Daycare Cleaning: How to Keep Children Safe at Daycare

With more businesses beginning to reopen, many parents are wondering what to do with their children who are too young for school. Previously, one answer to this would be daycare, but with so many concerned about COVID-19, sending your child to play with others may pose a risk to their health.

However, with proper cleaning and disinfecting measures in place, parents can rest assured that their children are staying safe and healthy. Children explore their environment by touching and putting things into their mouths. This is natural behavior but can post serious risks during a pandemic.

For these reasons, daycares can quickly become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria and viruses. This blog post will cover suitable ways to keep daycares clean and safe for children.

Go Green

When cleaning a daycare, it is very important to maximize the use of chemical-free agents, like green cleaning products because they are safer.

Residual chemical fumes can be dangerous to children, who are more vulnerable and could have adverse reactions to the chemicals in traditional cleaning products. The inhalation or ingestion of even a tiny amount of a traditional cleaning product could cause serious damage.

Green cleaning products do not include harsh chemicals or ingredients that are harmful for children or pets if inhaled or ingested. Green cleaning products tend to use natural cleaners and disinfectants that can typically be found around the house or in the grocery store.

When cleaning and disinfecting around the common areas of the daycare, focus on high-touch areas such as tabletops, chairs, doorknobs and handles, countertops, handrails, cubbies, bookcases and cabinets, naptime mats, cribs, and toys.

Green cleaning products are not only safer for use around children, they are also better for the environment and can be used on all the surfaces listed above.

Disinfecting Toys

An important part of daycare cleaning is properly cleaning and disinfecting toys. Plastic toys can be cleaned easily by using a scrub brush and hot, soapy water to remove visible dirt and debris.

To properly disinfect plastic toys, soak them in a plastic bucket containing a mixture of water and a non-toxic disinfectant, then rinse the toys in clean water and allow them to air dry.

Toys that are made of wood are porous and therefore should not be submerged or soaked in any type of liquid. Instead, wipe the toy with a cloth soaked in hot, soapy water to remove dirt.

For hard-to-reach areas or places where the dirt is stuck on, a clean toothbrush or scrub brush can be used.

The toys should be allowed to dry completely, then wiped with a fresh cloth soaked in a non-toxic disinfectant. Allow the disinfectant to remain on the toy for the amount of time indicated on the bottle and follow the directions – most disinfectants work best when applied and allowed to air dry without wiping.

This process can also be used for battery-operated or electronic toys; just remember to remove the batteries first.

Toys that are made of fabric can usually be cleaned in the washing machine with hot water and dried in the dryer if appropriate. For any toy, it is important to spot test the disinfectant beforehand, in case it causes discoloration.

Bathroom Cleaning

Bathrooms should be cleaned and disinfected daily. During a public health crisis, the bathroom should be cleaned multiple times throughout the day. Pay special attention to changing tables, toilets, urinals, doorknobs and handles, sinks, and faucet handles.

To learn more about cleaning bathrooms, and to download a daily cleaning checklist for bathrooms, click here.

Ensuring Your Facility is Clean and Safe for Children

Maintaining a daycare is a full-time effort that requires focus and attention on the children, so worrying about cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day, especially during a pandemic can be overwhelming.

If you are a daycare owner and concerned about the cleanliness of your facility or the capacity of your staff to keep it clean, you may want to consider hiring a commercial cleaning company to help support your effort.

Commercial cleaning companies have the knowledge, experience, and professional tools to ensure your daycare is clean and safe for children. With access to efficient and effective green cleaning technology like electrostatic disinfection, Commercial Cleaning Corporation is well-prepared to support your childcare facility.

To schedule a free consultation and walkthrough of your daycare, fill out our simple form here.