PORTSMOUTH, Va. — There are many unknowns still surrounding the coronavirus, but custodial staff inside schools are hard at work to make sure the environment is as clean as possible when students and staff return.
They gave 13News Now a look at the deep cleaning process happening for Portsmouth Public Schools.
Inside Simonsdale Elementary School, the custodial staff is working double-time to make sure it's a safe environment for students and teachers.
“Whatever it takes to make it a safe environment,” said Senior Zone Supervisor Ronald Hill. "[Cleaning the school is] top of the list. It's a priority for the whole district."
He said they're doing their routine summer cleanings every day like they do every year. However, with the coronavirus pandemic, they've added a step before cleaning.
To start, before they enter a room, they sanitize with electro-static sprayers that the district ordered in March.
Each sprayer is filled with medical-grade bio-disinfectant. As soon as the spraying's done, they shut the room and let it work.
Hill said all 124 custodians in the school district know the drill.
"People that are on the team have all been trained up to do the right thing and they know what to do," Hill explained. "It's important to everybody."
It's important to protect themselves and others. Then, custodians resume regular deep cleaning, which includes deep cleaning hard surfaces, under desks, and over the floors.
"From the door handle to walking in the building all the way throughout the building,” said Operations Coordinator for Building Services Herb Robinson.
Robinson said together the staff feels passionate about creating a clean environment.
"It's crucial in our role because we are the basis that makes sure the schools are ready and prepared to receive students and staff," Robinson said.
It's work the team does proudly, no matter how the pandemic plays out.
“We are going on the assumption that school is going to start. So, we are going to be ready regardless,” said Robinson.
Robinson said the next step for the district custodial staff is getting air filter changes inside the school, each month instead of quarterly as well as adding hand sanitizing stations and plexiglass around the inside of the building.