Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is crucial for the health, safety, and productivity of students, faculty, and staff in educational institutions. To ensure consistent standards and effective cleaning practices, many schools and universities utilize standardized systems like the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring.

In this blog post, we'll delve into what the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system entails, how it benefits educational institutions and what you can do to improve your APPA scores in your buildings.

What is the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring System?

The APPA, originally the Association of Physical Plant Administrators, developed the Level Cleaning Scoring System to provide a comprehensive framework for assessing the cleanliness of educational facilities. This system offers a standardized approach that helps institutions evaluate the effectiveness of their cleaning protocols and set benchmarks for improvement.

How Does the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring System Work?

The APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system categorizes cleanliness into five distinct levels, ranging from Level 1 (Orderly Spotlessness) to Level 5 (Unkempt Neglect). Each level represents a different degree of cleanliness and condition of surfaces within a facility. Here's a brief overview of each level:

1. Level 1: Orderly Spotlessness: This level signifies the highest standard of cleanliness. Surfaces are free of dirt, dust, and debris, with an overall pristine appearance.
2. Level 2: Ordinary Tidiness: While not as impeccable as Level 1, Level 2 indicates a well-maintained environment with minor signs of dust or dirt, which are promptly addressed through routine cleaning.
3. Level 3: Casual Inattention: At this level, cleanliness standards may vary slightly. Some areas may exhibit dust or dirt accumulation, but overall, the facility is reasonably clean and presentable.
4. Level 4: Moderate Dinginess: Facilities classified at Level 4 show noticeable signs of neglect. Dust, dirt, and stains are more prevalent, requiring thorough cleaning and restoration efforts.
5. Level 5: Unkempt Neglect: This level represents the lowest standard of cleanliness, where surfaces are significantly soiled, damaged, or neglected. Immediate action is needed to address sanitation issues and restore a safe and hygienic environment.

For most educational institutions, APPA Level 2 is the aspirational goal for the custodial operations teams but in practice we typically see organizations hover between Level 2 and Level 3 across their districts and buildings based on budget, staffing and on-going operations.

Benefits of Using the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring System

Implementing the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system offers several advantages for educational institutions:

1. Standardization: By adopting a standardized scoring system, institutions can establish consistent cleanliness standards across all facilities, ensuring a uniform environment conducive to learning and productivity.
2. Benchmarking and Improvement: The scoring system enables institutions to benchmark their cleaning performance against predefined levels and identify areas for improvement. This data-driven approach facilitates targeted interventions to enhance cleaning practices and optimize resource allocation.
3. Enhanced Accountability: With clear criteria for assessing cleanliness, the APPA system promotes accountability among custodial staff and facility management teams. Regular evaluations encourage continuous monitoring and compliance with established standards.
4. Stakeholder Confidence: Maintaining a clean and well-maintained environment fosters trust and confidence among students, faculty, parents, and visitors. The APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system demonstrates a commitment to quality and prioritizes the health and well-being of all stakeholders.

How do I improve my APPA Level scoring?

As you look to improve cleaning quality in your cleaning programs, here are a few ways to drive better scores across your district and campus:

• Cleaning Validation Programs: There is a strong correlation between having accurate every day cleaning data and having high quality scores. Using tools like CrowdComfort set an expectation for the cleaning work that needs to be done each day, which has proven to improve overall cleaning quality standards by 25% over areas where a cleaning validation program is not in place.
• Staffing based on Square Footage: When setting expectations for cleaning quality scores, it's important to keep in mind both budgeting and staffing. While high performing teams can outproduce these estimates, below are some square footage estimates by janitorial team member based on APPA Level scoring.

• Trainer Teams: With clear criteria for assessing cleanliness, the APPA system promotes accountability among custodial staff and facility management teams. Regular evaluations encourage continuous monitoring and compliance with established standards.
• Employee Recognition Programs: Custodial operations team members are not recognized enough for the role they play in creating clean, healthy and productive learning environments. Using APPA Level scoring and cleaning validation data can be great ways to do quarterly or bi-annual custodial awards programs to reward and most importantly help retain your best employees.

In conclusion, the APPA Level Cleaning Scoring system serves as a valuable tool for educational institutions seeking to uphold high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. By adhering to this systematic approach, schools and universities can create safe, healthy, and inviting learning environments that support student success and institutional excellence.

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