|
|
Cleaning Objects
Cleaning Objects |
|
|
Cleaning Objects and Surfaces in a Child Care Center: Self-Learning Module
Unit: Cleaning Surfaces and Objects Unit Overview: This unit on Cleaning Objects and Surfaces is a self-paced, self-administered learning module designed to educate and train child care employees on the correct cleaning technique for objects and surfaces found in the child care setting.
Learning Objectives Following completion of the Cleaning Objects and Surfaces in a Child Care Setting, the child care employee will be able to meet the following program objectives:
Contents
IntroductionProper cleaning and disinfection of toys and surfaces limits the spread of many diseases. Guidelines for the procedures listed below are based on the National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Out-Of-Home Childcare and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) The ABCs of Safety and Healthy Child Care. Important: If your state has additional or more stringent requirements, be sure to follow them. |
 | Toys that are contaminated with saliva, urine, vomit, feces or blood should be cleaned and disinfected before being used by another child. |
| Toys that that are touched by infants and toddlers, but not contaminated by saliva, should be cleaned and disinfected once a day. In this age group it is often difficult to determine if a toy has been in a child's mouth, so the safest approach is to separate toys (do not allow sharing) or clean toys after individual use. |
| If a toy cannot be disinfected, its use should be limited to an individual child. Be sure to label the toy with the child's name. |
Toys Used by Older Children
| Toys that have not been in a child's mouth should be cleaned at least once a week. |
| Toys that are contaminated with saliva, urine, vomit, feces or blood should be cleaned and disinfected before being used by another child. |
Cleaning Procedure for Plastic Toys
| Scrub the toy with warm, soapy water. Use a small brush, such as a toothbrush, to clean crevices. |
| Rinse well. |
| Air-dry. |
Disinfecting Procedure for Plastic Toys
| Scrub the toy with warm, soapy water. Use a small brush, such as a toothbrush, to clean crevices. |
| Rinse well. |
| Submerge the toy in a disinfecting bleach solution for at least 10 minutes. |
| Remove the toy and rinse well. |
| Air-dry. |
Cleaning and Disinfecting Procedure for Cloth Toys
Important: Toy parts can become loose following washing and drying. Be sure that all toy parts are securely fastened.
| Using the hot cycle, machine-wash cloth toys. |
| Machine-dry or air-dry the toys. |
Disposal of Cloths Used for Cleaning
Follow the correct procedure for disposing of cleaning cloths.
Objects Normally Placed in the Mouth
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning diapering surfaces that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must also follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
Items to be Cleaned
Objects normally placed in the mouth such as thermometers and pacifiers.
Cleaning Frequency
Following individual use.
Cleaning Procedure
Important: If the object is contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit, disinfection is necessary.
Use of Gloves
Wear gloves when cleaning bathrooms. Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, dedicate a pair for bathroom and potty-chair cleaning (don’t use those gloves to clean other surfaces or objects). Sanitize the gloves before removing them.
Items to be Cleaned
Clean bathroom floors, handwashing sinks, utility sinks, toilets (especially the seat cover and flushing handle), counters and door handles.
Cleaning Frequency
| At least once a day; more often when obviously soiled |
| Immediately after use if a sick child has used the toilet or potty chair and soiled it with diarrhea or vomit |
Type of Cleaning
| At a minimum, sanitize the surfaces and objects. |
| If an item is heavily soiled or contaminated by the vomit or diarrhea from a sick child, disinfect the surface or object. If the surface or object is contaminated with blood, disinfection is necessary. |
| Dry the surface with a cloth or allow to air-dry. |
Disposal of Cloths Used for Cleaning
Follow the correct procedure for disposing of cleaning cloths.
Use of Gloves
Wear gloves when cleaning potty chairs. Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, dedicate a pair for bathroom and potty-chair cleaning (don’t use the gloves to clean other surfaces or objects). Sanitize the gloves before removing them.
Cleaning Frequency
After each use.
Cleaning Procedure
Disposal of Cloths Used for Cleaning
Follow the correct procedure for disposing of cleaning cloths.
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning diapering surfaces that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must also follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
Items to be cleaned
| Tables (play and eating) |
| Chairs |
| Any other surface or item associated with indoor activities |
Cleaning Frequency
| At least once a week; more often when obviously soiled |
| Immediately after use if a sick child has used the activity surface |
Cleaning Procedure
Important: If the surfaces are contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit, disinfection is necessary.
Disposal of Cloths Used for Cleaning
Follow the correct procedure for disposing of cleaning cloths.
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning diapering surfaces that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must also follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
Cleaning Frequency
When soiled or before use by another child.
Cleaning Procedure
Wash all surfaces of the bed, crib, cot or mat with soap and water. If possible, allow to air-dry.
