When you are running your own in home daycare, it is important to keep your spaces clean. It can become overwhelming if you do not have a schedule that you follow.

Of course anything that a child puts in their mouth needs to be put aside and sanitized before returning it to the play area. I would recommend having a bucket or basket available near your play area that is labelled TO BE SANITIZED or MOUTHED TOYS, so during nap time you can take that bucket to be cleaned properly. (Spraying toys with Lysol doesn’t count as sanitizing).

Cleaning Checklist After Each Use

• Highchairs and tables & chairs
• Food Prep area
• Toilet or Potty Chairs
• Dishes and Utensils
• Cots or Pack & Plays
• Changing Table or Changing Pad

What Needs To Be Cleaned At The End Of Each Day

• Vacuum all carpet areas
• Sweep all hard surfaces
• Mop all hard surfaces
• Wipe down all tables, chairs, highchairs
• Empty out diaper pail trash cans
• Spray all the toys at the end of the night (I used a bleach solution)
• Load the dishwasher with all dirty dishes (or hand wash and put them away)

Cleaning Checklist For The End Of The Week

• Cots washed down
• Sheets for cots and blankets need washed (or sent home with the family)
• Clean out child’s cubby so all dirty clothes, blankets, stuff animals, art work all go home
• If you drive a vehicle, vacuum and clean it out
• Wash all soft toys and dress up clothes
• Restock and organize the art shelf
• Wipe down door knobs, walls, light switches, cabinet handles, etc.
• Clean out microwave
• Wipe down fridge

These are the things that I do to keep my home daycare clean and stop the spread of germs. If you keep up with a cleaning checklist like this, it’ll help keep the space that your using to stay clean at all times.

If you forget to do something one day, it is totally fine. Just do it the next day. Don’t wait until the end of the week to clean everything though. This is how sickness and germs spread, whether you watch 2 or 4 kids.

Also, remember this is your home. Keeping it clean and tidy is a reflection of how the rest of your home is. Parents will judge and make a decision to keep their child with you or even enroll with you based on your space and how its clean.

If you are looking to start your own daycare in your home, I have put together a quick guide on the steps it takes to open one.