Housekeeping Checklist
At Country Park we pay strict attention to the cleanliness of our facility. Every day we devote a lot of time and energy to ensuring that everything is as spotless and sanitary as possible. To show you what we mean, the following is a slightly-edited version of our daily Housekeeping Checklist.
Caution: The list is quite lengthy!
SAFETY FIRST!
As a child friendly environment, disinfectant buckets & spray bleach bottles stay out of children’s reach AT ALL TIMES. Refer to our Operations Guide for a complete explanation of our housekeeping standards.
DEFINITIONS
Clean: Pail filled with PineSol and/or soapy hot water. Use Ammonia or SoftScrub only when specified. Soapy water is used when disinfecting or sanitizing is not necessary.
Disinfect: Pail filled with PineSol solution & hot water. PineSol will clean (remove grime) & disinfect at the same time.
Sanitize: Bleach solution from a spray bottle, bucket, sink or utility tub. Bleach does not clean.
GENERAL RULES
All Cleaning must be done according to specifications, no exceptions. The rule is that everything must be absolutely, positively, perfectly spotless! Always legibly print your initials and the date on this checklist only after completing a task.
Cleaning Tools: Always use the proper tools when housekeeping (vacuum brush, toothbrushes, Q-tips, etc.) This requires training and you will be trained to use these tools.
While Cleaning: Remove smudges, streaks and fingerprints in cracks & crevices. Clean under things such as microwaves.
Measuring Solutions: Measure correctly. Always empty the used solutions from pails and spray bottles into a toilet. Before flushing, use the toilet brush to clean/disinfect the toilet. Never mix chemicals!
Bleach: Remember that bleach bleaches, it does not clean. Bleach must not be used on the floors or carpets.
Bleach Bottles: When using bleach solution spray, leave the spray on the area for a full two minutes and then wipe with a clean rag or allow to air dry. Use common sense on where and how to spray. At the end of the week, please use a toothbrush to remove the white powdery bleach residue.
Outdoor Cleaning in summer months: Use the hose on cots, floor mats & chairs; when done, spray the dirt off the concrete and towards the drain.
Rooms must smell clean at all times. Soiled diapers are immediately removed from the inside of the building. Be aware of safety: before leaving any room look at the floors & around the entire room. Pick up any lint or craft-type debris, move floor toys away from benches & shelves and neatly arrange all shelf toys.
Tables & Chairs: (1) Wipe with soapy water or non-soiled diaper wipes to remove crumbs, etc. (2) Disinfect with rag and pail filled with PineSol. (3) Sanitize with bleach spray. Allow bleach to remain on areas for 2 minutes then air dry or wipe off bleach with a watered down diaper wipe. Before leaving a room, all top surfaces must be streak free and chairs must be straight & pushed in.
Corners: Are around the entire periphery of a room where a wall meets the floor. If you vacuum or sweep the corners of rooms before cleaning with a liquid solution, it will eliminate crud buildup. If crud exists, use a toothbrush to remove it.
Radiator Vents: Use vacuum brush to vacuum top, middle and front. In winter months, keep vent louvers open for proper heat distribution. If wet rags are used, you must dry the louvers afterwards so they don’t rust.
Light Switches & Outlets: Never spray with liquid solution or get liquid into the sockets. This will cause electrical shocks.
Plastic Bags and or cleaning supplies must never be stored in low cupboards where there is no childproof lock or there is any chance that children can access them.
Sponges must never be used as they leave streak marks and harbor bacteria.
Store wet cleaning material containers (such as bleach) inside a bucket before you place them inside a cabinet.
Tub/Sink Sanitizing: When filling the utility tub or Ecology Room sink with the correct bleach measurement solution, all staff should be notified that it’s the chosen time of day to sanitize and everyone should participate. Gather toys throughout the building and take turns soaking them for the correct period of time.
Laundry Machines are to be operated only by staff who have been correctly trained by the Director.
