What should a daycare daily cleaning checklist include?

A daycare daily cleaning checklist must cover: vacuum and mop all floors in every room; disinfect the nappy change area with TGA-listed product after every change (Section 77); clean and disinfect all bathrooms and toilets; wipe all high-touch surfaces with GECA-certified sanitiser; clean kitchen food preparation areas with AS/NZS 4146 food-safe product; sanitise mouthed toys in under-2 rooms; empty and reline all bins; replenish soap, paper towels, and hand sanitiser at all stations; and sign and date the daily cleaning log. The log must record areas cleaned, products used, time, and responsible person for ACECQA Quality Area 2 evidence.

Is a cleaning checklist required by ACECQA?

Yes. NQS Quality Area 2 requires documented cleaning procedures and systematic cleaning records. A signed, dated cleaning log completed after every cleaning visit is the standard ACECQA evidence format for Quality Area 2 compliance. The log functions as the childcare cleaning checklist in practice — it records that each required task was completed, which product was used, and who performed it. ACECQA assessors typically request to see cleaning logs for a recent period (3–6 months) during quality assessment visits.

What is a daycare kitchen cleaning checklist?

A daycare kitchen cleaning checklist covers: wipe all food contact surfaces (benchtops, cutting boards) after every use with AS/NZS 4146-compliant food-safe sanitiser; wipe high chair trays after every meal; clean appliance exteriors and stovetop daily; mop kitchen floor daily with GECA-certified neutral pH cleaner; clean refrigerator interior weekly; deep clean all appliances at term break. The kitchen checklist must specify AS/NZS 4146-compliant products for food contact surfaces — general purpose cleaners that are not food-safe are not appropriate for these areas even if GECA-certified.

How often should a daycare cleaning checklist be reviewed?

The daycare cleaning checklist template should be reviewed annually and when: the NHMRC Staying Healthy guidelines are updated; products change and the product column references need updating; the facility layout changes and new areas need to be added; a new cleaning contractor begins service; or following a significant outbreak event. The checklist used in daily practice should match the current cleaning procedure document. If the checklist references products that are no longer used or areas that no longer exist, it needs updating before the next ACECQA assessment visit.

Daycare Cleaning Checklist PDF

Q: How do I make a daycare cleaning checklist NQS compliant?

To make a daycare cleaning checklist NQS compliant: align every task with NHMRC Staying Healthy minimum frequencies; specify GECA-certified products for each task; include a TGA-listed disinfectant for nappy areas and bathrooms; include an AS/NZS 4146 food-safe sanitiser for kitchen areas; add a signature line, date field, and product column to every checklist; specify nappy area disinfection as after every change, not once daily; include weekly tasks as a separate section; and retain completed checklists on site for 12 months as ACECQA documentation.

Key Points — How to Use These Checklists

The checklists below are designed as operational templates — structured to function as the signed daily and weekly cleaning logs required for NQS Quality Area 2 ACECQA documentation. Each checklist includes the tasks required by NHMRC Staying Healthy minimum frequency guidelines, the product type required for each task, and a structure that can be printed and signed after each cleaning session.

To use these checklists as ACECQA-ready documentation, print each checklist, complete the date and facility name fields, have the responsible person sign after each session, and file the completed checklists in chronological order. Retain completed checklists on site for a minimum of 12 months — ACECQA assessors typically request to see logs covering 3–6 months of recent cleaning visits during quality assessment.

Three Checklists Below

1. Daily Cleaning Checklist — completed after every professional cleaning session. 2. Weekly Cleaning Checklist — additional tasks completed once per week. 3. Kitchen Cleaning Checklist — food preparation area tasks with AS/NZS 4146 product requirements. Each is formatted for print and ready to use.

