Many services are already open since the 29th of June with many more preparing to re-open at the end of August. It is the aim of all services to minimise the spread of infection for staff and children through the implementation of tight controls that reduce the transmission and spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. One of the ways that services will greatly help to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus is to ensure that cleaning regimes are 100% in order so as to protect staff, children and visitors. Thorough cleaning followed by drying will remove large numbers of various germs, spores, bacteria and fungi but may not necessarily destroy the germs completely. Germs are spread through hands, breathing, sneezing, clothes, skin scales, food and kitchen areas, high risk areas such as bathrooms and high touch areas such as toys and computers/phones. Therefore, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces more often - particularly high touch areas such as door handles, toys, desks, shared computers, phones etc. is most critical.
A ‘Clean as you Go’ policy should be in place for all services to ensure that the number of germs and viruses such as the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the environment is reduced to a safe level. This can be done by ensuring;
- Play surfaces are cleaned, rinsed and dried before use or when visibly soiled.
- Routine cleaning is accomplished using warm water and a general-purpose neutral pH detergent.
- Manufacturer’s instructions are always followed when using detergents and disinfectants with regard to the use of personal protective clothing and dilution recommendations.
- Do not guess measurements and always use a measure.
- Extra measures will not kill more bacteria or clean better – it will damage work surfaces, make floors slippery and give off unpleasant odours.
- Water is changed frequently as dirty water is ineffective for cleaning.
- Disinfecting surfaces are then rinsed.
- Toilets, sinks, wash hand basins and surrounding areas are cleaned when required at least twice daily.
At the Early Years Shop we now have two great new cleaning products available that are ideal for cleaning, sanitising and disinfecting all areas within your service. Klorkleen and Klorsept are very powerful, safe and come in tablet form, which makes it easy to use and store. Just drop a tablet into the correct volume of water, no mixing required. Both products are EPA and FDA registered and are considered safer and highly effective as a bleach replacement using 70% less chemicals. The active ingredient in both products is sodium troclosene (NADCC). While it does provide chlorine in the form of hypochlorous acid (HOCL) for sanitising and disinfection purposes, it is not a hypochlorite like chlorine bleach. The chemistry and mode of action of NaDCC is significantly different, producing a solution that is stable once diluted, particularly in the presence of organic contaminants. Studies have shown that HOCL has four times the anti-microbial killing power of hypochlorites (-OCL).
The recommendation would be to use Klorkleen daily for the first and last cleaning and Klorsept to be used in intermediary cleaning during each day. They are cost effective and have a long shelf life. There is no risk of spillage or leaks and there is no major corrosive effect with the majority of materials. Klorsept is provided in a tub of 200 soluble tablets and Klorkeen in a tub of 150 soluble tablets. Stored correctly they both have a shelf-life of up to 3 Years.
