Why Childcare Cleaning Is Different
Children, particularly those under five, are more vulnerable to infection than adults. Their immune systems are still developing. They put toys in their mouths. They crawl on floors. They touch surfaces constantly and then touch their faces. A cleaning regime that works for an office or a shop is completely inadequate for a childcare setting.
Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, registers and inspects all early years services in Ireland. The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 set specific requirements for premises hygiene, including documented cleaning schedules, child-safe cleaning products, and standards for nappy changing, food preparation, and sleep areas. A poor Tusla inspection can result in conditions on your registration, increased inspection frequency, or enforcement action — any of which can damage your reputation with parents and your ability to operate.
Optus Glean provides specialist childcare cleaning that meets every Tusla requirement. Every product we use is child-safe, eco-labelled, and non-toxic. Every area is cleaned according to its specific risk level. Every visit is documented for Tusla audit. And every operative assigned to a childcare setting is Garda vetted and trained in childcare-specific protocols.
Room-by-Room Cleaning
Baby Room
The baby room requires the most intensive cleaning in any creche. Babies crawl on floors, chew toys, and are changed multiple times per day. Our baby room clean covers floor cleaning with child-safe disinfectant, cot and sleep mat sanitisation, nappy changing station disinfection (dedicated red colour-coded equipment), toy cleaning and sanitisation, highchair and feeding area cleaning, and all surfaces within baby reach.
Toddler and Preschool Rooms
- Floor: vacuumed (carpet) or mopped (hard floor) with child-safe products
- Tables and chairs: wiped and sanitised (paint, glue, food residue removed)
- Toy storage and shelving: organised and dusted
- Art and craft areas: surfaces cleared of materials, cleaned, and dried
- Reading corners and soft furnishings: vacuumed and spot cleaned
- Doors, handles, and light switches: wiped (child-height priority)
- Windows: interior glass cleaned at child height (handprints and smudges)
Kitchen and Food Preparation
Many creches prepare meals and snacks on-site. This brings food safety obligations under HACCP regulations, in addition to Tusla requirements. Our kitchen cleaning covers all cooking surfaces, equipment, storage, floors, and waste areas to HACCP standards. We provide documented cleaning schedules with colour-coded equipment to prevent cross-contamination. For creches that use a servery rather than a full kitchen, we clean serving surfaces, warming equipment, and food distribution areas.
Nappy Changing Areas
Nappy changing areas are the highest infection risk zone in any creche. Faecal bacteria and viruses (rotavirus, norovirus) can survive on surfaces for hours. Our protocol uses hospital-grade, child-safe disinfectant on all changing surfaces. Dedicated red colour-coded equipment is used exclusively in nappy areas and never cross-contaminates other rooms. Nappy bins are emptied and sanitised. Hand wash stations are cleaned and restocked.
Sleep Rooms
- Cots and sleep mats: surfaces cleaned and disinfected
- Bedding: collected for laundry (if applicable)
- Floor: vacuumed and mopped
- Low lighting fixtures: dusted
- Air quality: room ventilated during cleaning
Washrooms and Toileting Areas
Child-sized toilets, sinks, and potty areas require careful cleaning with child-safe products. All sanitaryware is cleaned and disinfected daily. Steps, potty chairs, and training seats are sanitised. Floor areas around toilets receive extra attention. Soap, paper towels, and hand sanitiser are replenished.
Childcare Cleaning Pricing
| Service | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Daily cleaning (small creche, up to 20 children) | €400 – €550/month | All rooms, kitchen, 5 days/week |
| Daily cleaning (medium creche, 20-40 children) | €550 – €800/month | Multiple rooms, baby room incl. |
| Daily cleaning (large childcare centre, 40+) | €800 – €1,200/month | Full facility, outdoor areas |
| Monthly deep clean | €250 – €600 | Behind furniture, toy deep clean, grout |
| Outbreak response clean | €200 – €500 | Enhanced virucidal protocol |
Note: Prices exclusive of VAT. All operatives are Garda vetted. All products are child-safe and eco-labelled.
Outbreak Response
When a creche experiences an outbreak of gastroenteritis, hand-foot-and-mouth, or another infectious disease, standard cleaning is not sufficient. Optus Glean provides an outbreak response service that can be activated within 24 hours. This includes a full facility clean with virucidal disinfectant effective against the specific pathogen, toy immersion or surface sanitisation, soft furnishing treatment, and enhanced daily cleaning for the duration of the outbreak. We coordinate with the HSE Public Health department and your Tusla inspector to ensure the response meets their requirements.
Serving Childcare Facilities Across Ireland
Ireland has over 4,500 registered early years services. From home-based childminders to large purpose-built childcare centres, Optus Glean provides Tusla-compliant cleaning for creches, Montessori schools, preschools, after-school services, and school-age childcare. We serve independent operators, childcare chains (including Giraffe, Tigers, and Park Academy), community creches, and workplace creches across all 26 counties.
Frequently Asked Questions About Childcare Cleaning
How much does creche cleaning cost in Ireland?
Creche cleaning costs €400–€1,200 per month in 2026. A small creche (up to 20 children) is €400–€550/month. A medium creche (20–40 children) is €550–€800/month. A large centre (40+ children) is €800–€1,200+/month. Baby rooms and kitchen cleaning add to the cost due to the intensive protocols required.
What Tusla standards apply to creche cleaning?
The Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 require clean, hygienic premises with documented schedules and child-safe products. Tusla inspectors check cleaning documentation, product safety data sheets, and physical cleanliness. Optus Glean provides full Tusla-compliant documentation for every childcare client.
What child-safe cleaning products do you use?
We use eco-labelled, non-toxic, low-fragrance products that are safe for environments where children play on floors and put toys in their mouths. Our disinfectants kill common childhood pathogens (norovirus, rotavirus, hand-foot-and-mouth) while being safe for child contact once dry. We never use bleach, ammonia, or strong-fragrance products.
How do you clean nappy changing areas?
Nappy changing areas are disinfected with hospital-grade, child-safe products using dedicated red colour-coded equipment that never enters other rooms. All changing surfaces, bins, and hand wash stations are sanitised. This prevents cross-contamination of faecal bacteria and viruses to other areas of the creche.
Do you clean outdoor play areas?
Yes. We clear litter and debris, check for hazards, sweep or jet-wash hard surfaces, and wipe down outdoor equipment. Sandpit maintenance and covering is included. Frequency is typically daily in summer, weekly in winter.
How do you prevent the spread of infections in creches?
Through daily toy sanitisation, dedicated nappy area equipment, child-safe disinfectants effective against common pathogens, enhanced outbreak protocols, sleep mat cleaning, and full documentation. During outbreaks, we activate an enhanced response within 24 hours with virucidal products throughout the facility.
