The Dirty Truth About Germs & School Cleaning
If you have children or have ever been around them, it is no surprise that they are very efficient spreaders of disease.
With dirty fingers, always in noses, mouths and eyes, and the ability to make objects sticky just by looking at them, kids are the ideal carrier and distributor of the flu and other illnesses.
When flus make their yearly rounds, you can be sure children play a major role in their spread and transmission.
Ideally, sick children would stay home, but often children are most contagious before symptoms appear, so keeping them home only does so much.
With tight curriculum schedules and the growing importance of attendance, preventing illness is more important than ever.
So, what can your school cleaning company do to minimize illness and keep your students and staff healthy?
Cleaning In Schools 101
Research on bacterial and viral spread in classroom settings is plentiful, and the ISSA (International Sanitary Supply Association) provides extensive recommendations for school cleaning.
What does this research show and what should your school cleaning company be doing during flu season?
- Elementary school classrooms were often found to be as dirty, or dirtier, than their respective restrooms.
- Surfaces are frequently only cleaned to appear clean, passing visual inspection while still being contaminated with bacteria.
- Door handles, railings and commonly touched surfaces are prime breeding and transmission points for pathogens.
- Gym mats were found to be major contagion spreaders because dirty mops simply move bacteria around.
If There Were A Test On School Cleaning How Would YOUR Cleaning Company Do?
To understand effective school cleaning, you must understand touch points—surfaces regularly touched throughout the day such as stair railings, door handles and computer mice.
Research confirms that the most frequently touched surfaces carry the highest bacterial loads and are the biggest contributors to disease spread.
Imagine Johnny wiping his nose, touching the railing, using a computer in the lab, and opening the cafeteria door—all while leaving germs behind that others can easily pick up.
If your school cleaning service ignores these touch points, germ loads accumulate and spread quickly throughout your facility.
A school may look clean but still fail to be hygienic where it matters most.
Proper disinfection of all surfaces—especially hotspots—is the only way to ensure your school is visually clean and truly safe for students, teachers and staff.
Quality Education Starts With a Clean School
It can be easy to assume that because surfaces look clean, they are clean—but appearances can be misleading.
Failing to clean for health has measurable consequences: reduced student and staff health, higher absenteeism and declines in overall school performance.
Studies show strong correlations between cleaner surfaces and lower absenteeism.
With absenteeism closely tied to test scores and school performance, it is essential to partner with a school cleaning company that understands what matters most.
Is Disease Spreading On Your Campus?
Does your current school cleaning company understand the science of cleaning for health?
Whether your facility is a university or pre-school, your cleaning company must know how to protect health while maintaining a clean, welcoming appearance.
The most effective school cleaning companies understand the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing—and know when each is appropriate.
Understanding hotspots, touch points and disease transmission separates industry professionals from average cleaning providers.
Building A Healthy Learning Environment Is Key To Successful Education
Good learning begins with a strong foundation—and that means a healthy, clean and safe school environment.
Your school cleaning company should help you reach these goals, not make them harder.
Are you satisfied with your current school cleaning services—or is it time for a change?
Here at Stathakis, we work with schools of every size to build cleaning programs tailored to their unique needs.
We understand touch points and know how to focus our cleaning where it counts most.
Don’t settle for a company that doesn’t take cleaning for health seriously.
If you’d like to learn how we help schools maintain effective cleaning and stay on budget, contact us at (800) 278-1884.
