Going back to school

The first day of school is coming up soon for many students, teachers and staff. To help custodial teams prepare for the new year, Cintas Corporation shares a list of five recommendations to help promote healthy practices this year.

“Helping keep all school occupants healthy, especially students, is a top priority for all school custodial teams,” shares Christiny Betsch, marketing manager at Cintas. “We’re working to help custodial teams minimize sick days of students, teachers and staff through these recommendations.”

1. Clean, sanitize, disinfect: These terms are often used interchangeably, but they all serve different purposes. Cleaning regularly removes germs and dirt from surfaces and should be done daily if not multiple times daily. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces where food is made. Disinfecting, depending on the dwell time, can kill most remaining germs on surfaces.

2. Make hand hygiene accessible: Ensure hand soap and sanitizer are readily available and well-stocked in restrooms and high-traffic areas. This can help increase hand hygiene compliance. Consider also adding signage to remind of proper handwashing techniques to increase compliance.

3. Keep custodial supplies fully stocked: Maintaining a proper inventory of cleaning products and supplies is important. By keeping the cleaning supplies well-stocked and organized, your custodial team can efficiently complete their cleaning tasks.

4. Install proper matting: Proper matting helps minimize the amount of dirt and germs that enter a building via foot traffic. Correctly placing and maintaining your mats plays an essential role in achieving this. For optimal results, consider placing mats at all entrances, lobbies and hallways to reduce debris and preserve your floor's finish.

5. Revisit training: Update your custodial team’s training program. Proper training helps reinforce important practices and prepares your team to efficiently address any cleaning emergencies that may arise. This also serves as a reminder of the correct handling techniques for cleaning chemicals. Or consider partnering with a reputable third-party cleaning service to help with deep cleaning tasks.

For related news, check out these methods for how clean and safe schools can keep students engaged.