Cleaning Tips For Schools With In-Person Learning

Contributed by SC Johnson.

Many students, faculty and staff have returned to in-person learning, some for the first time in over a year. The recently heightened expectations of cleanliness are here to stay. SC Johnson Professional shares tips to help achieve a cleaner school environment throughout the school year.

"Some schools are reopening for the first time in over a year, and students and staff want to be reassured that cleaning crews are using the right products at the right times when cleaning and disinfecting," says Mike Flagg, head of SC Johnson Professional's North American business. "Improving cleaning efforts and ensuring cleaning, disinfecting and hand hygiene products are available can help reduce the stress and anxiety around the spread of germs some might be feeling when returning to in-person learning."

Tips to help promote a learning environment include:

 • Develop a targeted hygiene program: To break the chain of infection in public facilities like schools, facility managers and BSCs should follow targeted hygiene guidance, which focuses on hygiene behavior rather than just routine cleaning and disinfection. There are eight moments of high-risk for spreading infection. The core principle of targeted hygiene is to combine cleaning & disinfecting those surfaces with effective hand hygiene at the high-risk moments to prevent re-contamination of hands.

 • Choose the right products: Many high-touch surfaces need to be addressed daily, especially in school environments. School facility managers should review products that are effective against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in addition to viruses such as norovirus and influenza. Some products have specific kill claims and contact times on labels that need to be followed for effectiveness. The product labels also include application instructions that should be followed to clean and disinfect surfaces properly.  

 • Stock soap dispensers: Hand hygiene is critical in school settings, especially since the CDC says it's one of the most effective ways to reduce germs on hands. Closely monitor soap dispenser levels to ensure they stay stocked for students to wash their hands frequently and effectively.

 • Strategically place hand sanitizers: Keeping sanitizer available can help promote positive hand hygiene behavior. Install hand sanitizer dispensers in key locations like entrances to classrooms, outside of lunchrooms, and doorways from the playground to provide a quick, yet effective hand hygiene option when soap and water may not be available.

 • Revitalize floor surfaces: Floors can be one of a school's most expensive assets and can lead to costly replacements if they're not properly cared for. To help reduce floor maintenance costs, implement preventative measures such as scrubbing and recoating regularly along with corrective measures when necessary.