How can the children and staff help to keep the classroom clean?

Daily - Encourage children to dust their classroom’s surfaces with microfiber or damp cloths every day especially after lunchtime. Classroom rules should include the following:

• Pick up any litter that is on the floor
• Help to wipe the whiteboard after school
• Arrange the tables and chairs neatly and tidily
• Make sure there are no books left on classroom tables
• Be careful not to write on table and the chairs
• Flush after using the toilet
• Make sure that there isn't any tissue paper on the floor of the toilet
• Make sure to wash hands properly with soap after using the toilet and after lunchtime
• Don’t splash water to the floor as it will make people fall

Monthly

Student art and classroom decorations should be changed every month as they become dust collectors.  Appliances such as refrigerators should be washed monthly.

School Breaks

Wipe down hard surfaces in the classroom with a damp cloth or dry microfiber cloth. Wash stuffed animals, and other fabric items during holiday time as they collect dust, dust mites, and can harbour germs. Avoid using cleaning or disinfecting sprays even when children are not in your classroom as aerosols stay in the air long after they are used and can be dangerous to a child with asthma.

The Summer Deep School Clean

Summer time offers schools the perfect opportunity to review the schools cleaning strategy thinking about all cleaning methods and equipment.

• Equipment Press – Go through supplies press and properly discard of any chemicals or other products that have not been used in six months or longer; typically, chemicals should never be stored for more than a year.
• Go Green If your school is thinking about working towards a green flag why not include a green cleaning strategy. Special green cleaning training may be needed and the summer break provides the extra time.
• Equipment Review - Assess all cleaning equipment to determine which machines are running properly, which need servicing, and which should be replaced. All machinery should be PAT tested annually.
• Assess furniture condition. In particular look at those items that need repair or should be replaced.
• Tile and grout - do floor tiles require new grouting?
• Evaluate cleaning strategy. To improve cleaning efficiency in the school evaluate all cleaning tasks and frequencies. How can the teachers and pupils contribute to keeping the school clean?
• Replace lightbulbs. Are you using low voltage bulbs? Replacing conventional lightbulbs with low-voltage bulbs will save the school money in the long run