just a quick question on how you wash your mindees hands. i have no downstairs bathroom so currently hold my mindees up to the kitchen sink but have thought about buying them individual bowls to wash their hands in. any ideas would be great.

I use the anti bacterial gel - great and goes everywhere with me

My bathroom is upstairs too. Bigger kids go up to use the basin, and little ones use individual fleece wipes that I wet with soapy water, or I use antibac gel.

All kids have their own hand towels.

i use baby wipes for my little ones tried the gel but baby put hands to mouth and cryed for ages her face was a picture at the time,
oh you couldget a step for the sink or use a bowl of soapy water and put on a lower level table?

oh am i ok letting them just wipe their hands on baby wipes before meals and things, i thought they would have to wash them with running water. thanks for the advice

oh am i ok letting them just wipe their hands on baby wipes before meals and things, i thought they would have to wash them with running water. thanks for the advice

You got me thinking now ,,I always use baby wipes since my own daughter 17 yrs ago when they get older its the sink with soap n water, where is sarah? ive looked in the EYFS book but not sure if Mrs Ofsted has an age she is thinking should use soap n water? mmmmm think ill hold bk and see what others say now hope im not passing on my bad habbits? sorry x

At my inspeston last Jan Mrs Ofsted was a bit picky about wet wipes said to use soapy water and each have their own towels even the iyr old. So now I have 7 yes 7!!!! hand towels and they are washed every day.

Plus is I claim for the soap power!!!!!

I have a step in the kitchen to use the sink there. Have another supply of flannels to use for towels too but sometimes use wipes or gel - depends on the child and convenience.

Think I should claim for washing powder too as I put them all in a seperate wash, could work it out with tabs :thumbsup:

I think good old soap and water is the way to go. I have a downstairs loo but if I didn't, I'd get a step and let them use the kitchen sink. Baby wipes and anti-bac gel are okay when on the go but not great in the long run.

At my inspeston last Jan Mrs Ofsted was a bit picky about wet wipes said to use soapy water and each have their own towels even the iyr old. So now I have 7 yes 7!!!! hand towels and they are washed every day.

Plus is I claim for the soap power!!!!!

I had different towels all hanging up different colour for each child with their name above plus name in chinese etc. But I was told that this was wrong cos a child might accidentally use another childs towel and cross contamination etc!!! I was told that paper towels are better. My downstairs bathroom is a mess at the moment as I have had a door moved but when I get it done I think i'll do what i've seen someone on here mention and thats have flannels I've bought the ones from ikea and they can use one each time put it in a basket and I can wash them each night. I've bought 15 so far!

At my inspeston last Jan Mrs Ofsted was a bit picky about wet wipes said to use soapy water and each have their own towels even the iyr old. So now I have 7 yes 7!!!! hand towels and they are washed every day

Same here. I have 7 as well. Each a different colour and with a photo of the child holding their colour towel and the colour of the towel written on the photo.

This was ok at my last inspection when I had 3, so I have just purchased more towels. I can't afford to now replace those towels with paper towels. I have spent loads of money on the towels.

I think good old soap and water is the way to go. I have a downstairs loo but if I didn't, I'd get a step and let them use the kitchen sink. Baby wipes and anti-bac gel are okay when on the go but not great in the long run.

I agree with using soap and water.

I've got loads of the Ikea flannels and children use these to dry their hands.

Miffy xx

I use wet wipes for the babies and older ones use the bathroom sink.

I was also told not to use individual towels by mrs Ofsted, but I wasn't happy using paper towels due to the waste/landfill aspect so bought 3 packs of 9 cheap flannels which make excellent one use towels for the little ones.

I can have up to 14 children in a day - where do I put 14 flannels and 14 towels. Think I will stick to the anti bac ge.!

I have a big stack of cheap flannels stacked at the back of the loo and children use them and throw them in a lidded bin for washing.

This was great for Ofsted who said children shouldn't have their own towels in case they took the wrong one :rolleyes:

Experts are starting to really question the properties of that gel stuff and say it should only be used in an emergency. First off, it doesn't clean it just anti bacs, so hands are still surface dirty... plus it kills germs, but for how long before they become resistant... plus it is alcohol and children shouldn't be putting alcohol on their hands... plus it is drying to delicate skin... plus it is often not used properly so children don't get it right into finger creases, nails etc... oh there were some other things in the report I read as well, but the upshot was that it's not considered by experts as the best way to go.

The jury is out at the moment over whether warm or cold running water is best - because cold doesn't seem to be any less effective and has the advantage of not drying out the skin as much as warm, but they are still testing that one.

So the advice is still warm water, anti bac pump dispenser soap (that foamy stuff is great because it spreads better) and individual cloth or paper towels, used once and if cloth hot washed.

Can you tell I've been researching the subject for somehting I've just written? :cool:

Hope that clarifies... :D

I have a big stack of cheap flannels stacked at the back of the loo and children use them and throw them in a lidded bin for washing.


Same here!

Miffy xx

Why cant blooming OFSTED make up their mind? My inspector actually made comment in my report about using a towel each. I got mine in Dunelm, the have different animals on them. The children seem to remember which is theirs.

Dont get me wrong, of course we have to maintain high standards of hygine,but the sensitivity about a child using anothers towel by accident makes it sound as if they all have some dreaded disese to pass on.

They are all playing in close proximity, sharing toys. Are they not sharing all their germs freely then and is this not part of how they build up their imune systems?

I use the chid friendly soap dispenser and squirt a little onto each child's hand - the rub it in and I use seperate wet flannels to wipe them, give them the flannel so they get to do it themselves followed by a towel each.

Ofsted lady saw me doing this and she said my hygiene practice was excellent - don't know if it would suit all inspectors.

I really don't know how I managed to bring up my own three children (eldest is 18 in April) and they are all really healthy, they used to share flannels, towels, baths and goodness knows what else.

hi
i use a step/childs chair at the kitchen sink for those who are able walkers (with me standing behind them and with water and antibac soap) and wipes for babies. the gel/hand sanitizer stuff isnt suitable because of the alcohol in it (hence alcohol free wipes in first aid kits).:)

I really don't know how I managed to bring up my own three children (eldest is 18 in April) and they are all really healthy, they used to share flannels, towels, baths and goodness knows what else.

Here here Donna, mine are 22, 20 and 10, all have shared towels etc and are all healthy!!

I use individual flannels on pegs with their pictures and names above, they never take the wrong towel and I think this should be adequate enough.

Maybe one day Ofsted will get their heads together and come to one decision, so we are not faced with different inspectors telling us different things!!

Nicky

I also use anti bac gel as they can use this without any help, if I let them wash their hands with soap and water i would spend 50% of my day in the toilet with them, it's just not practical.

Oh dear well after reading all this thread ive decided its back to soap n water and each child has their own towel (i have animals on mine too, each a different collour)

but like others have said my kids have shared baths , towels and beds and still got up in the morning fit and well!! lol

but i want to tell you that i had to use the school toilet with one of the little mindees as i was on a pick-up, the toilets are in the class room with a half door spearating the area? well we went in to find not one of the loo's had been flushed. the seats were WET, paper towels were on the floor but the sink looked dry as a bone? this was a reception class room and i had to clean the toilet before i let the little one use it and she shouted its dirty no no!

x

thanks for all the great advice i shall continue with the good old soap and water then. its nice to know that i am not the only one who finds some of ofsteds requirements a bit silly.