Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 3rd September 2026 Issue no. 1224

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ACI Survey: Parents mark cleanliness this back-to-school season

New survey results from the American Cleaning Institute show that while most parents give their child’s school good marks for cleanliness, shared spaces where hygiene matters most - like bathrooms and cafeterias - remain top concerns.

This underscores the essential role cleaning plays in creating school environments where students can learn, eat and gather with confidence. And as families prepare for a new school year, parents are paying attention to how clean and well cared for their children’s schools are.

While 39% of parents with children in school rated the school’s cleanliness level as excellent, most felt there was room for improvement. Among the areas of concern identified were:

• Bathrooms (50%)
• Cafeterias (34%)
• Classrooms (25%)
• Gyms and locker rooms (20%)
• Common areas (16%)
• Buses (15%)

“Cleanliness is not just a maintenance issue; it is part of the broader back-to-school checklist that helps reassure parents that schools are prepared to welcome students back,” explains Kristin DiNicolantonio, ACI’s senior director, stakeholder communications. 

“Parents want to know that the places where their children learn, eat and play are being cared for. Strong cleaning & hygiene practices help support healthier school communities and keep students focused on learning.”

ACI encourages families and school communities to keep cleaning & hygiene top of mind throughout the school year by reinforcing handwashing, keeping frequently touched surfaces clean and using cleaning and disinfecting products as directed. Parents can reinforce proper handwashing at key moments, including before eating and after using the washroom, and include hand sanitiser in back-to-school supplies for older children.

School staff and parents can get more resources on supporting hand hygiene and cleaning best practices in their school system at HealthySchoolsHealthyPeople.org - Healthy Schools, Healthy People is a joint initiative between the ACI and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) dedicated to supporting school systems nationwide with tools to help reinforce hand hygiene and cleaning practices to prevent the spread of infectious disease and reduce related absenteeism.

www.cleaninginstitute.org | New survey results

3rd September 2026