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Summer break is the ideal time for deep cleaning schools. With students and teachers away on vacation, empty hallways offer a chance to focus on priming properties from top to bottom. While summer school cleaning can be done on the fly, showing up with a bucket of soapy water and the will to kill any germs you come across, a little preparation goes a long way.

 

Read on to learn how to take advantage of summer downtime and get your school ready for fall.  

The Benefits of Summer Cleaning

The benefits of summer school cleaning are immense because it’s one of the few times of year you can clean without interruptions and polish in peace and quiet. Seasonal scrubbing allows you to:

 

• Easily access classrooms, hallways, and lunchrooms
• Maintain ample drying time between shampooing, preventing mold and mildew growth and reducing musky odors
• Start and complete large and extensive cleaning projects
• Clean hard-to-reach spaces, which are often neglected when school is in session
• Take care of co-occurring maintenance projects, such as painting, repairing baseboards, and floor resurfacing
• Make routine cleaning easier throughout the school year, as surfaces and flooring start the year in good-as-new condition
• Foster a healthier environment by reducing germs (something schools are notorious for)

 

What Kind of Summer Cleaning Projects Should Be Prioritized?

An empty school offers the chance to clean every nook, cranny, and bubble-gum-covered desk. But making a to-do list of priorities helps ensure you don’t forget any of the most important tasks. Projects to prioritize often include:

• Dusting vents and ceiling fixtures
• Cleaning windows
• Sanitizing desks, chairs, sinks, light switches, water fountains, counters, and other oft-touched surfaces
• Washing walls and baseboards
• Cleaning lockers
• Cleaning cafeterias and common areas
• Deep cleaning carpet and flooring 

Why Carpets Require Special Attention 

Contamination occurs on all kinds of surfaces, from bathroom faucets to banisters, but floors and carpets bear much of the soiling and require special attention. High-traffic areas, such as entryways, hallways, and classrooms, benefit from thorough shampooing using high-end equipment. A deep clean can help remove:

 

• Dust and dirt deeply embedded in carpet fibers, extending the life of the carpet
• Allergens
• Food and drink stains (in a school, there are plenty of these!)
• Hard-to-get-out materials like gum, glue, fingernail polish, and paint
• Odors
• Mud and salt residue
• Viruses (including COVID) and bacteria

 

Although school carpets are typically full of germs and debris, fiber-based flooring is not the only type that needs care. Grout, concrete, tile, and gym floors also benefit from summer maintenance. 

What To Do Before You Start

Deep cleaning a school is easier with a little proactive prep. A few simple ways to prepare the grounds for scrubbing include:

 

• Check with school administrators and schedule maintenance when the school is truly empty (since employees, repairmen, or contractors might be present on certain days)
• Move furniture (desks and chairs) to the hallway, a spare room, or to one side, allowing you to thoroughly clean spaces (especially flooring) without obstacles in the way
• Identify areas that need more attention (high-traffic areas, areas with stains, and rooms that are extra messy)
• Unplug electronics and perform minor maintenance before cleaning (such as carpet repair, replacing floor tiles, or touching up paint)
• Replace light bulbs, particularly if you’ll be cleaning at night
• Empty trash cans and recycling bins so they can be sanitized
• Remove clutter from shelves, counters, and tables to make dusting and disinfecting faster and more effective
• Organize classrooms and storage closets
• Upgrade your cleaning equipment
• Make a plan to clean one room or space at a time, which makes the maintenance process more efficient and rewarding

 

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