How Often Should a Childcare Centre Be Cleaned?
In short: a childcare centre should be cleaned every day and whenever a surface is visibly dirty, with nappy change surfaces cleaned after every change and any spill of body fluids cleaned and then disinfected straight away. During a gastro outbreak, NSW Health advises cleaning and disinfecting common areas and frequently touched items at least twice a day.
Those are the minimums set by national guidance. How you meet them (what your educators do during the day and what a professional cleaner does after close) is up to your centre, and it needs to be written down.
What do the rules actually require?
The National Quality Framework does not set cleaning frequencies. It requires two things:
- A clean service. Regulation 103 of the Education and Care Services National Regulations says the premises, equipment and furniture must be "safe, clean and in good repair". Element 3.1.2 of the National Quality Standard says the same.
- Hygiene practices that are implemented. Regulation 77 requires adequate health and hygiene practices, and NQS element 2.1.2 requires hygiene practices to be "promoted and implemented".
When assessors visit, they may ask to see written cleaning procedures and schedules, including how often toys and equipment are washed and how bedding and washable items are laundered. For the "how", ACECQA points services to the NHMRC guide Staying Healthy (6th edition, 2024).
What does Staying Healthy say?
The 6th edition makes cleaning two of its five key recommendations:
- Routine environmental cleaning should be done daily and when surfaces are visibly dirty.
- Clean with specific products after any spill of body fluids (urine, faeces, mucus, saliva, vomit, blood or breastmilk).
For everyday cleaning, detergent and warm water does the job. Disinfectant comes after body fluid contamination:
- Body fluid spills: wear gloves, wipe up with paper towel, clean the surface with warm water and detergent, dry it, then wipe with disinfectant and let it dry.
- Nappy change areas: clean the change surface after every nappy change, and clean then disinfect it if body fluids got on it.
How often should each area be cleaned?
A practical schedule that meets the guidance looks like this. Your centre's own risk assessment and Staying Healthy take priority.
| Area | During the day (educators) | After close (cleaner) |
|---|---|---|
| Nappy change areas | After every change | Full clean and disinfect |
| Toilets and hand basins | Spot clean when soiled | Full clean and disinfect daily |
| Tables and eating areas | Before and after meals | Full clean daily |
| Floors | Spills as they happen | Vacuum and mop daily |
| High-touch surfaces (door handles, taps, light switches) | When visibly dirty | Daily |
| Kitchen | Food safety routine | Benches, sinks and floors daily |
| Toys and equipment | Mouthed toys between uses | On a written rotation |
| Cots and bedding | Between children | Linen laundered on schedule |
What changes during a gastro outbreak?
NSW Health treats two or more children or staff with sudden vomiting or diarrhoea within two days as a gastro outbreak. Its Gastro Pack for childcare centres advises:
- clean and disinfect common areas and frequently touched items at least twice daily, and bathrooms more often
- clean with a neutral detergent first, then disinfect with freshly made 0.1% bleach solution left on for at least 10 minutes
- wash all toys daily, wash mouthed toys between uses, and stop sharing items that can't be cleaned (soft toys, play dough)
- close sandpits and water play
- wash cots and linen between children, on a hot cycle
- keep sick children and staff away for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop, and call your local public health unit on 1300 066 055
An after-hours clean during an outbreak should focus on bathrooms, nappy change areas, floors and every high-touch surface.
Who should do the cleaning?
Most centres split it: educators handle hygiene during the day (nappy changes, meal times, spills), and a professional cleaner does the full clean after the children go home. That split works best when both are on the same written schedule, so nothing falls between the two.
M&I Cleaning & Waste Management Services cleans childcare and early learning centres across Sydney after hours, using safe cleaning products. You receive photos of the cleaned rooms after each clean, and you can send us a photo of anything that needs another look.
Frequently asked questions
Is a daily clean enough for a childcare centre?
A daily professional clean plus good hygiene practice during the day meets the national guidance for routine cleaning. Nappy change areas, meal areas and spills need attention throughout the day as well.
Do we need to disinfect everything every day?
No. Staying Healthy recommends detergent and water for routine cleaning, with disinfectant after body fluid spills and during outbreaks.
What will an assessor want to see?
Written cleaning procedures and schedules, especially for toys, equipment, bedding and washable items, and evidence the premises are kept clean.
This guide summarises national and NSW guidance as at September 2026. It is general information, not a substitute for Staying Healthy or your service's own policies.
Sources: ACECQA: Staying Healthy 6th edition · NHMRC: Staying Healthy guidelines · ACECQA: NQS element 2.1.2 · ACECQA: NQS element 3.1.2 · NSW Health Gastro Pack for childcare centres
