October 7, 2025
With the weather changing and September flying by, staff at schools and nurseries and many parents will be only too aware of how coughs, colds and tummy bugs circulate. It’s also a time where a lot of youngsters are learning to use the toilet, wash hands and with the best intentions little accidents can happen regarding tap hygiene (seen or unseen). This article will therefore take a dive into some microbiology and tips on cleaning.
Enterococci, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter & Shigella are all bacteria associated with the human gut and can easily be transferred person to person via surfaces and in a nursery, this could easily be taps. These bacteria are also associated with various conditions but commonly GI infections and diarrhoea which can therefore be easily spread.
1. If the child visually has faeces on their fingers, it is advisable for the staff to turn the taps on and off.
2. Thorough hand washing and hand drying, between the fingers, palms etc (think Boris Johnson & Happy Birthday).
3. Ensure that taps are cleaned and sanitised daily, using a suitable disinfectant (bleach or alcohol based are good). Pay special attention to areas that are frequently touched, such as handles and spouts (there is no issue with the use of cleaning chemicals in this environment if COSHH risks are assessed and mitigations put in place where necessary).
4. Use disposable cleaning cloths or single-use wipes to prevent cross-contamination.
5. Ensure that this cleaning regime removes limescale as this aids bacterial growth but when doing so, use non-abrasive cleaning materials to avoid damaging tap surfaces. Damaged tap surfaces can also promote bacterial growth.
5. After cleaning, ensure that the taps are thoroughly dried.
6. Should taps have aerators installed these would also need to be removed and cleaned/decaled periodically.
7. Make sure tap cleaning and descaling is included in any cleaning contract.
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