GENERAL TASKS TO BE COMPLETED ONE TO FIVE TIMES PER WEEK
 | Battery operated shelf toys in all rooms but infant areas: Clean & Disinfect (with pail, rag & brush. |
| Toilet bowl brushes in all bathrooms: Sanitize with bleach. |
| Floor: Damp Mop or Vacuum all rooms when needed. |
| Radiators: Disinfect & Dry radiators. |
| Upstairs: Dust/vacuum employee area, office, and loft-including stairs and the corners on each step. Attend to the typewriter & white railing in loft area, the TV & under refrigerator in the museum & the bottom of the stairs where dust balls collect in the corners. |
| Laundry baskets: Sanitize. |
| Walls, Doors, Door Jams 3 ft. and below: Disinfect. |
| Windowsills & inside track of sliders: Clean. Use a Q-tip and toothbrush. |
| Hardwood Floors: Disinfect. |
| Radiators: Disinfect. Remember middle louver. Dry afterwards & be sure middle louvers are in the open position in winter months. |
| Broom heads and Dustpans: Clean debris from & Sanitize. |
| Sanitizing spray bottle pumps: Clean with hot running water and brush. Remove dirt and residual salt buildup. |
| Plants in Museum and South Locker Room: Water (one 1/2 cup each.) |
| Small Activity Room rugs: Vacuum. |
| Mop Head: Disinfect |
South Locker Room
| Outdoor walkway (winter): Sweep salt out of entry path. |
| Outdoor entranceway (summer): Sweep. |
| Exterior entrance & exit doors & metal base: Clean, keep glass, free from fingerprints. Get sand out of the crevices both inside & outside of doors. |
| Entire room: Straighten, shoes aligned correctly, jackets hanging on top of zipped book bags. |
| Corners: Vacuum. |
| Shelves: Dust. |
| Radiators: Vacuum. |
| Benches: Disinfect. |
| Blanket bins and wipe containers: Disinfect. |
| Mail box tops, payment box, floodlights & fire extinguisher: Dust. |
| Mats: Shake outside, out of walkway; Clean in laundry tub or use outdoor hose. |
North Locker Room
| Blue & hardwood floor & baseboards: Clean. It is always dusty behind the door and in the corners. |
| Carpet area: Vacuum corners, behind shelves & under benches. |
| Entire room: Straighten. Align shoes as per Operations Manual, hang jackets on top of zipped up book bags. |
| Shelves: Wipe and dry. Clean gray cart. |
| Sink: Shine. |
| Radiators: Vacuum. |
Lunch Room
| Tables, chairs, beverage & food cart, including legs, sides, undersides, fronts & backs: Clean off food and fingerprints then Sanitize. |
| Stovetop: Keep immaculate and always streak free. |
| Sink faucets (sides & behind): Clean smudges and debris. Sanitize. Shine. |
| Doorknobs & cupboard handles: Disinfect and Shine. |
| Lunchroom floor: Clean. Use only hot water with a pinch of PineSol & dish soap. Pay attention to corners, under & tops of radiators, rubber moldings, and base of the cupboards & refrigerator. |
| Wipes container, spray bottle & Medigel bottle: Disinfect. |
| Wall above sink: Clean with a damp cloth. Dry away the streaks. |
| Microwave: Clean inside, outside & underneath. Clean cracks with a brush. Shine afterwards. |
| Refrigerator: Clean three sides, top & bottom, including the rubber area inside freezer & fridge doors & handles (use a brush: Be very gentle not to rip rubber!) Keep free of all fingerprints. Disinfect the handle. |
| Refrigerator: Clean inside & grate on bottom. Gently remove grate or it will crack. Use lint brush for bottom coils. |
| Walls and Doors 3 ft. and below, Electrical outlets: Disinfect. |
| Closet: Clean & Straighten. |
| Sink and Drain: Clean with soft scrub & toothbrush. |
| Grate on the bottom of Freezer. Remove gently and clean. Use lint brush for coils. |
