Every school knows cold and flu season is coming. But preparation can start long before absences begin to rise. Each year, an estimated 22 million school days are lost to the common cold and another 38 million to influenza. Beyond missed classroom time, absenteeism can affect academic performance, student engagement and overall school operations.
While no cleaning program can prevent every illness, a proactive approach can help schools create healthier learning environments and prepare custodial teams for the demands of cold and flu season.
Before illness starts making the rounds, here are five things schools can do to prepare.
- Review Your Cleaning & Disinfection Procedures
Before cold and flu season begins, take a fresh look at your current cleaning and disinfection procedures. Make sure staff know what to clean, what to disinfect and which products to use for each task. When disinfecting, choose EPA-registered products effective against the pathogens of concern. Canberra offers options such as Husky® Peroxall TB and Husky® Duo Complete, both designed to deliver effective disinfection without slowing down daily cleaning routines.
Just as important, make sure staff understand product label directions, including proper dwell time, or the amount of time a surface must remain visibly wet for the disinfectant to work effectively. A quick review now can uncover gaps and prevent confusion when illness levels begin to rise.
- Restock Essential Supplies Before You Need Them
Peak illness season isn’t the time to discover you’re running low on disinfectant, hand soap or paper products. Review inventory early and identify products that may need to be reordered. Consider not only how much product you have on hand but also whether supplies are easily accessible to the staff and areas that need them.
Planning ahead helps reduce last-minute orders while allowing custodial teams to stay focused on keeping the building clean and ready for students.
- Identify Your High-Touch Hot Spots
In a busy school, some surfaces can be touched by dozens or even hundreds of people throughout the day. Door handles, desks, light switches, keyboards, water fountains, cafeteria tables and shared classroom supplies are just a few of the high-touch surfaces that deserve extra attention during cold and flu season.
Walk through your facility and identify the highest-traffic touchpoints in classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias and common areas. Then build those surfaces into routine cleaning and disinfection procedures so they’re less likely to be overlooked when schedules get busy.
- Make Sure Everyone Knows the Plan
A strong cleaning program depends on clear communication. Before cold and flu season arrives, make sure everyone responsible for maintaining your facility understands their role and knows what is expected. Whether cleaning is handled by in-house custodial staff or an outside service provider, communicate any seasonal priorities, schedule changes or areas that may require additional attention.
Clear expectations help create a more consistent approach throughout the school.
- Build a Routine That Can Handle the Busy Season
Cold and flu season can be unpredictable. Your cleaning program shouldn’t be. Rather than waiting for absenteeism to spike before increasing attention to cleaning and disinfection, establish routines your team can realistically maintain throughout the school year.
Build frequently touched surfaces into daily procedures, make responsibilities clear and ensure staff have the products, tools and training they need to complete each task efficiently. The goal isn’t to completely reinvent your cleaning program when illness increases. It’s to have a strong routine already in place.
Prepare Now for a Healthier School Year
Schools can’t prevent every illness. But they can be prepared for them. Reviewing procedures, stocking supplies, prioritizing high-touch surfaces, communicating expectations and establishing consistent routines can help cleaning teams enter cold and flu season prepared rather than reactive.
Make sure your cleaning program is ready for the season ahead. Canberra works with distributors to provide the products, training and support schools need to build effective cleaning and disinfection programs. Talk to your distributor about your facility’s needs and how Canberra solutions can help you prepare for cold and flu season.
