What exactly is school cleaning?

 School cleaning refers to professional services that maintain hygiene and cleanliness in educational facilities—primary schools, high schools, universities, and even childcare centres. It includes:

  • Daily classroom cleaning

  • Sanitising toilets and change rooms

  • Disinfecting high-touch surfaces

  • Cleaning canteens and staffrooms

  • Deep cleans during school holidays

It might sound routine, but there’s more happening behind the scenes than meets the eye. Anyone who's walked past a muddy school hallway on a rainy Tuesday knows—keeping a school clean is no small feat.

How is school cleaning different from other commercial cleaning?

While it shares core elements with broader commercial cleaning, school environments have their own quirks:

  • High traffic: Hundreds of kids, teachers, and admin staff moving through confined spaces.

  • Germ hotspots: Shared equipment, playground gear, and crowded lunch areas.

  • Heightened duty of care: Cleaners often work in child-safe zones and require Working with Children Checks.

  • After-hours work: Cleaning usually starts after the last bell and finishes before the next school day.

So yes, it’s commercial cleaning—but with an extra layer of responsibility and rigour.

What skills and protocols are essential for school cleaning?

Commercial cleaners working in schools need a blend of hard and soft skills:

  • Sanitisation expertise: Understanding which products kill germs without harming kids or sensitive equipment.

  • Discretion and awareness: Respecting boundaries in places like nurse’s stations or principal’s offices.

  • Security-conscious behaviour: Being trusted with access to classrooms and storage areas.

  • Compliance: Adhering to health and safety standards specific to education facilities.

Often, cleaners in these roles undergo specific training to manage hygiene in high-risk environments—particularly after recent flu seasons or COVID outbreaks.

Who hires commercial school cleaners?

Typically, school administrators or local education departments contract cleaning companies. In some cases, independent or faith-based schools hire private operators. Either way, there's usually a formal tendering process involved.

The vetting process tends to be more rigorous than in general office environments. Schools look for:

  • Background checks

  • Insurance and certifications

  • References from similar facilities

  • Flexibility with school calendars and events

Is school cleaning seasonal or year-round?

It’s both. While cleaning is daily during the school term, the big stuff—like stripping floors, pressure washing, and deep cleaning upholstery—often happens during holidays. This makes school cleaning one of the more cyclical segments of commercial cleaning, with peaks and valleys throughout the year.

Can general commercial cleaners just switch to school cleaning?

Not straight away. While many commercial cleaning companies offer school services, they often upskill or background-check their staff first.

For instance, an experienced office cleaner might be great at vacuuming boardrooms, but cleaning a science lab or sick bay takes different protocols. There’s also the matter of trust: schools need to know the person has been properly screened and understands the stakes.

What makes a good school cleaner?

Beyond the obvious (cleaning well and on time), a top-tier school cleaner is:

  • Quiet and respectful (many clean while staff are still in meetings or working late)

  • Discreet and security-aware

  • Consistent and detail-focused

  • Quick to report issues (like graffiti, damage, or biohazards)

One cleaner told me, “You’re the silent part of the school day—but the one everyone notices if you miss a bin or leave a floor sticky.”

FAQ

Is school cleaning part of commercial cleaning?
Yes—schools are considered commercial clients due to their non-residential nature.

Are there specific cleaning products used in schools?
Usually, yes. Cleaners often use low-toxicity or kid-safe disinfectants and detergents.

Do school cleaners need a Working with Children Check?
In most Australian states, yes—especially if working during school hours or near students.

So, to wrap it up: school cleaning is very much a form of commercial cleaning—but it’s not a job for just anyone with a spray bottle and good intentions. It’s structured, consistent, and woven into the daily rhythm of a school—just like the bell schedule or the scent of vegemite toast wafting from the staffroom.

And if you’re in Melbourne, many companies that specialise in office cleaning Melbourne also offer school cleaning services, thanks to overlapping systems and hygiene standards.

For government guidelines on cleaning standards in educational settings, the Department of Education Victoria offers detailed and updated resources.

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