Healthy Habits Start Here: The Impact of Clean Bathrooms in Schools

Everyone appreciates clean bathrooms. Unfortunately, most high schoolers nationwide reported their school bathrooms barely make the grade.

A clean restroom offers students, faculty, staff and even visitors a place to feel refreshed and take a breather — not to mention the opportunity to keep their hands clean so that they don’t get sick or spread germs to others.

While 97% of teens ages 14 to 18 in the Bradley Company’s 2024 Healthy Handwashing Survey know that handwashing with soapy water is wise, about 40% skip the bathroom altogether. Even when they need to go, they simply don’t because the school bathrooms are dirty or smelly, they said.

What’s more, roughly 74% of the 1,012 teens surveyed rated their school bathrooms as “average,” or a C, or “poor,” meaning a D.

Such conditions cause more than inconvenience, noted Jon Dommisse, a spokesman for the Wisconsin-based commercial washroom and industrial safety company that conducts the annual survey. They “lead teens to think less of their school and cause them to believe it’s poorly run,” he said.

Here’s why cleaning the bathroom can earn your school top marks.

Beyond Dirt and Grime

Odor, mold and mildew are common bathroom issues, whether cleaning your bathroom at home or a public restroom. While this is especially true for school locker rooms, where shower walls and floors are a frequent challenge, the survey dealt with school bathrooms overall.

About 70% of teens reported having a bad experience in the bathroom because of foul smells, a clogged or unflushed toilet bowl, stall doors that don’t latch and too many people in the facilities.

The teens also complained about negligence, such as paper towels left on the floor or around the sink (53%) or other damage (57%), which might include detached fixtures, graffiti or other mischief. In addition, 56% said they would like the bathrooms to be cleaner and stocked more frequently.

Effective, Easy Steps

While school administrators can’t predict reckless behavior, they can establish a bathroom cleaning routine that takes care of the facilities throughout the day. This also might include assigning faculty or staff to spot-check the sink, toilet, urinals, trash cans, light fixtures and other areas of particular bathrooms on a regular basis, such as between classes.

Keep a stash of disinfectant spray in the main office, along with some all-purpose cleaning supplies in spray bottles, paper towels and toilet paper to touch up a restroom in an emergency.

The custodial staff or commercial cleaning team should deep clean after hours, using EPA-approved cleaning products to disinfect and sanitize all surfaces. Here are a few additional cleaning tips:

• Wear personal protective equipment such as rubber gloves and a face mask. School bathrooms are public areas, and cleaners might find debris that’s more unusual, including broken and damaged objects.
• Use a cleaner and scrub brush around the bathroom sink, countertops, toilet seat and urinals. Pay special care to those hard-to-reach places, such as around faucets, behind the toilet and beneath the toilet seat.
• Wipe faucets and faucet handles with a dry microfiber cloth for a sparkling clean finish. Wipe the mirror using glass cleaner that contains white vinegar.
• Sweep before mopping the floor.
• Don’t forget to clean frequently touched surfaces, including the toilet flusher, light switch, soap dispenser, stall latches and door handle or knob. Teens in the survey said they’re conscientious about these spots and will use a paper towel to open the door and their foot to flush the toilet.
• Ensure all battery-operated dispensers work, replacing batteries as needed.

For a deeper cleaning over weekends or school breaks, or more advice on how to make your school gleam throughout the year, contact a professional cleaning company with years of experience. At Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services, we’re delighted to work with you to create a healthy and safe space for students and staff. Call a location near you today.