The health of our children is important, and it’s important that children who spend many hours away from home in Prescott’s schools are in a facility that is thoroughly and safely cleaned. MTO Janitorial offers some interesting facts about the need for a clean school environment for children.
Overall, schools that are kept clean and well maintained are, of course, healthier. The results of unsanitary conditions and neglected facilities are rodents and insects as well as allergens and irritants that abound because of dust and dirt. These unsanitary conditions can negatively impact students’ health and performance in school.
Health Impact:
- Poor cleaning practices that result in indoor allergens and air pollutants contribute to an increase in respiratory and asthma-related symptoms among children. According to the CDC, asthma is among the leading causes of absenteeism and more than 10 million days of absenteeism are recorded annually.
- Regularly scheduled and properly cleaned buildings can minimize allergens and irritants, prevent pest problems, and create safer learning environments for children and working environments for staff.
- Selecting safe cleaning products and enacting thorough cleaning practices are both critical for maintaining a facility’s healthy environment and for protecting everyone’s health. Some cleaning compounds are known to cause health problems and in some cases may trigger asthma attacks.
- By using green cleaning products and similarly safe cleaning practices, schools can help to avoid exposing children and staff to the hazards of unsafe products while improving indoor air quality. And routine maintenance is just as important as routine cleaning, with non-toxic products, to ensure a healthy environment and even increasing the lifespan of facilities.
- A routine maintenance and cleaning program as well as routine inspections should identify any problems before they adversely impact the school environment and health. Routine inspection protocols should include the entire building’s infrastructure meaning the foundation, interior and exterior, doors and windows, as well as flooring and roofing.
Green cleaning means using practices and products that pose less danger to the environment and human health. Green cleaning products are known to have one or more of these traits:
- Biodegradable
- No known carcinogens
- Neutral pH levels
- Low or no VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions
To keep your Prescott school facility or other commercial building clean and safe, or if you would like to learn more about green cleaning practices, contact MTO Janitorial today at 928-772-0004.