How to control the spread of germs in schools

Friday, November 3, 2017   Care, Commercial

From common colds to the flu to foot and mouth to gastro, you can pick up just about any ailment at school. These facilities, after all, are where 3.8 million students spend up to eight hours a day, five days a week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

With so many young people packed in such tight places, schools can become breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Fortunately, there are ways to clean these sensitive sites effectively so students and staff can stay safe, healthy and focused on what matters: effective teaching and learning (and having fun!).

Look beyond the obvious areas

How do you spot the most germ ridden places in a school? Certain high use areas are a given, including:

• Door handles
• Desks and tables
• Floors
• Bathroom surfaces
• Handrails / lift buttons

These should be cleaned thoroughly daily to prevent the spread of germs in a school, but what about other places bacteria may be hiding?

You’ll also want to take the time to sanitise things like:

• Computer mice and keypads
• Phones
• Light switches / plates
• Shared writing and art supplies
• Toys
• Books
• Headphones
• Lunch trays

These items are often used by several students each day, so if they aren’t clean, they’ll definitely contribute to the spread of viruses and bacteria. ACW Care has invested in a variety of cleaning technologies and surface-specific detergents to ensure that each area of a school receives the correct cleaning protocol.

Make cleanliness a classroom policy

If you really want to keep a school clean, adopting a proactive approach to cleanliness is key. Enforce a cleanliness policy that encourages students to follow certain rules, including:

• Washing their hands regularly throughout the day – particularly before meals and after using the bathroom
• Not sharing hats, food or drink bottles
• Keeping lunch refrigerated using ice packs (to prevent the growth of bacteria on food packed from home)
• Wiping down desks, chairs and classroom materials each day

We’re assuming that staff are already on board with these guidelines or similar! Following these easy steps will help prevent bigger issues down the line.

Hire a professional cleaning company

To make sure that cleaning is carried out in a way that is thorough, hygienic and environmentally safe, you need to hire a professional cleaning company that has experience working in sensitive, high uses sites such as schools, early learning centres and child care facilities. Ensure the company has rigorous training processes that are QA certified through independent audits. Also look for a company which has multiple levels of supervision and checking – a team leader on site, a dedicated area supervisor or contracts manager, as well as State and National Operations managers. More importantly, understand how often each of these people will personally visit your site to ensure that standards are being maintained.

At ACW Care, our staff members have years of experience and extensive training working in sites for the very old and very young all across Australia. We understand that in these facilities – including schools, child care centres, aged care facilities and hospitals – cleaning isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about keeping people safe and healthy.

To find out more about how we can help create hygienic and productive environments at your school, reach out today.