Hygiene and cleanliness policy.

Cleaning

Children have a right to an environment that provides for their health and safety. Good cleaning and maintenance of the environment ensures that illness and unintentional injuries are avoided. Environmental responsibility also encompasses the cleaning and maintenance of the centre in ways that are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Aims

• The service will use structured cleaning schedules to ensure that all cleaning is carried out regularly and thoroughly. Educators will clean the service at the end of each day and throughout the day as the need arises. Accidents and spills will be cleaned up as quickly as possible to ensure that the service always maintains a high level of cleanliness and hygiene.

• Our centre will ensure that procedures are implemented to minimise potential risk of disease and illness. These procedures will include:

• Spot and routine cleaning by educators

• Effective hand washing procedures

• Identifying and excluding sick children and educators as per the Infectious diseases and the Health policy

• Maintaining updated immunisation records as per the Infectious diseases policy and the Immunisation policy

• Effective handling, storage, and disposal of soiled items.

• Awareness that cleaning is an important part of infection control.

• Correct / accurate dilution is important to achieve maximum benefits.

• Detergent and warm water solution should be used where blood and bodily fluids have soiled an area, a diluted bleach solution can be used to disinfect the area depending on the size of the blood spill - always use gloves.

• Always wash hands with soap and water after procedures are complete.

• Follow procedures and schedules that ensure buildings, premises, furniture, and equipment are safe, clean, and well maintained.

• Promote awareness of environmental sustainability through daily practices and information sharing.

• Involve children in discussions about health and safety issues and support children to develop guidelines to keep the environment safe for all.

• Encourage eco-friendly practices and encourage educators, children, and families to use chemical free options for cleaning.

Strategies

• Introduce cleaning systems that prevent contamination and cross infection. Cleaning buckets, cloths and mops will be clearly labelled, coded to indicate specific use, and stored in a location inaccessible to children.

• Prioritise training and professional development for educators regarding current hygiene and infection control practices.

• Educators will be responsible for routine cleaning of the centre. This will include sweeping and mopping floors after meals and activity times, wiping tables with detergent and water before and after meals, cleaning toys and equipment after use and particularly after children have mouthed toys. The sandpits will be raked daily, covered each night and the sand cleaned frequently.

The Approved provider will

• Ensure that written policies and procedures regarding child safe environments are developed.

• Develop systems to ensure that daily checks of the environment are documented and that where repairs, cleaning or maintenance issues are identified, they are attended to promptly.

The Nominated supervisor will

• Develop systems to ensure that the daily cleaning of the service is carried out to a satisfactory standard.

• Ensure that educators are familiar with policies related to cleaning and maintaining safe environments for children.

• Ensure that daily checks of the environment are conducted and documented.

• Respond to any identified risks, repairs, cleaning, or maintenance issues promptly.

• Support educators to research and consider alternative and sustainable cleaning options and arrange for professional development to ensure a clean and safe environment for children.

Educators will

• Ensure that cleaning duties do not compromise care and supervision of children at any time.

• Identify when the building, premises, furniture, or equipment require cleaning or maintenance. The identified issue will be dealt with immediately. This will be done by cleaning as required or by removing the damaged furniture or equipment to be repaired or discarded as decided by the nominated supervisor and the approved provider. The educator will complete required documentation and refer this to the nominated supervisor for attention.

• Involve children in discussions about health and safety issues and support children to develop guidelines to keep the environment safe for all.

• Role model good cleaning practices for the children and encourage children to be involved in the cleaning of the environment where appropriate.

• Support children to have an active role in caring for their environment and to contribute to a sustainable future.

• Be responsible for spot cleaning the education and care service to ensure cleanliness and hygiene standards are maintained throughout the day.

• Seek to minimise the use of chemicals in the education and care environment.

• Research natural cleaning alternatives for use in the education and care environment. Natural or chemical-free options that are sensitive to the needs of educators and children with allergies will be utilised when possible.

• Use soapy water for daily cleaning of tables, nappy change surfaces, mouthed toys, and general spills both indoors and outside.