Important: If the bed is contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit, disinfection is necessary.Bedding includes sheets, pillowcases, mattress pads and blankets. Linen does not include blankets.
| Infant's bedding should be washed when soiled, before use by another child or daily if used by one child. |
| Children's linen should be washed when soiled, before use by another child or once a week if used by one child. |
| Children's blankets should be washed when soiled, before use by another child or once a month if used by one child. |
Cleaning Procedure for Bedding
| Machine-wash all bedding in warm water. Use hot water if the bedding has been contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit. |
| If the bedding was supplied by the parents, send the bedding home, as specified in Cleaning Frequency. |
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning diapering surfaces that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must also follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
Cleaning Frequency
Weekly or when soiled.
Cleaning Procedure
Sanitize the mattress.
Important: If the mattress is contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit, disinfection is necessary.
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning diapering surfaces that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must also follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
Clothes and Cloth Diapers Supplied by the Child
Note: If the diaper or clothing is soiled with solid feces, carefully empty the feces into the toilet. Avoid splashing the toilet water.
| Place the diaper or article of clothing in a plastic bag. |
| Secure the bag with a twist-tie. |
| Wash your hands. |
Do Not
| Rinse the diaper or clothing. |
| Wash the diaper or clothing on the premises. |
Rinsing and washing soiled clothing supplied by parents unnecessarily exposes other children and childcare center staff to potential disease causing germs.
Cloth Diapers Supplied by the Child Care Center
Place soiled cloth diapers in a labeled container with a tight-fitting lid provided by an accredited commercial diaper service or in a plastic bag that is closed with a twist-tie seal.
Do Not
| Rinse the diaper. |
Washing Cloth Diapers
Diapers should be washed in an environment and manner accredited by the Diaper Service Accreditation Council.
Disposable Diapers
Place disposable diapers in plastic-lined trash containers.
Use of Gloves
The use of gloves for routine cleaning is not required, but it is recommended. Wear gloves for cleaning floors, walls or ceilings that have been contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid. If surfaces are contaminated with blood or blood-containing fluid, you must follow Universal Precautions.
Dispose of single-use gloves when cleaning is complete. If you wear non-disposable (multi-use) gloves, disinfect them before removing.
| Type | Frequency | Procedure | ||||||||||
| Walls and Ceilings |
|
|
||||||||||
| Carpeted Floors and large floor rugs. |
|
|
||||||||||
| Small rugs |
|
|
||||||||||
| Non-Carpeted Floor | Clean daily or more often if soiled. |
|
Important: If the surfaces are contaminated with blood, urine, feces or vomit, disinfection is necessary.
Disposal of Cloths Used for Cleaning
Follow the correct procedure for disposing of cleaning cloths.
If disposable cloths were used for cleaning
| Place the disposables cloths in plastic bag secured with a twist tie. |
| Place the sealed bag in an outside trash container. |
If non-disposable cloths were used for cleaning
| Place the cloths in a covered laundry receptacle before removing your cleaning gloves. |
| Use the hot cycle of the washing machine to launder the soiled cleaning cloths. |
Guidelines and procedures for disinfection solutions are based on the National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Out-Of-Home Childcare and on information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Disinfection kills most disease-causing organisms such as streptococcus, staphylococcus, E. coli, salmonella and the agents that cause HIV and hepatitis. A product that claims to be a disinfectant must be registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Disinfection MethodsDisinfection removes almost all germs from an object.
| A solution of 1/4 cup household, liquid chlorine bleach in one gallon of cool tap water (or 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart of water), prepared fresh daily, is an effective disinfectant for environmental surfaces. An effective disinfection solution should have a faint chlorine smell. If the odor is not present, regardless of when the solution was made, discard the solution and prepare a fresh mixture. Sun, evaporation and heat weaken the solution, so keep the solution covered, out the sun and away from heat sources. |
| Caution: Never mix bleach with any liquid other than water. Mixing bleach with a liquid such as vinegar or ammonia can cause a dangerous chemical reaction. |
| Note: Some germs, such as cryptosporidia, are not killed by a bleach solution. |
| Commercially prepared disinfection solutions that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the state or local health department are available. These products are usually labeled as "germicide" or "hospital-grade." |
Heat
Prolonged, intense heat, which occurs when using a dishwasher or hot cycle of a washing machine, is an effective disinfectant. Tap water is not hot enough to be an effective disinfectant.
ProcedureBleach Solution
Commercial Solution
To ensure disinfection, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Safety Precaution
Keep all disinfection solutions out of the reach of children.Note: The bleach solution, if mixed as directed above, is not harmful if ingested.
Guidelines and procedures for sanitation are based on the National Health and Safety Performance Standards Guidelines for Out-Of-Home Childcare and on information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Sanitizing removes the visible dirt from an object or surface and reduces the number of disease-causing organisms to a level that is unlikely to transmit disease. Sanitizing is more effective than cleaning, but less effective than disinfection.
Sanitation Procedure
Procedure to Follow when Using a Commercial Sanitation Product
To ensure sanitation, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Safety Precaution
Keep all sanitation products out of the reach of children.
|
|