Because cleaning, disinfecting and hand hygiene are such important tools in reducing the spread of germs, they are especially important in the child care setting. And everyone has a part to play in ensuring a safe and clean environment, from cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing to keeping hands clean. Which should you do? It depends on the location and your goal.

Cleaning: Removing unwanted contaminants, such as soil, dirt and grease, from a surface, material, or your hands, using soap and water or a proper surface cleaner.

Sanitizing: Reducing (but not necessarily eliminating) the number of bacteria on the surface to levels considered safe as determined by public health codes or regulations.

Disinfecting: Irreversibly inactivating pathogens (microorganisms that may cause infections and disease) including bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Hand Hygiene: From kids to adults, it’s important for everyone to clean their hands, especially at key times like before eating and after using the bathroom. Adults can model this behavior and help teach children to help set good hand habits early on.

Whether you are cleaning, sanitizing or disinfecting, ALWAYS follow the directions on the label and do not mix products or chemicals. Check out the C is for Clean Toolkit for guides, posters and tools on proper cleaning and disinfecting routines to help keep small children healthy.