Writing Practical Childcare Hygiene and Cleaning Procedures

Name the method and the responsible person

A useful procedure tells staff what to clean, when, with which product and who is responsible. Include preparation, safe access, cleaning, any required rinsing or drying, and how completion is recorded. Use current guidance, product labels and surface care instructions rather than a general instruction to 'sanitise everything'.

Distinguish cleaning, sanitising and disinfection

Cleaning removes dirt and soiling. Sanitising or disinfection may be required for particular situations under food-safety, health or incident procedures, but the methods and products are not automatically interchangeable. Where a product is required, follow its label, including dilution and contact time; do not publish a universal chemical recipe for every centre.

Plan equipment separation and storage

State which equipment is used in bathrooms and which is used in food areas, how used materials are managed and where chemicals are stored out of children's reach. Identify relevant safety information and who supplies products. Make these decisions part of induction for centre staff and contractors.

Keep incident and outbreak procedures separate

Routine contractor cleaning is only one part of a centre's hygiene arrangements. Body-fluid incidents and outbreaks need the centre's own procedures and, where relevant, public-health advice. Do not treat a standard cleaning checklist as proof that infection has been prevented or compliance guaranteed.

References

• NHMRC — Staying healthy: healthy environment
• Victorian Department of Health — Cleaning and waste disposal

Related cleaning services

• Our centre-specific cleaning approach
• Kitchen and eating-area cleaning