Private kindergarten — what we need to know about chemicals and scheduling around children
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We run a private kindergarten in Militari, 5 classrooms, each with a wall unit (Mitsubishi 9,000 BTU), children aged 2 to 6. Parents often ask whether the 'substances' used in sanitising are safe near small children, and we cannot stop the programme for a whole day. How do you organise a visit at a kindergarten — products, schedule, what happens with the toys and cots in the room?
What is really happening
The EPA does not recommend sprayed biocides as routine practice in air systems, precisely because effectiveness is not clearly demonstrated and health effects are uncertain — at a kindergarten, we avoid that type of product entirely. Studies show that in child-care centres, air conditioning versus natural ventilation was associated with 20–40% more cough and lower respiratory illness, and at home, air conditioners were associated with 30–40% more wheeze in children — which is why a clean unit matters more, not less, in a room with small children.
- Start with the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Consider operating hours, environment and observations.
- Plan checks and record completed work.
One fixed interval does not suit every unit and home.
- EPA warns that the effectiveness of biocides sprayed into air systems has not been demonstrated and their health effects are uncertain. [US EPA, 2024]
- In child-care centres, air conditioning (versus natural ventilation) was associated with 20–40% increases in cough and lower respiratory illness in children. [LBNL Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findi, 2023]
- In the European ECRHS study, homes with air conditioning showed roughly 30–40% more wheeze, breathlessness and current asthma. [LBNL Indoor Air Quality Scientific Findi, 2023]
- EPA principle: mould must be physically removed, not merely 'killed'; biocides are not recommended as routine practice. [US EPA, 2024]
What we do on site
- Each room, one unit: we move or cover with foil the cots and toys in the spray radius, sealed double cover, alkaline detergent, adjustable pressure wash, chlorine-free, low-fragrance sanitising, filters, outdoor unit in place.
- We schedule room by room, outside that group's nap hours, or early morning before children arrive.
- We air the room 15–20 minutes after each visit, before the group returns.
- Intervention sheet with photos for each room, useful for communicating with parents.
- See current rates on the Prices page.
What you can do yourself
- Filters every two weeks in season — dust from classroom activities sticks fast with a group of children.
- Air the rooms daily for 10 minutes, in the morning, regardless of the unit.
What NOT to do
- Do not accept a 'disinfectant spray' left to act in the room with children inside — it is not needed and not recommended.
- Do not schedule all 5 rooms at once — the group's activity stops completely.
Prevention
Kindergarten: chlorine-free, low-fragrance products, sealed cover, room-by-room schedule outside nap hours, airing afterwards.
When to call us
0764 012 943, WhatsApp, Monday–Saturday 08:00–20:00; we discuss the room-by-room schedule before we come.
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Sources (4)
The information on this page is educational and based on cited sources; it does not replace medical advice. We do not do repairs, installation or refrigerant circuit work.