Craft Room
| After each rotation the tables must be cleaned and streak-free and the chairs must be wiped free of any paint, etc. |
| Manipulative Toys with baskets: Place into tub for Disinfecting & Sanitizing. To be done after each use. |
| Counters: Disinfect. |
| Soiled tissue bin: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Yellow floor & baseboards: Vacuum. See the corners of door jam areas. |
| Table: Disinfect underside and legs. Use toothbrush for top crevice of table. |
| Cupboards: Disinfect outsides & handles of upper cupboards. |
| Sink: Clean with SoftScrub. |
| Glue and Paint bottles: Check 2 times/week. If they need refilling or cleaning, do so. |
| Radiator: Disinfect and Wipe dry. |
| Portable craft shelf: Disinfect. |
| Paneling ledges: Dust. |
| Sink & Drain lip: Clean with brush & SoftScrub. |
| Counters: Move all items and Clean. |
Library/Computer Room
| Soiled tissue bin: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Carpet area, floors and baseboards: Vacuum. |
| Closet: Clean & Organize. |
| High shelf: Dust. |
| Corners and behind tables & shelves & inside closet: Vacuum. See the corners of each door jam area. |
| Electrical outlets: Disinfect. Caution! |
| Computer workstations: Disinfect. Use dry toothbrush between keyboard keys. |
Large Activity Room
| Soiled tissue bin: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Doors & Jams: Disinfect 3 ft & below. |
| Blue doors on shelf: Clean free of fingerprints. |
| Benches, Woodwork: Disinfect. |
| Radiators: Vacuum. |
| Fire extinguisher: Dust. |
| Carpet including corners & under radiators: Vacuum. |
| Lower part of Windows: Clean fingerprints. |
Music Room
| Soiled toys: Remove to Ecology room for Sanitizing. |
| Medigel bottle, Soiled tissue basket: Disinfect. |
| Portable toy shelves and/or Carts: Clean. |
| Light switch: Disinfect. |
| Stock Room. Do Inventory Check. |
| Baseboards & corners: Vacuum (anytime.) |
| Shelf toys: Musical Instruments: Disinfect with pail & rag. |
| Carpet: Vacuum (anytime.) |
Main Bathroom
| Sink & Handles area: Shine. |
| Tub: Clean with SoftScrub & brush. REMOVE BLEACH RESIDUE |
| Toilet bowl, seat, hinges and pipes underneath: Disinfect using a toothbrush. |
| Tile on walls: Disinfect & Shine. |
| Entire floor: Disinfect. |
| Sink and pipes under sink: Clean with brush. |
| Mirror: Polish. |
REST TIME PROCEDURES
General Procedures -To be done first!
| Floor toys and larger shelf toys: Disinfect with rag & pail & Brush. |
| Cots: Spray with bleach solution (After rest time.) |
| Craft items: Place into children’s book/locker bags. |
| Holiday items (the day after a holiday): Move to proper storage area. |
| All high & low shelf toys: Disinfect with rag & pail & Toothbrush. |
| Craft items: Place into children’s book/locker bags. |
| Mirror: Clean with soft cloth. |
| Soiled tissue bins: Sanitize. |
| Blue floor: Wipe dust balls where wall meets floor and under radiators. |
| Soiled toys: Move to the Ecology Room sink for Sanitizing. |
3-Toilet Bathroom
| Toilet bowls, seats and seat hinges: Disinfect with toothbrush. |
| Door handles, outside of toilet paper holders, toilet flush handles, sink faucets & handles, wipes containers, soap dispenser and garbage can handle: Disinfect. |
| Floor around base of all toilets & from the wall to 12 inches in front of each bowl: Disinfect. |
| Sink & counter top, vanity base, and tissue/towel dispensers: Disinfect. |
| Fronts of cupboards (first look for fingerprints and/or smudges): Disinfect. |
| Stock Room. |
| Step stools: Clean with brush in tub or outside. |
| Diaper wipes: Cut. |
