MILL CREEK, Wash. — KIRO 7 News got an inside look at how a coronavirus-impacted school was sanitized and cleaned.
Jackson High School has weathered a sanitizing storm.
For Gina Wiemann, each scrub-down is like a science.
“A light coat, let it sit, wipe them down,” she said of the continuous sanitizing efforts across campus.
As the head custodian at Jackson High School in Mill Creek, Wash., Wiemann and her co-workers are at the tail end of an epic deep clean.
Since last Friday, any high-touch area within the school has been drenched and sanitized.
“It’s very daunting,” Wiemann said. “It's a big school and you think at first, 'of yeah, we're gonna clean it' and all of a sudden, it's like 'oh my gosh!'"
Scroll down to continue reading
More news from KIRO 7
- Coronavirus: Deaths in Washington rise to 9
- Kirkland nursing facility ground zero in King County’s fight against coronavirus
- Coronavirus: Harborview medical director separates fact from fiction
- Local USPS employee tests positive for coronavirus
- Do you have an investigative story tip? Send us an email at investigate@kiro7.com
It's definitely been an intense time.
On Saturday alone, Wiemann and her co-workers put in a 14-hour day. Then came Sunday, then Monday.
Nooks and crannies throughout the school were sprayed with hospital-grade disinfectant.
“We filled up with at least five to ten gallons of chemical and we went around the school and went top to bottom,” Wiemann told KIRO 7 News.
To give her as much extra help as possible, the Everett School District brought in custodians from other schools.
At the height of the effort, dozens of people were cleaning the halls at Jackson High.
As classes finally resumed today, their efforts didn't go unnoticed.
“It smelled like Lysol when I walked into school, so I feel like they did a good job,” said Cole Hunter, a senior. “Kids are feeling safe, teachers are feeling more comfortable, so I'm really pleased at the feel of the tone right now,” said principal Dave Peters.
“It’s amazing,” said Wiemann. “Everybody came in today and it smells clean, so I'm very happy with what we did.”
As for the student diagnosed with coronavirus, his friends at Jackson High School said he's doing much better and is currently on the mend in home quarantine.
He is not expected to be back on campus for two weeks.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