• Aim to minimise waste by:

»» Encouraging recyclable materials to be placed in labelled recycling containers rather than garbage bins.

Basic steps for effective routine cleaning

• Use detergent and warm water. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how much detergent to use.

• Vigorously rub the surface to physically remove germs.

• Rinse the surface with clean water.

• Dry the surface.

Start the cleaning process in the cleanest area and finish in the dirtier areas. This helps to prevent cross-infection because it decreases the risk of contaminating a clean room with germs from a dirty room.

Cleaning equipment

Appropriate cleaning equipment includes mops with detachable heads (so they can be laundered in a washing machine using hot water), buckets, gloves, disposable cloths or cloths that can be laundered, and vacuum cleaners fitted with HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters to reduce dust dispersion.

Ensure cleaning equipment is well maintained, cleaned, and stored so it can dry between uses.

Always wear gloves when cleaning and wash your hands after taking gloves off.

It can be useful to have colour-coded cloths or sponges for each area (e.g., blue in the bathroom, yellow in the kitchen) so that it is easier to keep them separate. Wear gloves when cleaning. Wash your hands after removing the gloves.

When choosing cleaning products, it is important to consider the product’s effectiveness against germs and the length of time the product must be in contact with a surface to properly clean it.

Store all cleaning products away from children.

Disinfecting

Disinfectants are only necessary if a surface is known to be contaminated with potentially infectious material. Remember, if the surface is not clean, the disinfectants cannot kill germs, so you should always clean first, then (if required) disinfect.

If the surface has been contaminated with blood or body substances from someone with a known or suspected infectious disease:

Use detergent and water followed by either:

• disinfectant (for spot blood spills and other body substances)

• bleach (for small and large blood spills)

• follow procedures for Blood and Body fluids.

Essentially, there is no ideal disinfectant. Disinfectants cannot kill germs if the surface is not clean. For disinfectants to work effectively, there still needs to be thorough cleaning using a detergent beforehand. However, it is more important to make sure surfaces have been cleaned with detergent and warm water than to use a disinfectant. To kill germs, any disinfectant needs:

• to be of the right concentrate

• a clean surface to be able to get to the germ

• enough time to kill the germs - at least 10 minutes.

Contact your public health unit if there are two or more cases of gastroenteritis in the education and care service. They will advise you if a particular disinfectant should be used.

Implementation

To clean surfaces use a clean cloth/paper towel with a detergent and warm water solution.

Play areas - to clean use detergent and warm water solution.

- to clean blood and bodily fluids use a detergent and warm water solution, diluted bleach solution can also be used depending on the size of the blood spill.

Bathroom - cleaned middle of the day and late afternoon with detergent and warm water.

Surfaces - before and after use - attention paid to tables at mealtimes - cleaned with detergent and warm water.

Change Table - use with a detergent and warm water solution and wipe down with a clean paper towel after every change. Use detergent and warm water to clean nappy change area at lunch time and at the end of the day then disinfect.

Linen - weekly washing unless otherwise required or if bed sharing after each child.

Floors - daily, cleaned with detergent and warm water.

Doorknobs - daily cleaned with detergent and warm water.

Shelving - fortnightly cleaned with detergent and warm water.

Walls - weekly cleaned as needed.

LAUNDRY

Washing machine - weekly clean

Dryer - weekly clean. Lint cleaned after every use.

Floor - swept daily.

Basin - weekly clean

TOYS - mouthed toys to be washed daily in hot water and detergent, rinse well and dry them.

- books to be inspected for visible dirt and wipe them with a moist cloth with detergent and warm water and leave them to dry.

SANDPITS - will be raked daily, covered each night and the sand cleaned frequently.

- Sandpits will be monitored for cleanliness and sand changed or topped up annually or as required.

Special areas for cleaning

Bathrooms and toilets

Clean bathrooms and toilets at least once a day, and more often if they are visibly dirty.

