concept of e-learning technology, graphic of realistic computer notebook with book's pages as screen

The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) is launching a refreshed version of its C is for Clean toolkit, a resource for parents and child care workers amid continued efforts to keep children and child care facilities healthy and clean.

This toolkit was originally created in 2021 to help the child care community navigate a return to in-person activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic transitions into an endemic, many in the child care community are still feeling the impact. In fact, one in six parents experienced either a school or a day care shut down in early 2022, and many child care directors have few substitutes to cover for sick staff and early childhood educators.

What’s more, children under five are not approved for the COVID-19 vaccine and child care centers can be a high-risk environment for other easily transmittable illnesses such as the cold, flu, norovirus and strep.

The refreshed version of the C is for Clean toolkit includes “How to Use Disinfectants Safely,” a quick and easy-to-understand resource on the safe use and storage of disinfecting products.

“Child care centers and their staffs play such an important role every day for millions of American families,” says Brian Sansoni, ACI senior vice president, Communications, Outreach and Membership. “ACI’s ‘C is for Clean’ toolkit offers resources for child care workers to properly and safely use and store cleaning products to help ensure a healthy environment for children and staff alike.”

The C is for Clean: Building Blocks of Health toolkit provides families, educators and child care facilities with helpful resources backed by public health guidelines focused on cleaning, disinfecting and basic hygiene measures. Materials include:

• Handwashing Poster

• Facility Cleanliness Checklist

• Hot Spot Guide

• Storage Do’s and Don'ts 

In addition to these resources, ACI has created tailored materials for a variety of audiences including the K-12 school community, businesses and college students on proper cleaning, hygiene and disinfecting protocols. For more information, click here.