Everyone wants a clean environment. Whether it’s your home, neighborhood, or environment, having an area free of trash and pollution is calming and satisfying. A clean school is just as fulfilling. Besides just keeping it tidy, keeping your school clean creates a better learning environment, limits sick days, and more. To encourage students and staff to keep their area clean, here are some ideas to implement in your school and classrooms:
Offer accessible wastebaskets and recycling bins
The key to keeping trash off the ground is to provide a place to put it. Often, scattered trash is due to a result of not knowing where to dispose of it. Having trash bins available in additional places can help people easily and quickly dispose of their garbage. Recycling bins also help encourage sustainability practices, assuming there’s knowledge to separate trash and different types of recyclable materials. Above all, make sure these areas are cleaned and bins emptied often, as a dirty area or trash overflowing may keep people away, defeating the purpose of having the trash and recycling bins in the first place.
Provide clear communication and education about cleanliness
Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, which includes their environments and knowledge about cleanliness. As such, get everyone on the same page by providing clear communication on maintaining a clean space. That may include signs about proper sanitization procedures, what to do with a mess or spill, where to set shoes and coats, and anything else related to cleanliness. The messaging doesn’t need to be obtrusive, but having simple labels or signs around garbage bins or bulletin boards can go a long way to getting everyone on the same page.
Have floor mats and other items in your entrances
Especially during rainy or snowy days, having floor mats is essential to keep your floors clean. You may want to consider putting out extra mats on days with strong weather, as sometimes the regular mats will become soaked after multiple people come through. In addition, have other items, such as umbrella holders or hand sanitizer, to encourage healthy practices and keep other dirty items out of clean areas. Benches or tables can give students a space to take off their boots or place their bags as they take off wet or dirty clothes.
Organize cleaning initiatives or cleaning days
One way to encourage cleaning practices is to set up specific campaigns and initiatives. If your school is dealing with a particular issue, you might take a dedicated couple of weeks to emphasize the importance of cleanliness in that area. You might also dedicate a particular day as “School Cleaning Day,” where students or parents help clean up the school in areas that aren’t normally covered. This could include picking up trash around the school property, dusting areas not covered by the cleaning staff, or other easy cleaning tasks. Encouraging students to practice cleaning may give your school a positive perception from parents and community members.
If you have motivated students, consider having a school club dedicated to cleaning and conservation practices. As climate change and health continue to be at the forefront of our minds, students may be looking for ways to make a difference in their area of the world. This group can organize the “School Cleaning Day,” doing small cleaning tasks for the school, or encouraging their fellow students to adopt cleaning practices. It lets students be leaders in a field they’re passionate about and make a difference.
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Keeping your school clean will forever be a challenge, as dirt and grime never stop piling up. This makes continuous cleaning essential to have a healthy place students and staff want to be. Keeping our schools clean is a topic everyone can agree on. Use your new cleaning initiatives to unify your community towards a common goal that makes life better for everyone.
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