With the heavy traffic and multiple activities that take place in schools, they can be trouble spots for the transmission of germs, bacteria, and viruses. Especially in current times, that’s a concern for many parents. But even in a comparatively normal climate, certain areas in schools get dirtier and grimier than others. To remain safe, these spots may require more attention than the casual cleaning they get daily. A commercial cleaning service can provide the deep cleaning they need. Here are some of the rooms an objects that are the dirtiest places in schools that are particularly vulnerable to germ infestation and transmission:
Drinking fountains
Germ for germ, there’s no single object in the entire school dirtier than drinking fountains. With dozens of students putting their mouths and hands in near-direct contact with every working part, a drinking fountain is a virtual metropolis for microbes. The Public Health Safety Organization estimates that the average classroom drinking area hosts an average of 2,700,000 colony-forming units per square inch.
Cafeterias
Any food preparation and serving area is a strong bet to be a hotbed for infestation, but school cafeterias are especially vulnerable. Clorox reports that cafeteria tables, with their hard, impermeable surfaces, are easy targets for bacteria. Even repeated washing may not stop the spread of germs: The Public Health Safety Organization says trays and plates can carry five to ten times the number of germ colonies than toilet seats.
Desks
With heavy exposure to students’ skin over a year, school desks are high-growth areas for germs that need much more cleaning attention than they normally get. Yale researchers found that desks need regular cleaning just to keep microbial communities under control. They also cited studies that established a link between dirty classrooms and students staying home sick.
Restrooms
It shouldn’t be a surprise that public restrooms are overwhelmed with germ infestation at just about every contact point. Toilet seats, door handles, faucets, sinks, paper dispensers, urinal flush handles, floors, trash cans, and so forth. The sheer volume makes the situation worse. It’s logical to assume that over a 6- or 7-hour day, every student in the school uses a restroom at least once.
Gyms
Swarming with skin-to-skin contact, sweat, dirty clothes, constantly used floor mats and heavy respiration. Junior high and high school gyms are where bacterial and fungal transmission takes place at an alarming rate. Don’t forget about the locker room, where used towels, gym bags, and bodily substances allow microbes to travel freely in an ideal environment of raised temperatures and humidity.
Computer areas
Computer workstations carry the same risk of germ infestation as schoolroom desks, with the added exposure of keyboards. Disinfectant manufacturers 2XL report that 90% of all illnesses are transmitted by the hands, which are, of course, constantly employed while using the computer. With multiple students using the same equipment during a day—especially during long research and essay-writing sessions. Computers are potential sources of rampant germ infestation.
How professional cleaning services can help with the dirtiest places in schools
Janitors are necessary for the day-to-day upkeep of shared areas in a school. They don’t usually have the tools, substances, or equipment that a professional cleaning company uses every day. Professional cleaners use industrial-grade supplies and techniques specifically designed to get rid of the germs, bacteria, and pathogens that a school generates every day.
No school can ever be 100% free from the presence and growth of germs. But a commercial cleaning service can make a significant impact on sanitary conditions and student health. When schools across the country re-open, that could make a major difference.
Contact RJC Commercial Janitorial and Cleanroom Solutions at 800-582-2105 to discuss what your future janitorial services looks like.
