While the children enjoy the time they spend at your daycare facility, their parents expect the very best from you and your staff. You do everything you can to make the environment a safe, caring place. That includes keeping it sparkling clean from cubby storage to bathrooms.
When was the last time you reviewed your daycare center cleaning checklist?
As well as you have everything covered, there’s always room for improvement. Well-organized daycare cleaning procedures keep everyone on track through the busiest days. An upgraded checklist also helps you assign tasks, balance schedules and identify time-saving strategies.
The Ultimate Daycare Cleaning Checklist: 5 Ways to Stay Organized
Regardless of the differences in size and activities, school buildings and your daycare facility share an important responsibility to children: making sure their surroundings are clean and healthy. Use this daycare center cleaning checklist to streamline your efforts. We also include powerful daycare cleaning tips that maximize the results.
1. Organize Ongoing Tasks
These jobs need to be taken care of throughout the day. Work with staff to organize ongoing tasks before and after different activities and rest times.
• Keep high chairs, seating, tables and play area surfaces wiped down after snacks and between activities.
• Make sure dishes stay washed and food prep stations are cleaned and disinfected.
• Pick up toys, check for stains or damages, and keep them organized in bins.
Power Tip: Designate a storage area out of the children’s reach for mouthed or dirty items.
• Inspect entrances, doorways, hallways and activity rooms for tripping hazards.
• Clean and disinfect diaper changing tables after every use.
• Empty trash and diaper pails that are more than half full.
Power Tip: Stress the importance of hand sanitizing after every diaper- or trash-related task.
2. Establish Daily Cleaning Schedules
Make sure daily housekeeping gets done by developing a schedule around your daycare center cleaning checklist. Post copies for easy staff access and review.
• Give all toys a final inspection and thorough cleaning at the end of the day.
Power Tip: Rotating toys during the week keeps this job manageable.
• Check nap mats, cot sheets and blankets, fold and store, or launder as needed.
• Clean and sanitize all food prep area surfaces, sinks and equipment.
• Disinfect touchpoints including light switches, door knobs and cabinet handles.
Power Tip: Be sure to sanitize staff equipment, phones and keyboards.
• Sweep and mop your facility’s hard floors, and vacuum carpets every day.
• Emphasize the importance of daily daycare bathroom cleaning from scrubbing toilets to sanitizing surfaces.
3. Outline Weekly Tasks
Work with staff to determine which daycare cleaning procedures are best done on a weekly basis. Use this strategy to save time by taking care of certain tasks on specific days.
• Remove everything from storage cubbies, and clean them inside and out with disinfecting wipes.
• Launder all nap mats, cot sheets and blankets, and repair tears or frays.
• Clean out refrigerators and appliances, and check all food supplies for freshness.
Power Tip: Rotate food in storage to avoid missed expiration dates.
• Dust furnishings, light fixtures and ceiling fans, and wipe down walls.
• Weekly daycare bathroom cleaning should always include hard-to-reach areas behind toilets and under sinks.
4. Assign Monthly Duties
Assign different staff members to monthly duties on your daycare cleaning checklist. Rotate tasks throughout the year so that the workload is shared equally.
• Clean and reorganize shelves, closets and storage areas, and check equipment and supplies.
• Polish windows and glass doors, clean blinds, and freshen drapes.
• Dust window sills, door frames, baseboards and areas behind furnishings.
• Inspect door mats for wear or tripping hazards, and replace as needed.
• Check drains and plumbing in bathrooms and kitchens for signs of clogs or leaks.
5. Outsource Deep Cleaning Jobs
Some jobs are best handled by professional cleaning contractors. Their daycare cleaning services cover important projects that need to be taken care of several times a year to ensure healthy facility interiors.
• Deep carpet cleaning eliminates bacteria that can breed in fibers and padding.
• Professional hardwood floor care keeps surfaces in good condition and extends flooring life.
• Air duct cleaning sanitizes the network that circulates air through all the rooms in your daycare center.
• Deep tile and grout cleaning minimizes fungal growth on surfaces in bathrooms and food prep areas.
Power Tip: A cleaning and restoration contractor also handles mold removal and remediation.
• Upholstery cleaning keeps fabrics stain-free and freshens facility interiors.
• Industry-certified green cleaning options are available for most daycare deep cleaning projects.
We’re at Your Service
We understand how hard it can be to stay organized when you’re constantly busy. We offer our daycare cleaning checklist as a guide that can streamline routines, save time and make your job a little easier every day.
When you need help with big projects, you can depend on us here at ServiceMaster Restoration by Zaba. Our full line of commercial cleaning includes expert daycare cleaning services in Chicago and the suburbs. We handle all types of facility-wide deep cleaning, and we’re always at your service.