Our Cleaning Process
Our cleaning process has four stages, from a free site assessment to a signed log, and every surface inside it follows the same 3-step cleaning process daycare services are taught: wash with detergent, rinse, then dry, with disinfection added only where the risk needs it. This page shows how a new centre moves through each stage. More about the people behind it is on our page about the Golden Star team.
- Assess the site
- Plan the scope
- Clean, then disinfect
- Log and review
- WWCC checkedAt every stage
- Police checkedWhole team
- $20M insuredPublic liability
- Free assessmentBefore any contract
What are the four steps in our childcare cleaning process?
Assess, plan, clean and log. Every new service starts with a free walk-through, becomes a written room-by-room plan, is cleaned to that plan every visit, and is documented on a signed log that we review with you. Nothing is cleaned before it has been planned.
- 1Assess
We walk the service with you, room by room, noting floors, fixtures, risks and the things educators need left alone.
- 2Plan
A written scope sets the method, product and frequency for each area, and the room order the team will follow.
- 3Clean
The same team works the plan each visit, cleaning first and disinfecting where the plan says so.
- 4Log
Every surface is signed off on the night, and we review the logs with you so the plan keeps up with the centre.
The assessment matters more than it looks. It is where we learn that the toddler room has a leaking tap, that the kinder teacher sets up provocations for the next day, that the outdoor shed is shared with a playgroup on Saturdays. Those details go into the plan, so the first night is not a guessing game for the cleaners or a surprise for your educators.
The review is the step most cleaners skip. A centre changes over a year: rooms are repurposed, groups change age, an outbreak shows up a weak spot. We look at the logs with the director at least once a term and adjust the plan, so the scope reflects the centre you have now, not the one we assessed in January.
The first fortnight is treated as a settling-in period. The supervisor checks the work in person after the first few nights, the director gets a short call at the end of the first week, and anything the plan missed is added straight away rather than waiting for the term review. Most centres find the scope needs two or three small changes in that time, usually about access, a room's set-up or a product an educator prefers we avoid.
What is the 3-step cleaning process for daycare surfaces?
Scrub the surface using detergent in warm water, rinse it off with clean water, then leave it to dry. That removes most germs on its own. A fourth step, disinfection, is added only for high-risk surfaces or during an illness, and it only works on a surface that has already been through the first three.
- Step 1Wash
Detergent and warm water loosen grease, food and the film germs sit in.
- Step 2Rinse
Clean water lifts off the dirt and any detergent left behind.
- Step 3Dry
Air-dry or a clean dry cloth; germs struggle on a dry surface.
- When neededDisinfect
A TGA-listed product for its full contact time, on high-risk areas only.
This follows the NHMRC's Staying Healthy guidelines, which treat thorough detergent cleaning as the backbone and disinfectant as a targeted extra. Spraying disinfectant on a dirty surface is one of the commonest mistakes in childcare cleaning: the dirt shields the germs and the product is wasted.
The step-by-step version for educators, with the details for tables, toys and change mats, is in our guide to the 3-step cleaning process for daycare.
What goes into the written cleaning plan?
Every area of the service on its own line, with the method, the product, how often it is done and how it appears on the log. It also records the room order, access arrangements and anything the team must leave alone. You sign it off before the first clean.
| Area | Method | Product | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler room tables | Wash, rinse, dry | Neutral detergent | Every visit |
| Nappy change bench | Wash, rinse, dry, disinfect | Detergent, then TGA-listed disinfectant | Every visit |
| Kitchen benches | Wash, rinse, sanitise | Food-grade sanitiser | Every visit |
| Shelf toys | Wash, rinse, air-dry | Mild detergent | Weekly rotation |
| Carpets | Vacuum; extraction in term break | Low-residue carpet detergent | Every visit, termly |
The plan above is a short sample; a real one covers every room. It becomes the backbone of the log, because each line on the plan is a line the cleaner signs off. When something changes, like a room being turned into a sleep room, the plan is updated first and the log follows, so the paperwork always matches what actually happens in the building.
When can we walk through your centre?
Send a few details and choose a time that suits you, ideally late afternoon when children are leaving and the rooms can be seen in use. The assessment is free, there is no obligation, and the written plan and fixed price follow within 24 hours.
Bring anything that helps: your current cleaning scope, a floor plan, your food safety program, or a list of the things that bother you about the cleaning now. The more we see, the more accurate the plan.
- 1Pick a timeLate afternoon works best.
- 2Walk the roomsTogether, room by room.
- 3Plan and priceIn writing, within a day.
What do directors ask before a site visit?
The one question almost every director asks when booking the walk-through. If you have others, bring them along on the day; the visit is as much for your questions as for our notes.
01How long is the site visit?
Planned first, cleaned properly, logged every time.
Start with a free walk-through of your centre.