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Ball pit cleaning can be considered a rather niche area, but it can be a nightmare when you first think about where to start.
Whether your ball pit is a small one at a nursery or a gigantic one at a children’s play centre, both will have hundreds — if not thousands — of balls. And with so many children using them every day, they can become dirty very quickly.
Ball pits are a popular form of play for children and are even used by physiotherapists working with children, especially those with autism. However, commercial ball pits in shopping centres and restaurants have previously been found to be contaminated with dirt, urine and faeces.
The NHS even published findings from a study around germs found on plastic balls in ball pits, highlighting the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance.
If you are running a large ball pit that experiences heavy usage on a daily basis, it is recommended that you thoroughly undertake ball pit cleaning every 3–6 months, and clean the ball pit balls daily.
If you have a smaller ball pit at home, you can clean the balls after every 2–3 uses, and then thoroughly clean the entire ball pit every 3–6 months.
Regular cleaning helps prevent the build‑up of bacteria, reduces odours and keeps the play area safe for children.
There are six steps to follow if you plan to clean your ball pit balls manually:
Avoid the temptation to tip all balls into a large bucket of pool of solution, as any with small splits or cracks will fill and not dry properly and you may have to start the process again.
What disinfectants are safe for ball pit balls?
Not all cleaning products are suitable for plastic balls, especially those used by young children.
Safe options include:
Avoid:
Using the wrong product can damage the balls or leave behind chemicals that aren’t safe for children.
Another way to clean ball pit balls is through the use of specialist machinery. These machines can clean and sanitise thousands of balls quickly, making them ideal for large commercial setups.
The benefits include:
However, they do come with additional costs, so the decision between manual cleaning and machine cleaning depends on the size of your ball pit and your budget.
Studies — including those referenced by the NHS — have found that ball pits can contain:
Because children often put their hands (and sometimes the balls) in their mouths, regular cleaning is essential to maintain hygiene and reduce the risk of illness.
This is why many commercial venues now include ball pit cleaning as part of their regular cleaning schedule.
Ball pits get dirty quickly from constant use. It’s good practice for the member of staff supervising the ball pit to have a suitable disinfectant spray and cloth on hand.
They can then respond quickly to:
This provides reassurance to parents and users that you take hygiene seriously and are keeping the play area as safe as possible.
The simplest way to keep your ball pit — and the rest of your premises — safe, hygienic and looking great is to employ the services of a good commercial cleaning company.
To contact your local Green Fox Cleaning office and request a free, no‑obligation cleaning quote, simply click here.ooking great is to employ the services of a good commercial cleaning company to take care of your ball pit cleaning.
To contact your local Green Fox Cleaning office and request a free, no obligation cleaning quote, simply click here.
