Cleaning for the New School Term: The Ultimate Back-To-School Cleaning Guide

It’s almost time for students to return to school. Before they do, it’s essential to ensure that a comprehensive deep clean is performed throughout educational facilities.

This article is specifically crafted for school facility managers, cleaning companies, and dedicated school cleaners. These individuals play a pivotal role in ensuring the health and well-being of students in environments that can quickly become breeding grounds for germs and allergens.

A thoroughly cleaned school not only reduces the spread of illnesses but also instils a sense of pride, confidence, and productivity in both students and staff. Imagine walking through a corridor with a gleaming floor and the scent of freshness in the air – it can significantly uplift one’s mood and energy throughout the day.

In this blog, we will delve into the most crucial areas to prioritise when cleaning your school, highlight the essential products, and discuss the best machinery to facilitate the deep cleaning process.

Essential Areas to Clean

Classrooms

Surfaces and Desks: Classroom desks and other surfaces are major spots for the collection of germs, fungi, and bacteria, especially since they are high-touch areas. It’s vital to use a surface cleaner that is not only effective against these pathogens but also safe for students.

Electronics: With the massive use of technology in today’s classrooms, including laptops, tablets, and phones, it’s crucial to clean these devices thoroughly. They are frequently used by multiple students and staff, increasing the risk of germ transmission. When cleaning these, opt for microfibre cloths, appropriate wipes, and cleaning solutions specifically designed for electronics to prevent any potential damage.

Flooring: The type of flooring can vary depending on the classroom’s purpose, whether it’s a science lab, an art room, or a general-use room. Each type of flooring, whether carpet, tile, or hardwood, needs a different cleaning method and machinery. For instance, while a carpet cleaner is ideal for most classroom carpets, a gymnasium might benefit more from a scrubber dryer.

Bathrooms

Toilets and Urinals: These areas need daily cleaning using strong cleaning chemicals. It’s crucial to make sure you clean thoroughly and all around, which some cleaners can miss. Consider using urinal blocks and mats for further cleanliness.

Sinks and Counters: With the high traffic of school washrooms, sinks and counters should be cleaned several times a day using appropriate surface cleaners. Look for specific cleaning products that can remove limescale, sanitise surfaces and deodorise.

Floors: Bathroom floors in schools can quickly become slippery and pose a risk, especially with high foot traffic. We recommend a heavy floor cleaner that leaves a slip-resistant finish. Placing safety cones in areas of the bathroom can also help mitigate the risk of slips and falls.

Gymnasium

Equipment: Each piece of PE equipment has a good chance to carry germs and harmful bacteria, such as footballs, mats, and wooden benches. Make sure to apply cleaning chemicals on each type of equipment after every session. Remember, the type of chemical will depend on the piece of equipment and material.

Floors: Gym floors, such as traditional wooden ones, need specific cleaning chemicals to maintain correctly. We recommend using a scrubber dryer and a wood-friendly cleaner for wooden gym floors. For rubber or synthetic floors, a floor polish maintainer cleaner would be great for this.

Ventilation: As there will be a high level of physical activity that will be happening throughout the lessons, make sure to regularly check and clean vents and consider using air purifiers to maintain a fresh environment.

Using these helpful tips in some of the highest traffic areas in your school will help you prepare for your deep clean and continuous cleaning throughout the new term at school. Next, we will be explaining what the best type of cleaning products and industrial machinery would be best in your effort to make your school as clean as possible.

Products and Machinery for Cleaning Your School

Below, we’ve highlighted some essential cleaning products and machines to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment in your educational facility. While this isn’t an exhaustive list, these are the items we believe are most crucial in the context of this article.

Cleaning Products

Multi-Purpose Cleaners: These cleaning products are cost-effective due to being not specific to a surface or area, making them more reusable in further cleaning, which can then make your cleaning more efficient and sustainable. Most multi-purpose cleaners can clean & polish floors, furniture, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens and are a good option for school bathrooms and classrooms.

Stain / Graffiti Removers: Stain removers are perfect for a myriad of different cleaning jobs, from removing hard stains from carpets, stone, wood, and other surfaces. These types of chemicals are specifically used to remove ink, coffee, blood and more. You can even get Odour and stain removers in one, making it even easier for cleaning classrooms. Furthermore, you can also get graffiti removers that can incorporate the removal of chewing gum, marker pens and other type of equipment often found in a classroom.

Deodorisers: Deodorisers do what they say on the tin, they remove odours from surfaces such as carpets and other surfaces. This should go hand in hand with your deep cleaning throughout the areas of your school, however, some multi-purpose cleaners and disinfectants are also deodorisers.

Disinfectants: Perfect for school bathrooms and other general areas, disinfectants are used to remove harmful bacteria from surfaces. Many disinfectants also remove any odours as they are fragranced. 

Industrial Machinery

Vacuum Cleaners: These are essential for commercial settings like schools, especially when dealing with carpeted areas and rugs in classrooms. Look for vacuums equipped with HEPA filters to ensure maximum disposal of particles, allergens, and dust.

Scrubber Dryers: Equipped with rotating brushes and cleaning solution dispensers, these machines guarantee a thorough cleaning, especially in school gymnasiums and bathrooms. Think of them as motorized mops and buckets; they enhance efficiency, navigate tighter spaces with ease, and conserve water and energy by using precise chemical dosages.

Carpet Cleaners: These machines can clean deeper than vacuum cleaners, fighting further entrenched dirt, stains, and bacteria in carpets. They’re ideal for more intensive cleaning tasks that vacuums can’t handle.

Make sure to commit to regular training of cleaning staff, maintenance checks, and staying updated with the latest news in the industry.

Wrapping Up

In this blog post, we highlighted the importance of thoroughly deep cleaning your educational facility or school before students return and the continued necessity of regular cleaning.

We highlighted crucial areas within schools—specifically, classrooms, bathrooms, and gymnasiums—and pinpointed the specific regions requiring the most attention.

Furthermore, we provided a curated list of key cleaning products and machinery to ensure the utmost cleanliness of your school. This included a brief insight into each type of chemical and machine, guiding you toward the best choices for your school’s deep cleaning needs.

As the back-to-school season approaches, it’s essential to be well-prepared. At Wessex Cleaning Equipment, we feature a diverse range of over 2,000 products tailored for your cleaning needs. Plus, we offer machine demonstrations to ensure you’re confident in your selections.