Schools are open for the new school year, which means that administrators are thinking very carefully about student safety in the new year. Many parents are still concerned about the risks of sending their children back to school, and with good reason. Every school district and private school must take every possible effort for student safety in a post-pandemic environment. No doubt, you are already preparing to take deep-cleaning and year-round air quality measures.

That is why the summer deep clean is so important this year. Your school needs more than the whiteboards cleaned and the gum removed from desk bottoms. You need to be able to assure parents that the school has been fully sanitised from corner to corner and their children will be breathing the best air quality that the building can provide. Here are a few ways you can achieve this goal with summer deep cleaning for school buildings.

Empty Cubbies, Lockers, and Teacher Cabinets for Sanitising

Most school storage does not get cleared out from one year to the next. Kids often find old stuff in their lockers and teacher cabinets may remain undisturbed for decades. Not this year. Now is the perfect time to get rid of dust bunnies and dried-out markers from the back of every teacher’s cabinet and freshly empty old lockers in the name of sanitisation. Getting every surface at least once will also leave your schools beautifully dust-free and reorganised for the first time in years.

Dust, Polish, Vacuum, and Sanitise Every Classroom

Naturally, every classroom, group room, computer lab, and learning space in your district will need to be cleaned with attention to detail and then coated in a layer of sanitising solution – left to sit for at least a minute before wiping away. This is a large project, but really just a step-up in defined standards and cleaning depth from your usual summer classroom cleaning operations.

Sanitise All Furniture and Learning Supplies

Don’t forget to sanitise the more mobile items in each classroom. It’s one thing to polish every desk, but what about the backs and seats of chairs, or the learning supplies handled by dozens of students every year? Make sure everything is completely germ-free during your summer deep cleaning. We also recommend stocking classrooms with sanitising wipes so that teachers can keep their learning supplies pristine during the year.

Install High MERV Air Filters Throughout the System

Improve the quality of your air filtration to reduce the virus and bacteria particles (and incidentally, allergens) that can get through. In fact, schools have the potential to install an air filter in more than just one place. Intermittent air filters are an upgrade that allows you to filter school are at multiple points in your system, ensuring the constant flow of contaminant-free air for children and teachers. The higher the MERV rating your filters are, the more particles they can each block.

Air-Test Around Schools to Detect Hidden Risks

Air testing is done to detect the risk of hidden mould or chemical contaminants in the air. Having each of your buildings air-tested is the perfect way to show parents test results of the air quality their children will be returning to. This provides proof of no hidden mould, no lingering paint fumes, and can help you assure parents that everything is being done to minimise viral exposure in the school through high standards of air quality.

Food-Service Deep-Clean the Kitchens and Coolers/Freezers

Make sure your kitchens and walk-in coolers/freezers are cleaned to the nines this summer. Your kitchen staff likely do an admirable job of sanitising and mopping on their way out for summer break, but actually clearing coolers and sanitising every corner is more than you can ask a handful of lunch servers to do by themselves. A professional food service deep cleaning can have your kitchens polished and clear of even a speck of grime by the beginning of the school year.

Circulate and Purify Internal Air

Not all school ACs are designed to handle targeted air purification. In fact, most aren’t. If you have an area that tests as especially high in dust or other contaminants in the school, the solution is simple. Place an air purifier in the area and circulate air until the area tests to your high air quality standards.

In fact, emplaced air purifiers can be used throughout the school year for targeted and distributed air quality improvements.

Deep-Clean and Sanitise Offices and Teacher Lounges

Don’t forget the spaces for teachers and staff. Schools often pour their energy into taking care of students and sometimes overlook the adult spaces. Make sure that your deep-cleaning plans also clear out and sanitise every desk, cubby, and lunch fridge in the offices and teacher’s lounges in your district.

Take Special Care with the Libraries

Last but not least, take special care about air quality in the library. Books gather and produce dust. While books are a delight, cleaning them should be done with good air circulation and, ideally, a localised air purifier to help immediately clean out the book dust kicked. To clean a library, clear every shelf one at a time, wiping down the books, and sanitising the shelves as you go.

Regional Services are experts at extremely high-standard cleaning and air quality management. If your schools need that special touch this summer to make sure students are as safe as possible as your next semester begins, contact us to consult on your district’s deep cleaning and air quality needs.