Did you know a whopping 90% of children surveyed reported feeling both
emotionally and physically affected by the poor condition of their school toilets?
According to a study by Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company, 90% of children who took part in a new Domestos survey said they had been impacted emotionally and physically by the poor state of their school toilets.
This study highlights a critical issue that many schools face: the need for proper hygiene and maintenance of their restroom and other facilities. Poorly maintained schools can lead to various problems, including increased absenteeism, decreased academic performance, and a general sense of discomfort and dissatisfaction among students.
More than just about aesthetic appeal, maintaining cleanliness in schools plays an important role in creating a safe and conducive learning environment. Clean restroom schools ensure that students can focus on their studies without the distraction of clutter or the risk of health hazards.
Impact on Health
The role of hygiene in promoting a healthy learning environment is paramount, as it significantly impacts student attendance and academic performance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), proper hygiene practices can reduce absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in schoolchildren by 29-57%.
Cleanliness in school restrooms is vital for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Schools are breeding grounds for germs, with high-touch areas such as desks, doorknobs, and computers being hotspots for bacteria and viruses.
A study published in the Journal of Health Science found that improved hygiene practices among the studied children have effectively reduced gastrointestinal and respiratory tract infections by up to 50%. This reduction in illness not only benefits students but also reduces sick days among staff, ensuring a more stable and effective learning environment.
Benefits of Holiday Cleaning
The school holidays offer a unique opportunity for thorough and uninterrupted cleaning that goes beyond the regular daily maintenance — ensuring that when students and staff return, they are greeted with a pristine and hygienic environment. Utilising this time for deep cleaning can yield numerous benefits, including the below advantages:
Thorough Cleaning Opportunities
School holidays present a unique opportunity for comprehensive cleaning. With classrooms empty, custodial staff can access all areas without disrupting daily activities, ensuring a thorough cleaning of every nook and cranny.
This period allows for deep cleaning tasks that are challenging to perform during the busy school term, such as carpet shampooing, detailed floor cleaning, and the disinfection of hard-to-reach places.
Health and Safety
Thorough cleaning during holidays can significantly reduce the presence of allergens, bacteria, and viruses in the school environment. Studies have shown that deep cleaning and disinfecting can lower the levels of microbial contamination by over 90%, creating a safer space for students and staff when they return.
For instance, the use of electrostatic sprayers in cleaning can cover more surfaces quickly and effectively, ensuring high-touch areas are sanitised.
Enhanced Learning Environment
A clean and orderly environment has been proven to improve concentration and learning outcomes. According to a study published in the Universal Journal of Educational Research, cleanliness enhances the learning abilities of learners and is also linked with security.
Students in clean and well-maintained schools can perform better academically and exhibit fewer behavioural issues. Additionally, cleanliness contributes to a calm and organised atmosphere, which is essential for effective teaching and learning.
Long-term Maintenance
Regular deep cleaning helps in maintaining school restrooms and facilities and prolonging their lifespan. By preventing the buildup of dirt and grime, schools can avoid costly repairs and replacements of infrastructure.
A well-maintained school also requires less frequent general cleaning, reducing overall maintenance costs. School maintenance measures if not followed, ground facilities can deteriorate much faster than intended.
Holiday cleaning can support schools in following regular maintenance and can help them save much on long-term repair costs.
Positive Perception
Maintaining high standards of cleanliness enhances the school’s reputation among parents and the community. A clean school reflects a commitment to the health and well-being of students, making it more appealing to prospective students and their families.
Key Areas to Focus On
Classrooms
Classrooms are the primary learning spaces and require meticulous cleaning. Desks, chairs, floors, and windows should be thoroughly cleaned to remove dust and grime. The Department of Health and Aged Care Australia specifies that cleaning and disinfection of surfaces remains an important infection prevention and control measure to minimise the risk of transmission of infectious agents.
Restrooms
Clean restrooms in schools are essential for maintaining student health, which in turn can improve attendance and academic performance. According to the same survey by Domestos, 73% of the surveyed students reported school sanitation as an issue, and 30% reported ‘discomfort’ and ‘finding it hard to concentrate in class’, due to ‘holding it in’ to avoid using school toilets.
Restrooms are high-risk areas for contamination and require deep cleaning and disinfecting of toilets, sinks, and floors to effectively remove harmful pathogens and prevent the spread of infections. Regular maintenance of these facilities is crucial to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and viruses, decreasing the risk of illness among students and staff.
