The Top Germ Hotspots in Schools

Germs and cold viruses quickly spread in schools as students touch a variety of surfaces on any given day. Thus, you need to clean and disinfect the top germ hotspots in your facility to keep students and faculty safe. Explore the germ hotspots below and include them in your school's cleaning and disinfecting plan.

Cafeteria Trays

Cafeteria trays are in frequent contact with food and germs, which can encourage the spread of disease. Although cafeteria workers sanitize the trays daily, they do not always thoroughly wipe them down between meals. Thus, students can trade pathogens with each other during lunch. Encourage students to use hand sanitizer every time they pick a cafeteria tray to reduce the spread of germs.

School Toys

Many germs spread from toddlers' mouths and hands to toys. If you run a preschool center or daycare, you likely clean up the sticky trails toddlers leave. Similarly, art supplies and play equipment for older kids also harbor many germs and pathogens. Thus, sanitize and disinfect school toys regularly to ensure they are safe for use.

Drinking Fountains

Drinking fountains are germ hotspots and breeding grounds for bacteria. While fountains keep children hydrated, they can have between 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch. Fountains with low water pressure are among the most contaminated and can harbor bacteria that cause Influenza and Rotavirus. These bacteria can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and pneumonia-like symptoms.

The handles on drinking fountains are also among the most contaminated areas in schools. Thus, encourage students to wash their hands after they use the fountain. Also, discourage children from placing their mouths on the surface. 

Door Handles

Although school instructors usually encourage students to wash their hands after every bathroom use, some children do not follow these instructions. As a result, students leave a host of germs and pathogens on bathroom handles. While cleaning staff clean school bathrooms regularly, they can neglect handles and doorknobs.

Moreover, students and faculty touch doorknobs across the school daily, which encourages the spread of germs. Thus, sanitize and disinfect door handles multiple times a day.

Locker Rooms and Gym Equipment

Locker room bathrooms provide a warm and moist environment for bacteria to thrive. What is more, all the sweat and other bodily fluids leave germs in gymnasiums. Therefore, clean and disinfect sports equipment like wrestling mats, basketballs, tennis rackets, and helmets to discourage bacteria colonization. Also, provide good ventilation in locker rooms to keep them dry and safe for use.

Desks

Students spent much time on their desks every day, making them among the most contaminated hotspots in schools. Some schools wash desks once per semester, leaving students to expose their microbiomes to each other throughout the school year. 

If you sanitize school desks frequently, pay attention to the legs, bottoms, and sides, as cleaners often overlook these areas. Also, a quick wipe down is often insufficient, and you should let the disinfectant stay on the desk for the recommended dwell time. Also, deep clean desks during outbreaks to stem the spread of germs.

Computers

Classroom computers and tablets harbor many germs from daily use by multiple children. During seasonal bacterial or viral outbreaks, germs spread like wildfire and result in absenteeism. You can’t just wipe down keyboards with a microfiber cloth. Instead, power off the device, remove plugins, and use alcohol wipes to wipe the external chassis and keyboard. 

A reliable commercial cleaner like Cleanstar National, Inc., has the resources and experience to maintain a clean school environment. Schedule regular janitorial services with us today to keep germs at bay. We look forward to helping you keep your school clean and safe.