Custodial staff from Spokane Public Schools spent most of Sunday afternoon and evening disinfecting Bemiss Elementary School after a parent tested positive last week for the novel coronavirus.

Students at Bemiss and the rest of the district will return to class Monday only, then take at least six weeks off following Gov. Jay Inslee’s order closing all schools until at least April 27.

According to the district, the custodial staff will “thoroughly disinfect” the school.

Custodians used an electrostatic disinfection system known as Clorox 360, which the district uses during periods of higher absenteeism due to illness, especially stomach bugs.

The district has three of the machines, which all allow cleaning of an elementary school building in 6 to 7 hours.

Typically, custodians will move room to room with the machines to spray a disinfectant that evaporates after a few minutes, just like regular Clorox.

The spray is expected to kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria that can cause viruses and other illnesses.

Once they complete the spraying, the custodians will further wipe down any high-touch areas as needed.

Buses which served Bemiss last week were cleaned Friday afternoon and will be cleaned again before their Monday morning routes.