Before the pandemic, the main concerns of teachers and caregivers were to maintain a productive, positive environment for young children. Now, they have to be worried about preventing an outbreak of COVID-19.
Schools and daycare centres have looked a bit different since COVID-19 became an issue. How do you keep schools clean without using products that contain toxic chemicals?
We’ve put together a few tips to keep your childcare or learning facility safe for everyone involved:
Develop A Plan
A methodical, consistent, and science-based approach is the best way to keep public spaces clean.
Write out how often you plan to clean, and which areas you aim to target. For example, how often do you plan to clean surfaces? Which surfaces will you prioritize? Places like door handles, light switches, and toys are touched by almost everyone in the building—they’ll need to be cleaned more often than, say, an unused chair.
Sticking to a schedule will help you keep germs under control.
Use Effective Products
Not all cleaning products are created equally when it comes to eliminating viruses and bacteria. If you want to keep COVID-19 out of your school or daycare, you need to use an approved disinfectant.
But how can you keep these strong cleaning chemicals away from children? You want sanitizing wipes to be handy, but not in an area where children can reach them. Try storing them in a cupboard with a childproof lock, or underneath a teacher’s desk. The key is to make them accessible to adults, but not to children.
Teach Kids Hygiene Habits
It can be tough to form new habits as a kid. Your main concern is what toy you’ll play with at recess, not washing your hands! Remind the children to stay safe by putting up posters that display messages like:
- Try not to touch your mouth, nose, or eyes
- Tell a teacher if you are feeling sick
- Cough and sneeze into your elbow!
- Remember to wash your hands
As a kid, the new protocols can still be confusing, even a year into the pandemic. Displaying these reminders in visible locations can help children keep themselves and those around them safer.
Make Hand Sanitizer & Masks Readily Available
Encourage hand hygiene by placing bottles of hand sanitizer around the school/daycare. You can leave them by the door, bathroom, play area, and/or desks so that they’re always accessible to the children.
If children are accidentally sent to school or daycare without a mask, you can keep an extra box of them by the door.
Identify High-Risk Areas
In certain sections of the building, the risk of transmitting the virus may be greater. You may want to ramp up cleaning protocols in high-risk places, such as:
- Lunchrooms/snack areas
- Shared play spaces and structures
- Coat rooms and desks
Make note of which areas require more cleanings, and try to set aside time to do so when needed.
Hire Professional Cleaners
There’s a lot to keep track of in a school or daycare—when you add COVID-19 to that mix, it quickly becomes overwhelming.
Rather than relying solely on teachers and daycare workers to keep things clean, you can hire professional cleaners to do that job for them. This allows staff members and children to teach, learn, and play in a safe, clean environment.
Are you looking for a cleaning team for your school or daycare? Contact Anago Cleaning Systems today. We’ll be happy to help you keep your facility spotless and safe.