Summer is a busy time for school janitors. With kids at home enjoying their summer vacations, janitors are often busy restoring areas that take a beating during the school year. To help janitors prepare for their busy months ahead, Cintas Corporation announced its top cleaning tips for starting the school year off right.

“Schools are complex facilities that require a tremendous amount of work and planning to maintain,” said Dave Mesko, senior director of marketing, Cintas Corporation. “Summer is a great time to test and implement new programs so schools look better than ever when students return in the fall.”

To make the most out of school cleaning programs, Cintas recommends the following:

* Out with the old, in with the new. Summer is a great time for a school to take an inventory of its cleaning tools and supplies. If you are not currently using microfiber wipes and mops, now is a great time to make the switch.

Microfiber cleaning tools offer superior cleaning effectiveness and better infection control than traditional mops and towels. Microfiber products are proven to remove 99.9 percent of microbes and 80 percent more dust and dirt than traditional mops, reducing cross contamination and improving sanitation.

* Implement regular deep cleans. With hundreds of kids “aiming” for the toilet on a daily basis, organic soils can quickly accumulate on restroom surfaces and generate odors if not regularly deep cleaned. Deep cleaning typically involves sanitizing restroom surfaces with the use of a chemical injection washer to remove soil build-up that regular mops and brushes cannot reach. This results in a fully sanitized area that not only looks and smells clean, but is clean. They also make day-to-day cleaning easier and protect the health of students and staff.

* Dispense for success. How much time do you or your staff spend refilling chemicals located in supply closets in remote corners of the school? Chemical dispensing systems are ideal for use in schools because they do not require much space and can be placed around the school, giving cleaning staff quick access to chemicals throughout the building. They are also ideal for use in schools because they typically involve a one-step cleaning process with a broad-spectrum cleaning formula tied in directly to the school’s water line to ensure that the correct dilution is used every time. Because of the accuracy of the dilution, less chemical is being wasted leading to a more cost-efficient system.

And perhaps most importantly, many dispensing systems use a locked design, granting access only to designated individuals. This reduces the likelihood of little fingers getting into chemicals supplies and further reduces the opportunity for spills and injuries.

* Protect with matting. One of the first things school visitors notice when entering your school are the floors, so make sure you have an effective floor maintenance plan in place. After you have completed scrubbing, stripping and recoating your floors this summer, consider implementing a matting system at all entrances and high-traffic areas to help reduce wear and tear. Not only does matting reduce the amount of soil tracked into your facility year-round, but it also helps prevent slip and fall accidents and improves indoor air quality.