June 20, 2008 — A recent national study of college students has revealed a correlation between the cleanliness of a school’s facilities and students’ academic achievement.

Entitled Cleanliness and Learning in Higher Education, the independent study was conducted through the Center for Facilities Research (CFaR) at APPA—the association promoting leadership in educational facilities—and co-sponsored by ISSA.

“These findings provide a vital tool for facility service providers to reinforce the benefits of cleaning; there’s also a great deal of public-relations power in that message if an institution can use its cleaning program to inform students and their families what it is doing to protect the well-being of its population,” said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. “This study is a great addition to ISSA’s ongoing initiative to create more research behind cleaning and its positive impact on public health.”

Cleanliness and Learning in Higher Education is available as a free download to ISSA members. APPA members can receive a free copy at www.appa.org. Nonmembers can purchase the report for US$30.

The study was conducted by Jeffery Campbell, Ph.D., chair of the facilities-management program at Brigham Young University, along with Alan Bigger, director of facilities at Earlham College, Richmond, IN, and APPA president. The survey provided to students was based on the five levels of clean identified in APPA’s Custodial Staffing Guidelines for Educational Facilities, the basis for ISSA’s popular InfoClean workloading software for educational facilities.

Findings
Of the 1,481 students polled, 88 percent reported that the lack of cleanliness becomes a distraction at APPA Level 3 (Casual Inattention) and Level 4 (Moderate Dinginess). Eighty-four percent reported that they desire the APPA Level 1 (Orderly Spotlessness) or Level 2 (Ordinary Tidiness) standard of cleanliness to create a good learning environment.

Eighty percent of the students surveyed reported that they should be involved in keeping campus buildings clean. Seventy-eight percent reported that cleanliness has an impact on their health. Students indicated that lack of cleanliness affects allergies, spreads germs, increases bug and rodent infestations, and promotes higher stress levels.

“This study presents new knowledge to help support educational-facilities professionals in providing learning spaces to students that will enhance academic achievement and protect their overall health,” said Campbell, the study’s principal researcher. Students in Campbell’s facilities-management program at Brigham Young assisted with the survey.

Cleanliness ranked as the fourth most important building element to impact the students’ personal learning. The top three building elements were noise, air temperature, and lighting. Students also reported that the most effective learning spaces are classrooms, libraries, and personal study space.

APPA's Five Levels of Clean

Level 1—Orderly Spotlessness

• Floors and base molding shine and/or are bright and clean; colors are fresh. There is no buildup in corners or along walls.
   
• All vertical and horizontal surfaces have a freshly cleaned or polished appearance and have no accumulation of dust, dirt, marks, streaks, smudges, or fingerprints. Lights all work and fixtures are clean.
   
• Washroom and shower fixtures and tile gleam and are odor free. Supplies are adequate.
   
• Trash containers and pencil sharpeners hold only daily waste and are clean and odor free.

Level 2—Ordinary Tidiness

• Floors and base molding shine and/or are bright and clean. There is no buildup in corners or along walls. But there can be up to two-days worth of dust, dirt, stains, or streaks.
   
• All vertical and horizontal surfaces are clean, but marks, dust, smudges, and fingerprints are noticeable upon close observation. Lights all work and fixtures are clean.
   
• Washroom and shower fixtures and tile gleam and are odor free. Supplies are adequate.
   
• Trash containers and pencil sharpeners hold only daily waste and are clean and odor free.

Level 3—Casual Inattention

• Floors are swept or vacuumed clean, but upon close observation, there can be stains. A buildup of dirt and/or floor finish in corners and along walls can be seen.
   
• There are dull spots and/or matted carpet in walking lanes. There are streaks or splashes on base molding.
   
• All vertical and horizontal surfaces have obvious dust, dirt, marks, smudges, and fingerprints. Lamps all work and fixtures are clean.
   
• Trash containers and pencil sharpeners hold only daily waste and are clean and odor free.

Level 4—Moderate Dinginess

• Floors are swept or vacuumed clean, but are dull, dingy, and stained. There is a noticeable buildup of dirt and/or floor finish in corners and along walls.
   
• There is a dull path and/or obviously matted carpet in the walking lanes. Base molding is dull and dingy with streaks or splashes.
   
• All vertical and horizontal surfaces have conspicuous dust, dirt, marks, smudges, and fingerprints. Lamp fixtures are dirty, and some lamps (up to 5 percent) are burned out.
   
• Trash containers and pencil sharpeners have old trash and shavings. They are stained and marked. Trash containers smell sour.

Level 5—Unkempt Neglect

• Floors and carpets are dull, dirty, scuffed, and/or matted. There is a conspicuous buildup of old dirt and/or floor finish in corners and along walls. Base molding is dirty, stained, and streaked. Gum, stains, dirt, dust balls, and trash are broadcast.
   
• All vertical and horizontal surfaces have major accumulations of dust, dirt, smudges, and fingerprints, all of which will be difficult to remove. Lack of attention is obvious.
   
• Light fixtures are dirty with dust balls and flies. Many lamps (more than 5 percent) are burned out.
   
• Trash containers and pencil sharpeners overflow. They are stained and marked. Trash containers smell sour.

About APPA & the Custodial Staffing Guidelines
APPA promotes leadership in educational facilities for professionals seeking to build their careers, transform their institutions, and elevate the value and recognition of facilities in education. APPA is the association of choice for more than 5,200 educational-facilities professionals throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad. For more information, visit www.appa.org.

Initially printed by APPA in 1992 and now in its second edition, Custodial Staffing Guidelines includes information on such specialized facility areas as dormitories, health care facilities, and more. The publication is available from the ISSA Bookstore.