When a trusted campus needs surfaces sanitized fast and done right, speed and standards both matter. That is the story behind Kelly Cleaning’s work at The Thacher School in Ojai, California. What started as a rapid-response job during the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) period grew into a clear example of a capability we still offer today: fast, high-standard disinfection for schools, businesses, and large facilities.
This case study walks through what that work looked like, the electrostatic method we used, the standards we followed, and how quickly our team can be on site.
The Client and the Challenge
The Thacher School is a prestigious private school. It was founded in 1889 and sits on 427 acres of land in Ojai. Thacher is known throughout academia for a very selective process. The school has only a 3 percent acceptance rate, and it vets faculty, students, vendors, and partners with the same care.
Thacher put in place an aggressive program to protect its students and faculty. The goal was simple but demanding: keep the campus safe by sanitizing all surfaces and all rooms, across an expansive property that includes classrooms, study halls, labs, and the campus Bon Appetit restaurant.
Thacher applied the same rigorous vetting process it uses for admissions and hiring to its search for a cleaning partner. The school selected Kelly Cleaning for our expertise and our proven ability to respond reliably at a high level. Being trusted as a cornerstone of a program like this is rewarding, and it is a strong endorsement of our work in critical cleaning.
The Mission at a Glance
Here is a quick snapshot of the job:
- Client: The Thacher School
- Location: Ojai, California
- Orders: Prevent the presence of Covid-19 on campus by sanitizing all surfaces and all rooms with EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) approved disinfectants and specialized equipment, following CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines
- Personnel: Kelly Rapid Response Team
- Cleaning frequency: 7 days per week, with daily intensive cleaning in between classes
- Equipment used: electrostatic sprayer, EPA approved disinfectants, assorted conventional cleaning supplies, and manual labor
How Electrostatic Disinfection Works
Our sprayers are a new standard in sanitizing and disinfecting an environment. The reason comes down to some simple science.
Cleaning agents in the sprayer are given an electric charge. That charge is what makes the method so thorough. Once the droplets are in the air, they are pulled toward surfaces and cling to them. The mist wraps around objects and reaches spots that a spray bottle and rag can miss.
At Thacher, that meant the disinfectant reached:
- Under tables and chairs
- Bookshelves
- Door handles
- Other exposed surfaces in study halls, labs, and classrooms
Because the charged droplets cling and are not wiped away, the disinfectant stays in contact with the surface and works on germs where they live. This is why electrostatic spraying is a strong fit for large areas like collections of buildings, groups of classrooms, and sprawling facilities. It covers a lot of ground in a short time without cutting corners.
We pair the misting with hands-on work. Our team wipes down surfaces with disinfectant and a microfiber cloth. The heat from the friction of the microfiber cloth helps the disinfecting while it cleans the surface. The electrostatic mist then settles on all surfaces and is left in place.
The Standards We Held
Fast work only counts if it is done to a high standard. At Thacher, our plan was to carry out daily cleaning protocols on all surfaces in all rooms using recommended disinfecting solutions from the CDC.
We followed these standards closely:
- CDC guidelines for disinfecting solutions and protocols
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protocols
- JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) standards
- Only EPA Certified cleaning products
Holding to healthcare-grade standards on a school campus shows the level we aim for. It is the same care we bring to our commercial cleaning work for offices, schools, and larger sites.
Why Rapid Response Matters Beyond One Job
The Thacher project began during the Covid-19 period, when parents everywhere had serious concerns about children returning to in-person school. Distance learning could not replace the classroom, so a strong cleaning response was part of reopening safely.
That original context has passed, but the capability has not. Rapid-response disinfection is still valuable any time a space needs to be made safe quickly. Think of a flu outbreak in an office, a norovirus scare at a facility, or a business that simply wants regular, deep disinfection built into its routine.
If you are choosing a cleaning partner for a school or a workplace, these are fair questions to ask:
- What kind of cleaning precautions are used?
- Will disinfection happen between uses, such as between classes or shifts?
- What cleaning service is handling the work, and what is its track record?
- How effective are these measures at disinfecting?
Correct disinfection takes special training and careful work. That is the value our Rapid Response team brings, and it pairs well with steady, ongoing care like our janitorial services in Ventura County and our air duct and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) cleaning for cleaner indoor spaces.
How Fast Can We Get There?
Speed is part of the promise. For rapid-response work, our team can be on site at your location within 2 hours in any of these cities:
Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Ojai, Fillmore, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Montecito, and Goleta.
That reach covers much of Ventura County and the surrounding area, so help is close when you need surfaces sanitized on short notice.
The Takeaway
The Thacher School job shows what our rapid-response disinfection can do when standards are high and time is short:
- A high-standard, high-tech method using electrostatic spraying and EPA approved disinfectants
- Healthcare-grade protocols followed on a large, active campus
- A trusted partner able to respond fast across our service area
Do you need to get things sanitized quickly and correctly? Learn more about our full range of cleaning work through Kelly Cleaning’s services for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, or call (805) 644-5308.