Spokane Public Schools is deploying robotic floor-cleaning machines across secondary buildings as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance and increase efficiency.
The district has purchased 14 Tennant autonomous floor cleaning units – one for every middle and high school. The machines operate primarily at night, but are also used during the school day in high-traffic areas such as commons spaces following lunch periods.
Using geospatial mapping technology, staff program the machines to navigate entire buildings and clean designated routes without supervision.
By automating routine floor maintenance, custodians are able to focus on deeper cleaning and other tasks, helping improve sanitation while extending the useful life of school facilities.
The robots aren't replacing staff, but instead are helping maintain cleaning standards.
Since their introduction this school year, the robotic cleaners have logged more than 1,500 hours of use, cleaned around 16.5 million square feet, and completed over 3,200 programmed routes.
Cleaning frequency has increased from about once per week per school to a minimum of three times per week, resulting in more consistent floor care and improved cleanliness.