Daily Childcare Cleaning Checklist: Opening, During the Day & Close
Quick answer
A daily childcare cleaning checklist has three parts: opening checks (floors dry, bathrooms stocked, outdoor area and sandpit checked), after-use tasks during the day (nappy surfaces after every change, meal tables before and after eating, potties, spills, removing mouthed toys) and the nightly close-down clean (high-touch surfaces, bathrooms, nappy areas, kitchen, toys used that day, sleep rooms, bins and floors).
Daily cleaning is where most of a centre’s infection control actually happens. This checklist follows the shape of a real childcare day — before children arrive, while they are there, and after they leave — so every task has a time and an owner.
For weekly, monthly and holiday tasks, see the main childcare cleaning checklist.
Key takeaways
- Educators own after-use tasks; cleaners own the full close-down clean.
- Detergent and water for routine cleaning; disinfect only where body fluids are involved.
- Floors are always the last job in every room.
In this guide
Opening checks (first educator, 10 minutes)
- Walk each room: floors dry, no cleaning products left out, chemical cupboards locked
- Bathrooms stocked with soap, paper towel and toilet paper
- Nappy change area stocked: gloves, wipes, liners, clean change mat
- Fresh detergent solution made up in a clean, labelled bottle (date and time)
- Outdoor area: remove litter, check fences and gates, uncover and rake sandpit, check for animal droppings and sharps
- Note anything the overnight cleaner missed in the communication book
After-use tasks during the day (educators)
| Task | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Nappy change surface | After every change | Clean with detergent; disinfect if soiled; hand hygiene |
| Potty chairs | After every use | Empty into toilet, clean, disinfect, dry |
| Meal tables & high chairs | Before and after each meal | Clean with detergent, rinse, dry |
| Mouthed toys | As soon as noticed | Into the “to be washed” tub |
| Body-fluid spills | Immediately | Remove, clean, disinfect, bag waste |
| Tissues & nose-wiping | Throughout | Bin straight away; hand hygiene |
| Art and messy play tables | After each session | Scrape, clean, dry |
Keep a small caddy in each room with detergent spray, cloths and gloves at adult height. If cleaning materials are a walk away, after-use tasks get skipped on busy days.
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.
Nightly close-down clean (cleaners)
Work clean to dirty: offices and sleep rooms first, then play rooms and kitchen, then bathrooms and nappy areas, floors last. The method is explained in how to clean a childcare centre.
All rooms
- Empty all bins, clean bin lids and pedals, replace liners
- Clean high-touch points: door handles, push plates, light switches, rails, gate latches
- Clean tables, chairs, benches, shelves and cubby fronts
- Spot-clean walls, doors and glass to child height
- Vacuum carpets and mats; mop hard floors
Toys
- Wash all toys from the “to be washed” tub in warm detergent water, rinse, air-dry on a rack
- Wipe large toys, ride-ons and climbing equipment used that day
- Empty and dry water-play trays
Bathrooms and nappy areas
- Clean toilets, seats, flush buttons, basins, taps and mirrors; disinfect toilets and any soiled surfaces
- Full clean of change tables, steps, rails and adjacent walls
- Clean and disinfect nappy bins inside and out
- Restock consumables; mop floors last
Kitchen and dining
- Clean then sanitise benches and food-contact surfaces
- Clean sinks, taps, appliance fronts and handles
- Empty food waste and clean the bin
- Sweep and mop
Sleep rooms
- Wipe cot rails, frames and mattress covers
- Stack rest mats so clean surfaces do not touch
- Bag used linen for laundering per your linen policy
- Vacuum and mop
Entry, staff and outdoor
- Clean sign-in tablet, reception counter and entry glass
- Clean staff room kitchenette and tables
- Cover the sandpit; wipe outdoor tables
Sign-off
Each room gets a tick and initials on the nightly log, with any issues noted for the director. A simple template is in our childcare cleaning log guide.
Want this checklist run every night? Our Melbourne childcare cleaners work after close and sign every visit.
Frequently asked questions
What daily cleaning is required in a childcare centre?
Routine cleaning of all surfaces daily and when visibly dirty, plus after-use cleaning of nappy change surfaces, potties and meal tables, and specific cleaning and disinfection after any body-fluid spill.
Who should do the daily cleaning — educators or cleaners?
Educators handle after-use tasks during the day; a cleaner (in-house or contracted) does the full close-down clean after children leave.
Do toys need to be cleaned every day in childcare?
Mouthed toys must be washed before another child uses them, and toys used that day should be cleaned at close. All shared toys should also go through a weekly wash rotation.
This guide is part of
Childcare Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Weekly, Monthly & Termly (2026 Guide)Related 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.
Related childcare cleaning guides
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Childcare Cleaning Checklist: Daily, Weekly, Monthly & Termly (2026 Guide)
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Weekly Childcare Cleaning Checklist with a Monday–Friday Rotation
Infection Control
High-Touch Surfaces in Childcare: What to Clean, How Often & With What
Template
Childcare Cleaning Log Template: What to Record & How to Use It
How-To Guide
How to Clean a Childcare Centre: Step-by-Step Methods Professionals Use
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Childcare Cleaning Cost in Melbourne (2026): Per-Visit, Hourly & Monthly Prices
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