Survey Shows Educators Plan Increased Cleaning Frequencies
Most say school restrooms are the areas most prone to germs
August 24, 2020
U.S. educators say they plan to increase the frequency of school cleaning and disinfecting as teachers and students return for in-person learning, according to a new survey by OpenWorks, a national facility services and commercial cleaning and disinfecting service provider.
OpenWorks polled more than 200 educators across the country and found 92% plan to increase the frequency of their cleaning and disinfecting efforts, and more than half will increase these efforts to multiple times a day.
“Schools are moving from basic, manual cleaning procedures, like vacuuming and wiping down surfaces, into specialized, more advanced cleaning protocols that include disinfecting. It is a trend we don’t see waning any time soon,” said Eric Roudi, president and CEO of OpenWorks.
Those polled believe that the school areas most prone to germs include: bathrooms (89%), cafeterias (81%), buses (77%), locker rooms (71%), computer labs (70%), regular classrooms (67%), gyms (66%), and playgrounds (66%).
The surfaces educators believe are the most prone to germs include: door handles (90%), drinking fountains/water station areas (81%), desks (80%), railings (76%), computers (75%), gym equipment and classroom supplies (67%), light switches (66%), and playground equipment (54%).
Additional findings from the survey showed that:
- 79% plan to follow social distancing measures, yet only 59% plan to reduce the number of students in the classroom
- 74% are ensuring all educators and staff wear masks, and 64% are ensuring all students wear masks
- 58% of educators are ensuring their school buses are cleaned and disinfected
- 45% are hiring additional maintenance/janitorial staff or increasing their hours to clean/disinfect more frequently
- 39% are planning to have their indoor air systems (heating, ventilation, and cooling) inspected or upgraded prior to their schools reopening to students
- 38% are hiring additional outside cleaning/disinfection crews to clean/disinfect more frequently.
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