As many of us would agree, the learning and development of our youngest takes absolute priority. Basic subjects like maths, English, science, humanities, and the arts all serve to provide our children with a fulfilling and assured start in life, giving them the tools they need to thrive. A strong education will act as a springboard, launching the next generation into a position where they can achieve more, innovate stronger, and lead the world into an exciting new era.
That’s why the UK school system is so important, but with over 30,000 education facilities in use and more than 500,000 teachers guiding the minds and futures of the country’s 10 million schoolchildren every week, some cracks will inevitably start to form in the institution. That’s part of the reason Ofsted was formed, to maintain teaching standards in schools across the country. However, one aspect that is sometimes overlooked by the public is the general hygiene and cleanliness of these school facilities.
While it may seem less important than quality teaching, the surrounding environment can play a massive role in the lives of children. A large portion of their early lives are spent in classrooms, hallways, and canteens, and if these are in poor condition, it may have a detrimental effect on their wellbeing. Not only will dirty surroundings affect the mental health of staff and students, but teachers also report substantial improvements in pupil behaviour and performance when learning in clean and tidy facilities.
Naturally, we owe our kids the best education possible, and a clean environment is a critical part of that. Unfortunately, cleaning an entire school is a time-consuming task, and can prove exceedingly expensive if using the wrong products or approach. Therefore, in Vanguard’s latest article, we’ll discuss some cost-effective ways to bring a level of enhanced hygiene to your school premises, and explore how best to tackle common cleaning woes in education facilities.
The following tips offer a series of methods to keep education facilities clean and tidy, without breaking the bank.
What is that old saying – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?
The same goes for cleaning on a budget – halting the build-up of dirt and grime will make it much easier to deal with any hotspots down the line, therefore saving money and time. For this reason, it’s crucial to stay on top of cleaning with a regular or routine schedule. This means you should set daily, weekly, monthly, and even seasonal tasks that need to be completed, thereby spreading out the workload and making cleaning far more manageable.
Weekly:
Monthly:
Seasonal:
Whether you run in-house cleaning, hire outside specialists, or tend to the premises yourself, a robust schedule is a core tenet of cost-effective cleaning. Schools in particular will face problems with clutter– toys and stationery for primary schools, while high schools and colleges often see build-ups of books, papers, and rubbish. Being too lax about this is a sure-fire way for mounds of mess to form, restricting space and harming your student’s mental health.
As for seasonal cleaning tasks and deep cleans, these are best completed outside of normal operating hours. Summer holidays and other seasonal periods like half-terms offer the ideal window for this, as completing intensive cleans during term time can prove disruptive to learning and pose health and safety risks for your pupils and staff.
Alternatively, if looking to freshen up your education premises with a spring clean, then check out our useful checklist here.
Before you use any cleaning products, remember not to mix any chemicals together, such as bleach or disinfectants, as this could cause a harmful reaction and release poisonous gas. With that being said, there are several ways in which household products and cheaper substances can be used to clean with great effect.
One of the simplest ways to create a cleaning solution is by mixing water and vinegar in equal parts. This is ideal for stainless steel, countertops, and even windows, meaning this solution could be used extensively across cloak rooms, kitchens, and even bathrooms. Only certain types of vinegar should be used, however, such as white vinegar or apple cider vinegar – we have an article here which covers a number of different ways the latter can be used.
Baking soda is also a useful product to have on hand. The powder can lift off stains, such as spilled juice on the carpet, simply by sprinkling over the affected area and waiting for 5-10 minutes, making it invaluable for accident-prone areas like schools. On top of this, the alkaline pH of baking soda contrasts with the acidic nature of vinegar to create a foam when mixed. This chemical reaction is a strong home remedy, capable of dislodging grime and unclogging drains. For more excellent uses for baking soda, see our article here.
Then there are even more natural products, such as lemon juice and salt. While not as strong as other cleaning agents, both are widely available and could prove helpful in a pinch. If you mix some lemon juice with some water you can create a homemade degreaser, which will work well in kitchens and canteens. Unfortunately, the solution will not kill germs, meaning disinfectant will need to be applied afterwards. As for salt, the preservative can be applied both on its own and in a solution to remove stains. It can even lift rust from some metal surfaces.
An unfortunate reality of the recent cost-of-living crisis has been a marked increase in what is known as ‘hygiene poverty’. This is when children turn up to school with unclean hair, unwashed uniforms, and even unbrushed teeth, which is often a result of deprivation, preventing them from properly taking care of themselves. In some surveys taken at the start of the school year, 71% of teaching staff thought the situation was going to grow worse, indicating a worrying issue for schools across the nation.
This type of frugality is not unique to pupils, either. As budgets tighten, and schools begin to scale back their cleaning, dirt may begin to creep back into previously clean premises. To tackle this, look for easy wins to clean cheaper. For example, instead of purchasing cloths or paper towels, old newspapers will work just as well to mop up spillages or wipe down countertops. Once you run out, delve into lost property for abandoned clothes that have been there a decade and use these instead. Worth noting is that more absorbent materials like cloth and wool are better for this than synthetic fibres.
In the same way, old toothbrushes can be used to clean hard-to-reach areas like the grout in-between tiles, dirt around whiteboards, or grime in the nooks and crannies of a desk. There are many more of these simple hacks that can help save you money – it just requires a bit of resourcefulness. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
If you’re looking to elevate the hygiene of your education facility, hiring a professional cleaning company like Vanguard may be the answer. Cleaning services are an investment in both your premises and the future of those attending it, with well put-together environments helping develop the younger generation into well put-together adults. This not only boosts the health and wellbeing of your staff and students, but it also reflects well on Ofsted inspectors and visiting parents, ensuring your school remains the talk of the town.
Vanguard’s cleaners undergo full Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks, meaning they are more than cleared to work in areas that children frequent. On top of this, our training procedures are industry-leading, being accredited by the British Institute of Cleaning Science (BICSc), ensuring our dedicated staff have all the knowledge and skills they need to clean a wide variety of areas and appliances. Rest assured, our tailored approach will deliver the right cleaning solution for you and your premises.
To receive an entirely FREE quote from our professional consultants, please reach out at your earliest convenience, and we will be more than happy to help.
