Ten Tips for Cleaning Schools Over the Summer Break

For custodial workers, the summer months can actually be some of the busiest and most important months when it comes to school cleaning. There is only so much they can do in a limited amount of time, so it is crucial to do their best cleaning while they can. To help simplify the process, Tornado offers ten tips for cleaning schools over the summer break.

1. Prepare a written plan. Summer break cleaning shouldn’t be “hit or miss.” Have a written plan as to who will tackle which projects and when.

2. Address floor care specifics. Big summer cleanup projects usually involve floor care. Before doing any floor-care work, divide the facility into those floor areas that will be stripped/refinished; those that will only be scrubbed; and those that need only detail cleaning.

3. Attend to closet maintenance. Go through janitorial closets and properly discard of any chemicals or other products that have not been used in six months or longer; typically, chemicals should never be stored for more than a year.

4. Go green. For those facilities transferring to a green cleaning strategy, the summer months are an opportune time to start making this transfer. Special green cleaning training may be required during this transition, and summer break can provide that extra time.

5. Equipment issues. Evaluate all cleaning equipment; determine which machines are running properly, which need servicing, and which should be replaced.

6. Evaluate furniture condition. Flag those items that need repair or should be replaced.

7. Tile and grout. The summer months are a perfect time to clean tile and grout floors using deep-scrubbing machines like the Tornado BR 18/11 cylindrical scrubber or the Vortex Multi-Surface Scrubber.

8. Evaluate cleaning protocols. To improve cleaning efficiency and help lower costs, use a work-loading program to evaluate all cleaning tasks and frequencies.

9. Replace light bulbs. Replace all conventional light bulbs with low-voltage bulbs that not only use less energy but also last as long as a decade.

10. Train, train, train. Summer break is the perfect time for extra training for cleaning professionals.

Time and resources are the enemy of cleaning schools over the summer break, but they don’t have to be. Implement these tips and you will be amazed at how streamlined your floor care program will be during the summer months. Contact your local Tornado distributor and they can help you assess your equipment and school cleaning needs.