Keeping a classroom clean can be a challenge for teachers and custodians. Classrooms get a lot of use each day and without regular cleaning, the mess can accumulate. With a classroom cleaning checklist, you can keep classrooms tidy, hygienic, and fresh for each new day.
With daily, weekly, and monthly checklists, you can be assured that everything is being cleaned as it should and nothing is getting skipped.
There are many facets and details to classroom cleaning procedures. By having a set of school custodian duties checklists for different types of routine cleaning, you can ensure that your classroom is properly cleaned and you’re not doing more work than necessary.
Check out these school custodial cleaning checklists to get your school organized around cleaning.
To get a clean classroom daily, follow the checklist below.
Students are notorious for putting trash anywhere but in the garbage cans. Check the room for trash. Be sure to check under desks and chairs and in areas where students keep their things.
It’s important to bag and take out the trash every day, even if the bag isn’t full. Kids often put leftover food in classroom garbage cans, so it’s important to remove these bags to prevent issues with pests.
Starting the day with an organized classroom is essential. Thus, all materials should be put away at the end of the day. Ideally, teachers will have classroom procedures in place to help the students manage their materials.
However, there will be times where some supplies are left out. Be sure to put everything in its proper place so that everything is ready to go on the following day.
Germs can spread easily in classrooms. Kids sit close together, share supplies, and often don’t keep their hands to themselves. Between Covid-19, the flu, and other viruses, it’s important to disinfect desks and chairs daily.
Use a disinfectant spray or wipes to wipe down all desks and chairs. Don’t forget to clean the teacher’s desk and chair as well.
Students don’t just touch their desks and chairs. Many places in the classroom are touched multiple times per day, like doorknobs, handles, supply boxes, and pencil sharpeners. Look around the room for other places that students frequently touch.
As with the desks and chairs, wipe with a disinfectant spray or a wipe.
Depending on your school’s policies, you may or may not have to mop each day, but classrooms need to be swept every day. Be sure to reach all walkways and under tables, desks, and chairs.
Below are several tasks that should be part of your weekly classroom cleaning checklist.
Technology can often build up dust and oil residue over a week. You should clean keyboards, screens, headphones, and other tech at least once a week. Be sure to refer to product cleaning manuals to make sure you’re using the right cleaning products and procedures.
Dust areas like bookshelves and cubbies. Dust any other areas that aren’t cleaned daily.
Whiteboards and chalkboards need to be cleaned regularly. Dry erase markers can eventually leave some color behind if boards aren’t cleaned at least once a week. Be sure to use proper cleaning materials, especially on electronic boards.
While most materials should be put away at the end of each day, some areas should be tidied at least once a week. Check bookshelves and supply areas to make sure everything is organized and in its place.
If you don’t mop or vacuum daily, it needs to be done during the weekly clean.
Below are the tasks that should be part of a monthly custodial cleaning checklist.
Whether you’re in a daycare or a high school, garbage cans can get pretty nasty. Garbage cans should at least be wiped down with a disinfectant. For those that are particularly dirty, such as those used for food disposal, you may need to clean them outside with a hose and soap.
If there are surfaces like cabinets and shelves that aren’t high-touch surfaces, be sure to dust them monthly. If these areas are touched, it’s important to disinfect them as well.
Windows and blinds can get particularly dusty. It’s important to keep dust out of the classroom as some students have allergies. Be sure to dust and wipe down windows at least once a month.
Fans and vents can also get dusty and cause problems for kids with allergies. Use a ceiling fan cleaner and clean or change out vents once a month, especially during the summer months.
This daycare cleaning checklist template helps you set up a daycare cleaning schedule. Most states have strict regulations about how daycares should be cleaned and how often. Since small children are in the process of getting vaccinations and don’t have developed immune systems, it’s essential to clean these spaces to stop the spread of illness.
Much like daycares, preschools also have standards to follow for cleaning. Be sure to follow a preschool classroom cleaning checklist to make sure you’re getting everything done. Check out this preschool cleaning checklist template to stay organized.
There’s a lot to keep up with when teaching, so teachers shouldn’t have to worry about remembering what needs to be cleaned each day. This classroom cleaning checklist for teachers can help you stay on task.
There are many other areas in a school that get a lot of traffic. It’s important to have a school janitor checklist to keep these spaces well-maintained.
Cafeterias can be a big mess, especially after an entire school has passed through. It’s important to thoroughly clean this space since it’s where people eat. Be sure to include these tasks on your school custodian duties checklist.
Gymnasiums get dirty, especially if there are several groups of kids having PE and sports practices each day.
Bathrooms are one of the most challenging areas to clean in a school. Even students who are neat in other areas can make a mess in the restroom.
While teachers typically aren’t as messy as students, it’s vital to keep their spaces clean and disinfected. Some viruses like Covid-19 are more likely to spread between adults; it’s important to disinfect spaces where teachers are coming in close contact with one another.
Outdoor spaces do require some cleaning, especially with the prevalence of viruses like Covid-19. Playgrounds and other outdoor areas need to be tidied for safety and disinfected to prevent the spread of disease.
Hallways need daily cleaning because students tend to track in dirt, especially on rainy days.
Keeping a school clean can be a challenge. Why not outsource the job to the professional cleaners at Mint Condition? Our commercial cleaning services will keep your school in tip-top shape, and you can focus on creating a wonderful learning environment.
Cleaning classrooms is a task that requires organization. Each school should have a school custodian duties checklist along with a list of things teachers should do. By splitting these checklists by daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, you can ensure that your school will stay clean.
Have a few more questions about keeping classrooms clean? We have answers!
Classrooms should get a basic cleaning daily with deeper cleans weekly and monthly. A good general cleaning each day will ensure that classrooms don’t get too messy. Regular disinfecting will prevent the spread of disease amongst your students and teachers.
If you’re trying to prevent the spread of germs, the CDC recommends following this cleaning procedure and schedule.
There are two main things to do to keep your classroom clean: set up procedures for your students so that they help you keep your room clean and use a regular cleaning schedule to prevent overwhelming messes. When cleaning is a group effort between students, teachers, and custodians, schools stay clean.
To promote cleanliness at school, teachers and administration should set a good example. By setting up procedures and educating students about germs, schools can stay clean and germ-free. It’s important to remember that kids need to be taught how to clean and practice good hygiene.
With a group of preteens or teens, it can be challenging to keep your classroom smelling good, especially by the afternoon. Air fresheners and essential oils can help, as can increasing airflow in your classroom. Regular cleaning will also keep things smelling fresh.