EDUCATION
SCHOOL’S IN – now the real work starts for cleaners
As schools and other education facilities begin to reopen in the wake of the pandemic, the pressure will be on cleaning companies to embrace new systems, processes, and technology that can keep classrooms hygienic and people safe.
Words Cameron Cooper
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chool lockdowns have presented real challenges for students and their families since the outbreak of COVID-19 – and they have also seen cleaning companies go on a rollercoaster ride. Some companies have lamented contracts going on hold or being scaled back because of the absence of students in education facilities. Others have benefited from the urgent need for deep cleans as a result of COVID-19 clusters at schools. Lucas Paris, manager director of MotorScrubber Australia, is one of many cleaning industry executives who have been experiencing the journey. His young son has attended school for only about six months out of the past 18 months because of the repeated closure of Victorian schools. At the same time, he has come on board to ramp up MotorScrubber’s presence in the Australian market and roll out their innovative cleaning products that can help in the fight against the pandemic. Amid all the fallout, Paris is confident that the lessons learnt from the pandemic will ultimately prove beneficial for the cleaning sector and its clients in the education sector. “It’s caused people to really deep dive into an assessment of their cleaning regimes, their processes and the tools they’re using,” he says. “We’ve spent a lot of time working out what’s really important in school cleaning.” This has seen the emphasis switch to cleaning of high-touch areas in schools and the increased use of spray equipment than can quickly target large, risky zones such as bathrooms. Paris says it is clear that the pandemic has brought more analysis of and rigour around cleaning systems. “There’s a lot more structure around products and how they’re being used,” he says. “And there’s more data around why you use a certain disinfectant and in what way it can give you the most effective coverage, whether it’s in a hospital, an aged-care facility or a school.” 34 INCLEAN November / December 2021