Cleaning and hygiene practices are an integral part of maintaining a safe school environment for students and teachers. Here are four ways to engage best cleaning practices for your school during the pandemic.
Limit use of shared objects
Use of shared objects such as gym equipment, art supplies and stationery should be limited wherever possible, or objects cleaned and disinfected between use.
Ensure students keep their belongings separate. Ensure containers and lockers are labelled and assigned to prevent the sharing of areas. If possible, provide students with individual stationery and equipment to reduce touch points and prevent the risk of germ spreading.
Enable good hand hygiene
Students and teachers should frequently wash their hands to maintain good hand hygiene. Make hand sanitisers with at least 60 per cent alcohol available for use near frequently touched surfaces such as bubblers, doors and entryways.
Clean and disinfect surfaces
Frequently touched surfaces such as playground equipment, door handles, sink handles and drinking fountains should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to minimise the spread of germs.1
If surfaces are dirty, they should be cleaned using a detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. Read our blog about the difference between cleaning and disinfecting for a more in-depth explanation from our Medical and Health Specialist.
Follow these steps for safe and effective disinfecting:
1. Always follow directions on the label. Check “use sites” and “surface types” to find out where the product is suitable for use.
2. Clean surfaces with soap and water prior to disinfection. Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at least daily.
3. Follow the specified contact time. Allow the disinfecting product to sit on the surface according to the specified time on the product’s label. Ensure you wear gloves during this process and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds afterwards.
4. Store cleaning products in a secure location, away from students’ reach and sight.2
Keep areas tidy
Only use spaces that can be set up to maintain physical distancing and enable effective learning conditions. To support cleaning services, ensure students keep their desks neat and tidy, file away documents when possible at the end of each day, avoid leaving food containers and food out in the open, keep personal cutlery in a sealed container and store away unused shared and loose items (such as toys, musical instruments and sporting equipment) at the end of each day.3
Cleaning upkeep and maintenance of school facilities will help safeguard students and teachers from illnesses and viruses. Shop our March Cleaning and Hygiene Sale today!*
*All promotions and products are advertised in good faith to be available at the time of sale, however, unforeseen circumstances such as supply or delivery problems or unexpected demand, may occasionally result in stock unavailability. All purchases are subject to Winc terms and conditions of sale.
References
1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020, “Cleaning, Disinfection, and Hand Hygiene in Schools – a Toolkit for School Administrators”, <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/clean-disinfect-hygiene.html#Safe>
2Six Steps for Properly Cleaning and Disinfecting Your School:, <https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/Six-Steps-for-Cleaning-Disinfecting-detailed-8.5×11.pdf>
3Victoria State Government, 2021, “Access to cleaning supplies and services”, <https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/Pages/cleaningsupplies.aspx>