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Cleaning to improve health in schools

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Credit: MarsBars

As the saying goes – prevention is better than cure – it is crucial to take preventive measures in the cleaning of school environments. Most schools have various cleaning programs and strategies, which may not be up to par.

Infections can spread fast in schools compared to other social places. Many illnesses reported in children and young adults every year starts from school.

It’s sad how some schools clean their facilities just for the sake of looking clean. Visual standards are not enough for measuring cleanliness, there is more to clearing debris and dust wiping.

A proper cleaning program and waste management service should be implemented to enhance the wellbeing of the students and teachers as well as prevent them from detrimental health issues.

Effects of Dirty School Environment

One of the repercussions of studying in an unclean school environment is getting infected with the flu. According to a study, students miss up to 38 million days of school in the United States alone every year as a result of sickness.

The most cause of these illnesses is germs. Dirty surroundings may also have a huge impact on how well the students perform mentally. If schools have their own effective cleaning strategies, the problem will reduce tremendously over the years.

However, more research should be done to constantly promote cleanliness in some places that require special attention.

Dirty school environments can also cause a shortage of teachers. This is because infections spread so fast. If there is a sick student in a school, the probability of that student infecting a teacher is high. This might cause the teacher to get ill which will result in the absence of the teacher. The United States spends about $4 million each year on substitute teachers and also loses $25 billion on absent teachers.

The negative effects of the dirty school environment are very high. This is why schools should implement efficient cleaning strategies to prevent the students, teachers, and staffs from getting sick and to improve the performance of the students. We’ve come up with a list of things to do improve health in schools.

Solutions

Although kids can’t do without getting ill sometimes, the role played by germs can’t be overlooked. A clean environment is unarguably the most effective way to prevent influenza causing bacteria to flee from the school premises. It also improves proper hygiene. The following strategies can be implemented for preventive measures.

Germs Education

In order to prevent the spread of germs in a school environment, students should know what they are running away from. This starts with germs education. Students need to be taught what viruses, bacteria, and germs are and why they should avoid them at all costs. There are some myths that have been told from time to time but is still believed by some people.

Educating students, staffs and teachers on the fundamental facts will enlighten them on what to believe. Teaching basic cleaning activities like proper hand washing will also go a long way in preventing the spread of germs.

Hand Hygiene

Regular hand washing can keep us safe from getting flu and other germs causing sickness. Most of the times, germs are spread from one person to the other through touching contaminated surfaces.

An average human touches his or her face at least ten times a day. This is the fastest way of transferring bacteria and viruses into our body system. When we touch our mouth with hands full of germs, there is a possibility that sickness-causing pathogens find their way into your mouth.

The hands should always be clean and sanitized after touching surfaces prone to dirt. Clean water and soap are used for thorough hand washing in the absence of hand sanitizers.

Pick the Right Products

There are many brands of disinfectants on the market today. Choosing the best product is crucial for the thorough cleaning of your school. Some products claim to offer 100% efficiency but they are not up to the task. Besides, some can only kill certain types of pathogens. You should identify the pathogens present in your school before getting the disinfectants. Choose the appropriate product that offers maximum protection against germs especially flu causing ones.

Additionally, always purchase products that have been registered with the EPA.

Clean and Disinfect your Campus.

Evaluate the places that are more prone to touching by different people. Places like the restroom, water dispensers, door handles, handrails and so on. These surfaces can harbor millions of germs and can also spread those germs very fast.

Due to their proximity to being touched every time, bacteria and viruses can spread at an alarming rate in just an hour. These surfaces should be disinfected and cleaned continuously to get rid of all harmful pathogens present on them.

This method has proven to be effective in reducing the spread of germs in schools around the country.

Clean the Right Way

You may use the right product for disinfecting and still unable to kill the germs. This happens because you may not be doing it the right way. All products come with instructions on how to apply them. Ensure that those instructions are followed one after the other.

When applying disinfectants, it is important to clean the surfaces before the application unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. A general purpose cleaner can be used for the cleaning before the disinfectants are applied.

Conclusion

The methods on cleaning to improve health in school listed above are cost-effective ways to enhance the health status of schools. They provide a good approach to cleanliness without breaking the bank. One of the reasons why school managements shy away from implementing significant cleaning programs is funds.

There seem to be no funds available to fund the programs. However, with the right strategies, schools around the country would find it easy to clean and promote good hygiene in their environment.

Also, there will be a reduction in the rate at which sickness spread among school staffs and students. The benefits of a clean school environment are immeasurable.

 

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