Indoor playgrounds are the go-to places for parents to let their children have fun. Being a popular destination for families, indoor play areas have various advantages compared to outdoor playgrounds.

First, it provides fun with the variety of equipment. Second, it uses durable equipment and mats to withstand children’s weight and impact. Lastly, it’s open rain or shine. However, indoor playgrounds can be hazardous to public health if not properly inspected, cleaned, sanitized and maintained.

How Dirty Are Playgrounds?

According to a study published by the University of Arizona, playground equipment is packed with potentially illness-inducing bacteria. When playing with public playgrounds, children are exposed to urine, blood, saliva, sweat, and mucus of children who played with it before. Having this too much exposure makes children exposed to a hundred thousand more than toilet bowls.

What Should to Indoor Playground Do?

Indoor play areas are composed of elevated play structures, slides, swings, nets, ropes,  and stairs to name a few. Cleaning, or the use of soap to remove visible dirt from surfaces, is not enough because there still may be bacteria or viruses present from a clean surface. That is why indoor play area owners should know how to sanitize and disinfect equipment, especially during rainy days.

• Sanitizing — is the use of chemicals to reduce the existence of germs and viruses on surfaces a safe level

• Disinfecting — is the use of chemicals to eliminate the existence of germs on the surface, which may include bacteria, fungi or viruses

As an indoor playground owner, make sure to conduct a daily routine of cleaning and sanitizing your equipment even it if doesn’t look dirty at all. But, when there’s visible dirt before the scheduled time for thorough cleaning, clean and sanitize the surface immediately.

Meanwhile, parents are also responsible for their children. They should teach kids the importance of hand washing. This method is the most effective and easiest habit to do in preventing the spread of germs.

Aside from having clean and disinfected equipment, make sure that it’s also safe and durable for use. Don’t forget to conduct inspections to prevent injuries. In finding long-lasting play equipment, iREC is a playground equipment manufacturer that has over two decades of experience in designing and building play equipment for different indoor playgrounds around the globe. And when it comes to safety, iREC is recognized by different international organizations. Start your safe and fun indoor playground now. Call +63 47 250 2779 or email sales@irec.ph to get assisted.