Cleaning and Maintenance in Schools
- This information is available in PDF in English.
Dirt, dust, and spills in the school environment can exacerbate allergies and illness in occupants. Green cleaning involves using clean products and practices that have less effect on human health and the environment. New York State has a Green Cleaning Law that mandates use of environmentally sensitive (green) cleaning products in elementary and secondary schools. Proper maintenance of building systems and spaces may prolong their useful life, reduce unnecessary expenses, and improve indoor air quality.
Five Steps to Green Cleaning
1. Groundwork
- Build a Green Cleaning Team
- Develop a Green Cleaning Program
- Build support for the program
2. Assessments
- Conduct a Green Cleaning Baseline Assessment to compare existing cleaning practices with green cleaning practices
3. Planning
- Identify and prioritize goals and objectives
- Document custodial resources and budget
- Establish a timeline
- Draft the program
- Seek stakeholder comments
4. Implementation
- Implement the program
- Communicate progress regularly
- Evaluate and seek feedback
- Stay on track
5. Evaluation
- Evaluate program progress and document lessons learned
Purchase Green Cleaning Products
- Look for the GreenNY Icon that identifies products that meet New York State green procurement specifications.
- Visit this website for a New York State approved list of green cleaning specifications by product, a list of approved products and vendors, and other tools and resources.
Health Effects of Toxic Chemicals, including Harsh Cleaners
- Acute exposure: chemical burns/serious injury to eyes, skin, lungs, headaches, and central nervous system effects
- Chronic exposure: Asthma, cancer, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and endocrine disruption
