Tips Archive » Getting Organized » House Keeping

• Protecting Floors (4 tips)
• Desks (4 tips)
• Baby Wipes 101 (8 tips)
• Protecting Materials (3 tips)
• Dealing with Messes (1 tip)

Protecting Floors

Tip for Concessions

From Jennifer Low, a family and consumer science teacher form Chappell, Nebraska:

"I learned this 'neat' trick from another teacher and I was amazed at how simple it was. I ran our basketball concession stand along with another teacher for 16 years and had the problem of pouring the messy popcorn oil into the measuring cup with each batch. Find an old percolator type coffee maker that makes 20 - 30 cups and throw away the cord and insides. Clean it really well and pour the popcorn oil into it. The spigot is so easy to work and just the right amount of space to get a one cup measure under it. I don't run concessions anymore but I might with this great tip!"

Adopt a Hallway

From Peggy Partridge, a teacher for the Riverside Beaver County School District in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania:

"To keep our school looking neat and clean, I suggested an 'Adopt a Hallway' program. Classes volunteered to police the halls for litter and our principal posted signs reminding us to 'Keep Riverside Beautiful'. The volunteering classes will be recognized at the end of the year for their hard work."

Vomit Comets

From Karla Gilbert, a first grade teacher at Pomona Elementary School in Montrose, Colorado:

"I request a container of 'Vomit Guard' from our custodian to keep in my classroom cupboard for when one of those inevitable accidents happens. Quick application of the compound makes the room more pleasant to be in and really helps with the clean up on hard surfaces and carpeted floors. The custodian loves me and class can continue! I also stress to my students that they should never come to tell me that they feel like they are going to throw up. Instead, they should just grab a trashcan. This little suggestion has saved many an accident!"

Socks and Tennis Balls

From Katey O'Brien, a second grade teacher at South Morrison Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia:

"I teach in an older building and my classroom is not carpeted. To cut down on the noise of chairs on the floor, I have put old tennis balls on the legs of each chair. This really keeps the chairs quiet. This tip was passed along to me by a fellow teacher. One of our local tennis centers donated the balls. I also wanted to put something on the table legs to protect the newly-waxed floors and found kids' tube socks worked great!"

Desks

Clean Tables

From Stacy, a substitute teacher:

"A great way to keep classroom tables clean is to cover them with plastic tablecloths or double sheets of butcher paper when children are working with glue, markers or paint. The plastic tablecloths can be attached under the table with Velcro tabs or double stick tape. Check local discount stores for bargains after holidays."

Spilled Paint

From Lynette Webb, an elementary art teacher for Blount County School System in Maryville, Tennessee:

"When mixing powdered tempera paint, use one part liquid hand soap and three parts water. This makes clean up a lot easier and helps with the laundry in the case of spilled paint."

Neat Treat

From Barbara Wrachford, a first grade teacher at Cool Springs Elementary School in Morgantown, West Virginia:

"Every afternoon at dismissal, I choose a name from a box and then check that student's desk to see if it's neat and clean. If it is, that student receives a 'Neat Treat' to take home. I put that name in my desk and when all of the names have been chosen, I start over again. If the chosen student's desk is not neat I put the name back into the box and choose another. This incentive has resulted in very organized desks and very little time wasted while a student hunts for materials."

Shaving Cream Clean-Ups

From Gail Dacus, a sixth grade teacher at C.T. Walker Magnet School in Augusta, Georgia:

"Shaving cream will remove pencil and pen marks from desk tops. I put shaving cream on each child's desk and then we do some form of leaning activity with the cream. For example, I ask students to draw a picture that illustrates a certain fraction or geometric shape or they write their spelling words. The inexpensive kind works just as well as the expensive kind."

Baby Wipes 101

Baby Wipes Revisited

From Kathy Morris, a third grade teacher in Vacaville, CA:

"During the school year, I have the students donate several items for classroom use. Items that are particularly handy are boxes of Baby Wipes. These are excellent for wiping hands after recess or before lunch, cleaning up desk tops, wiping dry erase boards, and even cleaning small spills on the carpet. You'll be surprised at all the helpful, quick uses these wipes will provide!"

Uses for Baby Wipes

From Paulette Jeffress, an eleventh grade English teacher at Person High School in Roxboro, North Carolina:

"I recently discovered that baby wipes are quite helpful in the classroom to erase transparencies that students are writing notes on to present to their classmates and if students need to wipe their hands. This cuts down on trips to the bathroom which can be a distraction."

Cleaning with Wipes

From Julia Koch, an English teacher at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Jefferson City, Missouri:

"I keep a tub of baby wipes by my overhead projector to clean my transparencies. The transparencies dry quickly and are ready for me to reuse for the next class. I allow students to demonstrate at the overhead quite frequently, and if an error is made, the baby wipes allow a student to wipe off just a small portion of what had been marked and then correct the error. Also, to avoid the nuisance of writing numerous hall passes, I have pre-written laminated passes that I store near my overhead projector. The students fill them out with an overhead marker, and when they return, they use a baby wipe to clean them for the next group of students."

Clean Students

From Anonymous:

"Our class of first and second graders gets very hectic while getting everyone ready to go to lunch. We have hit on the idea of having parents contribute baby wipes. Then, instead of taking lots of time to have all the students wash their hands, we just pass out a wipe for each student and they try to see how much 'dirt' they can get off their hands and onto the wipe while waiting in line. As the line leaves the room, we make sure we pass a wastebasket and the job is over, the kids are (fairly) clean and it's all been hassle-free."

