Itasca School District Relies on Kaivac to Meet Elevated Restroom Cleaning Standards

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.”

Frequently Asked Questions: School Restroom Deep Cleaning

How long does it take to deep clean a school restroom with a No-Touch Cleaning system? Under 30 minutes for a team of two, according to Itasca School District's Giovanni Catalano — and that covers every surface, including walls, floors, partitions, fixtures, and touchpoints. Because the system handles the whole restroom, crews never change tools or switch chemicals mid-job.

How often should schools deep clean their restrooms? Itasca School District deep cleans all 30-plus restrooms at least once a week. As Director of Buildings and Grounds Giovanni Catalano puts it: "In today's day and age, you cannot expect to serve the community without deep cleaning restrooms at least once a week."

Can a small custodial crew keep up with weekly restroom deep cleaning? Yes, with the right equipment. Itasca's seven-person crew maintains 30-plus restrooms across three buildings on a weekly deep-clean schedule using three KaiVac® 1750 No-Touch Cleaning systems. Catalano notes that doing this by hand every week "would be nearly impossible" for the crew.

What else do school custodians use No-Touch Cleaning machines for? Beyond restrooms, Itasca custodians use the machines to power wash windows, remove road salt residue from stairwells, and clean up spills. During a pipe burst, Catalano says, "the Kaivac machines were integral during that emergency" for water recovery.

Recommended Kaivac Solutions for School Restrooms

For K-12 districts looking to match the standards described in this case study, these Kaivac products apply:

• KaiVac® 1750 — the specific model Itasca uses: Kaivac's most popular No-Touch system, sized for mid-size restrooms up to 60 fixtures.
• Kaivac No-Touch Cleaning® System — the underlying spray-rinse-vacuum platform behind the district's weekly deep-clean program.
• KaiBosh™ Disinfectant — hospital-grade disinfectant suited to the elevated hygiene standards this district set for student restrooms.