CM Club: Washing for the mindees

[KatyMac]

OFSTED have questioned that I wash the mindees hand towels (individual ones) each week

Apparently they should be changed daily - I wash my own towels about weekly and thought that was normal.

Each child has their own coloured hand towels which they use after hand washes & they go in the wash each week, replaced by a clean one. They also get washed if they get grubby in between.

Is this wrong?

I change handtowels daily - they get damp and don't dry and it's icky to dry your hands on a wet towel (imo)

I change handtowels daily - they get damp and don't dry and it's icky to dry your hands on a wet towel (imo)

Don't fancy washing 12 had towels every day tbh

Surely as long as they are hung up in a fashion that they will dry, once a week is enough? How many times during a 5 day week, 9 to 5'ish is each towel actually used? You already said, you do wash them straight away if they are particularly grubby.

I assume you'll also have to check that each individual child isn't allegic to various powders and liquids? So, you could end up having to do more than one wash everyday Not very environmentally friendly is it?

Umm
Before lunch & tea
When we come in from outside or after stroking the cat (but I often use wipes for that)
After loo for older ones (but not babies)

I wash mine weekly, along with the sheets and anything else, bibs are washed daily, and I do chuck mucky towels in with them, but thats all.

Katy was the email any help.

Yes - only got it this am (when I 'went' into work )

I thought I replied

Bibs & muslins get washed daily

In our area all the childminders now have paper towels to use when OFSTED come. We order a big box via a nursery and split the cost between a few of us. Must say i think once a week for hand towels is plenty but OFSTED are fickle and we know it!

what about using dry flannels and each child using it once then washing ?

you can get cheap ones for about 20p so shouldnt cost too much to buy loads... and can then do a flannel wash once or twice a week... flannels take up much less room than towels

i also cant see wh u need to change hand towels every day

What about ignoring what Ofsted say and do what you set out to do when you became a CM - play, laugh and nuture the mindees!

Can you tell I'm a disgruntled EX childminder!

NannyL - I have 12 children each day (9 under 5 & 3 over) - I can't aford to wash that often tbh

You could go the paper towel route, I suppose. Its just not feasable to do them every day, with that many children.

I know I'll either get the parents to sign for once a week washing or do a survey asking them what they would expect/wish for the towels to be washed & do that

katymac...

if u have lots of flannels they could just go in with any other normal stuff surely

i agree washing hand towels daily for each child is excessive
(my own personal opnion is that they dont need their own towel either.... luckily as a nanny i can do what i like and that includes us all using the same hand towel and there is nothing ofstead or anyone else can do about it!)

and me, the children, my bosses, the builders, the cleaner and any one else who comes to visit are all fine and we share the same hand towel

What's the betting they look at you like you are a complete loon for having to get permission to wash towels weekly!

Do a quick straw poll on here Katy. Just ask how often you wash your bathroom towels.

i wash my bath towels and hand towels and bath mat (made of towely stuff) weekly

Hmm.....not sure I can be bothered tbh

Life is all a bit much atm

My mindees and DC's use flannels as towels, a fresh one each time (makes approx 8 - 10 per day)

My own family uses a towel each after their shower only once and I agree that it makes a huge amount of washing but that's my preference.

This is why I now use cheap kitchen roll. I know that it isn't very good to be chucking all that waste away, but I too was pulled up on it at my last inspection.

wilkos do massive industrial kithen roll and its cheap (we use them at toddler group!) Maybe you counld use that when ofsted come! Wouldnt need to pay out for it often as could keep it in reserve!

I am lucky and only have little ones that I use wipes on as still in nappies! My after schoolies have a face cloth each which they use as a towel I have 3 after schoolioes every day and wash their towel once a week unless dirty before that. Can't imagine having to wash 15 each week let alone how many you would have to wash. Is everything ok at the mo katymac you sounded quite down when you said life is a bit much?

i use maybe 2 handtowels[esp. if the white ones ] a week - we all [whole family] use it - we all have two towels each for hair & body - washed weekly[prob] - i am quite slack on such things and i really couldn't give a toss about ofsted my mindees and their parents are happy with the service i provide.
ps how do you hang up 12+ towels in your bathroom?