Dirty floors, messy rooms and unorganized surfaces can cause you to lose potential students and money. One of the best ways to increase student enrollment is by keeping your facilities clean. Your custodial staff’s importance and campus appearance cannot be understated. A beautiful campus with clean floors and spotless rooms will help increase long-term enrollment and show students and parents that your campus is a clean and welcoming environment where they can thrive.
First Impressions Count
The cleanliness of your educational institution is a nonverbal cue to students and visitors that you care about their experience. If your campus is cluttered and unkempt, you may not realize you’re sending a message about your attitude toward education. When students tour your campus, they want to feel welcome in a clean environment — however, unkempt grounds might conflict with this message.
Around 19.7 million students enrolled in college or university in 2021. Students want to feel safe, secure and comfortable at college because they know your institution will be their second home for the duration of their program. Since a little over 50% of students engage in some kind of campus visit before applying, your institution’s cleanliness can have a significant impact on current and future enrollment.
Many students use cleanliness as a deciding factor in whether they want to enroll in an institution or not. Clean facilities that are pleasing to look at and have clear signage mean prospective students can effortlessly navigate your campus. No one likes to feel disorientated and your students will not want to spend time checking their surroundings for puddles and debris every day before finding their next class.
Overgrown weeds, dirty hallways and unkempt offices and classrooms are not a place most people would feel welcome and safe. Students want to know that their education means something to your institution and that you will be helping to prepare them for life beyond studying.
Prioritize Facilities in High-Traffic Areas
Some facilities will matter more to your students than others, and these buildings will be where you want to prioritize your resources. It’s especially important to keep high-traffic areas clean for students to enjoy daily. These areas include:
- Dorms or residence halls: These spaces will need regular maintenance and cleaning. Students expect their dorms to operate smoothly with functioning showers and toilets, plenty of garbage cans and clean common areas.
- Classrooms: Classrooms will see many students coming in and out throughout the day. You must clean desks, chairs, podiums and other surfaces frequently and thoroughly to reduce the spread of germs.
- Dining halls and restaurants: To keep your cafeterias and dining areas running smoothly, proper sanitation and cleaning are imperative. You must clean the equipment in these facilities often and ensure they receive necessary inspections.
- Labs: These areas house many specimens throughout the year. Some students may disinfect animals, and others may investigate fungi or objects that could carry infectious bacteria. These spaces must be properly cleaned and sanitized to prevent these materials from spreading throughout campus.
- Athletic facilities: Students will share equipment and supplies in the gym, locker rooms and similar facilities. These tend to be high-traffic areas, and you must keep them clean to keep your students safe and machinery running properly.
- Libraries: Many students will gather in the library to form study groups and review materials. Libraries and other community spaces such as theaters, auditoriums and offices should receive a thorough clean regularly. You should also inspect these buildings during your cleaning to ensure smoke, heat and fire detectors are working.
Follow COVID-19 Cleaning Protocols
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of cleaning. On a college campus, communication is key, but in-person contact can put students and faculty at risk for infectious diseases. Flu and cold viruses always show up during the cold seasons on college campuses, so keeping clean is more important now than ever and allows students and faculty to continue attending classes.
To ensure your institution follows the best cleaning practices, you should find a cleaning service that uses proper cleaning supplies to disinfect and sanitize surfaces. Showing your students that you follow CDC guidelines and use high-quality cleaning solutions will reflect your care and consideration for their health and safety.
Keep Your School Clean With The Facilities Group
The Facilities Group has served clients all over the United States for more than 35 years. Our professional and experienced team has performed cleaning services for educational, health care, industrial, commercial, financial and retail facilities across the country, so we know a thing or two about excellent cleaning.
Cleaning impacts student enrollment and we know you want your students to feel at home while pursuing their studies. We offer comprehensive services to meet your individual needs. From janitorial to emergency services, we know that every surface matters. Our vast experience allows us to give your facilities a sparkling shine every time.
We have a simple three-step process to understand your needs, line of work and what services will give you the results you’re looking for. Contact us today and find out what we can do for your campus to increase enrollment.
