Summer means students get three months to take a break from classes and class rooms. For a janitorial staff, however, summer can be one of the busiest seasons. To help your janitorial staff prepare for summer cleaning, we’ve outlined a school cleaning checklist.

Here 9 most important items to add to your school cleaning checklist over summer break and the janitorial supplies needed to help you.

1. Scrub Floors

Summer is the best time to tackle floor cleaning and maintenance. Without the heavy traffic in and out of your facility, you can clean floors quickly, effectively, and efficiently.

Before doing any floor work divide the facility into multiple areas:

• those areas that will be stripped and/or refinished
• areas that will scrubbed and
• areas that need only detail cleaning.

This will help tackle all of your floors efficiently.

2. Deep Clean the School Kitchen

The school kitchen is one area that needs special attention and a deep clean. Here are just a few things you’ll want to address:

• change the hood filter,
• clean the oven,
• scrub the walk-in,
• clean any other kitchen equipment, and
• schedule repairs if needed.

3. Dust Everything

When dust particles are breathed in they can cause a number of health hazards, including: irritation of the eyes, coughing, sneezing, hay fever, and even asthma attacks. These symptoms can be exacerbated in people who have respiratory conditions.

School electronics, such as computers and keyboards, are prone to accumulating dust. To maintain a healthy school environment it’s important to keep these free of dust and give them a deep clean while students are on break.

Consider investing in walk-off dust mats, especially at entrances, to help trap dust before it stirs in the air.

For tips on dusting, read How to Dust Your Office in 4 Easy Ways.

4. Disinfect Computers and Other Electronics

Electronics are often missed in regular cleaning schedules. This means they can be some of the germiest areas of the school. Below are the top electronics likely spread germs in your school and how to clean them.

How to clean computers and keyboards:

Firstly, turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Then use a compressed air can to spray in between all the buttons to release dust and particles from the keyboard. Next spray or dip cotton swabs in a special cleaning solution and wipe between each key. Last of all, use a lint free cloth with the vinegar-based cleaning solution to wipe the rest of the keyboard and computer.

How to clean phones:

Use a lint free cloth to get the dust off. Then, use a vinegar-based cleaning solution to wipe the entire phone surface. Lastly, use a disinfectant wipe on the handset and those areas that your mouth would be close to when you answer the phone.

5. Clean Doors

Doors are the most used and touched surface of a school building. They can also be the most neglected part of a cleaning routine. That means in high-traffic areas your doors are likely collecting bacteria and germs that could easily spread around the entire school. This is why it’s so important to make door cleaning a priority.

Read how to clean different types of doors here.

6. Deep Clean Bathrooms

Your school’s restrooms and locker rooms need a deep cleaning. These areas get heavy use throughout the school year and can get beat up. Summer provides a good time to do the serious deep cleaning and needed repairs that can get your restrooms back to clean. This can include: detailing grout and drains, cleaning and repairing stall doors and walls, cleaning vents, cleaning light fixtures, and making any needed repairs.

7. Fix Cleaning Equipment

Your janitorial staff is only as good as its equipment. If your cleaning equipment is seriously outdated, in bad shape, or needs repair, summer is an ideal time to address it. Ask your janitorial staff to evaluate their equipment, check that everything is operating properly, and make any necessary updates or repairs. This will help ensure your janitorial staff starts the next school year off right.

8. Get Air Ducts Cleaned

Whatever dirt is in your school’s air ducts you, your staff, and students are breathing in. Air duct cleaning is incredibly important to maintain and improve the air quality in your school. This is especially important if your staff or students suffer from asthma or allergies.

Air ducts shouldn’t be cleaned by just anyone. We recommend hiring a professional air duct cleaning company to clean your air ducts.

9. Evaluate Cleaning Procedures

What’s working? And what isn’t? Evaluate all of your cleaning tasks and frequencies to ensure your team is cleaning as effectively as possible.