For many years now, bullying and vandalism has been rife across the country in the school washrooms, as well as the washrooms falling below standard in cleanliness and the general decor being grubby and possibly even vandalised.
So this then begs the question – are school toilets clean and safe for our children?
From primary school through to secondary, the washrooms seem to fall well below par compared to nursery, college and university washrooms.
And if they are falling way below the standard they should be, how does this affect our children?
It can affect children in many ways, including mental and physical health problems.
You probably haven’t given a second thought to school washrooms, and why would you?
Afterall, it isn’t a place you come into contact with on a regular basis if ever (as a parent), but when you think about it, it has potential to answer a few problems.
For example, if a school washroom is dirty, poorly looked after; it can invite vandalism from the students and be a place where bullies can easily target their victim, without the likelihood of being caught. Thus leaving a child, traumatised and hurt mentally and physically, which will have a big impact on their overall wellbeing.
No one should ever be treated poorly or have to endure bullying at any point in their life!
Let’s not forget if a washroom is dirty, then no one is going to want to use the facilities and could possibly end up holding onto their waste a lot longer than is necessary. This increases the chance of causing serious health problems, such as painful urinary infections.
If younger children are not going to the washroom regularly this has huge potential for them to wet their beds at night, something that puts a strain not only on the child but the parents and even teachers too, if an accident should happen during lesson time.
Plus, if children don’t feel safe using the schools’ washroom and avoid using them, then they may find that they can’t concentrate in school as well as they should because they are desperate to use the toilet.
Some children may even go to extreme lengths to avoid using the washroom and decide not to drink throughout the day. Not drinking all day is not only dangerous and leads to becoming dehydrated, but this can lead to a lack of concentration and headaches too.
The end result, children that aren’t able to fully focus on their important education but worse still – unwell children, and from poorly, kept washrooms!
Dirty washrooms are a well-known breeding ground for germs to spread effortlessly. Taps, door locks, soap dispensers, toilet flushes and sinks can all easily harbour germs that can be passed around easily.
Nurseries and schools are a catalyst for spreading germs, not necessarily deliberately, but because of the close proximity of children.
Therefore making sure school washrooms are kept clean is a great step forward in helping to combat the spread of illnesses, colds, flu and germs.
Consequently, regular cleaning and spot checks throughout the day are required to keep a school washroom as clean as possible.
If a school washroom is damaged, old, tired and dirty, then a complete renovation can not only improve the look and cleanliness of a washroom but it can make students less worried about using the facilities, which means they can concentrate on their learning.
If you’re thinking of refurbishing your washroom, then have a look at our website to get some ideas of what we can do for you. Or why not get in touch today?
