As the school year winds down, the summer maintenance season is just getting ready to go. At your school, maintenance could mean a number of things from basic projects to more time-consuming work like replacing partitions and cleaning graffiti. For facility managers, the summer is often the best — and only — time to get much-needed work done.
In our 40 years of experience, we’ve found that the key to a steady maintenance season is preparation, and as the school year comes to a close, there’s a few things that will help you get up restroom ready for back-to-school season. Here are a few tips that will help:
Start Planning Now
One of the best ways to prepare for summer maintenance is by understanding the materials and supplies you’ll need. When schools out, the summer flies by, so being better prepared never hurts in the long run. For restroom maintenance projects, there are a few pieces of information that will help us help you.
First, determine if you’ll need replacement doors or partitions. Usually partitions last between 7 to 15 years, so if you’re getting to the end of that timeline, it might be time for a full-scale remodel. For smaller replacement projects, we also carry a variety of partitions and fasteners that can be utilized to bring restroom hardware back together.
Other useful information includes: measurements, color choices and layouts. This will help us provide you with the materials you need quickly, and if you start planning now, you can ensure that the project will get finished during the summer. (Of course, we’re also around for emergencies, and ship our partitions in about 48 hours.) In addition, we can also finish pricing in advance, so that when the day school is out, you’ll be prepared to get restroom maintenance done.
Get Students To Wash Their Hands, Keep Restrooms Stocked
According to the 2012 Healthy Handwashing Survey, there’s a large cross-section of people who don’t wash their hands after using public restrooms — about 30 percent of adults. And at schools, germs and bacteria can be a problem, but there are a few simple things you can do to encourage students to wash their hands more often.
For instance, handwashing signs are a common solution that we see. They’re fairly easy to make and can be posted throughout the restroom. Overall, handwashing signs are a quick reminder to get students to wash their hands, especially the youngest ones. These signs can be posted on stall doors, as well as next to mirrors, and there are plenty of free examples online.
The handwashing survey also pointed out that people are less likely to wash their hands if there aren’t paper towels or soap in the restroom. During the summer, it might be beneficial to think about stocking schedules to ensure students always have soap and paper towels.
These were just a few quick suggestions, and of course, we know how busy the summer can be for facility managers. Throughout the summer, if you have questions about our restroom partitions, whether you’re looking for remodeling advice, if you need a quick quote, or to learn more about our quick shipping options, just let us know. You can reach us by phone five days a week at (615) 248-1001.
