A top priority for school administrations is having students and teachers return to a classroom that is clean and safe from COVID.

Stringent cleaning protocols and regular disinfection service are a must to ensure a safe environment where students can focus on learning. Given the many attendance options at different schools, this can create a challenge to any commercial cleaning company wanting to deliver the best possible solution.

Schools have shifted their focus to more daytime cleaning with porters who clean and disinfect restrooms and other high touch areas such as handrails, push bars, door handles and light switches several times a day. Sinks, urinals, locks on restroom stalls, desks, chairs, keyboards and mice all need cleaning and disinfection service throughout the day.

The use of electrostatic sprayers is crucial to disinfecting desks and chairs daily. The electrostatic sprayer sprays the disinfectant and the droplets attach themselves to the surfaces. They wrap around the entire surface on top and on the underside. Large areas such as gyms, locker rooms and cafeterias can be disinfected thoroughly and effectively.

What about students and staff who suffer from respiratory issues? With increased commercial cleaning and disinfection services to keep schools safe, there may be some concerns. The use of environmentally safe chemicals that are on the EPAs list for effective disinfectants is especially important.

Students and teachers can be a part of the solution as well. School districts need to put in place their protocol for admittance into the building. Taking temperatures and asking a few general health questions is a good start. Having hand sanitizer available in every classroom and asking students to use it as they enter the class will do much to minimize the spread of germs between classrooms. Using a disinfectant wipe to clean desks between classes is a quick and easy way for students to help protect each other.

As schools work to re-open fully to in person learning, working with their custodial staff and commercial cleaning partner is crucial to develop best practices. Disinfection services with spray and wipe or electrostatic sprayers should become an ongoing part of the cleaning regimen.