Running a home daycare means wearing a lot of hats. You’re a teacher, caregiver, cook, organizer—and sometimes it feels like you’re also a full-time cleaning crew!

Keeping your daycare clean isn’t just about appearances. A consistent cleaning routine helps reduce the spread of germs, creates a healthier environment for children, protects your business, and makes your days run more smoothly. No one wants to deal with an illness outbreak!

The good news? You don’t have to deep clean everything every day. By dividing cleaning tasks into daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal routines, it’s much easier to stay organized without feeling overwhelmed.

In this guide, you’ll find a complete home daycare cleaning checklist, helpful cleaning tips, and a free printable checklist to keep you on track.

There are dozens of cleaning tasks that need to be done throughout the week, and it’s easy to fall behind. When that happens, many providers begin to feel stressed and overwhelmed, which can quickly lead to burnout. Feeling burnt out is the number one reason why people leave this career. Don’t let this happen to you.

Instead of trying to remember everything, create a routine. Breaking your cleaning into smaller tasks makes it much more manageable and ensures nothing gets overlooked.

Daily Home Daycare Cleaning Checklist

Daily cleaning helps prevent germs from spreading while keeping your daycare looking neat and inviting.

Before Children Arrive

Wipe and sanitize tables and countertops.
Disinfect high-touch surfaces such as door handles and light switches.
Restock soap, paper towels, and toilet paper.
Sweep the entryway.
Check that bathrooms are clean and fully stocked.
Open windows for fresh air if weather permits.

Throughout the Day

Wash hands frequently (children and adults).
Clean and sanitize diaper changing areas after each use.
Wipe tables before and after meals and snacks.
Sweep under eating areas.
Clean spills immediately.
Sanitize toys that children put in their mouths.
Empty trash as needed.
Clean and sanitize food preparation areas and sinks.
Sanitize high chairs, booster seats, potty chairs, toilet seats, and handles.
Wash dishes or load the dishwasher.
Wipe down nap mats.
Place bibs and hand towels in the laundry.
Clean and organize art supplies after activities.

At the End of the Day

Vacuum rugs and carpets.
Sweep and mop hard floors.
Sanitize tables, chairs, and play surfaces.
Clean bathroom sinks, toilets, and faucets.
Wash dishes and sanitize the sink.
Empty all trash cans.
Start laundry for bibs, blankets, washcloths, and cleaning cloths.

Most providers naturally complete many of these tasks throughout the day. Personally, I like to have most of my cleaning finished before the last child leaves so I can truly be done for the evening. While that doesn’t always happen, planning ahead makes it much easier.

Weekly Cleaning Tasks

Set aside a little extra time each week for these larger cleaning jobs.

Wash nap mats, bedding, and blankets.
Wash dress-up clothes and dramatic play items.
Wash stuffed animals and other soft toys.
Wash play kitchen toys.
Wipe down and sanitize toy bins.
Clean toys such as blocks, dolls, cars, and manipulatives.
Dust shelves, furniture, and bookshelves.
Clean sensory bins and materials.
Vacuum upholstered furniture.
Clean refrigerator shelves and handles.
Wash mirrors and windows.
Sanitize garbage cans inside and out.
Wipe down walls.
Sanitize changing table areas.
Clean activity centers.
Wipe down art supply areas.
Clean and sanitize cubbies.
Clean and sanitize cribs and cots.
Disinfect doorknobs, cabinet handles, and light switches.

This may look like a long list, but don’t feel like it all has to be completed in one day. Spread these tasks throughout the week or month using a calendar or printable cleaning schedule.

Monthly Deep Cleaning Checklist

Monthly cleaning helps extend the life of your equipment while keeping your daycare looking its best.

Soak and sanitize plastic toys.
Clean outdoor toys and equipment.
Wash curtains or blinds.
Deep clean carpets and rugs.
Dust ceiling fans and air vents.
Clean light fixtures.
Wipe walls, doors, and baseboards.
Organize storage bins and closets.
Clean inside the refrigerator, microwave, and oven.
Clean under stove burners.
Clean or replace the range hood filter.
Clean the dishwasher food trap.
Vacuum under rugs and doormats.
Run the washing machine’s cleaning cycle.
Dust furniture and windowsills.
Wipe down pantry shelves and food storage cabinets.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

These monthly cleaning jobs are usually a bit bigger and may require some time done outside of normal daycare hours. However, many of these things you can get done at naptime or at the end of the day. These cleaning tasks don’t have to eat up all your free time. Break them up over the month and do a little at a time.

Seasonal Cleaning Tasks

Every few months, take time to refresh your daycare and tackle larger maintenance projects or cleaning that only needs to be done quarterly.

Spring

Deep clean outdoor play equipment.
Clean and organize outdoor play spaces.
Wash outdoor furniture.
Organize storage areas.
Donate broken or unused toys.
Replace HVAC filters.
Schedule carpet cleaning if needed.

Summer

Inspect the yard for hazards.
Maintain outdoor play areas.
Sanitize water tables and outdoor sensory bins.
Clean outdoor toys regularly.
Check sunscreen and first aid supplies.
Replace HVAC filters.
Defrost the freezer when ice reaches about ¼ inch thick.

Fall

Wash walls, door frames, and baseboards.
Clean heating vents.
Organize coats and cold-weather gear.
Prepare outdoor toys for winter storage.
Organize storage areas.
Replace HVAC filters.

Winter

Increase toy sanitizing during cold and flu season.
Deep clean dramatic play materials.
Organize curriculum supplies for the new year.
Replace HVAC filters.
Donate broken or unused toys.
Defrost the freezer when ice reaches about ¼ inch thick.

Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: What’s the Difference?

These terms are often used interchangeably, but they actually mean different things.

Cleaning removes dirt, crumbs, dust, and many germs using soap and water. Cleaning should always be done before sanitizing or disinfecting.

Sanitizing reduces germs to a level considered safe by public health standards. It is commonly used on toys, tables, high chairs, and eating surfaces.

Disinfecting uses stronger chemicals to kill most bacteria and viruses. It is typically used for diaper changing stations, bathrooms, and surfaces contaminated with bodily fluids.

Always follow your state’s childcare licensing regulations regarding approved cleaning products and required contact times.

General Cleaning Tips for Providers

Wash hard plastic toys in the dishwasher.
Clean messes as they happen instead of letting them pile up.
Keep a “dirty toy” bin for toys that have been mouthed.
Use hands-free trash cans whenever possible.
Put older children to work with age-appropriate helper jobs if licensing allows.
Spend part of naptime tackling a few deep-cleaning tasks.
Track your off-hours cleaning time for tax purposes.
Place newspaper in the bottom of trash cans to absorb leaks.
Use disinfecting wipes if permitted by your licensing agency.
Save loud tasks like vacuuming for afternoons. Or try before children arrive if evenings are exhausting.

Tax Time Tip

Don’t forget to track the time you spend cleaning and organizing your daycare when children are not present.

Those hours count as time spent operating your business and may be included when calculating your time-space percentage for home daycare taxes.

Grab Your Free Home Daycare Cleaning Checklist

To make staying organized even easier, I’ve created a free printable Home Daycare Cleaning Checklist that you can keep on your clipboard, refrigerator, or cleaning cart.

→ Download the Free Home Daycare Cleaning Checklist ←

What cleaning tip has saved you the most time in your daycare? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

Looking for more posts about running a daycare? Check out my daycare page to learn about starting or running an in-home daycare or shop my collection of ebooks and daycare forms in my store.