Clean as a whistle: creating a school cleaning strategy
A robust school cleaning strategy will play a vital role in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. Find out more in our latest blog!
With the reopening of schools imminent, school leaders are focusing on arrangements to keep staff and students safe. Increased cleaning will be a key component in the new health and safety plans for schools in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. In this article, we discuss the importance of creating a school cleaning strategy when schools reopen their doors to students.
What should a school cleaning strategy include?
In line with Government guidance, all reopening schools should introduce enhanced cleaning – particularly of frequently-touched surfaces such as doors, light switches and desks. The guidance suggests putting a cleaning schedule in place to ensure that increased cleaning is taking place and that areas with high use are being cleaned more regularly than usual. School resources like art and science equipment should also undergo frequent cleaning.
What should you consider when creating a school cleaning strategy?
School leaders should discuss the new regime with their cleaning staff, agreeing additional hours needed to factor in the new requirements. This discussion should focus on any new or changed priorities, setting out the frequently-used objects or spaces you need extra cleaning for.
For example, you might ask cleaning staff to wipe down the following areas more regularly:
- Work surfaces (e.g. tables and desks)
- Door handles
- Window handles
- Banisters
- Washrooms
- IT equipment (e.g. keyboards)
- Light switches
- Communal kitchens and canteen areas
You might also want them to spend additional time cleaning equipment and resources such as:
- Art supplies
- Science equipment
- PE equipment
- Playground installations
If you have had a suspected case of COVID-19 at your school, you’ll also need to carry out a deep clean of the premises in line with Government guidance. Extra funding is available for this for eligible state-funded schools that are unable to cover this cost from their own budget.
What equipment can help support your school cleaning strategy?
Robust hygiene will be a key consideration for all schools on reopening. The equipment you use in your school can help you maintain good levels of hygiene. Even your choice of hand dryers in your school washrooms can affect the spread of viruses.
At Utility Rentals, we provide schools with bacteria-busting Dyson Airblades which capture an impressive 99.95% of particles including viruses and bacteria from washroom air! They’re proven to be just as hygienic as single-use paper towels (and they won’t leave a mess on your washroom floor). They’re also 99% more economical and far more environmentally-friendly. Leaving a washroom area with damp hands can transmit up to 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands, so effective hand drying is just as important as hand washing.
Our flexible rental agreements mean you can benefit from these hand dryers straight away, with no upfront costs. We also include professional installation and a 5-year parts and labour warranty.
You’re also likely to need mobile hand wash stations to support the need for more frequent hand washing. We offer a range of school-friendly hand wash stations for you to position wherever you need them around your school.
Finally, consider installing air purifiers in washrooms and other high-traffic areas for round-the-clock infection and odour control.
Would you like to learn more about equipment that can support your school cleaning strategy? Contact our team to discuss your options!
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