Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Deep Cleaning Tips for a Healthy Learning Environment

  • By John Engel
  • 01/01/17

Cold winter months keep students and faculty indoors for longer hours, causing more dirt to accumulate throughout a facility and germs to spread easily. To combat the spread of infections and accumulation of debris tracked in during the winter, consider these tips to help promote student and faculty health, safety and productivity.

Deep clean carpets and floors.
Many schools have carpeted surfaces, which in addition to providing insulation and noise reduction, also acts as an air filter by trapping airborne pollutants. Periodically removing these pollutants through a deep cleaning process reduces heavy buildup that can affect allergy and asthma sufferers. Deep cleaning tile and grout can also improve safety by improving slip resistance.

HVAC cleaning.
Coil cleaning within heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units kills bacteria, mold and mildew, leading to improved indoor air quality, airflow and temperature accuracy, while removing potential odors.

Maintain mats.
Mats trap dirt and moisture from tracked in snow and rain, protecting school floors from damage and limiting slips and falls — as long as they are properly maintained. Caring for mats extends their lifespan and ensures they capture contaminants. Schools can also customize mats with a mascot or logo to promote school spirit.

Sanitize high-touch surfaces.
To limit the spread of germs throughout a school, regularly disinfect high-touch surfaces within classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, gymnasiums and other frequently used areas such as railings and door handles.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

John Engel is director of Marketing for Cintas' Facility Services division. For more information about Cintas’ clean offerings for facilities, visit www.cintas.com/facilityservices.

Featured

  • Year-Round Schools Require Year-Round Indoor Air Quality Planning

    While many schools are out for the summer, year-round schools follow a more “balanced” schedule with shorter, more frequent breaks spaced throughout the school year. Even though this offers educational benefits, these facilities have less downtime for building maintenance. This can become an issue when facilities managers overlook the importance of routine HVAC maintenance and air duct cleaning services.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Washington State University Debuts New Engineering Hall

    Washington State University recently celebrated a dedication ceremony for the new Schweitzer Engineering Hall on its Pullman campus in Pullman, Wash., according to university news. The facility measures 66,288 square feet, and its completion marks the first milestone in a larger university effort to modernize the engineering and design district.