Childcare Cleaning Checklist for Victoria Centres — 2025 Compliance
childcare cleaning services.

For broader facility management perspectives and complementary advice on cleaning standards and procurement across industries, see a national facilities blog resource: Citywide Facility Solutions — blog.

Outbreaks and incident cleaning (vomit, faeces, blood)

In the event of an infectious incident:

  1. Isolate the immediate area and remove children to a safe space.
  2. Staff performing the clean should wear appropriate PPE (gloves, apron, mask if required) and follow the service’s outbreak and infection-control procedure.
  3. Remove visible contamination using disposable absorbent materials, then clean and disinfect the surface with an approved disinfectant and required contact time.
  4. Dispose of contaminated waste as clinical waste if required by local guidance and in line with Health Victoria procedures.
  5. Record the incident, cleaning actions and notify parents and public health authorities as required by regulation.

Training, documentation and audit

To remain compliant and defensible at audit:

  1. Document cleaning schedules, incident cleans and product SDS in a central register accessible to staff.
  2. Train staff on correct cleaning techniques, product use, dilution and PPE handling — refresh annually or when products/procedures change.
  3. Conduct regular internal audits of cleaning checklists and corrective actions; include sample sign-offs by educators for room-level daily checks.
  4. Engage a third-party professional clean for at least quarterly deep cleans and maintain a contract that specifies scope, frequencies and response times for infectious events.

Printable master checklist (copy into your service policy)

Below is a concise checklist you can paste into policies or staff rosters. Use a daily sign-off by the educator/cleaner for accountability.

  1. Daily — Classroom: sweep/vacuum, mop, disinfect high-touch surfaces, tidy toys, wash mouthed toys.
  2. Daily — Bathrooms/Nappy areas: clean & disinfect, restock soap, empty bins.
  3. Daily — Kitchen/Eating areas: clean benches, sanitise tables before/after meals, fridge check.
  4. Weekly — Toys & soft furnishings: launder/clean, deep-wash hard toys, vacuum rugs.
  5. Monthly — Outdoor equipment and HVAC grilles: wash and inspect.
  6. Quarterly — Professional deep clean and policy review.
  7. Incident — Follow outbreak protocol, PPE, disinfect to manufacturer contact time, record and notify.

Frequently asked questions (short)

Q: How often should mouthed toys be cleaned?

A: Immediately after being mouthed, or at minimum daily if in frequent use.

Q: Can we use household bleach for all disinfection?

A: Bleach is effective but must be diluted correctly, prepared daily, and used safely. Alternative TGA-registered products that state efficacy for childcare pathogens may be used. Always consult SDS and manufacturer instructions.

Q: What records should we keep for audit?

A: Daily cleaning sign-offs, incident clean logs, SDS register, staff training records and any deep-clean contractor invoices and scopes.

Final notes — governance and continuous improvement

Maintaining a compliant and practical childcare cleaning checklist requires governance: review your policies annually, update products and procedures when state guidance changes, and embed cleaning responsibilities in staff induction. When in doubt, consult Health Victoria, Early Learning Victoria guidance and your local public health unit for outbreak-specific directions.

Keeping documentation, training staff and contracting professional support where necessary will help your service demonstrate compliance with Victorian and national expectations in 2025 and beyond.

Produced for Victorian early childhood services — ensure your service customises this checklist to match building layout, enrolment numbers and specific regulation references. For the latest official documents, refer to Department of Health Victoria and Early Learning Victoria guidance pages.