The Importance Of Keeping College Campuses Clean

(Image courtesy of The Facilities Group)

College campuses see hundreds or thousands of people every day. From instructors and students to visitors and guest speakers, an institution sees many new and similar faces. A regular campus cleaning schedule is imperative for creating a welcoming and safe environment for everyone visiting a campus, according to The Facilities Group (TFG).

Keeping a college campus clean has the following advantages:

• Boosting Productivity — Understanding the importance of campus cleaning can help keep faculty and students productive. People like spending time in clean locations, and research shows a link between clean environments and productivity for students. Areas free of clutter promote activities and general enjoyment. School staff and students will be more productive when sitting with their work without getting distracted by clutter.

Students also tend to model what they see and can be encouraged to be more productive by having institution leaders lead by example. Messy and disorganized classrooms and offices show students that cleanliness and care are not necessary for their own work or homes. They may procrastinate completing assignments, skip classes or only give half of their typical effort toward their work when they feel unorganized or messy.

• Promoting Safety — Unkempt campuses can cause injuries to school participants. Students don’t want to watch for spills and puddles as they rush to class or head home after a long day, but minor accidents can quickly cause injuries if they slip and fall. Boxes in hallways, sticky surfaces and debris in doorways can create a safety hazard resulting in injuries.

Special attention should be given to areas where construction is taking place. Although a new building or classroom addition may benefit students in the long run, it’s important to not make the construction an inconvenience for current students. Construction sites regularly see debris, mud and sawdust, and screws or other loose objects can hide in the rubble.

Students who need to pass these sites can come in contact with particles that impede their health or injure them and distract them from learning. Finding a construction cleaning service can help reduce the chance of injuries.

Exterior areas should be clean as well. Overgrown grass, large piles of dead leaves and other debris can cause those walking nearby to trip and possibly injure themselves. In the winter, large snow mounds and ice can create a slippery slope for school members to fall. Cracks in the sidewalk can tangle with shoestrings and result in twisted ankles. Landscaping and cleaning services that keep a campus looking pristine inside and out can attract attention and help keep students and faculty safe.

• Nurturing Health — Campuses house many people daily. Some will be healthier than others. Regardless, germs are on every surface and can quickly spread from one student or staff member to the next. A clean environment promotes healthy students and staff. Regularly cleaning areas of a campus can help reduce bacteria spread from person to person.

A clean campus can also help ease asthma and allergy symptoms. Mold, pollen and dust can gather in unkept places, making breathing difficult for those with allergies or asthma. A clean college campus improves the air quality and makes everyday functions possible and enjoyable.

• Assisting College Infrastructure — Light fixtures, electronic equipment, waterways and other resources are essential to smoothly running an institution. Without proper care, these systems can experience damage and wear that makes them challenging to use or causes them to break, impeding operations. Removing dust, cleaning leaks and wiping sticky surfaces will keep these resources running correctly. Additionally, furniture and carpets will last much longer if properly taken care of, which includes proper cleaning.

• Encouraging Enrollment — Many students expect to feel as comfortable, secure and safe in college as they do at home. A pleasant and attractive campus is essential to students and plays a part in their enrollment decision. Students want to walk through sparkling hallways, sit in organized classrooms, meet in tidy offices and experience clean restrooms.

Additionally, when an institution tries to attract new students, a good reputation will go a long way. If students see pristine pictures on a website but attend a tour to find spills on the floors and debris cluttering classrooms, they may feel like the institution led them to believe falsehoods and may not trust that the school is the best fit for them. Visit: thefacilitiesgroup.com.