Lots of Uses

From Laura Candler, a fifth grade teacher at E. E. Miller Elementary School in North Carolina:

"I have discovered lots of uses for the ordinary baby wipe! I ask parents to send in a box of wipes during the first week of school and store the collection throughout the year. Baby wipes are wonderful for cleaning the overhead projector, classroom charts, desks and other items. I seat my students in teams and after a messy cooperative activity, I ask a team member to take a single wipe and wipe all desks. Best of all, the boxes make wonderful storage containers for science materials, math manipulatives and game pieces. I use a marker to label each with the contents so I can see at a glance what's what."

Clean Desks I

From Karen Paradiso, a first grade teacher at Applegate School in Freehold, New Jersey:

"At the beginning of the school year, one of the supplies I ask each child to bring is a box of baby wipes. Each Friday, after cleaning the inside of their desks, the children wipe clean the tops of their desks. They're amazed at how much dirt they remove. This saves me a lot of scrubbing and teaches them responsibility."

Clean Desks II

From Debbie Winger, a sixth grade social studies teacher at Shawnee Middle School in Fort Wayne, Indiana:

"My tip can be used for any grade and it has to do with cleaning the classroom. To get pencil marks off of desks, I buy a tub of baby-wipes (cheap ones work just as well as name brands). I give each student one and they go to work on their desk tops. Not only are they easy on the hands and non-toxic, the desks get cleaned and the room smells nice and fresh!"

Clean Desks and Kids

From Patti Lochner, a kindergarten teacher at Colonial Elementary School in Ft. Myers, Florida:

"In kindergarten we do a lot of messy activities and for years I would always let the children go to the sink to get rid of the paste or glue from their hands. About 4 years ago, I decided enough was enough. Now, I just put a box of baby wipes, donated by a child, on each table and they are able to clean their hands that way. The wipes are also great for them to use to clean up their messy work space, that way their tables also stay clean."

Protecting Materials

Writing on Lamination

From Pamela Gilbert, a first grade teacher at Clymer School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

"I use a permanent marker to write on all my laminated materials. Dry erase markers tend to smudge and make charts look sloppy. Permanent marker comes off easily with nail polish remover."

Bag Books

From Jessica Grealis, a multiage 1-2 teacher at Perry Elementary School in Perry, Ohio:

"My children store their reading tradebooks in large Ziplock bags. We call them their bag books. They always have three books � one they are presently working on, one they just finished and is now an old favorite and a new one that they'll be beginning soon. These bag books make SSR easy. Each child has one to practice, one that's an old friend and one that's a challenge to look forward to. They also bring these spill proof bags home once a week to share with their parents."

Clean Books

From Deborah Meaux, a ninth and eleventh grade English teacher at Kaplan High School in Kaplan, Louisiana:

"At the start of the second semester, my freshmen and juniors engage in lengthy novel studies. Usually, the novels either do not appear in the adopted anthologies or are included in abridged forms; therefore, I have purchased with hard-to-get funds the needed unabridged novels. Before giving them out to students, however, I ask each student to bring in a large, heavy-duty freezer bag. I show them how to fold the bag so that the zipper portion of the bag opens on the outside of their binders and then how to press the plastic onto the rings of the binders. Then, and only then, I issue the precious novel.

Students are expected to keep their novels in the plastic bags to protect them from wear and also to ensure that each student has the novel in class when needed. It helps to number each novel and keep a master list of who has been issued which novel. I have used this procedure for the past five years and have found it effective for 95% of my students, especially freshmen. At the freshman level, the bag goes on to serve as a recepticle for the following unit's book. I have been able to keep track and receive almost all my novels back using this procedure."

Dealing with Messes

Glue

From Bonnie Feather, a first grade at DeMiguel School in Flagstaff, Arizona:

"I find that first graders and glue don't always mix well. This idea saves on glue waste, saves by buying large containers of school glue, and prevents over-application of glue, along with giving students some responsibility for their own supplies.

I refill three large school glue bottles periodically. From these, students fill plastic lids from milk containers. They usually provide one for every two children at the table. Students put the lids on recyclable, used paper, preventing a mess at their tables. To apply glue, children use little plastic sticks from those cheese and cracker packs. They love to save the sticks from their recess snacks and lunches. My students have even enlisted students from other classes to save the glue sticks. I have been having students collect these sticks and lids for several years, so I have enough to use for a week without washing them.When the gluing is finished, one child from the table usually puts the lids and sticks into a plastic gallon container filled with water. This container has a large hole cut out on the side but the handle remains on and children can carry it to the sink to wash it out. Children are responsible for washing the lids periodically and refilling the container with water. Children relish taking care of these supplies. It gives that active child a job to do away from the work table, and also can provide a job for a child who is finished with other work! Everyone wins!"

Cleaning Transparencies

From Florence Pinder, a first grade teacher at Indian Pines Elementary School in Lake Worth, Florida:

"I never clean transparencies! I keep a roll of Saran Wrap by my overhead projector. When I want to use a transparency, I simply roll the wrap over the transparency that I placed on the overhead, and then I write on the wrap. When I am done, I just roll the wrap back off, put my next transparency down, and pull more wrap over the next transparency. I use a permanent marker as it is brighter and left-handed people don't erase their work. One big roll from Sam's Club will last many years."