2.1 A Clean Environment

To prevent the spread of illness a child care facility is required to clean and sanitize the environment.

Cleaning is to remove dirt with regular mild household soap and water.

Sanitizing is to remove germs with a mixture of regular household bleach and water.

Sanitizing is done after cleaning. First thoroughly clean an area or item, and then sanitize it.

Example: After removing the dirt of e.g. the tables by wiping with a clean cloth, wetted with a mixture of warm water and a little household cleaning detergent, such as dish soap, spray the table surface with the bleach water mixture. Let the surface air-dry or let it stand for at least a minute before drying with a clean cloth.

The bleach water solution for general sanitizing purposes is mild: 1 teaspoon of bleach in 2 cups of water and can be prepared in a spray bottle.

A bleach water mixture must be replaced and mixed daily, as the bleach loses is potency through evaporation.

For sanitizing blood, vomit or diarrhea spill, a stronger bleach water solution is required: 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.