Nappy Change Area

Nappy Change areas need to be cleaned after each use with detergent and water, rinsing and drying with single use paper towel. If faecal matter or urine spills onto the area clean it with detergent and water, rinse and dry with single use paper towel and then disinfect the surface. After lunch and at the end of each day wash the entire nappy change area with detergent and water and disinfect.

Clothing

Educators clothing should be washed daily. Educators should wear aprons or something similar to cover clothing that cannot frequently be washed. Educators should also have a change of clothes available in case of accidents. Dress ups and play clothes should be washed once a week in hot water and detergent preferably.

Linen

Wash linen in detergent and hot water. Do not carry used linen against your own clothing or coverall - take it to the laundry in a basket, plastic bag or alternative.

Treat soiled linen as you would a soiled nappy, and wear gloves. If washed at the education and care service, soiled linen should be:

• rinsed to remove the bulk of the contamination.

• washed separately in warm to hot water with detergent.

• dried in the sun or on a hot cycle in the clothes dryer.

Cots

If a child soils a crib or cot:

• wash your hands and put on gloves

• clean the child

• remove your gloves and place in the bin

• dress the child and wash the child’s hands and your hands

• put on gloves

• clean the cot

• remove the bulk of the soiling or spill with absorbent paper towels

• place the soiled linen in a plastic-lined, lidded laundry bin

• remove any visible soiling of the cot or mattress by cleaning thoroughly with detergent and water

• remove your gloves and clean your hands. Put on clean gloves

• Use disinfectant after detergent if surface is or could be contaminated with infectious material.

• Air dry if possible

  • remove your gloves and wash your hands

  • once the mattress is dry, make up the cot with clean linen.

Dummies

Never let children share dummies. When not in use, dummies should be stored in individual plastic containers labelled with the child’s name. Store dummies out of children’s reach, and do not let the dummies come in contact with another dummy or toy.

Toys

Washing toys effectively is very important to reduce spread of disease. Mouthed toys need to be washed each day, especially those in rooms with babies and younger children. Wash toys in warm water and detergent and rinse them well—many toys can be cleaned in a dishwasher (but not at the same time as dishes). All toys, including cloth toys and books, can be dried by sunlight.

Only buy washable toys and discard non-washable toys that are for general use. Individual non-washable toys may be assigned to a child and kept in the child’s locker for the use of that child only.

Books should be inspected for visible dirt. They can be cleaned by wiping with a moist cloth with detergent on it and allowing to dry. Keep damp or wet books out of use until they are dry.

Remove toys for washing during the day. Start a ‘Toys to wash’ box and place toys in it during the day if you see a child sneeze on a toy or put a toy in their mouth, or if the toy has been used by a child who is unwell.

Toys can also be split into two lots and rotated between washing one day and in use the next.

In the nappy change area, have a box of clean toys and a box of toys to be washed. Give a child a clean toy if they need one while being changed. Immediately after the nappy change, place the toy in the ‘Toys to wash’ box.

Cushions

Make sure that all cushions, including large floor cushions, have removable cushion covers that can be changed and washed regularly, as well as when they are soiled with body fluids or visibly dirty.

Carpets, Mats, and Curtains

Carpets and mats should be vacuumed daily, and steam cleaned at least every 6 months. Curtains should be washed every 6 months and when they are visibly dirty. Spot clean carpets, mats, and curtains if they are visibly dirty in a small area.

Equipment and Environment
Surfaces will be cleaned with detergent and water after each activity and all surfaces cleaned thoroughly daily. Floors in the babies and toddlers’ rooms will be washed each day. Areas contaminated with blood and body fluids will be cleaned with detergent and water and disinfected with a diluted bleach solution after washing.

Recommended cleaning materials:

The aim of environmental cleaning is to minimise the number of germs that survive on surfaces in the education and care service. It is advisable to use warm water when cleaning because this makes it easier to remove dirt from a surface.

However, cold water and a little extra scrubbing can also be used to effectively clean a surface.

Start the cleaning process in the cleanest areas and finish in the dirtier areas. This method helps to prevent cross-infection because it decreases the risk of contaminating a clean room with germs from a dirty room.

