That's why schools and childcare centres need a hygiene routine that's simple enough to follow on a busy day and structured enough that nothing slips through the gaps. A term-by-term checklist does exactly that. It gives you a daily baseline, a weekly reset, and a set of seasonal checkpoints tied to the school calendar.
Childcare centres run for most of the year, but the school terms still make useful checkpoints. Term dates vary by state, so line these up with your own calendar.
Every day: the non-negotiables
- Hand hygiene stations stocked and working. Soap, paper towel and sanitiser at every basin and entry point. An empty dispenser is a skipped hand wash.
- Touchpoints wiped. Door handles, light switches, tap handles, bench tops, tables, chair backs, railings and shared devices.
- Toilets and washrooms cleaned. Toilet bowls, seats, floors around the pan, urinals, basins and taps – at least once a day, more in high-use areas.
- Nappy change areas cleaned after every use (childcare).
- Bins emptied, especially in washrooms, classrooms and food areas.
- Spills dealt with straight away, following your centre's procedure for bodily fluids (eg, vomit and blood).
Every week: the reset
- Wash shared toys, play equipment and soft furnishings (childcare).
- Clean and check dispensers – wipe dispensers and nozzles, check for leaks and replace anything that's not quite right.
- Launder or replace mop heads and cloths.
- Dust high surfaces, window sills, exhaust fans and air-conditioning vents.
- Deep clean grout and floors in washrooms.
- Check stock levels so nothing runs out on a Monday morning.
Before Term 1: the summer reset
- Deep clean every room top to bottom, including carpets, hard floors and furniture.
- Audit your hand hygiene stations. Are dispensers old, cracked, hard to use or in the wrong place for little hands? Now's the time to replace them. Our Hand Soap & Dispenser Starter Kits are the simplest way to set up or replace a station.
- Check washrooms for mould and leaks after the summer storms.
- Restock everything – soap, paper towel, toilet paper, hand sanitiser, cleaning chemicals and spare mop heads.
- Brief new staff on your cleaning procedures before the kids arrive.
Term 1: heat, humidity and new faces
- Increase washroom cleaning frequency.
- Watch for mould in bathrooms, sheltered areas and storerooms.
- Teach (or re-teach) handwashing in the first weeks while routines are forming.
Term 2: cold and flu season starts
- Step up touchpoint cleaning – door handles, taps and shared devices twice a day if you can.
- Put tissues and bins in every room.
- Run a hand hygiene refresher for staff. Hand Hygiene Saves Lives. The Training Guide is a ready-made resource you can use.
- Remind students to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds, and to dry them properly.
Term 3: the winter peak
- Keep the higher touchpoint cleaning frequency going.
- Check dispenser stock daily, not weekly.
- Use the mid-year break for a deep clean, especially carpets, soft furnishings and washrooms.
Term 4: warmer days and the wind-down
- Pay attention to drink fountains, outdoor taps and play equipment.
- Check bins and food areas more often as the weather warms.
- Plan your summer deep clean and order stock before the break.
Every holiday break
Deep clean carpets and hard floors.
Wash curtains, cushions and soft furnishings.
Service or replace faulty dispensers.
Restock everything before the first day back.
Make the checklist stick
A checklist only works if someone owns it. Put a name next to every task, print it out, and get it signed off. Pin it inside the cleaner's cupboard so it's in front of whoever's on shift. For a broader template covering every area of a facility, see The Workplace Cleaning and Hygiene Procedure Checklist.
Want help setting up hand hygiene stations or a cleaning routine that suits your school or centre? Feel free to call us on 1300 123 499.
David Blamire, CEO at XO2
David is one of Australia's leading cleaning industry innovators. He's spent his entire working life solving cleaning challenges others thought were impossible. He's best known for his product creation and development skills along with a deep knowledge of business operations and all things ERP. In his spare time, David's a keen fisherman and adventurer. And he doesn't mind if you call him Davo.
Get in touch with David at xo2.com.au. He works from XO2's national headquarters and manufacturing centre in Queensland, Australia.
Related Resources
- The Workplace Cleaning and Hygiene Procedure Checklist
- Schools, Childcare and Universities: XO2 Industry Page
- The Facility Cleaning + Hygiene Score