school cleaning

Hiring a school cleaning service goes beyond basic appearance; it directly impacts students, staff productivity, and overall facility standards. Before making a decision, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure you’re choosing a professional cleaning provider that aligns with your school’s needs, schedule, and safety requirements. Keep reading to learn more about why making the right choice matters and the questions to ask the next commercial cleaner you are interviewing for your school.

Why Choosing the Right School Cleaning Partner Matters

Hiring the right professional commercial cleaning crew for your school is about more than dust-free surfaces and empty trash bins. Choosing the right janitorial services for your school also means:

• Cleaner learning environment
• Support reduced absences
• Compliance with cleaning standards
• Consistent facility upkeep
• Safety and security

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a School Cleaning Service

1. What Experience Do You Have with Schools and Educational Facilities?

First and foremost, you want to be sure that the commercial cleaning service provider you are considering has experience working in schools, academies, daycares and other educational facilities. A commercial cleaner can have years of experience and the best reviews online, but if they do not have experience cleaning public and private schools, they may not be able to provide the support you need. An experienced team will have familiarity with the proper procedures of cleaning classrooms, restroom, cafeterias, gyms and more. This expertise helps ensure that they can effectively maintain a clean environment for students and staff alike.

2. Can You Work Around Our School Schedule?

Schedule flexibility is essential for how schools operate, which is why having an accommodating cleaning crew is necessary. Having professional cleaners come in before or after school hours helps minimize disruptions to students, teachers and school administrators.

It’s also important to note that schools and daycares have different requirements for appropriate cleaning times. Daycares may have a shorter window due to early and late care being provided, while schools can usually schedule larger cleanings in the evenings or on weekends. Cleaning requirements may change throughout the year, especially during winter and summer breaks. A professional cleaning team should be able to adapt to these varying needs.

3. What Cleaning Procedures and Products Do You Use?

Another aspect that is fundamental for schools and education facilities to get clarity from school cleaning providers are the services they provide; not all cleaning companies may offer the services you need.

It’s also important to clarify the cleaning products used, whether they are EPA-approved disinfectants, and the procedures for infection control, especially during frequent outbreaks of illness, which are common in learning environments.

Related: How Clean Classrooms Can Improve Student Attendance

Additionally, specific schools, such as daycares, preschools, Montessori schools, or nature schools, often prioritize natural, green cleaning products in their settings. If this is a priority to your facility, be sure to discuss this with the commercial cleaners and consider whether this is something they are able to accommodate.

4. What Is Included in Your Scope of Services?

Ask questions about the scope of services provided by each school cleaning service provider you are interviewing. Inquire whether they provide daily, weekly, and periodic cleaning. You should expect them to perform tasks such as cleaning and sanitizing surfaces, dusting, emptying trash and recycling, sanitizing high-touch areas, sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming. These are just a few of the basic cleaning practices you should anticipate for your school.

Additionally, confirm that they can handle occasional deep cleaning tasks, such as window cleaning, enhanced disinfecting, carpet cleaning, and floor stripping and waxing. Partnering with a company that can also manage these cleaning projects simplifies the process compared to searching for another company to handle them separately.

5. How Do You Handle High-Traffic and High-Touch Areas?

Private schools, daycares, and other facilities are very active environments. Younger children often have less awareness of proper hygiene and self-cleaning measures, which increases the need for thorough cleaning and disinfecting. This is especially important for high-traffic and high-touch areas such as restrooms, door handles, desks, and locker rooms. In these settings, daily and weekly cleaning practices are typically necessary.

Want more details on best practices? Get our School Cleaning Checklist

6. Are Your Staff Trained, Background-Checked, and Insured?

All organizations deserve a dedicated cleaning team that prioritizes making things look their best, but when it comes to schools, daycares, and other educational facilities, it goes beyond the importance of cleaning; it must factor in additional elements like safety and security.

The cleaning company you are considering should be able to explain its staff vetting and training processes clearly. They should also be able to provide details about safety and compliance standards and proof of liability coverage.

7. How Do You Ensure Consistent Quality?

If you are responsible for hiring a professional janitorial service for your school, you likely have a lot on your plate. It’s important to feel confident that you won’t have to constantly check and question the quality of the cleaning performed daily and weekly.

Which is why you must be sure to ask your potential commercial cleaning company how they ensure an ongoing, consistent clean quality. It’s not about questioning their reliability; it’s about getting clear insight into their ability to guarantee that cleaning will consistently meet established standards and knowing what to do if expectations are not being met.

