Back to School Classroom Cleaning Tips

Everyone benefits from having a clean space to work in. From office buildings to libraries to coffee shops, feeling comfortable in a clean space has been shown to have positive impacts on people. 

Students are no different. Studies show that a clean learning environment leads to improved focus and student health. And both of these factors contribute to better learning retention and improved grades or test scores. 

From classrooms to lecture halls, laboratories to auditoriums, educational facilities are key areas where everyone benefits from a clean environment. There are some basic tips and practices that can make them easier to maintain and keep clean. Here we’ll take a look at some tips for cleaning classrooms and some of the top benefits that you will notice immediately. 

Common school areas that require regular cleaning

Various spaces in classrooms and educational facilities can harbor different types of dirt and germs. The most important places for cleaning include: 

• Door handles and desktops – Any high touch space with a lot of contact is a place to focus your cleaning efforts. Door handles and the tops of tables or desks are a great place to start, since they see a lot of use and a lot of dirt or germs. 
• Drinking fountains – With close contact to hands and mouths, drinking fountains are an area that requires frequent cleaning. 
• Floors – In addition to dirt and germs tracked in by dozens of teachers and students, school floors are high traffic areas that need regular cleaning. From cleaning up spills and stains to preventing hazards that could cause falls, cleaning school floors is very important to the health and safety of the space. 
• Computers and tablets – Whether assigned to an individual student or shared among several students, computers and tablets can harbor germs and dirt that can cause damage and spread disease. 
• Restrooms – As with an office or other commercial space, school bathrooms require frequent cleaning to ensure that they are safe and to prevent the spread of disease. 

There are several other areas in schools and universities that require regular deep cleaning, but these are some of the top places to begin when putting together a cleaning plan for your school or educational facility. And when the time comes for an initial deep cleaning, MasterCorp provides those services in addition to routine, scheduled maintenance to help keep educational facilities in the best shape possible. 

Benefits of clean classrooms for students

Cleaner classrooms and schools offer numerous benefits for students, and many of them have been proven by studies. For example, cleaner schools and classrooms have been linked to reduced absences, especially those caused by colds and flus. 

But this extends to other reasons for absence, including asthma and gastrointestinal problems. Both of these have been reduced in places where classrooms are routinely cleaned. 

Other benefits include: 

• Reduced allergy symptoms
• Improved learning retention
• Higher levels of engagement 
• Improved performance on assignments and tests
• Increased stewardship behavior
• Increased school spirit

Benefits of clean classrooms for teachers

Students aren’t the only ones who benefit from a cleaner classroom, though. Teachers also report numerous benefits when working in a cleaner school environment, including: 

• Improved health
• Fewer colds and flus
• Reduced allergy symptoms
• Easier breathing
• More energy through the school day
• Increased parental involvement

And these are just a few of the reported improvements that have come as a result of cleaner schools. 

School cleaning tips 

Basic cleaning of classrooms and other school spaces can be done fairly simply, but you may want to create a checklist to help you cover all of the cleaning needs. 

• Computer keyboards and tablets: Choose an electronics-safe cleaning wipe that you can use to quickly and easily clean these surfaces. If they are gentle enough, you can also consider having your students use them to wipe down tablets at the end of the day, but pay careful attention to avoid harsh chemicals and anything with strong odors. 
• Desktops: Ensure that all desks and table surfaces are cleared off at the end of the day, then use a neutral cleaning solution or wipes to clean them thoroughly. These surfaces can also be disinfected at least once a week or more frequently depending on need. 
• Door handles: This is another surface that should be cleaned daily to prevent the spread of germs and to keep dirt from accumulating. 
• Shelves, cubbies, and other surfaces: From food bits to basic dust, be sure to pay attention to other flat surfaces where grime can accumulate. 
• Teaching aids: Blocks, foam squares, Legos, flash cards … There are dozens of useful teaching aids in many classrooms these days. And because they are handled frequently and shared between students, they should be regularly cleaned as well. 
• Drinking fountains: Cleaning all fountain surfaces should be done regularly to help prevent the spread of disease. This can include regular disinfection. 

There are many more places that need cleaning, including hallways, restrooms, cafeteria tables, and so on. But these spaces are sometimes overlooked and are important places to keep on your classroom cleaning checklist. 

School cleaning supplies

Keeping classrooms and schools clean while protecting student health can be a difficult balancing act to pull off. Children and younger adults are often more sensitive to some chemicals and cleaning supplies than adults. As a result, it is important to choose effective cleaners that are also safe for kids and adults alike. 

There are a number of gentle and environmentally safe cleaning solutions on the market, as well as natural cleaners that do not use harsh chemicals. These are a good place to start when choosing cleaning supplies for classrooms. There are also cleaning solutions which utilize citric acid or citrus-based solutions, allowing them to cut through dirt without strong odors or chemicals. 

When selecting your classroom cleaning supplies, the best bet is to look for Green Seal certified cleaning products and UL 2759 certified hard surface cleaners. 

Commercial cleaning services for schools

Cleaning schools is important for protecting the health of students and teachers, and for ensuring the best possible outcomes and progress of each learner. Given this level of importance, MasterCorp offers school cleaning services that are designed with the unique needs of classrooms and educational facilities in mind. From commercial floor cleaning to janitorial and facility maintenance services and more, our certified technicians understand how critical clean spaces are to learning and offer world-class service to help your students succeed. Our team is trusted to provide school janitorial services and educational facility cleaning for daycare facilities, grade schools, high schools, and colleges across the country, and we can design a cleaning and maintenance program that fits your needs while saving you money. Contact us today to schedule an assessment and find out how MasterCorp can keep your classrooms and school buildings healthy and clean for every generation of students.