The Checklists — Print and Use

Daily Cleaning Checklist — Daycare / Childcare Centre

Facility: _________________________________ Date: _____________ Signed: _________________________________

Vacuum all floors — all rooms, remove dry debrisNHMRC · NQS QA2
Damp mop all hard floors — GECA-certified neutral pH cleanerNHMRC · NQS QA2
Wipe all table surfaces and high chairsGECA sanitiser
Wipe all door handles and light switches — both sidesGECA sanitiser
Sanitise mouthed toys — under-2 rooms (hard plastic toys)GECA enzyme · Daily
Nappy change area — TGA-listed disinfectant after EVERY changeSection 77
Clean and disinfect all toilet bowls, seats, and flush buttonsTGA disinfectant
Clean and disinfect all basins and tap handlesTGA disinfectant
Mop bathroom floor with TGA-listed disinfectantTGA disinfectant
Wipe cot frames and sleep mat surfaces — fragrance-free GECABetween children
Empty and reline all bins — all roomsNHMRC
Replenish soap, paper towels, and hand sanitiser — all stationsNHMRC
Vacuum and mop sleep room floors — fragrance-free products onlyGECA VOC-free
Wipe outdoor play equipment surfacesWeekly minimum

Products used today: ____________________________________________________________

Weekly Cleaning Checklist — Daycare / Childcare Centre

Facility: _________________________________ Week ending: _____________ Signed: _________________________________

Full toy sanitisation — all toys, all rooms, all materialsGECA enzyme
Fabric toy launder at 60°C — fragrance-free GECA laundry liquid60°C wash
High-surface clean — shelves, window sills, top of furnitureGECA sanitiser
Full bathroom deep clean including wall tiles and floor groutTGA disinfectant
Window interior — child-height fingerprint zone (0–120cm)Ammonia-free GECA
Mattress and cot inspection — wipe all surfacesFragrance-free GECA
Refrigerator interior clean and wipeGECA food-safe
Outdoor play equipment — full wipe with biodegradable GECA detergentGECA biodegradable
Sandpit rake and visual inspectionNHMRC
Floor move and edge clean — furniture moved for thorough coverageGECA cleaner
Bin interior wipe and disinfectGECA sanitiser
Skirting boards, door frames, and light switch surroundsGECA sanitiser

Additional notes: ____________________________________________________________

Kitchen Cleaning Checklist — Daycare / Childcare Centre

Facility: _________________________________ Date: _____________ Signed: _________________________________

All benchtops and food prep surfaces — after every useAS/NZS 4146
Cutting boards — clean and sanitise after every useAS/NZS 4146
High chair trays and bibs area — after every mealAS/NZS 4146
Stovetop and appliance exteriors — dailyGECA cleaner
Kitchen sink — clean and sanitise dailyGECA sanitiser
Kitchen floor mop — GECA-certified neutral pH cleaner dailyGECA · Daily
Wipe microwave interior and exterior — dailyGECA food-safe
Wipe kettle exterior — dailyGECA cleaner
Refrigerator door handles and seals — dailyGECA food-safe
Refrigerator interior — full clean weeklyGECA food-safe · Weekly
Oven interior clean — term breakGECA food-safe · Term
Empty kitchen bin and reline — dailyNHMRC

All food contact surface products used today are AS/NZS 4146 compliant: Yes Products used: ____________________________

Action Steps — Making These Checklists Work for ACECQA

Step 1 — Customise the Product Column for Your Facility

The checklist notes column references product categories (GECA enzyme sanitiser, TGA-listed disinfectant, AS/NZS 4146 food-safe). When you print and implement these checklists, add your specific product names to each row. Naming the actual products used — with GECA certification reference numbers noted in the product register — turns a generic template into facility-specific compliance documentation. An ACECQA assessor can then verify that the products listed in the log match the products in the product register.

Step 2 — Add a Products Used Footer to Every Daily Log

The daily checklist includes a "Products used today" footer field. Use this to record the specific product names or codes for each category used in that session. This field is particularly important when you have multiple products covering different areas — it makes clear that each product was actually deployed in the session, not just listed in the product register. For professional cleaning contractors, this information should be captured in the signed log they leave after every visit.

Step 3 — File and Retain for 12 Months

Print each completed checklist and file in a labelled folder by month, stored at the facility. ACECQA assessors may request to see cleaning logs dating back 3–6 months — having them organised and readily accessible demonstrates that the documentation system is active and maintained. A digital equivalent (scanned PDFs or a digital log system) is equally acceptable provided it includes the required signature, date, and product information.

