Looking for a checklist of what needs to be cleaned and how often for your home daycare? Do you need help putting together a home daycare cleaning schedule? If so, then you have arrived at the right place because here you will find cleaning tips plus a free downloadable checklist that you can use as your cleaning schedule! After downloading the checklist below make sure you find more tips and advice for running a home daycare on my other pages.
Most daycare providers know that cleaning is one of the most important things you need to do in your home daycare. There is so much more to do than just vacuuming and picking up toys!
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There is so much to do on a daily basis. It can be hard to keep track of what all needs to be done and how often. Falling behind on cleaning can make providers feel stressed and anxious. Not doing it efficiently can make it feel like all you do is clean and clean… and clean. That is a super-fast way to end up burnt out on running a home daycare.
But don’t worry! There is an easy way to get organized and streamline all the cleaning! Once you figure out what all needs to be done you can organize it into a home daycare cleaning schedule that can help get it done quicker.
Cleaning after every use
Below is a list of common things that should be cleaned after every use in most home daycares. Some (like lunch tables) should even be cleaned both before and after use.
- Changing tables
- Any toy that goes into a child’s mouth
- Tables before and after meals
- Food prep areas & sinks (before and after)
- High chairs
- Potty chairs
- Toilet seats and handles
- Isolation/sick areas
- Dishes/utensils
Daily Cleaning for Home Daycare
Not everything in a home daycare needs to be cleaned after every single use but there are some things do. Usually, providers do these things as they go or just after closing. I like to have the majority of my cleaning done at the end of the day. That way when the door closes after the last child I am done for the night. However, that’s not always possible but if you think ahead you can get most of it done!
- Countertops
- Infant and toddler toys
- Toilets and/or potty chairs (and handles)
- Nap mats
- Bedding (unless your licensing allows you to do weekly)
- Vacuum and/or sweep floors
- Sanitize changing table
- Garbage/toys on the floor
- Put toys where they go
- Tables
- Art supplies used
- All mouthed toys
- Dishes & utensils
- High chairs
- Around toilets & potty chairs
- Meal prep areas & sinks
- Garbage cans (sanitize outside)
- Diaper pail
- Hand towels/Bibs
- Take out the garbage (as needed)
- Spray toys (end of the night)
Don’t forget to track the time you spend cleaning and organizing when kids are not present. This time can be used in your end of year calculations and help save you money when doing your home daycare taxes.
Weekly cleaning list for in-home daycares
- Doorknobs, light switches, and cabinet handles
- Walls/windows
- Bedding
- Under changing table mats
- Dress-up clothing & pretend play items
- Wash soft toys & stuffed animals
- Cars & vehicles
- Blocks and/or Legos
- Manipulatives
- Activity centers
- Sensory bins & materials
- Toys
- Art supply areas
- Books & bookshelves
- Cubbies
- Cribs
- Garbage cans (inside & outside)
There are a lot of things on this list, and I’m sure there are plenty more that you can add, but you don’t have to do this all in one day. Split it up throughout the month. Print a blank calendar or use our downloadable home daycare cleaning schedule (below) and break the list into parts.
Monthly cleaning checklist
- Pans underneath stove burners
- Oven
- Filter from the hood fan above the oven
- Microwave
- Refrigerator
- Food trap in the dishwasher
- Vacuum under doormats and rugs
- Washing machine
- Dust window sills & furniture
- Blinds and curtains
- Pantry and food storage cabinets
- Carpets (quarterly)
- Defrost freezer (when there is ¼” build-up)
These monthly cleaning jobs are usually a bit bigger and may require some time done outside of normal daycare hours. However, many of these things you can get done at naptime or at the end of the day. These cleaning tasks don’t have to eat up all your free time. Break them up over the month and do a little at a time.
Plus if you are doing these cleanings on a regular schedule then things in your home will be fairly clean. Which means these tasks will take less time!
Cleaning Tips for home daycare providers
- Hard toys can go in the dishwasher. This is a great way to check washing dishes and cleaning toys off your list at the same time.
- Clean as you go, don’t let messes pile up.
- Keep a “dirty toy” bucket in the playroom. Any toy that goes in a mouth or gets dirty can go directly into the dirty toy bucket.
- Use dryer sheets to make dusting faster.
- Give older kids helper jobs, if allowed. My preschoolers (and older) clear their own lunch plates and place dishes/utensils in the dishwasher. I also have children that love to help me fold daycare laundry (washcloths, bibs, and blankets) and that is super helpful. Plus they feel proud to help!
- Use hands-free garbage cans.
- Spend naptime getting some cleaning done. This is when I do some of my monthly cleaning tasks. Things like wiping down cubbies, walls, & windows or cleaning bookshelves, art areas, the washer or fridge. It saves me from having to spend more of my off-hours doing daycare cleaning.
- Track hours spent cleaning when kids are not present to help your end of year taxes.
- Put a few sheets of old newspaper in the bottom of garbage bins/bags to absorb any liquids.
- Use cleaning wipes (if allowed by licensing) as it can cut down how often you need to mix cleaning solutions.
- Do some of the cleanings in the morning. Save things like vacuuming floors and/or wiping down the bathroom for the morning if you are tired at the end of the day. Do it before the kids arrive the next day.
To help you stay organized and on top of your home daycare cleaning schedule I have put together this free cleaning checklist printable! It includes 2 sets of daily, weekly, and monthly task checklists. One is pre-filled out and one is blank so that you can print and customize it as needed.
—-> Home Daycare Cleaning Checklist Printable <—-
What tips do you have for cleaning your home daycare? Share with us in the comments!
Looking for more post about running a daycare? Check out my daycare page to learn about starting or running an in-home daycare or shop my collection of ebooks and daycare forms in my store.