Definitive School Cleaning Checklist & Guide

What Is A School Cleaning Checklist?

A school cleaning checklist is a guide to help you structure your school cleaning and provide a strict guidance on what school cleaning and disinfection needs to be completed in each section of your school.

This school cleaning and disinfection guide includes:

• Main Entrance, hallways, and lobbies
• Classrooms and Offices
• Restrooms
• Gym & Fitness Facilities
• Kitchen & Break Rooms

The school facilities are high-traffic and high-touch areas which requires daily cleaning and disinfection to help ensure a safe environment for the students, teachers, and families. A school is the meeting spot of all children in the surrounding community which makes  it a high risk location for spread of germs and viruses to the entire community. At Universal Janitorial Services Inc. we have specialized in school cleaning and disinfection services and sharing our guide with you.

Because of the large amount of students and teachers that frequent the school daily, there is not really any areas that requires less frequent cleaning and disinfection. All sections of the school needs daily attention.

Ask your school janitorial services company to share their school cleaning system, and show how they train their staff of cleaning professionals to follow their cleaning and disinfection process.

You may be asked, by the school board, to show the cleaning and disinfection plan that specify how your commercial cleaning company ensure the health and safety of your students, staff and visitors.

Main Entrance, Corridors & Lobbies?

Daily cleaning and disinfection

As people enter the school facilities, dirt and debris will be carried around the entire flooring area and should be kept clean to avoid any slip and fall accidents. High-touch areas such as door knobs, lockers, glass doors, water fountains are areas of high risk for transmitting germs and viruses, and should be disinfected daily.

Cleaning schedule:

• Sweep and/or vacuum full floor area. Spot clean floors and carpet. Walk off mats are to be vacuumed and spot cleaned to remove dirt, gum, debris, paper, etc.
• During inclement weather, lay out floor mats provided by the client in entrance ways and main lobbies. Clean, remove and store mats when no longer required, as needed.
• Clean, disinfect and polish doorknobs, push bars, kick plates, railings, seats, elevator doors, and other bright metal surfaces.
• Damp mop all hard and resilient floors.
• Clean both sides of entrance door glass and glass surrounding entrance doors.
• Clean and disinfect drinking fountains including the outside and remove encrustation from the drain screen and bubbler.
• Empty waste baskets and remove trash to designated disposal area.
• Remove any clutter or leftover materials from common areas and hallways.
• Dust the tops of lockers.
• Spot clean walls and doors to remove all marks, and dust surfaces within 84″ of the floor.

How To Clean The School Offices And Classrooms?

Classroom desk surfaces, chairs, doors, doorknobs, and window handles should be disinfected daily to reduce the risk of transmitting germs and viruses, and keep the classrooms safe. The teachers and staff are moving across all sections of the school which makes it necessary to clean and disinfect the office areas as intensely as classrooms and common areas of the school.

Classroom Cleaning Schedule:

• Empty waste baskets and remove trash to designated disposal area. Replace plastic liners as necessary.
• Dust all horizontal surfaces up to 70 inches high to remove dust. Computers, printers, monitors, and working papers shall not be moved or disturbed.
• Clean wash basins. Supply paper towels and refill liquid hand soap where dispensers are provided.
• Clean surfaces, including tables, floors, and door handles, shall be disinfected daily.
• Thoroughly dust mop bare floors and/or vacuum carpeted areas using vacuum cleaners equipped with brushes or beater bars, and having attachments to access all areas. Move light furniture as necessary.
• Report any security problems and breaches or any perceived threats or burglaries to security officer or to property manager.
• Clean all drinking fountains and water coolers, including outside areas, to remove all encrustation from the drain screen and bubbler.
• Materials in recycling containers shall be removed, if provided, and placed in the designated area for removal by others. Recyclable materials shall not be mixed with trash.
• Thoroughly dust the vertical surfaces of all furniture, including chair rungs, table legs, knee wells, etc., including air conditioning grills along walls.
• Damp mop all hard floors
• Spot clean walls within 84″ of the floor to remove all spots, stains and smudges.
• Dust exterior off light fixtures.
• High dusting shall be performed to remove dust from high ledges, sills, mouldings, picture frames, etc.

How To Clean The School Restrooms?

The most contaminated section of any facility is the restrooms and detailed cleaning and disinfection should be carried out on a daily basis to ensure the health of the students and staff and reduce risk of transmitting germs and viruses.

IMPORTANT: Cleaning equipment used in restroom areas should ONLY be used here and NOT anywhere else, as a health and safety precaution.

