Childcare Deep Cleaning Checklist: School Holiday & End-of-Term Reset
Quick answer
A childcare deep clean covers the jobs nightly cleaning cannot: hot-water extraction of carpets, machine scrubbing and resealing hard floors, washing walls, doors and light fittings, a full kitchen deep clean (oven, rangehood, inside cupboards, behind appliances), every toy and resource washed or audited, soft furnishings laundered, bathroom descaling and grout restoration and pressure-cleaning outdoor areas and soft-fall. Most centres book one each term or at least during the Christmas shutdown.
Even the best nightly cleaning leaves a slow build-up: grime in grout, dulled vinyl, dust on light fittings, crumbs under fridges and carpet that looks clean but holds a term’s worth of soil. A deep clean resets the centre to a baseline your daily routine can maintain.
This checklist is designed for school holidays, the Christmas–New Year shutdown or a planned closure day. It sits alongside the main childcare cleaning checklist.
Key takeaways
- Schedule deep cleans when the centre is closed for at least 24 hours so carpets and floors can dry.
- Do a toy and resource audit at the same time — clean, repair or discard.
- Typical cost: $450–$700 + GST (small), $700–$1,100 + GST (medium), $1,100–$1,800 + GST (large).
In this guide
When to schedule a childcare deep clean
- Christmas–New Year shutdown — the essential annual deep clean
- Each school holiday break (April, July, September) — recommended for long day care with carpeted rooms
- After an outbreak is declared over — a terminal clean (see outbreak guide)
- Before assessment and rating, a new service opening, or after renovations
- When changing cleaning providers, so the new team starts from a clean baseline
Room-by-room deep cleaning checklist
Play rooms
- Move all furniture; vacuum and mop underneath
- Wash walls, doors, frames and skirting boards
- Clean light fittings, vents, ceiling fans and high ledges
- Clean windows inside and out, tracks and frames
- Hot-water extract carpets and rugs; steam or wash cushions and bean-bag covers
- Empty, clean and dry every storage tub, cubby and shelf
Toys and resources
- Wash every hard toy; dishwasher or soak-and-scrub where suitable
- Launder all soft toys, puppets, dress-ups and fabric resources
- Wipe books with wipeable covers; set aside damaged books
- Discard broken, cracked or unsafe items (splits harbour germs)
Bathrooms and nappy areas
- Descale toilets, basins, taps and tiles
- Machine scrub floors and restore grout; reseal if needed
- Clean behind and under fixtures, pipes and partitions
- Remove, clean and disinfect change mats, steps and storage; replace worn mats
Sleep rooms
- Remove every cot and mattress; wipe frames, slats and mattress covers on all sides
- Check mattress covers for splits; replace damaged mattresses
- Launder all linen, blankets and curtains
- Clean floors fully, including corners and behind doors
Kitchen and laundry
- Degrease oven, cooktop and rangehood; clean or replace filters
- Empty and clean inside every cupboard and drawer
- Pull out fridge, freezer, dishwasher and washer; clean behind and underneath
- Descale kettle, dishwasher and washing machine; clean lint traps
Outdoor areas
- Pressure-clean paths, verandahs and hard play surfaces
- Clean play equipment, slides, cubby houses and shade-sail posts
- Clean or top up soft-fall per your service’s maintenance schedule
- Clean outdoor toy storage and bins
- See outdoor play area and sandpit cleaning
Want this cleaning done for your centre?
WWCC-verified, police-checked teams cleaning after hours across Melbourne. A typical 3-hour visit is around $180 + GST, with one fixed price per visit after a free walk-through.
Planning a deep clean
- 1
Book early
Christmas shutdown and July holidays fill quickly — book four to six weeks ahead.
- 2
Agree the scope in writing
Use the checklist above, marking anything you do not need.
- 3
Prepare the centre
Educators pack away personal items, label children’s belongings and clear benches.
- 4
Allow drying time
Carpets need 6–12 hours to dry; sealed floors may need overnight.
- 5
Walk through before reopening
Check floors are dry, furniture is back and no chemicals are left out.
How long it takes and what it costs
| Centre size | Typical time | Typical cost (ex GST) |
|---|---|---|
| Small (up to ~200 m²) | 8–12 cleaner hours | $450–$700 + GST |
| Medium (~200–400 m²) | 12–18 cleaner hours | $700–$1,100 + GST |
| Large (400 m²+) | 18–30 cleaner hours | $1,100–$1,800 + GST |
Book a holiday deep clean for your Melbourne centre through our childcare cleaning service.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a childcare centre be deep cleaned?
At least once a year during the Christmas shutdown, and ideally each school holiday for long day care centres with carpeted rooms or nursery-age children.
What is included in a childcare deep clean?
Carpet extraction, floor scrubbing, walls and light fittings, a full kitchen deep clean, every toy and soft furnishing cleaned, bathroom descaling and outdoor pressure cleaning.
Can a deep clean be done on a weekend?
Yes. A weekend works for most small and medium centres if carpets are done on Saturday to allow drying before Monday.
This guide is part of
How Often Should a Childcare Centre Be Cleaned? Frequency Guide by Area & Centre TypeRelated deep dives
Want this cleaning done for your centre?
WWCC-verified, police-checked teams cleaning after hours across Melbourne. A typical 3-hour visit is around $180 + GST, with one fixed price per visit after a free walk-through.
Sources and further reading
- NHMRC — Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (6th ed.)
- NHMRC — Staying healthy, Part 3: A healthy environment (cleaning, disinfection, body-fluid spills)
- ACECQA — National Quality Standard (Quality Areas 2 and 3)
This guide is general information for early childhood services. Always follow your service's policies, product labels and safety data sheets, and current advice from your regulatory authority and local health department. Prices are guide estimates only; your fixed price is confirmed after a free walk-through.
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