80% of infectious illnesses are spread by touch—even if you clean your classroom before the school day starts, germs are bound to be back in full force by the end of the day. And when kids return to your classroom from the science lab, cafeteria or gym—they may bring even more germs with them. Wiping a surface with soap and water or a cleaning product does not eliminate germs. That’s why it’s important to use an EPA-registered disinfectant regularly on the surfaces kids touch most: doorknobs, desktops, keyboards and water fountain faucets. Disinfect often to help kill the germs that can cause colds, flu and other illnesses. Using Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes is one quick and easy way to be sure you’re doing your part to keep your classroom clean.

Teaching kids to outsmart germs—so your classroom can be a cleaner, healthier environment for learning—is easier than you’d think and can even be fun. You can start by showing kids how to wash their hands the right way—with soap and warm water for 20 seconds—about the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. Visit the Curriculum for the Classroom section of the site.

Many germs that can cause illnesses may be commonly found in classrooms: bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella; viruses such as influenza A (the “flu” virus) and rhinovirus (one of the causes of the common cold). In gym class students can be exposed to Staphylococcus (staph) and more. To help prevent their spread, you’ll want to encourage students to wash their hands often, especially after eating and using the bathroom. You’ll also want to use an EPA-registered disinfectant, like Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes*, daily to help eliminate those germs on the hard surfaces your students touch most: doorknobs, desktops, computer keyboards, light switches and any shared gym equipment. And remember, just because a surface looks clean doesn’t mean that germs are gone. Soap and water aren’t always enough to kill germs on hard, non-porous surfaces.

The average child gets six to 10 colds a year. Although adults can often fight off the effects of viruses that can cause colds and flu, children under the age of five have less-developed immune systems. Kids are also more likely to spread germs themselves, since they’re in close company in classrooms and may share toys, utensils and school supplies—even after they’ve put them into their mouths. While kids can help stop the spread of germs, it’s often hard for the youngest ones to understand the importance of hygiene, especially because they can’t see germs. For some lessons you can use in your classroom to help teach them, click here.

Wiping a surface with soap and water or a cleaning product does not eliminate germs. Sanitizing reduces the number of bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Disinfecting with an EPA-registered product has been shown to kill those bacteria—plus other potentially harmful germs including viruses such as influenza (the “flu” virus), rhinovirus (one of the causes of the common cold), Staphylococcus (staph), and rotavirus. Disinfecting hard, non-porous surfaces is one of the most reliable ways to lower the risk of spreading these germs by touch. To find products that effectively sanitize and disinfect, visit Clorox.com.