How Automation Improves Cleaning Efficiency, Safety, and Student Experience
Waco Independent School District (ISD) — a large public school system in Texas — introduced autonomous cleaning robots, including PUDU CC1 from Pudu Robotics, to enhance cleaning operations across multiple campuses.
The district deployed multiple robots to support deep cleaning in schools, particularly during high-risk illness seasons.
The Challenge
With large campuses and high daily occupancy, Waco ISD faced:
- Increased need for deep cleaning to prevent illness spread
- Limited custodial staff to cover large facilities
- Time constraints during active school hours
- Difficulty maintaining consistent cleaning standards across campuses
This created a gap: More time spent managing cleaning and sanitation — less time focused on student safety and experience.
The Solution
Cleaning robots were deployed to support autonomous deep cleaning across school facilities.
The robots:
- Operate during nighttime hours when buildings are empty
- Perform deep cleaning across floors and carpeted areas
- Sweep, scrub, and mop to remove hidden dirt and bacteria
- Allow custodial teams to focus on targeted sanitation needs
This shifted operations from: Manual, time-limited cleaning → automated, continuous deep cleaning
The Results
Increased Cleaning Efficiency
- Deep cleaning completed overnight without disrupting school operations
- More consistent sanitation across campuses
Improved Health and Safety
- Reduced spread of flu and illness through proactive cleaning
- Ability to respond quickly to outbreaks with targeted deep cleaning
Reduced Staff Workload
- Robots handle large-area cleaning tasks
- Custodial teams focus on detailed and high-touch areas
More Consistent Environments
- Standardized cleaning quality across multiple schools
- Cleaner, healthier spaces for students and staff
Real-World Impact
“It’s going to help in deep cleaning… a game-changer.” — Alex Villanueva, Director of Facilities, Waco ISD
Why This Works
Most automation fails due to poor adoption — not poor technology.
Success in education environments comes from:
- Aligning robots to real facility workflows
- Running automation during off-hours for maximum efficiency
- Supporting custodial teams—not replacing them
The Impact Robotics Approach
Impact Robotics focuses on managed automation:
- Start with a real-world use case
- Validate performance in your environment
- Scale what improves both operations and safety
Not automation for the sake of technology — Automation that actually works.
Bottom Line
In schools, safety and consistency matter.
Robotics helps create cleaner environments at scale — while giving teams the support they need to protect students and staff.
As a Certified PUDU Robotics Distributor, Impact Robotics helps organizations implement automation that works in real environments—supporting staff, improving operations, and elevating the overall experience.