ventilation systems, deep into carpets, behind equipment, and extensively disinfecting washrooms and toilets. It thoroughly removes bacteria and viruses, significantly enhancing your school's overall hygiene standards through cleaning, disinfection, and sanitising. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain the difference)
- Cleaning: It is the process of removing dirt, impurities, and germs from surfaces. Cleaning doesn't kill germs; instead, it decreases their number.
- Disinfecting: Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill surface germs. This process does not clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but it kills germs that reside on a surface after cleaning.
- Sanitising: Sanitising is the process that lowers the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level, as deemed by public health standards. This may involve cleaning, disinfecting, or a combination of both practices.
Especially in a school setting with many children with potentially weaker immune systems, sanitising frequently touched surfaces is vital to help prevent the outbreak of illness.
How often should my school have a deep clean?
The frequency of deep cleaning may vary based on the size and needs of the school, but should ideally occur at least once or twice a year. It's essential to schedule a deep clean during extended school breaks or holidays, such as the summer break, to allow for a complete and thorough cleaning of the premises without disrupting daily school activities. (Additionally, during flu season or a pandemic, more frequent deep cleaning might be required to control the spread of infections.)
Deep cleaning covers every inch of the school facility. The commonly included areas are:
- Classroom desks, chairs, and teaching tools
- Library shelves and books
- Gymnasium equipment
- Ventilation systems
- Carpets and upholstery
- Cafeteria kitchen and seating areas
- Washrooms, toilets and locker rooms
These areas are comprehensively disinfected and sanitised to ensure the removal of deep-seated dirt, dust, and pathogens.
A deep clean executed by a school cleaning company comes with numerous benefits.
- For the school: deep cleaning helps maintain the property and ensures an aesthetically pleasing environment. It also aids in keeping the school compliant with health and safety regulations, protecting the institution from potential liabilities.
- For the staff: a clean and sanitised environment significantly reduces the risk of falling ill. This results in higher productivity and lower absenteeism rates, positively affecting the school's overall performance.
- For the students: deep cleaning creates an environment conducive to their health, wellbeing, and learning. In a clean, sanitary environment, students can focus on their studies without worrying about falling sick due to germ exposure.
Importance of safe cleaning products
Cleaning procedures for schools aren’t only about the effort put into scrubbing; equally, if not more important, are the products we use. With our schools filled with young, often sensitive individuals, Green Facilities understands the need for cleaning agents that are both effective and safe.
Children are uniquely vulnerable to harsh chemicals. With their health and safety in mind, we champion the use of eco-friendly, biodegradable products that shine in performance yet are free from toxins, harsh chemicals, and allergens.
Our approach as an eco-friendly cleaning company ensures a school environment that not only looks clean but also protects the wellbeing of the pupils and the staff. Meanwhile, our environmentally friendly cleaning solutions continue to play their part in preserving the future of our planet.
Benefits of green cleaning products for schools
The use of green cleaning products in schools brings numerous benefits that directly impact the health of students and staff, indoor air quality, and the environment.
Here are some of the key benefits:
- Improved Indoor Air Quality
Usually, traditional cleaning products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which significantly contribute to indoor air pollution. In contrast, eco-friendly cleaning products considerably lower the levels of these harmful VOCs, improving indoor air quality (Ref: Understanding the impact of particulate air pollution - UK Health Security Agency (blog.gov.uk))
- Better Health and Fewer Absences
Asthma UK’s statistics show that about 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma. The usage of green cleaning products can greatly decrease sickness and allergic reactions among learners and school staff. This can result in reduced absences and a more conducive learning environment for all. (Ref: Profile - asthmaandlunguk | Tableau Public)
- Environmental Benefit
Green cleaning products are generally biodegradable and derived from renewable resources, thereby lessening their environmental footprint. Schools that prefer green cleaning products and methods play a crucial role in promoting environmental sustainability. (Ref: A treaty to halt and reverse nature loss | WWF)
Selecting the right school cleaning services
Understanding the importance of keeping schools clean, along with the benefits of green cleaning products, should be followed by choosing an appropriate school cleaning service.
Selecting the right cleaning service involves considering numerous factors that impact not just the cleanliness of the environment but also the overall health and wellness of the students and staff.
You may think it's expensive to outsource cleaning services from a green cleaning company. However, in the long run, it can prove to be cost-effective and beneficial.
Here’s how to select the right school cleaning services:
1. Solid reliability and trustworthiness of the company
It's crucial to choose a cleaning service provider that is reliable and trustworthy, as they will be operating in an environment filled with young, vulnerable people. Ensure the school cleaning company staff possess an up-to-date and valid DBS (police record) and are deemed suitable for working around children. Also, investigate the company’s accreditations and memberships, and read reviews to ensure consistency and transparency.
2. Expert training and experience of the cleaning staff
Experience and thorough training are essential attributes to look out for in the cleaning team. Trained staff are familiar with best practices, can handle various cleaning challenges adeptly, and understand how to use cleaning products safely and effectively.
3. Provides a range of services and flexibility for customisation
Each school has unique cleaning needs, and it’s important to choose a cleaning service provider with a wide range of services.
Greater customisation capability ensures your school's specific needs are met, whether it's daily cleaning, deep cleaning before the school year, or special event preparation. Your chosen school cleaning company should also be flexible in adjusting their cleaning schedules if needed.
4. Complies with health and safety regulations
A reputable school cleaning service provider should strictly comply with health and safety regulations set by the government and appropriate regulatory bodies. Enquire about their safety measures for their employees and your students and staff. This could include using and storing cleaning products properly, ventilation during cleaning, wearing appropriate protective gear, and safely disposing of cleaning waste.
5. Has good quality of customer service
The level of customer service can set a company apart and can be revealed by scanning their reviews, testimonials, and case studies. Choosing a school cleaning service provider that is easy to contact, responds promptly, accommodates your requests, and handles criticism constructively will create better collaboration and facilitate the handling of any cleaning-related issues that may arise.
6. Do they have a comprehensive school cleaning checklist?
Cleaning in schools is a multifaceted task that demands close attention to detail. Before selecting a cleaning service provider, it's helpful to ensure they work with a comprehensive school cleaning checklist.
This checklist should include crucial areas that are often overlooked during routine cleaning. Verifying these aspects will help you choose a service provider who takes a holistic approach to keeping your institution hygienic and well-maintained. While the cleaning company may have its own checklist, it's a good idea to have your own to cross-check and communicate your school's specific needs.
To simplify this process, we have prepared a downloadable school cleaning checklist for your school's unique requirements. Our checklist covers essential areas that need attention, from classrooms and washrooms to common areas and corners that are frequently missed during regular cleaning.
Green Facilities: Your partner in ensuring cleanliness
Accept nothing less than the best when it comes to cleaning in schools. Selecting the right school cleaning services requires careful consideration of numerous factors, including reliability, staff training and experience, service customisation and flexibility, compliance with health and safety regulations, and quality of customer service.
Green Facilities gives you access to comprehensive, eco-friendly school cleaning services tailored to fit your needs. All our experienced staff are trained in detailed cleaning procedures for schools, working hard to create the perfect learning setting through unparalleled cleanliness, hygiene, and safety.
Don't compromise on your school's cleaning standards; contact Green Facilities today to learn more about our services and receive a customised quote to match your school's unique requirements.
Together, let's transform your school into a shining example.