Cleaning and sanitizing are building blocks to the health and safety in your school’s classrooms. Providing instructions for managing this throughout the day will be critical as students, teachers and visitors return to the building.
“No matter what method of cleanliness and safety you use, have a system, articulate the system, and step forward in confidence,” says Scott Reitano, Principal at Reitano Design Group in Indianapolis.
His company specializes in kitchen and school foodservice design, but safety practices in the cafeteria also apply to the classroom. “No one has exactly the right method or answer, but you can control how you train your team to clean,” Reitano reminds.
As schools promote cleanliness, health and safety, here are some things to keep in mind:
Safety comes first
Create a safe environment in the classroom by following two main rules:
- Read and follow label instructions on all cleaning products
- Wear recommended personal protective equipment
Know the classroom touchpoints
These are high-risk areas that need to be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis:
- Phones, computers and electronic devices
- Desks, tables, counters and chairs
- Light switches and door handles
- Pencil sharpeners, sink areas and other shared surfaces
Sanitize properly
Follow this process for sanitizing food-contact surfaces in a classroom:
- Wipe the surface to remove loose debris
- Wash the surface with a light-duty cleaner
- Rinse the surface with fresh water
- Apply sanitizer to the surface
- Allow to air-dry for 1 minute
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