Nursery and Childcare Cleaning

Early years providers in England must meet the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements, which include keeping premises and equipment clean and taking steps to prevent the spread of infection. Ofsted inspectors will look at hygiene as part of children's welfare. UK health protection guidance for childcare settings covers cleaning, nappy changing, toileting, food hygiene and managing outbreaks.

Settings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow their own regulators and guidance, but the principles are similar.

A typical daily routine in a nursery includes:

Keep a toy cleaning rota so every toy is cleaned regularly, with mouthed toys and those used by babies cleaned daily. Hard toys can be washed in warm soapy water or the dishwasher; soft toys and dressing-up clothes are laundered on a schedule. Sand and water play areas need emptying and cleaning regularly. Our guide to cleaning children's toys covers methods for each type.

Each child should have their own bedding in sleep areas, washed at least weekly and whenever soiled. Cots and sleep mats are wiped between uses.

Nappy changing areas should be separate from food and play areas, with hand washing facilities nearby. Clean and disinfect the changing mat after every change, using disposable gloves and aprons, and dispose of nappies in a lidded bin. Toilets and potties are cleaned and disinfected after each use where shared or at least daily. Staff and children wash hands thoroughly after toileting and before eating.

During outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting, hand foot and mouth disease or similar, settings usually step up cleaning and disinfection, particularly of toilets, touch points and toys, and may temporarily remove soft toys and sand and water play. Use a disinfectant effective against the organism involved – for norovirus, typically a chlorine-based product – following the label and rinsing toys afterwards. Follow advice from your local health protection team. See cleaning after a sickness bug.

Store all cleaning products securely out of children's reach, in original labelled containers, with COSHH assessments in place. Choose products appropriate for each task, rinse toys and food surfaces after disinfecting, and avoid aerosols and strong fragrances near children. See COSHH and cleaning products and cleaning products you should never mix.

Many nurseries have staff handle hygiene during the day and use a commercial cleaning contractor for the main clean after children leave, plus periodic deep cleans of carpets, floors and kitchens in holiday weeks. Contract cleaners working in childcare settings should have appropriate DBS checks and understand early years hygiene expectations. Childminders working from home often book a regular domestic cleaner to keep on top of the workload.

Keep simple, consistent records: daily cleaning checklists for each room, toy cleaning rotas, deep cleaning logs and COSHH assessments for each product. Review them regularly with the room leaders and update them when routines or rooms change. Records help new staff learn the routine and show inspectors that hygiene is taken seriously.

Parents notice cleanliness at drop-off and pick-up, especially in toilets, entrances and baby rooms. A visible cleaning schedule and a tidy, well-ventilated setting reassure families. For settings run from home, our guide to keeping a house clean with kids has practical routines.