A playground turf sanitizing schedule for schools and daycares

An antimicrobial works by contact with the surface. On turf that carries a season of pollen, dust, dropped snacks and whatever the birds left, the product contacts the layer on top and never reaches the fibers or the infill. Cleaning first is not a nicety; it is the difference between sanitizing the turf and sanitizing the dirt. The sequence on every professional visit is: debris off, power brush, high-volume rinse, treatment for anything found, rinse, then the antimicrobial, then dry time before the children go back on.

1. Clear the area and keep children off it.
2. Lift solids with gloves and a scoop; bag and bin outside the play area.
3. Rinse with plenty of water from the hose so the residue goes down through the infill rather than across the surface.
4. Apply an enzyme cleaner to the spot and a foot around it and let it dwell as the label says.
5. Rinse again.
6. Apply the antimicrobial once the surface is rinsed, and keep the area closed until dry.
7. Log it: date, spot, products, initials.

Keep the enzyme cleaner and the antimicrobial in a labeled kit by the door with gloves and a scoop, so the protocol does not depend on who is on shift.

Three bottles cover a playground: an enzyme cleaner labeled for synthetic turf for anything biological, an oxygen-based oxidizer for stains, and an antimicrobial labeled for synthetic surfaces for the sanitizing step. No chlorine bleach; it lightens the fibers, degrades the backing and is the wrong thing to have near small children in any case. Keep the labels and safety data sheets on file, and follow the dry time on the antimicrobial before the surface is reopened. Our product guide explains each category.

• Is it safe for my child to play on after it is treated? Once dry, yes; the products are used as labeled and the surface is closed until then. Ask the school for the product names and they should be able to show you the labels.
• What is in the products? Enzymes and cultures in the cleaner, an oxygen-based stain remover, and an antimicrobial made for synthetic surfaces. No bleach.
• Does it get hot? Yes. Turf in full sun in July gets hotter than grass. Shade sails, a hose-down before recess and morning play times are how schools here handle it.
• Does it harbor germs? Any play surface does. Turf drains, dries in the sun and can be sanitized on a schedule, which is more than mulch or grass can say.
• Can it be cleaned after a child is sick on it? Yes, the same day, with the protocol above.

A single sheet by the door: the schedule, the protocol, and a log with one line per task. Post the professional visit dates where parents can see them. When the licensing visit comes, the sheet answers the question before it is asked.

Call to set up the quarterly or monthly schedule, after any flooding, or when the surface has a smell or a green tinge that a rinse does not shift. A professional clean on a 1,001 to 1,500 square foot playground is $299 as an Essential Clean or $499 as a Premium Restoration with the antimicrobial included; a stand-alone antimicrobial visit on turf that is already clean is $75 to $125. Schools and daycares get one calendar for the year and a report after each visit.