Back-to-School Cleaning Guide | Get Your Child Ready for School

back to school cleaning

We are all getting ready as school districts across the nation get set to reopen this September for in-person learning. You can lower the chances of a virus getting brought back into your home, even while you can’t completely prevent exposure to viruses like COVID-19 or ordinary colds. Continue reading for back-to-school cleaning tips and some ideas on how to ensure your child is healthy and safe when they go to school again.

Back to School Cleaning Guide

Back-to-school Cleaning Guide

Check Outgrown Clothing

Most likely, you’ve already purchased school clothes. Now, both the new and the old can be found in their drawers and closets. With the kids present, go over each piece of clothes they own. Throw away anything they have outgrown or just never wear. You might be able to make more space within your closet as well. You’ll have less washing and free up storage space for clothing that is worn frequently.

Create a Shoe Station

You should anticipate rain, ice, snowfall, and other weather as the season goes on. Everyone in the house will inevitably have dirt, sand, and other residues on their shoes. Make sure there is a place to take off your shoes on the front or back porch. Even better, use your creativity and post a notice at your shoe station like “Shoes Off”

Distribute the Chores

When you make chore time enjoyable for the kids, you’ll be astonished at how eager they are to participate. Decide on a time when everyone will participate first. This creates a routine and improves everyone’s sense of structure and general organization. Consider compiling a list of all the things that need to be done. Participants draw chores from a hat after writing each chore on a sheet of paper and placing it in the hat. Playing lively music as a background always makes something more enjoyable.

Get Back to Your Cleaning Routine

Baseboards – Wipe your baseboards from one room to another. Remove the black spots, stains, and grime by using the hose brush attachment of your vacuum. If you don’t have any cleaning supplies available, you can utilize an old but clean sock covering your hand.

Walls – Our walls are sometimes the extension of our kid’s drawing paper. A lot of pen marks, fingerprints, and sometimes grease can be seen on the walls if not cleaned regularly. Use a long-handled brush or dusting, or the vacuum cleaner’s extent to begin cleanings. A fuzzy brush should not leave any film on the wall if you use one.

Dusting – Dust every surface. Always start from the top going down. Make sure you don’t miss any spots, especially the hard-to-reach ones since a lot of dust can accumulate in those areas.

Floors – Utilize a dry mop, broom, or vacuum to collect all dust and dirt on the floor. Eliminate any remaining dust particles and dirt by using the wet mop or microfiber pad. Handle all the stains using a cleaner that is made for your floor type. Make sure all stains and build-up are gone.

Countertops – All of the materials used for kitchen countertops—marble, tile, various types of wood, stainless steel, granite—are easy to clean and stain-remove. The beauty and longevity of countertops, as well as the appearance of your kitchen overall, are improved by knowing how to keep worktops clean and stain-free depending on the type of material you have. If the surface has been damaged, in which case a professional may be needed.

Stairs – There are different cleaning methods needed for stairs made of concrete, wood, and carpet. Applying the incorrect approach could damage or dirty your staircase, thus it’s important to employ the right technique for your type of staircase.

Plants – Live and plastic plants accumulate dust as well. Gently wipe your live plants with a soft cloth to remove any dust on them. For plastic plants, you can simply wash them with water and dish soap, then let them air dry before placing them back in their proper place.

Carpet and Rugs – Bring your carpet and rugs outside and thoroughly vacuum the top and bottom parts. Purchase a carpet shampoo (make sure to test it first on a small spot to make sure it won’t damage your carpet) and wash your carpet and rugs. Let it dry under the sun.

Front and Back Porch – Clean up all the furniture, the screen, and the light fixtures. A microfiber cloth, dish soap, and a power washer are all you need to get this done.

Keep Your Child Safe and Healthy

The start of the new school year is sure to be difficult for your child and you, but consistency can help it feel a bit more routine. Playing school with your child several times may help normalize some behaviors before they return to school, depending on their age and any potential discomfort with the new rules.

Here are some possible situations you can go over with your child to help them learn how to protect themselves from unwanted infections and illnesses.

Back to school Cleaning Guide

The use of a face mask

Working with your child to practice wearing a mask and training to put it on and taking it off without touching the cloth is advisable.  Make a plan for where to put it during a snack or lunch break, such as in a clearly labeled plastic bag or paper bag. Explain the reasons why wearing a face mask prevents others from getting sick.

Meal time practice

Serve a snack or meal that requires them to wash or disinfect their hands, take off their mask, and put it in a safe place. Think about asking your child: “How can we remove the masks without touching the cloth? ” or  “Where can we safely keep our mask? ”

Even though it has previously been an enjoyable activity during lunch or snack time at school, remind your youngster not to share food with classmates. Inform the kids that they should only consume the food they brought or were given by the school.

Following the rules

To help your child be ready if they see someone “breaking the rule,” discuss how they would see an individual without a facial covering. In the following scenarios, describe what they would do: “Your classmate wants to give you a hug. What kind words can you use to keep germs at bay?” and ” What should you do if your mask feels scratchy or uncomfortable?”

Additional role-play

Try imagining various situations: “You’re so eager to meet your friend! How do you express yourself or show your happiness without touching? ”Imagine that kids are coming home from school carrying their backpacks, projects, coats, etc. and ask, “Can you show me where we should place our things?”. Always remind them to wash their hands when they return home from school.

back to school Cleaning guide

We can all get back into the routine with the help of Hellamaids’ back-to-school cleaning guide! The Hellamaid cleaning professionals are willing to help you if you need it. We can assist you in creating a plan that is unique to your house and family’s needs.
Visit hellamaid.ca to find the closest Hellamaid location to your area. Visit the company’s Facebook page and follow us on Instagram for more cleaning advice and inspiration.

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Hellamaid is a top-rated cleaning company in Canada that’s changing the cleaning industry. Led by two engineers, Ahmed and Abdul,  Hellamaid is on a mission to make cleaning services a better experience for both ends of the market: homeowners and cleaners. We offer value to homeowners through easy online booking and impeccable customer service, while offering a flexible and well paid opportunity to our cleaning partners. Learn more about us here!

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