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Wondering how much your work impacts students? Here are 6 of the health benefits of clean air in classrooms.

You know the work you do in schools and other learning environments is beneficial. Students deserve clean classrooms, tidy cafeterias, and litter-free hallways. However, cleaning has more benefits than just those that meet the eye. There are numerous health benefits of clean air and surfaces for learners. 

To that point, it’s important to be able to share information backing up the claim that clean environments can have positive effects within the classroom. Now more than ever, parents, administrators, and community officials want to know how schools are keeping kids healthy and safe. 


If you’re ready to bring your cleaning organization to the next level, take advantage of a call with Janitorial Manager to see how our software can make your janitorial operation more successful!


Health Benefits Of Clean Air

The 6 Health Benefits of Clean Air and Surfaces in Schools

We know that cleaning and disinfecting can reduce the number of germs and pathogens on a surface. However, it’s also known that many allergens and viruses are airborne, at least for a time. That’s one reason ventilation is so important. 

Without good ventilation, these airborne particles can hang in the air and easily spread around a classroom. While Covid made us all much more aware of air quality and how germs and viruses can move through the air, it’s not just about Covid. Cold and flu viruses, dust, pollen, mold, mildew, smoke, and other pollutants can be airborne and easily impact students, teachers, and administrative staff. 

Cleaners can take numerous steps to improve the air quality in a space, even in the face of old HVAC systems or an inability to open windows. Using vacuums with HEPA filters, for example, can “theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns (µm),” according to the EPA

Similarly, microfiber cloths are much better at collecting and trapping dust particles than cotton cloth, which can spread particles. And switching to green cleaning products can also lower the amount of potentially toxic chemicals in the air. 

But is it worth the effort? Can you justify any expenses? There’s no arguing that there are definite health benefits of clean air in learning environments. 

1. Better test scores. A study published in 2020 points out that students who are regularly exposed to poor air quality in classrooms systematically perform worse than those who learn in classrooms with good air quality. 

2. Fewer behavioral problems. Another 2020 study found that students have fewer behavioral issues when their classrooms have better air quality. 

3. Higher cognitive function. In a study testing cognitive function in a conventional building environment vs. a green building environment, researchers found that cognitive scores were between 61% and 101% higher in a green building environment. While this study tested factors such as carbon dioxide and ventilation, it also looked at the impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), indicating that green cleaning products may add to the health benefits of clean air in a space. 

4. Decreased incidence of asthma. While classrooms and school buildings aren’t the only factors in cases of asthma, students do spend a lot of time in these spaces. Mold, specifically, has been found to impact lung health, so cleaning surfaces and keeping mold from spreading can also improve indoor air quality. 

5. Higher teacher retention. This is one of the health benefits of clean air in schools that often gets overlooked. Yet, teacher retention is essential to the continuity of learning for students. One study found that teachers with concerns about indoor air quality are more likely to feel “frustrated, angry, exhausted, and confused.” 

6. Decreased sickness. It doesn’t take a study for us to realize that proper cleaning and disinfecting will reduce the number of viruses and bacteria on surfaces that may get picked up by hands or recirculated into the air. 

We can’t ignore the fact that it feels good, psychologically, for everyone to know that the air they are breathing throughout the day is as clean as it can be. Yet, it’s impossible to fully eliminate sicknesses or allergies. While we can’t factor in every variable that impacts test scores or teacher retention or behavioral issues, we can however, begin to move things in the right direction.


Harness the value of Janitorial Manager to grow your cleaning business like never before. Learn more today with a discovery call and find out how to make your cleaning operation more efficient and cost effective!

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