5 Things You Should Clean After Your Kids Come Home From School | Edmonton Parents

When kids come home from school, they bring more than homework and stories about their day. Backpacks, shoes, lunch containers, and busy little hands can also bring dirt, germs, and outdoor debris into your home.

For families across Edmonton and surrounding areas, keeping up with everyday cleaning can help your home feel fresher, more comfortable, and ready for whatever the next school day brings.

Here are five things worth cleaning regularly when your kids get home from school.

1. Hands

One of the simplest—and most important—cleaning habits starts with your children’s hands.

Kids touch desks, door handles, playground equipment, sports equipment, railings, and countless other surfaces throughout the school day. Make handwashing part of the after-school routine as soon as they walk through the door.

Encourage children to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, especially before eating or handling food. It’s a small habit that can make a big difference in maintaining good household hygiene.

For younger children, keeping a handwashing station stocked with soap and a clean towel can make the routine easier to remember.

2. Backpacks

School backpacks travel everywhere with your children, from classrooms and buses to playgrounds and the floors of your home.

Take a few minutes regularly to empty backpacks and remove old papers, wrappers, crumbs, and other forgotten items. Wipe down the exterior and handles according to the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

It’s also a good idea to give backpacks a designated spot near the entrance rather than allowing them to land on kitchen counters, dining tables, or beds.

A simple backpack-cleaning routine can help keep school-day dirt contained and make mornings less chaotic.

3. Lunch Containers

Lunch containers and water bottles come into direct contact with food and drinks every day, making them an important part of your family’s cleaning routine.

Empty lunch containers as soon as your kids get home. Wash reusable containers, lids, utensils, and water bottles thoroughly with warm, soapy water, following any care instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Don’t forget to check lunch bags for crumbs, spills, and forgotten food. Wipe the inside regularly and allow it to dry completely before the next school day.

Keeping lunch supplies clean can also help prevent lingering food odours and make packing tomorrow’s lunch much easier.

4. Shoes

Alberta weather can make footwear especially challenging to keep clean. Rain, snow, mud, salt, and gravel can quickly make their way from the driveway or schoolyard into your home.

Create a designated area near your entrance where children can remove their shoes when they arrive. During winter, use washable mats or boot trays to help contain moisture and outdoor debris.

Regularly sweep or vacuum around the entryway and clean the floor as needed. This is particularly helpful during Edmonton’s snowy and wet seasons when boots can track moisture and road salt indoors.

A clean entryway helps prevent outdoor mess from spreading throughout the house.

5. High-Touch Areas

After a busy school day, children may touch numerous surfaces before settling into their evening routine. That’s why high-touch areas around your home deserve regular attention.

Focus on surfaces such as door handles, light switches, cabinet handles, stair railings, faucet handles, and frequently used electronics. Clean these areas according to the manufacturer’s recommendations and use appropriate household cleaning products.

You don’t necessarily need to deep-clean your entire home every afternoon. Instead, concentrating on frequently touched surfaces can be an efficient way to maintain a clean and comfortable environment for your family.

Make After-School Cleaning Part of the Routine

A few simple habits can make a noticeable difference in how clean your home feels throughout the school year. By creating designated places for shoes and backpacks, washing hands, cleaning lunch supplies, and regularly wiping high-touch areas, Alberta families can stay ahead of everyday mess.

Of course, busy families don’t always have the time—or the energy—to keep up with everything on their cleaning list. That’s where professional cleaning services can help.

Contact JS Cleaning Services

For professional cleaning services in the Edmonton area, contact JS Cleaning Services, a locally owned company serving Edmonton, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Ardrossan, Spruce Grove, Sherwood Park, and surrounding areas.

Whether you’re looking for help keeping up with your regular household cleaning or need a deeper clean, professional support can give your family more time to focus on what matters most.

If reliable, repeatable cleaning is a priority for your space, you can learn more about our services here.