Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus on classroom cleanliness has reached an all-time high. A survey by Parentkind, in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, found that 52% of UK parents were worried about how schools handle hygiene levels to prevent the spread of the virus.
Now more than four years on since the start of the pandemic, its impact leaves a lasting hygiene legacy. A 2024 report into future-proofing school hygiene and cleanliness by Education Business found that 80% of school leaders have continued to maintain protocols put in place during the pandemic.
So, how can education providers maintain a clean and safe classroom environment? Here’s our five easy wins.
1 – Tackle high touchpoint areas
Think about how many times you touch a door handle, stair railing or button each day, it won’t come as a surprise that each pupil interacts with hundreds of touchpoints in a single school day.
So, how long can viruses survive on surfaces? Well, that’s dependent on the virus itself. Influenza can live on metal and plastic surfaces for up to 48 hours whereas the Norovirus can survive on surfaces for up to seven days if left untreated. Regardless of the virus, tackling high touchpoint areas head on is key for maintaining good cleanliness.
Here are some common touchpoints that are often forgotten about:
- Light switches
- Door handles
- Chair backs and armrests
- Keyboards and controllers
- Sink taps
- Pens and stationary
2 – Kick-off with a morning clean
Now you’re clued up on the common touchpoint areas, pinning down a good cleaning routine is key to keeping hygiene levels up.
It’s recommended that classrooms should be cleaned twice a day so before pupils arrive, set aside 10 minutes to give your class a clean boost for the day. Simply grab a pack of our Clinical Midi-Wipes and wipe the table tops, work surfaces and door handles to banish germs thanks to its 99.999% kill rate.
Uniwipe’s product range is specifically formulated to be used on a wide range of surfaces to save users time and save on switching between cleaning products. Additionally, users don’t have to worry about wipes drying out mid-use as our sheets stay wetter for longer to get the job done.
With a quick morning clean in place, your learning space is set to welcome your class.
3 – Share the load
We know the chances of your classroom staying clean all day is unlikely, so getting your class involved in the tidying up is a key step that can save you time.
Before everyone leaves for the day, encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own spaces by putting any rubbish in the bin, storing away any personal items, and straightening their desks. This makes your role of cleaning these spaces much easier as there won’t be any clutter getting in the way!
4 – See it, sort it
Cleaning is definitely one of those tasks that the longer you ignore it, the worse it gets. Make the task that little bit less time intensive by cleaning as you go.
Whether it’s a spill or some crumbs, our Multipurpose Midi-Wipes act as the perfect grab- and-go cleaning option for the classroom for those less intensive cleaning jobs and are ideal for cleaning lower infection risk areas.
Add the handy Midi-Wipe Dispenser into the mix, and your wipe stash can be fixed to the wall for easy access.
5 – Keep it consistent and hassle-free
The post-summer holiday return brings a fresh start to the new school year and a prime opportunity to get those good hygiene habits pinned early.
Inducting your pupils into keeping their desks tidy from day one makes it much easier to maintain momentum and keep the good work going. But don’t just stop there, get your teaching colleagues to adopt this culture of cleanliness with their classes and grow a school-wide army to conquer the germs.
The Uniwipe product range is a perfect hassle-free solution for classroom cleaning with our single sheet dispensing packs which are specially designed to reduce overall wastage and lock-in moisture.
Want to learn more about how to get the most from your classroom cleaning? Visit our dedicated page to get up to speed.
