Itasca Public School District #10 serves about 1000 students from kindergarten through 8th grade. Located about 25 miles from Chicago, three buildings make up the suburban district. One structure serves K-2nd grade, another holds 3rd-5th grade, while 6th-8th graders go to the third building.
Despite its small size, Itasca School District holds high standards when it comes to maintenance and hygiene. “In today’s day and age, you cannot expect to serve the community without deep cleaning restrooms at least once a week,” insists Giovanni Catalano, CPS, Director of Buildings and Grounds.
Deep cleaning the district’s 30 plus restrooms by hand every week would be nearly impossible for the school’s custodians. So, Catalano and his seven-person crew rely on three KaiVac® 1750 No-Touch Cleaning® systems to meet those elevated restroom cleaning standards. Purchased through North American, the machines bring efficiency and dignity to what would otherwise be an unpleasant, labor-intensive job.
“You just point, spray, and let the chemical do the work,” Catalano says. He estimates that a team of two can deep clean every surface—walls, floors, partitions, fixtures, and touchpoints—of a restroom in under 30 minutes. “Using the Kaivac is way more efficient than spraying, wiping, and touching every surface. You never have to change tools or switch chemicals in the middle of the job. Plus, the machine physically removes dirt and germs from the environment.”
Along with servicing the restrooms, Itasca School District custodians use the No-Touch Cleaning machines to power wash windows and remove road salt residue from the stairwells. Catalano notes that the tools also come in handy for cleaning spills, including water from a pipe burst. “The Kaivac machines were integral during that emergency,” he recalls.
Itasca School District custodians report that they enjoy using the tools. Administrators also recognize and appreciate what the Kaivac machines bring to the buildings. “During COVID I spoke to the school board about the No-Touch Cleaning systems, and they were over the moon about it,” Catalano says. “They have become an integral part of the district.”
“I think there should be a Kaivac in every school that is serious about cleaning restrooms,” he adds. “In the environment of the world today, not considering it would be a detriment to your organization.”
