High-Touch Surfaces in Childcare: What to Clean, How Often & With What
Quick answer
High-touch surfaces in childcare — door handles, push plates, light switches, taps, gate latches, sign-in tablets, table edges, chair backs, cot rails, high-chair trays and toy bin lids — should be cleaned at least daily with detergent and water, more often during winter illness season, and cleaned then disinfected at least twice a day during outbreaks. Adult touch points like sign-in tablets and the front door are as important as children’s.
Most germs in a childcare centre do not float — they ride on hands. Every time a child (or parent, or educator) touches a surface after wiping a nose or going to the toilet, that surface becomes a relay point. High-touch surface cleaning is how you break the relay.
In this guide
The high-touch surface list
| Zone | High-touch surfaces |
|---|---|
| Entry & reception | Front door handle and push plate, intercom/keypad, sign-in tablet and stylus, pen, counter, hand-sanitiser pump |
| Play rooms | Door handles, light switches, table edges, chair backs, shelf edges, toy bin lids, art-trolley handles, tap handles |
| Bathrooms | Tap handles, soap dispensers, flush buttons, toilet seats, partition locks, step stools |
| Nappy areas | Change table edges and rails, steps, nappy bin pedals, glove dispensers |
| Sleep rooms | Cot rails, door handles, dimmer switches, storage handles |
| Kitchen & dining | Fridge and microwave handles, high-chair trays and straps, tap handles, bin lids |
| Outdoor | Gate latches, handrails, slide tops, climbing holds, bike handles |
| Staff & office | Phones, keyboards, kettle and coffee machine, staff room fridge, photocopier |
How often to clean high-touch surfaces
| Situation | Frequency | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Normal operation | At least daily (nightly clean) | Detergent and water, then dry |
| Winter illness season | Daily + midday wipe of key points | Detergent; disinfect bathroom points |
| Body fluids on the surface | Immediately | Clean, then disinfect |
| Gastro or other outbreak | At least twice daily | Clean, then chlorine-based disinfectant (gastro) |
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.
The right method
- 1
Fresh cloth per zone
Use colour-coded microfibre and change cloths between rooms so you do not move germs around.
- 2
Clean first
Wipe with detergent solution using firm pressure — friction removes most germs.
- 3
Disinfect where needed
Apply disinfectant to the cleaned surface and leave it wet for the contact time on the label.
- 4
Spray the cloth, not the surface
Especially on electronics, light switches and anywhere children are nearby.
The sign-in tablet
Every family touches it twice a day, often right after wiping a nose in the car. Clean it with a device-safe wipe at least twice a day and keep hand sanitiser beside it.
Reduce touches as well as cleaning them
- Prop internal doors open where fire and child-safety rules allow
- Use foot-pedal bins everywhere
- Put hand sanitiser at entries and the sign-in station
- Rotate toys so fewer items are out at once — fewer surfaces to clean
Our childcare cleaning teams clean every high-touch point on this list every night, and can add midday or twice-daily visits during outbreaks.
Frequently asked questions
What are high-touch surfaces in childcare?
Surfaces touched many times a day by children, families and staff — door handles, light switches, taps, gate latches, sign-in tablets, table edges, cot rails, high-chair trays and toy bin lids.
Do high-touch surfaces need to be disinfected daily?
Daily cleaning with detergent is usually enough. Disinfect after body-fluid contamination, bathroom touch points when soiled, and all high-touch surfaces during outbreaks.
How do you clean a sign-in tablet?
Use a wipe recommended by the device manufacturer, never spray liquid directly on the screen, and clean it at least twice a day.
This guide is part of
Childcare Hygiene & Infection Control: A Practical Guide for Australian CentresRelated 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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