BradyPLUS & Kaivac Elevate School Hygiene in Chicago

Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the fourth largest school district in the United States, contains 634 school buildings and serves 325,300 students. Established in 1837¹, CPS describes themselves as “A District on the Rise” boasting a record-high graduation rate² in 2024.

Two years ago, CPS reorganized their facilities department, bringing all cleaning services in-house. Knowing that the move would come with challenges, district leaders leaned heavily on Zach Hansen, account representative from BradyPLUS, and Patrick Purcell, regional director from Kaivac. The pair teamed up to make the transition seamless and successful.

“CPS leaders knew they were going to face labor challenges from the start,” recalls Hansen. “To successfully move cleaning in-house, the district needed efficiency, innovation, training, and ongoing support. Together with Kaivac, we were able to supply all that and more.”

The process started with a meeting in the Kaivac LIVE Studio, where CPS leaders spoke about their needs while casting their vision for an in-house cleaning team. According to Purcell, the district had three distinct requests:

Optimize their current fleet of Kaivac equipment

Streamline training for newly hired associates

Find innovative solutions for time and budget constraints

Purcell and Hansen worked together to deliver on all three. They started by identifying and restoring about 150 pieces of Kaivac equipment CPS already had on hand. “Kaivac machines are super durable with just a few moving parts,” says Hansen. “Identifying equipment that just needed a replacement part or two brought a lot of value from the start.”

Then, BradyPLUS and Kaivac demonstrated their training support capabilities first via the Kaivac LIVE Studio and then on the KaiNect App. 

For equipment installs, this method removes the need to manage individual onsite custodial training. Hansen doesn’t have to plan training sessions around school hours, and he doesn’t have to ask CPS staff to go offsite for instruction.

Instead, every Friday, at 9:00AM, BradyPLUS and Kaivac host a custom, pre-recorded training video on a specific piece of equipment from the Kaivac LIVE Studio. CPS cleaning staff logs in and watches while a Kaivac rep is on site ready to answer any questions.

“We’ve seen a lot of excitement and engagement during these studio sessions,” says Hansen. “That translates into cleaner, safer buildings.”

Employees who cannot make the session still have access to the training library on the KaiNect app. Downloaded directly to their phone, these videos enable CPS workers to learn new skills, reinforce past training, and troubleshoot common equipment issues. Armed with data, the KaiNect app can track equipment usage, letting Chicago Public Schools effectively manage their cleaning fleet.

Staff are now empowered to use their Kaivac equipment every day as intended. The customized training and the support of BradyPLUS and Kaivac let CPS decision-makers feel confident about moving cleaning operations in-house.

CPS invested in 285 new Kaivac systems in 2025. Because that equipment cleans three times faster than conventional tools and removes 60 times more dirt and germs, the district expects $4.5 million in labor savings every year AND cleaner restrooms.

“The return on investment of these machines is strong,” says Hansen. “Plus, the time savings mean that restrooms will be cleaned every day, and workers will still have time for other tasks, like classroom disinfection.”

But mostly, Hansen says the district is impressed with the support BradyPLUS and Kaivac provide before, during, and after an installation. “We don’t just sell it and forget it,” he reports. “We are always there to support our clients.”

This is just the beginning of a larger opportunity with CPS to complete their No-Touch restroom cleaning program in all schools. They will also work with BradyPLUS to implement additional Kaivac products for floor care, weather-related entry cleaning, and spill response.

See how we can bring the same innovation and support to your facility. Contact us to learn how BradyPLUS can make cleaning smarter, faster, and easier for your team.⬇️

Sources

1. Chicago Public Schools - Wikipedia
2. Chicago Public Schools (CPS)