In less than two months, schools in Manhattan and elsewhere will let out for winter break. This does not leave janitorial services staff much time to plan their cleaning schedule for this period. Developing a plan of attack now enables workers to maximize the short amount of time they have for cleaning. Within one week, they are expected to have the building looking as it did on the first day of school.

Schools in Manhattan and other urban areas are sometimes less time-consuming to clean because there are no yards to mow, gardens to tend to, or leaves to gather. Custodial or grounds staff at rural schools have their work cut out for them in this regard. Many hope for snow so they can wait until spring to address the grounds surrounding the school. This makes one less area for them to deal with during winter break.

To begin planning for interior cleaning, janitorial services workers should take inventory of cleaning supplies and equipment and order any necessary items now. Developing a cleaning checklist ensures that staff will not leave any areas unaddressed. Multi-purpose rooms, kitchens, classrooms, restrooms, hallways, faculty rooms and restrooms, offices, and health clinics should all be included. Walls, floors, doors, and drinking fountains must all be cleaned to rid these areas of dirt, debris, and germs.

Hard floors are usually scrubbed and re-coated during winter break. This is often done after the heavy cleaning is performed within classrooms and other areas. Some schools have a special team dedicated to this task, while others rotate existing staff through this duty, allowing each person to handle a specific area. By the end of the week, the floors in all rooms and the hallway will be clean and shining, ready for the return of students, faculty, and staff.

At the end of the final day, workers assemble their sanitation carts for the first day back to school. They also clean the glass within entryways and make sure all debris is removed from the building entrances. Any last-minute issues are addressed to complete the checklist, leaving the school prepared to accept students and teachers through its doors.

The work involved usually requires a full cleaning staff during each day of winter break. If this is not possible, some schools supplement their workforce with cleaners contracted from a professional company. This ensures that cleaning does not suffer as a result of limited availability of janitorial staff.