Soft materials i.e. sheets, towels etc should be washed with detergent in a washing machine on a hot setting (≥60°C), drying in sunlight or in a tumble dryer on a hot setting (≥40°C), drying items completely before storing them or using them again.

General

• Most toys can be washed with normal dishwashing liquid, rinsing with clean water.

• Get into corners with a toothbrush. Please dry well.

• Leaving items such as LEGO and construction blocks to drain on a clean tea-towel overnight is ideal.

Wooden Toys

• Should be wiped over with a damp cloth with detergent on it – please do not immerse in water.

Play Dough

Service will reduce the risk of the spread of disease when playing with play dough by:

• Encouraging hand washing with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub before and after using play dough

• Storing the play dough in an air tight container stored away from the children

• Making a new batch of play dough each week, take out enough playdough for each day.

• If a child puts playdough in their mouth, remove the dough and dispose of it in the bin.

• If playdough is contaminated (visible dirt, sticks, sand) dispose of it in the bin.

• If there is an outbreak of vomiting and/or diarrhoea, discarding the playdough at the end of each day during the outbreak.

Rattles and Baby Toys

• Must not be immersed in water as it can get inside, rendering the toy useless.

• Wipe thoroughly with hot water and detergent.

Ride-on Vehicles and Outdoor Toys

• Must be cleaned.

• Please take care and do not leave them exposed to the elements as this reduces their lifespan.

Puzzles and Games

Wooden puzzles as per 'Wooden Toys' above.

• Cardboard should be wiped over with a slightly damp cloth.

Packaging

Please help us by:

• Packing small pieces in bags provided. This makes them easier to count when returned.

• Using elastic bands to contain similar items (like railway tracks).

• Completing puzzles before returning where practical.

Sandpits

Sandpits can be great fun, but they are also a potential source of infection. They need to be well maintained and kept clean.

Sandpits should be closely covered when the education and care service is unattended, to prevent contamination from animal faeces and protect them from sharp or dangerous objects that are discarded inappropriately, such as broken glass. If the sandpit cannot be covered easily, daily raking and exposure to the sun are advised.

The sand should be of a depth that can be easily raked over before each use, to help screen for foreign objects.

Sand that is contaminated by food, animal or human faeces, blood or other body fluids should be removed. Use a shovel and dispose of the sand in a plastic bag or alternative. The remaining sand should be raked over at intervals during the day and left exposed to the sun. Where extensive contamination has occurred, such as through a large spill of body fluids, replace all the sand.

Adults and children must wash their hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub before and after playing in the sandpit.

Celebration Cakes and Blowing Out Candles

Many children like to bring a cake to share with their friends on their birthday. Children love to blow out their candles while their friends are singing ‘Happy birthday’. Cakes and candles may also be brought into the education and care service for other special occasions. To prevent the spread of germs when the child blows out the candles, parents should either:

• provide a separate cupcake (with a candle if they wish) for the birthday child and enough cupcakes for all the other children.

• provide a separate cupcake (with a candle if they wish) for the birthday child and a large cake that can be cut and shared.

For centres where the cakes are made on site either cup-cakes should be made for the children or a large cake made to share and a separate cupcake for the birthday child with a candle.

On-going Maintenance

• Our centre will consistently reflect on its environment and put in place a plan to ensure that the environment continuously reflects our ideology of providing an environment that is safe, stimulating and engaging for all who interact with it.

• A maintenance checklist will be completed each month by the nominated supervisor to ensure that the environments remain safe for all children, staff, and visitors to the centre.

• Should the service undertake major renovations, management plans will be put in place to ensure that the safety of educators, children, families, and others at the service is not compromised.

Cleaning Schedule

Source: Staying Healthy – Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care Services 6^th Edition

Community Early Learning Australia

WorkCover NSW - www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

NSW Work Health and Safety Act and Regulation 2011

This policy is the property of Eikoh Seminar Australia Pty Limid and must not be reproduced without the consent of management.