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    (608) 360-5818
    Commercial exterior cleaning for Schools & Education in Madison, WI

    School & Education Facility Cleaning — Madison, WI

    Schools are a special kind of client because every decision runs through one filter — is this safe for kids? The Total Wash Co. runs our school program on that filter. Chemistry: we use only biodegradable, child-safe detergents; no solvent-based chemicals, no fragrance-heavy cleaners, no anything that lingers in the rubber of playground surfaces. Scheduling: we do the vast majority of our school work in the summer maintenance window, from the Monday after the last day of school to the Friday before teacher in-service week — roughly 9 weeks to pressure wash every walkway, clean every window, soft-wash every classroom wing, and scrub every playground surface without a single student on campus. Safety: background-checked crews, uniformed, marked vehicles, sign-in at the main office on every visit. We work with K–12 districts (Madison Metropolitan, Middleton-Cross Plains, Verona, Sun Prairie, Waunakee, Oregon, McFarland), private schools, Montessori programs, daycares, and higher-ed facilities (UW Madison, Madison College, Edgewood). For districts running summer programs, we schedule around your ESY and enrichment calendars so fieldhouse and playground cleanings happen on down-days. Your business manager gets one invoice, your custodial supervisor gets one point of contact.

    Get your school site visit quote(608) 360-5818
    Licensed & Insured
    5.0(206+ reviews)
    5,500+ Jobs Done
    Madison's Trusted Choice Since 2021

    What Schools & Education Need From Their Exterior Cleaner

    We built our schools & education program around the concerns our clients actually ask about.

    Child-safe chemistry

    Biodegradable, non-fragrance detergents only. No solvents, no residue on playground rubber, no chemicals that linger in porous surfaces kids touch.

    Summer maintenance windows

    Bulk of our school work is scheduled June through August — pressure wash, window clean, soft-wash, playground detail, all done while campus is empty.

    Playground & walkway cleaning

    Rubber playground surfaces, poured-in-place flooring, walkways, and tetherball / basketball pads all cleaned with pressure settings safe for each substrate.

    Background-checked crews

    Every crew member passes a background check before any school visit. We comply with district-specific volunteer/vendor policies and provide documentation on request.

    Sign-in & ID protocols

    Every visit starts with a main office sign-in. Crews wear visible IDs and stay within the work zone. Your custodial supervisor always knows who's on campus.

    How We Run Schools & Education

    The specifics behind the work — chemistry, equipment, scheduling, and the discipline schools & education actually require.

    Why schools need a different kind of exterior contractor

    Schools sit at the intersection of two procurement constraints most contractors aren't built to meet: a parent-complaint-zero safety threshold and a public-records-accountable spending review. Both run through the facilities director, and both kill cheap-vendor proposals on first read. Parents will email the principal the minute they see a fragranced chemical near a play surface — and the principal will email your district's purchasing manager. Newsletter mentions follow. School board cycles three steps later. Our school program is built specifically to never start that thread. Chemistry is rated for child-contact surfaces (every product reviewed against EPA Tolerance Reassessment Eligibility Decisions for residue on porous play substrates). Marketing-style branded vehicles are kept off the front circle drive (we use plain-livery support vehicles when requested by the district). Crew is briefed on what to say if a community member walks up and asks what they're doing — short, calm, factual answers that reference the district contract by approval date. Background checks are documented per Wisconsin Statute §118.13 vendor-vetting expectations for districts serving minors. The contract that gets renewed five summers in a row isn't the cheapest summer 2026 bid — it's the one nobody ever has to defend at a board meeting.

    Summer maintenance windows and how we sequence them

    Wisconsin K-12 districts run a ~9-week summer maintenance window from the day after the last instructional day in early June to the Friday before teacher in-service week in late August. Our school program runs against that calendar. Week 1-2 (mid-June): exterior pressure-wash sequence — building perimeter sidewalks, entry pads, bus loops, parking, kindergarten play area approaches. Week 3-4 (late June): window cleaning interior + exterior, ground to 3rd floor, every classroom and admin office. Week 5-6 (early July): soft-wash siding on fieldhouse, gym, classroom wings; gutter clear-out (catches a summer's worth of seedpod and tree-debris before the August thunderstorm season fills them). Week 7-8 (mid-July to early August): playground surface detail — rubber poured-in-place play decks, basketball/tetherball pads, outdoor classroom decks. Week 9 (mid-August): final sign-off walkthrough with custodial supervisor, document any opportunities discovered (loose downspout, gutter pull-away, peeling soffit) for next summer's planning. Districts with summer-school enrichment programs running parallel get their schedule reverse-engineered so play and bus-loop areas are clean on the morning programming starts each day.

