Educators and administrators have a lot to think about these days when it comes to safety, sanitization, and adherence to CDC guidelines. And many may not know where to find the right products and solutions to meet their needs.

We spoke with Kandice Tjebkes, HNI’s Director of Colors, Materials, and Finishes, and John Schwind, a senior textiles engineer for HNI, to learn more about easy-to-clean materials that will keep schools and their occupants safer in the upcoming year.

Thinking About Flexibility, Adaptability, and Compatibility

Those three factors – flexibility, adaptability and compatibility – are most critical in education when it comes to the materials used in the learning space.

Many schools and their janitorial staff will use one cleaner throughout the building, or in other cases, a few cleaners that are designed for specific areas. This is where compatibility with materials is key; not only do materials need to be able to stand up to significant wear and tear, but they need to be cleanable with the everyday products schools commonly use.

“We’ve talked a lot about the cleanability and durability of your surface materials, but these materials also must be flexible enough to be cleaned and utilized across different areas,” Schwind said.

“You should be able to ensure that the materials in your space all have the same requirements for cleanability and durability. You’ll want those same specifications for your tables, your upholstered products, and your plastic products. They should all have similar standards.”

Meeting the Many Challenges of Materials

No matter what type of school you’re buying for – a K-12 building or a higher education setting – one factor never changes: the surfaces and materials in your space will get used a lot.

That’s why durability is one of the primary qualities many educational buyers today are looking for. At HON, we have products that will stand the test of time and will also fit into any design aesthetic.

“In education, you’re going to have high impact and high wear, and we’re always talking with customers about products that can hold up against this wear over time,” Schwind said. “People want to have confidence that whether it’s spills, stains, markers, or general use, the material in their space will be able to withstand high impact.”

Small details like what students and staff are wearing can also have an effect on materials. We take these factors into consideration, as well.

“If everyone wears jeans, you want to make sure that the denim doesn't transfer on to the textile,” Tjebkes said. “For laminates, we’ve always advised that you should avoid patterns on the laminate that kids can draw or scribble on. You want to make sure that material is super-durable from a paint standpoint, too, and really make it as indestructible as possible.”

Preparing an Ideal Space for More Frequent and Intense Cleaning

One thing we want to make clear is that cleanability should not be, and doesn’t have to be, sacrificed for the sake of comfortability.

And when it comes to planning and design, it’s important to start from the right place.

“It’s about ease of use and cleanability first,” Schwind said. “Think about your staff’s needs first and then design the space around your protocol, so that you’re not working backwards the rest of the way. Once you know what the protocol looks like, you want to design a space that has flat, non-grade surfaces. You can utilize a plastic or poly-shell component for seating with seat pads.”

Meeting the Challenges of a New Normal

Social distancing. Minimizing shared spaces. Having surfaces and furniture that are easily cleaned and wiped down.

These are the minimum requirements – no matter what – that any school must meet in 2020.

“In the past, we’ve had cleaning instructions and a care guide on our website,” Tjebkes said. “Some people, in the past, would glance at that information and now, it’s completely different (due to COVID-19). Everyone wants to know everything about the (materials), how to clean it, how to take care of them, everything.”

Easy to Clean Doesn’t Have to Mean Boring

If you’ve read this piece and can’t get the “these materials are probably going to look bland” thought out of your mind, don’t worry.

We’ve had the same thoughts, which is why we’ve worked to design easy-clean textiles that have aesthetic appeal. No one wants a cold or unwelcoming classroom. No one wants to feel boxed in, or in a space that’s not fit to be energizing and fun.

“When you think about cleanability, your mind immediately goes to a coded-type textile,” Tjebkes said. “We have beautiful woven textiles. The design doesn't have to be cold and sterile-looking, as woven textiles bring warmth and character into the space. Others work well in these spaces, too, but our woven textiles will make things pop.”