At ROC Commercial Cleaning, we ensure that our clients do not have to deal with the ups and downs of quality cleaning. One way we ensure this is by assigning a designated account manager to every client we serve. Our account managers are proactive and regularly check in on you and your facility rather than waiting until you reach out when an issue occurs.

Find out how to Break Free from the Commercial Cleaning Roller Coaster

8. Do You Offer Customized Cleaning Plans?

Most commercial cleaners recognize that cleaning is not a one-size-fits-all situation. But it’s still necessary to verify that they can tailor your cleaning to meet the needs and size of your school. Schools and academies often require different cleaning measures at different times of the year, so you’ll want to find out about the options for changing the cleaning schedule as needed. 

9. Can You Provide References and Reviews?

To ensure that your potential janitorial service provider has experience in cleaning schools and similar facilities, it’s essential to request references. This will allow you to gather feedback from other schools that have worked with the professional cleaning company. While asking for reviews is helpful, directly speaking with another organization like yours can help confirm that your specific needs will be met.

Related Read: How To Choose The Right Commercial Cleaning Company

What to Look for in a Reliable School Cleaning Provider

A strong partnership with a trusted janitorial provider ensures that your facility has a consistent clean and fosters a positive and safe environment for both students and staff. 

Some non-negotiables that you should establish include:

• Proven experience in educational settings.
• Clearly defined processes and a commitment to accountability.
• Strong communication and prompt responsiveness.
• Flexible and scalable services to accommodate changing needs.

On the contrary, here are some red flags to watch out for:

• Companies with a lack of school-specific experience.
• Vague or unclear scope of services provided.
• Unable to provide clear details around their quality control process.
• Limited flexibility in scheduling or poor or minimal communication.

Find out more about How to Find the Best Private School Professional Cleaning Services

Making a Confident Decision for Your School

When it comes to making decisions for your school, asking the right questions matters more than you may realize. Doing so not only helps clarify what your school, daycare or education facility needs but also guides you toward better outcomes. Remember to focus on long-term value rather than just immediate costs; investing in a quality commercial cleaning company leads to better results and lasting satisfaction.

With our expertise and commitment to excellence, ROC Commercial Cleaning is here to support you in navigating these important decisions.

A Cleaning Partner That Understand Your School

When it comes to keeping your school clean, partnering with an experienced team makes a difference. At ROC Commercial Cleaning, we understand the specific demands that daycares, schools and other educational institutions require. With nearly 30 years of experience cleaning for schools and other businesses across the Minnesota Minneapolis – St. Paul Twin Cities area, we are committed to being the last cleaning service you have to hire. 

Reach out and ask us these questions today.

 

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ROC Commercial Cleaning is your trusted Twin Cities commercial cleaning company. We provide janitor services for office buildings, medical and veterinary clinics, industrial buildings, schools and more. We also provide floor stripping and waxing, construction cleanup, and office disinfection services. ROC Commercial Cleaning is an experienced and reputable Minnesota corporate cleaning service provider – no job is too big or too small!

Get off the cleaning rollercoaster. Contact ROC Commercial Cleaning at 612-581-2776 for your free, no-obligation estimate.

Students miss approximately 22 million school days annually in the U.S. due to the common cold alone. Even more days are missed due to the flu and chronic illnesses. Missed school days have a much larger impact than many realize; it equates to students falling behind, teachers struggling to help them catch up, and parents needing to take off work or arrange child care. Although not every germ can be eliminated, we can dramatically reduce their spread, and it starts with what many schools overlook: their cleaning protocols.

Find out how regular cleaning and well-maintained classrooms can help support a cleaner environment and lead to less illness spread and fewer absences. 

Clean Classrooms Can Help Improve Student Attendance

Studies show that clean classrooms can have a direct impact on students’ wellbeing and their attendance.

A study of elementary schools showed that increased cleaning and disinfection lowered student absences by 14%.

How Commercial Cleaning Can Reduce the Spread of Illness

The Link Between Clean Classrooms and Reduced Absences 

Cold viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 24 hours, and research shows that students touch their faces an average of 23 times per hour. Meaning every desk, doorknob, and water fountain becomes a potential transmission point.

Students aren’t the only ones dealing with illnesses; it spreads to teachers, paras, and other educational institution staff members as well, leading to staff absences and a greater need for substitutes. 

