If you're in charge of maintaining clean and healthy schools, restrooms and cafeterias are probably your first area of focus. What many people don't realize is that clean floors are also a crucial part of keeping schools clean, and not just for the sake of appearances. Dirty floors can harbor germs that might cause disease or allergic reactions in a great number of students.
According to the Healthy Facilities Institute, carpeted areas (such as the ones present in an increasing number of classrooms) can harbor biopollutants that send up to one million people to the hospital each year. But even smooth tile floors can be dangerous if not cleaned thoroughly. Between bacteria living in tile grout and the slickness caused by incomplete drying, dirty tile floors can be just as jeopardizing to kids' well-being as carpeted floors.
Healthier Carpeted Floors
Carpets are tough to keep clean in schools, but they're increasingly popular, especially in libraries, preschool classrooms, and lounges. Vacuum the areas daily during the school year, and increase the frequency when mud or snow are likely to be tracked in. The best way to keep carpets clean and germ-free is by cleaning them on a regular basis. A carpet extractor is recommended for periodic deep cleaning. Pull the lever to apply the solution, and it will spray in a wide pattern across the floor to loosen and suspend the soils in the fibers. The extractor then uses powerful vacuum suction to remove dirt, germs, and moisture from deep down inside the carpet.
Healthier Restroom Floors
The largest health hazard in restrooms isn't the dirt you see, it's the bacteria that you don't see. Bodily fluids such as urine fall onto the grout between the tiles, creating a perfect feeding ground for bacteria. The germs take hold in this rich environment and spread to anyone placing a purse or backpack on the floor. Keeping restroom floors clean is a necessary step for creating healthy schools. Use a cleaning system that employs tools to scrub the grout and a vacuum that removes the germs and all the moisture on the floor.
Healthier Tile Floors
Tile is a popular material for school floors. Durable and easy to mop, the tile floor is traditionally cleaned after school by the custodial staff. Mopping might make the floor look like it's clean, but it's really spreading the dirt and germs smoothly over the floor's surface. A cleaning system that dispenses cleaning solution before vacuuming the moisture and dirt away is the best option for a clean and healthy tile floor.
Addressing your school's floors will go a long way toward keeping things clean and healthy for the kids—not to mention the staff. For even more information on keeping a cleaner, healthier school, click here.
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