What current guidance actually says
CDC's consolidated K-12 guidance, updated May 2024, frames it as clean, sanitise, and disinfect, when appropriate. Routine cleaning with soap or detergent removes most germs from most surfaces. Disinfection is warranted for high-touch surfaces during an outbreak, after a sick person has been in the space, and for specific surfaces like restroom fixtures and food areas. Fogging every classroom nightly is expensive, hard on surfaces, and not what the guidance asks for.
Product choice
Disinfectants used around children should be selected for both efficacy and safety profile. EPA Safer Choice certification and Green Seal GS-37 are the practical shortlists, and several states require third-party-certified products in schools by statute. Dwell time is the part everyone gets wrong: a disinfectant that needs four minutes of visible wetness does nothing if it is wiped after thirty seconds.
Outbreak response
Norovirus, influenza and hand-foot-and-mouth each call for a different response, and norovirus in particular needs a disinfectant specifically rated for it. We write the escalation protocol into the scope so nobody is improvising during an outbreak.
Bloodborne pathogens
OSHA 1910.1030 applies in schools, and cleaning staff are covered. A written exposure control plan, annual training, and the right kit on site are not optional. Ask any contractor to show you their plan.