The importance of deep cleaning in education facilities

Peter Jones, regional sales manager at Robert Scott, provides his professional insight and recommended approach to deep cleaning educational settings during the summer months.

Prior to the pandemic, cleaning of educational facilities was typically carried out daily before opening, and again once staff and pupils have left the building in the evening.  In response to the pandemic and in line with government guidance, there is now a requirement to clean throughout the day.

This can present challenges for cleaning operatives with demand to clean faster and more efficiently during the day, while minimising the risk to students and staff. It also doesn’t always allow time for more rigorous deep cleaning of facilities.
 
Preparation is key
The summer break provides the perfect opportunity to conduct a meticulous deep clean of facilities and buildings. It’s important to implement an initial action plan before the summer break, this will help save time and improve the efficiency of your deep clean. Deep cleaning should focus on cleaning areas that cannot be completed in term time or have less attention due to time constraints or obstructions. Once these tasks have been completed, deep cleaning of floors, walls and other surfaces can take place.
 
A methodical approach
A methodical approach is key to cleaning any educational facility. Ensuring staff understand and are properly trained to implement a two-stage process, firstly to clean and secondly to sanitise and disinfect, will deliver a more effective clean throughout. Preparation for a deep clean should consider removal of any obstructions and furniture so that hard-to-reach areas can be properly cleaned.
 
Cleaning and disinfecting 
Once preparation is complete, all surfaces should be thoroughly swept and dusted to remove debris. The V-sweeper works well in larger areas, allowing each section to be swept and dusted efficiently, and can be used with either traditional cotton mop pads or microfibre. If the removal of tables and chairs in classrooms isn’t possible, the Sweeper mop offers access to dusting under and around objects.

 
Once dust and debris have been removed, all surfaces should be cleaned before being disinfected, to kill all germs and bacteria. This should be carried out across all areas, paying particular attention to high touch point areas.

Take to the floors 
The longer holiday period presents an optimal time for deep cleaning floors using rotary machines or scrubber dryers. KGS Flexis floor pads are a good example of sustainable innovation in this area as they’re made with microcrystal technology and when used wet, they don’t require any chemical agent. You can strip and polish using a step-by-step process with different pad types.

For maximum deep cleaning we recommend the four-step process of Flexis red, blue, yellow and green in sequence, each with five passes and using water. Traditional floor pads assist in the stripping of floors in preparation for polishes or sealants being laid. After stripping has taken place, the final stage is laying polish or sealant to the floor. The Microtex kit is the perfect tool for doing this as it creates a smooth and even finish.

Although facilities will be closed to pupils and staff, it’s important to remember that risk assessments should always be adhered to, and appropriate signage used to maintain optimum health and safety standards, as other contractors may be present.

To download the education cleaning guide for the full range of products please click here.




For more information, please visit www.robert-scott.co.uk