Partnering with a professional hygiene service can significantly help school restrooms be maintained to the highest hygiene standards. At Impact Hygiene, restrooms are our specialty. We exclusively service restrooms to ensure they are hygienically maintained to the highest standards. Our expert team focuses solely on providing tailored hygiene solutions, ensuring every restroom we service remains safe, sparkling, and welcoming.
Common Areas
Cleaning and sanitising common areas such as hallways, cafeterias, gymnasiums, and libraries is essential as these are high-traffic zones. Ensuring these areas are thoroughly disinfected can significantly reduce the spread of infections.
Outdoor Spaces
Cleaning playgrounds, sports fields, and outdoor seating areas ensures a healthy environment for outdoor activities. Here are some few steps you can take to maintain outdoor spaces clean and safe:
- Remove Trash from playgrounds, sports fields, and seating areas.
- Sweep and wash walkways and playground equipment.
- Disinfect high-touch surfaces like playground equipment and benches.
- Maintain Green Spaces
- Inspect and Repair
Specialised Areas
Specialised areas such as science labs, computer rooms, and art studios require focused cleaning and sanitising of equipment. Proper maintenance of these areas ensures that students can safely and effectively use the resources available to them.
Impact Hygiene’s Expertise
Impact Hygiene has successfully established decades of dedication as a leader in commercial hygiene services. With over 20 years of experience, this family-owned business has been providing top-tier hygiene solutions, ranging from advanced restroom cleaning to comprehensive hygiene supplies.
Discover the magic behind Impact Hygiene’s exceptional hygiene services:
Customised Cleaning Plans
Our hygiene maintenance and cleaning plans are tailored to meet the specific needs of each school’s restrooms. We work closely with school administrators to develop a cleaning schedule that minimises disruption and ensures all areas are thoroughly cleaned.
Flexibility in scheduling allows us to perform deep cleaning tasks during holidays, ensuring a clean and safe environment for students and staff.
Trained and Experienced Staff
Our technicians are trained and experienced in professional hygiene and restroom cleaning. They undergo regular training and certification to stay updated on the latest cleaning techniques and safety protocols.
They ensure effective hygiene services including cleaning and disinfection of restroom walls, toilet bowls, sinks, urinals and floors.
Advanced Cleaning Techniques
We use modern cleaning equipment and environmentally safe products to ensure thorough and safe cleaning. Our advanced disinfection methods such as Impact Clean provide comprehensive coverage of surfaces, ensuring high-touch areas are sanitised. These techniques are proven to be more effective than traditional cleaning methods.
Impact Clean™: A Higher Standard of Clean
At Impact Hygiene, we are proud to offer our flagship service, Impact Clean™, which takes our commitment to cleanliness to the next level. This specialised service is designed not just to clean but to transform your environment, ensuring it meets the highest standards of hygiene and safety.
Impact Clean™ utilises our most advanced disinfection techniques using our specialised Impact Clean equipment. With Impact Clean™, you can rest assured that your facility is in the best hands and is maintained with the utmost care and professionalism. Learn more about this service here.
Premium Hygiene Supplies
At Impact Hygiene, our services extend beyond meticulous cleaning procedures. We are committed to ensuring that your facilities are not only clean but also well-equipped. As part of our comprehensive service offering, we provide routine supply and stocking of premium hygiene products.
This ensures that your restrooms and other facilities are consistently stocked with high-quality hand towels, soap, air fresheners, and other essential supplies. By managing both the cleanliness and the supply of your hygiene products, we help maintain a seamless and hassle-free environment for you and your patrons.
Quality Assurance
We take measures to ensure high standards of cleanliness through regular inspections and feedback mechanisms. Our quality assurance processes include regular audits, customer feedback, and continuous improvement initiatives. This ensures that our cleaning services consistently meet and exceed expectations.
Conclusion: Preparing for the New Term
Maintaining hygiene in schools is crucial for creating a healthy and effective learning environment. Thorough restroom cleaning during holidays provides numerous benefits, including improved health and safety, enhanced learning environments, and long-term maintenance of school facilities.
Book Your School Restroom Hygiene Service Now
School administrators are encouraged to take advantage of the holiday period for deep cleaning. Clean restrooms are particularly important, as they play a crucial role in maintaining student health and well-being. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), poor sanitation is linked to diarrhoeal diseases that can lead to increased absenteeism due to illness, negatively impacting academic performance.
Partnering with professional restroom cleaning services can help schools ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for the new term. Book your restroom cleaning service with Impact Hygiene now and experience the benefits of a thoroughly sanitised school toilets. Call us: ☎️ 1800 494 369 | https://impacthygiene.net/contact-us .