School Restroom Cleaning schedule:

1. DAILY / AS NEEDED
   • Sweep and wet mop or scrub floor with a cleanser-disinfectant. Surfaces shall be dry and the corners clean.
   • Clean, disinfect and polish all surfaces of fixtures, including toilets, urinals, wash basins, commodes, etc. All plumbing fixtures and brightwork shall be wiped clean.
   • Clean and polish all mirrors and glass to remove all stains, streaks and smudges.
   • Spot clean doors, walls and partitions to remove dirt, dust and stains.
   • Wipe clean all dispensers and replenish as necessary, including liquid hand soap, disinfectant, toilet tissue, feminine supplies, paper towels and seat covers.
   • Empty trash cans and replace liners.
   • Damp mop all hard and resilient floors.
   • Empty, clean and disinfect all receptacles used for the collection of solid waste. Replace liners as necessary.
   • Report items in need of repair, e.g., inoperative lights, broken windows and doors, leaking sinks, urinals, commodes, broken fixtures, etc.
   MONTHLY
   • Damp wipe and disinfect the full surface areas of all rest room walls, doors, windows, counter tops, window frames, sills, vents and waste paper receptacles, mirrors and glass, etc.
   • To prevent stains and encrustation and any resulting odor from forming in the water closets and urinals, disinfectant germicidal cleaner shall be used every thirty days.
   QUARTERLY
   • Dust exterior of light fixtures.
   ANNUALLY
   • All traps and floor drains shall be treated with a bacterial type chemical until the traps are completely free of odor.

How To Clean The Gym & Fitness Facilities?

Gym and fitness center cleaning should be done frequently for two major reasons (1) to prevent the spread of bacteria from sweat, and (2) avoid scratching the wooden floors and cause the need for an expensive repair.

Lockerroom – Cleaning schedule:

Use a wide broom to speed up the process and sweep the entire floor.

DAILY CLEANING CHECKLIST

• Sweep and/or dust mop floors.
• Empty trash and replace liners.
• Clean the sinks and counter surface areas.
• Check and replace any paper supplies and/or hand soap.
• Tidy up and remove any leftover clothing. Place clothing in the Lost and Found bin.
• Mop the floors with a disinfectant cleanser.
• Clean the showers and toilet areas.

Weight room and fitness center – Cleaning schedule

DAILY

• Sweep and/or dust mop and vacuum.
• Empty trash and replace liners
• Mop any tile floors
• Clean the machines with a disinfectant cleanser.

Trainer’s and nurse’s clinic

DAILY

• Clean and disinfect clinic surfaces (beds, door handles, etc.) daily.
• Sweep and/or dust mop floors.
• Empty trash and replace liners.
• Damp mop floor using a disinfectant cleanser.
• Disinfect any restrooms within the Nurse’s Office

How To Clean The Kitchen & Break Rooms?

Kitchen Cleaning Schedule

DAILY

• Sweep and mop and/or vacuum full floor areas.
• Clean the horizontal surfaces of all furniture.
• Thoroughly clean and disinfect all counter tops including coffee/food areas and vending machines.
• Damp mop all hard and resilient flooring.
• Clean glass on doors, partitions, etc.
• Spot clean wall surfaces within 70″ of the floor.

Drinking Fountains Cleaning Schedule

DAILY

• Clean and disinfect all drinking fountains, including the exterior sides. Remove all encrustation and mineral deposits from the drain screen.
• Report items in need of repair to the property manager.

Auditorium Cleaning Schedule

WEEKLY

• Sweep the floors in the seating areas; vacuum all carpeted areas.
• Use the blower to remove any hidden debris.

Miscellaneous Cleaning & Disinfection

DAILY CLEANING CHECKLIST

• Disinfect door knobs, handles, and door push plates.
• Lock up and secure school at night.

AS NEEDED

• Lights shall be used only in areas where, and at the time when, work is actually being performed.
• Mechanical controls for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system will not be adjusted by our workers.
• Water faucets or valves shall be turned off after the required usage has been accomplished.
• Windows shall be closed and the lights and fans turned off when not required.
• Report fires, hazardous conditions, and items in need of repair, e.g., inoperative lights, broken windows and doors, torn carpets, leaking sinks, urinals, commodes, etc., to the property manager.
• Lock rooms in security areas during and after cleaning.
• Turn in lost and found items to the property manager.
• Tidy and/or throw away trash in common areas.