Nobody wants to wish the summer away. But for higher education establishments across the country, planning for the forthcoming academic year has been ongoing as students have enjoyed their summer break. One element of planning is how to provide and promote a safe, clean, and healthy space for students and staff to work, live and learn. As we all learn to live with Covid, the demands for cleaning services have increased when compared with the past two years as building confidence in hygiene standards and providing safe spaces is paramount.  Higher education establishments need to think carefully about cleaning, whether it’s the very oldest seats of learning or newer establishments. Here in the REACT family of companies, we have the expertise to cover all requirements for higher education cleaning, and have been doing this successfully at universities for years. We provide everything from deep cleaning to dealing with urgent incidents, in all spaces from student accommodation to teaching facilities. In this blog, we focus on five areas where our specialist cleaning teams can help and support.

1. Keep clean and study in student accommodation

For universities, there’s a strong business case for keeping student accommodation clean. Surveys regularly show the importance of cleanliness for students in judging their accommodation. Understandably, value for money and overall cost often come in as the top factors prompting decisions about where to live. But the cleanliness of bedrooms is in the top three most important and has an influence in their decision-making. To deliver consistently clean accommodation, universities need the right cleaning partner – and teams from Fidelis and our sister company, REACT Specialist Cleaning, can provide a full-service property clearance, decontamination, and cleaning service.

Sometimes student accommodation becomes vacant due to tenants moving on in an orderly fashion. At other times, following repossession or eviction, end-of-tenancy cleaning requires a specialist approach when facilities were misused. Whatever type of property it is, we take the same rigorous approach. We start by quickly eliminating any health hazards and removing all kinds of waste. We then go on to clean the property to the most exacting standards, to get student accommodation ready for the next year’s intake.

2. Keep well with infection control and decontamination

The past two years have made us all more aware of the pathogens and contaminants which surround us every day. As well as Covid-19, such diseases as swine flu and norovirus are all still prevalent. They can all thrive in facilities that exist on campuses, such as kitchens, gyms, and shared social spaces. These diseases most easily spread in high-touch areas, such as door handles, lift buttons, washroom facilities, and shared technical equipment.

Fidelis and REACT Specialist Cleaning can be trusted as expert specialist cleaning partners for universities which need to perform deep cleaning and decontamination of potentially infected areas. Our tried and tested four-stage process is simple but rigorous: test, clean, disinfect, and test again. To be sure that area has been cleaned and disinfected correctly, it’s necessary to first test for the presence of pathogens and then test again to ensure they have been removed. The results of initial testing will determine which cleaning and disinfection process and methodology need to be applied; the final test will demonstrate that an area is safe for staff and students to use.

3. Respond quickly with urgent incident further education cleaning

REACT Specialist Cleaning is available for emergency cleaning in a crisis too, when handling a situation with sensitivity is a paramount concern. Sadly, there are occasions when accidents and fatalities occur on campus or at student accommodation. At these difficult times, universities need a cleaning team with the highest credentials and experience. REACT’s team are available 24/7 across the country, and we can provide a fast and respectful response in every situation.

4. Stay safe with sharps and needle search and removal

When areas are contaminated with used needles and syringes, it’s vitally important to clear the space quickly and effectively. REACT Specialist Cleaning is fully insured and vaccinated against blood-borne viruses such as tetanus and hepatitis, and we use robust process and methodology to clear affected areas. Collected sharps, needles and syringes are then disposed of in strict accordance with legislation, and we can provide a certificate of disposal.

5. Maintain standards with high-level cleaning

Undertaking effective cleaning of hard-to-reach places at height, such as ducting, suspended ceilings, or reception areas requires specialist expertise and equipment. Fidelis and REACT are compliant with the Work at Height Regulations 2005, so our focus is always on ensuring safety. Our specialist operators are available 24/7 to undertake cleaning while working at height both in and outside of buildings. We conduct a thorough risk assessment and ensure the correct deployment and use of specialist equipment, paying particular attention when working near fragile surfaces. And we’ll maintain the highest standards to ensure premises look visually appealing and remain compliant with legislation.

To find out more about the Fidelis and the REACT family of companies, and our range of higher education cleaning services, contact one of the team today.

Post by Jon Shaw

Jon is Managing Director at Fidelis Contract Services Ltd, a business dedicated to performance and professionalism in contract cleaning. Having been part of Fidelis for four years, and MD since December 2021, Jon knows the value of the company’s staff in building trust for successful long-term partnerships with clients in a range of sectors.

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