Approximately 75% of school absences are due to illness, and because the cold virus can survive on surfaces all day and students’ behavior allows germs to spread easily, classroom cleanliness can directly affect student attendance. 

A study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology examined 34 schools and found that enhanced janitorial protocols led to significantly lower levels of germs on classroom surfaces and reduced student absences due to illness.

Types of Schools That Benefit From Regular Commercial Cleaning Protocols

It’s not just public schools that deal with illness leading to student absenteeism. All kinds of private schools and other education facilities are also affected, including:

• Academies
• Private Schools
• Preschools
• Religious Schools
• Performing Arts Schools
• Language Immersion Schools
• Special Needs Schools
• Nature-Based Schools
• Montessori Schools
• Waldorf Schools

How to Find the Best Private School Professional Cleaning Services

Key Areas That Need Regular Cleaning

1. Classrooms
2. Main office and staff offices
3. Staff breakrooms
4. Lunchrooms and cafeterias
5. Gymnasiums
6. Common areas
7. Stairwells, hallways and walkways
8. Entryways, vestibules and lobbies

What Should Be on Your School Cleaning Checklist?

Professional Cleaning Services That Keep Schools Clean

High-Touch Surface Disinfecting

High-touch surfaces, like desks, door handles, and water fountains, are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. Regularly disinfecting these areas not only promotes a cleaner environment for students and staff that can also help reduce the spread of illness within the school.

Dusting and Surface Cleaning

Regular dusting and surface cleaning help create a cleaner learning environment by removing allergens and dust particles that can accumulate over time. Our thorough cleaning helps eliminate dust, allergens, and other pollutants, ensuring that students and staff breathe cleaner air.

Restroom Cleaning

Maintaining clean restroom facilities is necessary for student hygiene and comfort. Our comprehensive school cleaning protocols ensure that all surfaces are sanitized, restocked with necessary supplies, and odor-free to create a welcoming environment for everyone.

Floor and Carpet Maintenance

Proper floor cleaning isn’t just about removing dust and debris; it directly impacts air quality. We clean floors daily and weekly to keep flooring surfaces clean and reduce air pollutants like dust and allergens. 

We also offer specialized cleaning services that include deep cleaning carpets and polishing hard floors, which not only enhances the appearance but also prolongs the life of the flooring materials.

Trash Removal and Recycling

Routine trash and recycling removal are essential for maintaining a tidy learning environment. Our professional cleaning teams ensure that waste is disposed of properly and recyclables are sorted correctly.

These are just some of the professional school cleaning services that ROC Commercial Cleaning performs that keep classrooms, education, and daycare facilities clean. 

For a full breakdown of our services, check here: School Cleaning Services 

 

Partner With ROC Commercial Cleaning for Cleaner Classrooms

Germs don’t take days off, so your cleaning shouldn’t either. Schools and daycares across the Minneapolis – St. Paul metro area hire us to keep classrooms and common areas clean and implement daily disinfecting of desks and high-touch surfaces. Clean surfaces mean fewer germs, and fewer germs means less potential for illness to spread, which can help improve student attendance.

Our cleaning services help maintain a consistently clean and well-kept school environment. While studies suggest cleanliness may support improved student attendance, we do not guarantee specific outcomes and are not liable for attendance results or related impacts.

At ROC Commercial Cleaning, we’ve been the trusted janitorial provider in the Twin Cities for nearly 30 years. We proudly maintain schools, daycares, and academies in pristine condition so that these facilities can prioritize the education and care that students receive and teachers provide.

Reach out to our team today to learn more about how we can support your organization and schedule a free estimate on enhanced cleaning services for your school.

 

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35379911/ 

https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2431-12-52

https://assets.ctfassets.net/y7shn3z27tn6/5tmR4Vza4QpFyMYEPeq5xU/29e763468ee0770da70515683db6ee12/cpro-us-k-12-funding-white-paper_NI-63358-1.pdf 

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ROC Commercial Cleaning is your trusted Twin Cities commercial cleaning company. We provide janitor services for office buildings, medical and veterinary clinics, industrial buildings, and more. We also provide floor stripping and waxing, construction cleanup, and office disinfection services. ROC Commercial Cleaning is an experienced and reputable Minnesota corporate cleaning service provider – no job is too big or too small!

Get off the cleaning rollercoaster. Contact ROC Commercial Cleaning at 612-581-2776 for your free, no-obligation estimate.