| Entire floor: Disinfect. |
| Diaper pail & top of it: Disinfect. |
| Sinks: Scrub with SoftScrub. |
| Walls 3 ft. & below: Disinfect. |
| Doors & Jams: Clean & Disinfect. |
| Cart: Disinfect if applicable. |
| Plunger: Disinfect with bleach. |
Ecology Room
| Floor & under radiator: Sweep. |
| Bird Cage: Clean & change water when applicable. |
| Fish aquarium: Clean outside with Windex. |
| Shelves: Clean. |
| Sink: Sweep under it. |
| Sink and faucets: Clean with SoftScrub & Shine. |
| Fronts and handles of cupboards: Disinfect. |
| Wipes and Medigel container: Disinfect. |
| Stock Room. Step stools: Clean with brush in tub or outside. |
| Soap holders: Clean with a brush. |
| Switches, outlets and door handles: Disinfect. |
| Radiators: Dust. |
| Water table: Rinse out; Wipe and Shine table legs. |
Handicap Bathroom
| Toilet bowls, seats; seat hinges: Disinfect with toothbrush. |
| Door handles, outside of toilet paper holders, toilet flush handles, sink faucets & handles, wipes containers, soap dispenser and garbage can handle: Disinfect. |
| Sink & tissue/towel dispensers: Disinfect then Shine. |
| Entire floor & Step Stools: With brush: Disinfect. |
| Sinks: Clean with SoftScrub. |
| Walls 3 ft. high and below (Behind Toilet) and door jam: Disinfect |
| Diaper pail & Top: Disinfect. |
Small Activity Room
| Table: disinfect underside & legs; use toothbrush on top crevice (if applicable.) |
| Radio: Brush with dry toothbrush in crevices. Removing all dust buildup. Clean with wet cloth. |
| Electrical outlets: Disinfect. Caution! |
| High Shelf: Clean. |
| Dress-up clothes: Launder and Take to the basement. |
GENERAL AFTERNOON TASKS
| Locker rooms (winter) Sweep salt to the outside and out of walkway. |
| Main entrance porch: Sweep. |
| Mats (indoor and outdoor): Shake off. |
| Trash can steps and walkways: Sweep & hose down if full of dirt, sand or leaves. |
| Toddler/Transitioner food & beverage cart: Disinfect using brush for crevices. |
| Preschool food & beverage cart: Disinfect using brush for crevices during or after PM snack. |
| Tuesday: Trashcans with tops tightly latched: Take to the curb. |
PRE-CLOSING TASKS
| Empty soiled toy baskets from all rooms. |
Craft Room & Basement Stairwell
| Disinfect & Sanitize swings & walkers after each child uses them. |
| Diaper-changing tables including sides: Clean and Sanitize afterwards. |
| Refrigerator & microwave: Clean and Shine a few times each day. |
| Mirror: Clean with soft cloth a few times each day. |
| Food tables: Clean undersides. |
| Shelf toys: Disinfect with rag & toothbrush. |
| Manipulative baskets of toys: Disinfect after each usage. |
| Floor toys & Swings: Disinfect with pail & rag. |
| Slide: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Pencils & Clipboards: Disinfect. |
| Crib Mat: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Cupboard handles: Disinfect. |
| Cupboards: Clean out and organize neatly. |
Infant Playroom
| Rocking chair: Clean with wood cleaner. |
| Carpet areas: Vacuum. |
| Corners, baseboards, radiators & behind furniture: Vacuum. |
| Shelves: Dust. |
| Radios: Dust with dry toothbrush then use a wet rag. |
| Gates in room: Clean with brush then Sanitize. |
| Small toys: Disinfect in tub using brush for crevices (let soak for at least ten minutes.) |
| Infant baskets: Disinfect. |
| Clippy chairs: Brush if needed. |
Infant Rest Room
| Crib mats: Disinfect then Sanitize. |
| Carpets: Vacuum. |
| Shelves: Dust. |
| Radiator: Clean. |
| Sink: Shine. |
| Cribs, each bar: Disinfect. |
| Radio: Dust with dry toothbrush then wipe with damp rag. |