Reducing School Absenteeism Through Cleaning

Now more than ever, the hygiene standards in schools around the world are under scrutiny. As schools in the UK reopen after months of closure, we wait to see what effect this will have on COVID-19 cases and statistics. Hopefully, pupils returning to classrooms won’t hamper the UK’s route out of lockdown amid tumbling case numbers and the ongoing vaccination programme. 

If all does go to plan and life returns to ‘normal’, then there’s likely to be a renewed focus on health and hygiene in schools. A school can play a significant role in reducing absenteeism simply by maintaining high standards of cleanliness. In this article, Scott & Sons are going to look at how schools can maintain those standards and help prevent pupils and staff from falling ill. 

Cleaning shared equipment

With plenty of people touching the same equipment over the course of a school day, there’s huge potential for the transmission of bacteria, which can of course lead to illness. Take computer equipment, for example; after every class where the computer has been used, try and wipe down keyboards and mice. This may be a little time consuming, but it can be very important in preventing the spread of illness because of the number of pupils touching the same equipment. 

Antibacterial door handles

Door handles harbour a lot of bacteria because they are used countless times every day, but with antibacterial door handles, the issue is eliminated. Antibacterial door handle covers are self-cleaning, using human-safe, pathogen-killing substances to keep our doors free from harmful bacteria. 

Sanitiser stations

Sanitiser stations are commonplace in workplaces, supermarkets and other commercial and industrial environments at the moment, but there’s no reason why they shouldn’t remain in schools even after the COVID-19 pandemic. Sanitiser stations in classrooms, dinner halls, corridors and assembly halls ensure that there’s easy access to hand sanitiser for every pupil and staff member.

Contact-free installations

Installing contact-free accessories and equipment in a school can be expensive, and so this option may put off some institutions with limited budgets. For those who can sanction such an investment, touch-free fittings like taps, toilet flushing sensors and hand dryers can significantly reduce the need for people to touch the same surfaces, therefore minimising the spread of bacteria.

Deep cleans

As well as sanitiser stations, touch-free taps and other steps educational bodies can take, a professional deep cleaning service is one of the most effective ways of eliminating bacteria and maintaining a hygienic environment. Scott & Sons provide deep cleans for educational premises of all sizes, covering everything from the deep cleaning of carpets to the stripping and polishing of floors for maximum cleanliness. We also offer a comprehensive COVID-19 cleaning service. In our COVID cleaning process, we use the fully UK-regulated VIBRABACT cleaning product to eliminate 99.999% of coronavirus pathogens from your building – you’ll be able to return to the premises after just 30 minutes.

For more information about our coronavirus & school cleaning services in St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Buckinghamshire and beyond, please get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to help.