    Child-safe chemistry and PSI per substrate

    Every surface on a school campus has a maximum-safe-PSI ceiling and a chemistry whitelist, and crew know both before a wand turns on. Rubber poured-in-place playground surface: maximum 1,500 PSI with 40-degree fan tip at 18-inch distance; we operate at 1,200 PSI to add a safety margin. Engineered wood fiber (EWF) playground fill: never pressure-washed — surface-raked and hand-rinsed only. Concrete walkway, entry pad, bus loop: 2,500-3,200 PSI with 25-degree tip, hot water 180°F for gum and tire-mark removal. Painted concrete (gym floor, athletic line painting): 1,800 PSI cold, no chemistry stronger than mild detergent. Soft-wash siding: 80-150 PSI through X-Jet nozzle, 0.5% sodium hypochlorite + plant-based surfactant on the most-affected north walls only. Chemistry whitelist: SH-based biocide, alkyl polyglucoside surfactant (plant-derived), pH-buffered citrate degreaser, and a non-fragranced rinse aid. Chemistry blacklist (we don't bring on campus): butyl-based degreasers, ammonia, bleach in non-soft-wash dilutions, fragranced anything, solvent-based graffiti remover (we use a citrus-gel alternative). SDS sheets filed with the district's safety officer 14 days before first visit.

    Background checks, sign-in protocols, and what districts get in writing

    Every Total Wash Co. employee assigned to school work passes a 7-year criminal-background check through a third-party vendor before the first campus visit. We comply with Wisconsin Statute §118.13 vendor-vetting expectations and provide background-check documentation to district purchasing on request. Crew members wear branded uniforms with visible photo-ID badges. Every visit starts with main-office sign-in (or after-hours custodial-supervisor sign-in for evening/weekend work). Marked service vehicles park in designated visitor or vendor stalls only — never in fire lanes or staff-restricted zones. Crew stays within the contracted work zone for the visit; no wandering, no breaks taken inside building, no interaction with summer-school or extended-care students. We provide districts with: COI naming the district as additional insured ($2M GL + $5M umbrella), W-9, background-check certificates per assigned crew member, SDS binder for every chemical, our City of Madison stormwater permit, OSHA training records, and a contract addendum specifying we will not perform any work during regular school hours unless explicitly directed in writing by the facilities director.

    Child-Safe ChemistryBackground CheckedSummer SchedulingDistrict-Compliant InsuranceSign-In Protocol

    Services Built for Schools & Education

    Bundle anything on this list into a single recurring contract.

    Summer Campus Pressure Wash

    Full campus walkways, entry pads, bus loops, and parking areas during summer break.

    Learn more

    Classroom Window Cleaning

    Inside + outside, ground to 3rd floor. Completed during summer or during long-weekend breaks.

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    Playground Surface Cleaning

    Rubber, poured-in-place, and concrete play surfaces cleaned with child-safe chemistry and appropriate PSI.

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    Fieldhouse & Gym Exterior

    Soft-wash siding, clean fieldhouse exterior, remove mildew from shady north-facing walls.

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    Gutter Cleaning

    Summer clear-out prevents ice dams on classroom wings next winter — scheduled by default in August.

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    Why Schools & Education Choose The Total Wash Co.

    • $2M General Liability + $5M umbrella
    • Wisconsin licensed and insured since 2021
    • COI issued before every first visit
    • Commercial references available on request
    • 24/7 scheduling — weekends, holidays, off-hours welcome
    • Dedicated account manager for portfolios of 3+ buildings

    Recent Schools & Education Work

    We handle schools & education across Madison and Dane County. Contact us for verified references and case studies specific to your schools & education type — we're happy to connect you with existing clients who match your scope.

    Ask for case studies: (608) 360-5818

    School and education facility cleaning — Madison-area ranges

    Real numbers from real Madison-area schools & education jobs. Final pricing always after a free site walk — these ranges are where most jobs land.

    Single-school summer campus package (elementary, 50K-80K sqft, full pressure-wash + window clean + soft-wash + playground)

    $3,850–$7,450

    Completed during 9-week summer window. Includes all walkways, building perimeter, classroom windows interior + exterior, fieldhouse/gym soft-wash, playground detail. Larger campuses (90K+ sqft) trend toward high end.

