How often do you clean/sanitize daycare toys and other equipment, and what do you use?
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How often do you clean/sanitize daycare toys and other equipment, and what do you use?
I will admit that I have gotten way more 'lax' with this now that I am no longer brain washed by centre practices of bleach, bleach, bleach ;)
I use to think I had to clean all the toys and equipment and dress up stuff and so forth weekly because that is what was required in a regulated setting ... and than I realized I am not a centre with 150 clients germs coming through my door I am a HOME with a few kids spending their days here and well I have WAY MORE control over how well they are fed to promote healthy immunity, how often they are washing their hands to keep the toys 'clean' in the first place and so forth ... plus I am pretty sure that my mother never 'bleached' our toys as children and well all grew up to be strong healthy adults ;)
So now if there are an 'illnesses' going around the community that we have been exposed to I dip anything mouthed by children in a vinegar and water solution and let it air dry on a towel - I do it right as it happens and than toss it back into the playroom when it is dry. Other than that I do a big clean of the program seasonally so start of the new 'school year', after Xmas in January heading into warmer weather in May type things or if I notice that something has gotten 'dirty' somehow I will drop it in the vinegar and water solution.
I only use bleach now if the STOMACH FLU has entered the program - aka Rotavirus or Norwalk because those ones need a stronger disinfectant to kill the bacteria ... which is rare for me thank goodness!
My crew, aside from the common cold or complications from the common cold which is insidious on the immunity of everyone, never seems to get 'sick' with communicable diseases normal to childhood and we are out and about in the community 'exposed' to lots of other people so my 'less is more' must be having some effect at helping them to develop a strong immunity ;)
I wipe down surfaces (table in the playroom, kitchen playset, train table etc) every second day at least... I try to do it every day.
I only do a thourough washing of toys if there is something nasty going around. And even then, while I'm doing it i'm thinking, why am I doing this? everyone has been exposed! LOL
I wash the soft toys every week with the daycare bedding. I do the big toys every couple of months. I bleach when i'm trying to rid the house of something really contagious that I'm trying to get rid of.
I keep a bucket for toys that have gone into mouths and wash that stuff every day or two before I put it back in the toyroom.
I do a good wash of all my surfaces at the end of the day, like tables and stuff. I have "a mouthed toy bin" that I wash then too, but aside from that I wash all my toys every month or if I have a case of a bad bug going around. I also wash my costumes, blankets and playpens/exersaucer every week.
I keep the kitchen and dining room super clean all the time, floors are swept and vacuumed nightly and I dust regularly. However, in the beginning I was washing all the toys every weekend and being super vigilant and now I rarely do that. If a child has a bad cold and is mouthing toys they are taken out to be sanitized to keep cross contamination down but otherwise I've relaxed a lot on this subject.
I think as you go along you realize how to spend your time wisely and give yourself a break on the small stuff and in the beginning you want to be SuperDaycareProvider !
I also vaccum and sweep. every day.
I'm pretty relaxed too. I only wash as needed and if something really nasty is going around I will use bleach.
Oh sorry I thought we were talking about the 'toys' ... yes I clean the kitchen, bathrooms, and vacuum and steam mop floors daily sometimes I can get away with the floors alternating days but generally they need it with 5 clients coming in and out of the house the foyer gets dirty, cooking for so many children and feeding those of varied skill the kitchen floor needs it and well toilet training children in a bathroom reek havoc in there too!
I clean as needed as well. Mouthed toys are every evening which is easy since I only have one that does so right now. I also wipe down the picnic table and slide before ech use (bird poop etc).
Dining room, living room & the foyer are every other day. High chairs, boosters and pottys are on a as need as well. BUT then I do a full house clean each week of bedrooms, bathrooms etc.
Mammamia, sounds like I'm not the only one with play equipment under a tree obviously! I have to take my broom out and a big wet soapy cloth before the children arrive in the morning and wipe it all down.
Ashleigh, I use a dollop of bleach in a sink full of water too and then rinse really well. I just can't believe that vinegar can kill bacteria as well as bleach, but I worked at a medical lab for a decade and saw bacteria up close so I'm a germaphobe.
I only wipe down the booster chairs daily but take them apart on Friday and give them a good scrubbing. I also wash all the children's bedding every weekend. All this work is becoming second nature and I don't think about it all any more I suppose. That comes with time and practice.