Want Signed Logs Provided After Every Visit?

Golden Star provides a professionally formatted signed compliance log after every cleaning visit — pre-populated with areas cleaned, products used with GECA references, time, and responsible person. No template to fill in, no manual record-keeping. The log is ready for direct filing as ACECQA Quality Area 2 evidence. Contact us for a free quote across 25 Melbourne suburbs.

How to Adapt These Templates for Different Facility Types

The checklists above are structured for a standard long day care centre operating on an after-hours professional cleaning schedule. They need minor adaptation for other facility types. For family day care homes, the daily checklist applies in full with additional attention to the sleep room products column — all products in a family day care home must be fragrance-free and VOC-free given the children's extended time in the residential environment. The kitchen checklist applies fully as family day care homes regularly provide food, and AS/NZS 4146 food-safe sanitisers are required for food contact surfaces in the same way as a centre-based kitchen.

For OSHC programmes, the daily checklist should be adapted to cover only the areas used by the OSHC programme — noting that the school's cleaning programme does not cover the childcare operator's NQS QA2 obligations in those areas. A separate OSHC cleaning log must be maintained covering the specific rooms and areas used during the OSHC session. The nappy area requirement typically does not apply to OSHC programmes serving school-age children, but the kitchen and food preparation area requirements remain if the programme provides food. For centre-based programmes with multiple rooms, consider adding a room-by-room column to the daily checklist so that completion of each room can be individually signed off — this provides more granular evidence for ACECQA and helps identify if specific rooms are being missed in a cleaning session.

For facilities that use a professional cleaning contractor, the contractor's own signed log can replace or supplement the printed checklist — provided it includes the same information: areas cleaned, products used, date, time, and signature. See our full childcare cleaning checklist guide for the complete frequency and product reference, and our compliance page for ACECQA documentation guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

A daycare daily cleaning checklist must cover: vacuum and mop all floors; nappy area TGA-listed disinfection after every change (Section 77); bathroom and toilet clean and disinfect; wipe all high-touch surfaces with GECA sanitiser; kitchen food contact surface clean with AS/NZS 4146 product; sanitise mouthed toys in under-2 rooms; empty and reline all bins; replenish soap, paper towels, and hand sanitiser; and a signed date field and products-used record for ACECQA evidence.

Yes. NQS Quality Area 2 requires documented cleaning procedures and systematic cleaning records. A signed, dated cleaning log after every visit is the standard ACECQA evidence format. ACECQA assessors typically request logs covering 3–6 months of recent cleaning visits during quality assessment. A cleaning programme that is performed but not documented cannot be demonstrated to an assessor — documentation is as important as the cleaning itself.

Align every task with NHMRC Staying Healthy minimum frequencies; specify GECA-certified products for each task; include TGA-listed disinfectant for nappy areas and bathrooms; include AS/NZS 4146 food-safe sanitiser for kitchen areas; add a signature line, date, and product column to every checklist; specify nappy area disinfection as after every change — not once daily; include weekly tasks as a separate section; and retain completed checklists on site for 12 months.

A daycare kitchen cleaning checklist covers food contact surfaces (benchtops, cutting boards, high chair trays) after every use with AS/NZS 4146-compliant food-safe sanitiser; appliance exteriors and stovetop daily; kitchen floor daily with GECA neutral pH cleaner; refrigerator interior weekly; and full appliance deep clean at term break. All food contact surface products must be AS/NZS 4146 compliant — general-purpose GECA cleaners are not sufficient for food contact surfaces without the food-safe standard.

Annually at minimum, and additionally when: NHMRC guidelines update; products change; the facility layout changes; a new cleaning contractor begins; or following a significant outbreak event. The checklist must match the current cleaning procedure document — if product names in the checklist don't match the product register, it's a Quality Area 2 documentation inconsistency. Update both documents together when any change occurs.

Daycare Cleaning Checklist PDF — Free Download