    Playground surface deep-clean (single play area, rubber + concrete pads)

    $285–$725

    Child-safe chemistry only, PSI metered per substrate. Recommended annually before fall reopening or quarterly for high-use areas.

    District-wide window cleaning (5-15 buildings, interior + exterior, summer window)

    $8,500–$24,500

    Consolidated bid across all district buildings. Scheduled across 4-6 weeks of summer. Per-window pricing improves with volume — districts with 15+ buildings see the deepest per-pane discount.

    Annual district-wide contract (multi-summer, full campus + window + playground)

    10-15% below per-job pricing

    Multi-year agreements lock pricing, give districts predictable summer maintenance budget. Standard 3-year term, optional renewals.

    What drives pricing within these ranges

    • Campus square footage (footprint + total exterior surface area)
    • Number of buildings on a district contract (volume tiers at 3, 8, 15+ buildings)
    • Play surface mix (rubber poured-in-place is faster than EWF or pad-concrete mix)
    • Window count and accessibility (ground-floor versus 3-story add pole work)
    • Multi-year versus single-summer bid (multi-year unlocks deepest discount)

    Recurring contracts: Multi-year district contracts (typical 3-year term) save 10-15% versus single-summer bids and lock crew assignment so the same vetted technicians return each summer — important for district facilities directors managing turnover risk.

    Procurement Actions

    Three actions B2B procurement teams ask for first. Each lands in our inbox with the right context attached.

    Request summer maintenance site walk

    We walk your campus during the school year and have a written summer-window scope and bid in your inbox within 5 business days. Booked through February for June starts.

    Start request

    Inquire about district-wide multi-year contract

    Multi-building, multi-year agreements lock pricing and crew assignment. 10-15% savings versus single-summer bid. Standard 3-year term.

    Start request

    Request COI + background-check documentation packet

    COI naming your district as additional insured, background-check certificates per assigned crew member, full SDS binder, OSHA training records. Standard for school procurement.

    Start request

    Trust, Compliance, and Verifiable Standards

    The Total Wash Co. has serviced Madison-area K-12 districts, private schools, daycares, and higher-education facilities since 2021. Owner-operator Ashton Ferry personally scopes every district onboarding and is the named account contact for every school client we serve. We carry $2M general liability, $1M commercial auto, full Wisconsin workers' compensation, and a $5M umbrella policy — coverage levels every Madison-area district vendor contract we've seen requires. Every employee assigned to school work passes a 7-year criminal-background check through a third-party vendor before the first campus visit (Wisconsin Statute §118.13 vendor-vetting compliant). All chemistry is documented in SDS binders provided to the district safety officer 14 days before first visit. We are members in good standing of the Power Washers of North America (PWNA) and comply with the City of Madison Stormwater Permit M-001-15 for runoff management on campus storm drains. Our school program follows the National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) recommended cleaning protocols for rubber poured-in-place and engineered-wood-fiber play surfaces — substrate-specific PSI ceilings and chemistry restrictions documented per surface. District-specific references available on request.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you use child-safe cleaning products?+

    Yes. Every product we use on a school campus is biodegradable, non-fragrance, and rated safe for surfaces kids touch. SDS sheets are on file and can be forwarded to your district's safety officer. We do not use solvent-based cleaners on playground surfaces.

    Can you complete work during summer break?+

    Yes — that's how we run most of our school contracts. We book summer campuses starting in February for June–August work windows. Full-campus pressure wash, window cleaning, soft-wash, and gutter clear typically completes in 2–4 days per school.

    Are your crews background-checked?+

    Yes. Every employee passes a criminal background check before a school visit. We comply with each district's specific vendor/volunteer policy and provide documentation on request. Crews are uniformed, wear visible IDs, and sign in at the main office every visit.

    What PSI is safe for playground surfaces?+

    Rubber poured-in-place surfaces max at 1,500 PSI with a 40° fan tip — we use 1,200 PSI as our default. Engineered wood fiber (EWF) gets raked and surface-cleaned, never pressure washed. Concrete pads can take up to 3,000 PSI with hot water for gum removal.

    Can you service multiple schools in a district?+

    Yes. We handle district-wide contracts with consolidated invoicing. Madison Metropolitan, Middleton-Cross Plains, and Verona districts are our typical scope — single contract, one point of contact, consistent crews across every building.

    Ready to talk?

    Site visit within 24 hours. No pressure, no pitch — just a walkthrough and a written scope. (608) 360-5818 or the form below.

    Get your school site visit quote(608) 360-5818