Feb 12, 2026

Disposable Towels for Daycare Centers: A Practical Hygiene & Cleanup Workflow

Daycare and early learning programs operate in a “high-touch, high-mess, high-frequency” reality: hands get washed often, surfaces need repeated wipe-downs, and diapering and meal routines create predictable cleanup spikes. The goal isn’t to sterilize the classroom—it’s to run a repeatable hygiene system that reduces cross-contact, keeps kids comfortable, and saves staff time.

Disposable towels (single-use, lint-free nonwoven towels) can support that system when you use them deliberately—by zone, by task, and with clear rules for storage and disposal.

Quick takeaway: the daycare towel setup that works

If you only implement three changes, start here:

At every sink: provide a reliable way to dry hands completely (wet hands spread germs more easily).
At every diapering station: keep a “clean towel” stack (for lining/controlled wipe-ups) and a separate “waste” bin (for immediate disposal). Diapering cleanup guidance emphasizes removing waste, wiping visible soil, and then disinfecting.
In each classroom: keep a larger towel size for tables, spills, and quick resets between activities.

Why daycares need a better towel system (not just “more cleaning”)

Most centers don’t struggle because they lack cleaning products. They struggle because towel use becomes inconsistent:

One cloth towel gets used for multiple tasks.
A “clean” stack sits too close to splashes.
Staff grab whatever is closest (paper towel, rag, old bib) during a rush.
Used towels linger on counters “for later.”

A towel system fixes the operational bottleneck: how you physically remove moisture and soil so the next step (sanitizing/disinfecting) is effective and so hands can be dried properly after washing. CDC notes that schools and early care settings should ensure access to supplies and a way to dry hands, because germs spread more easily when hands are wet.

What “disposable towels” means (and what it doesn’t)

In this context, disposable towels are single-use absorbent towels intended to be used once and discarded. DAVELEN’s assortment includes multiple sizes designed for different workflows (15×15 for small tasks; ~32×16 and ~31.5×15.7 for larger coverage; and 55×27 for full-body coverage).

Important boundaries:

A towel doesn’t disinfect. It removes moisture/soil so you can clean and disinfect correctly. CDC guidance for early care settings emphasizes cleaning first, then using an appropriate disinfectant product or diluted bleach solution, and following label directions.
Single-use only means single-use. If a towel touches hands, a face, a diapering surface, bodily fluids, or a classroom table—discard it.
Not a sterile product. Disposable towels are clean, but they are not sterile medical supplies (and shouldn’t be represented as such).

Where single-use towels fit in a childcare hygiene workflow

1) Handwashing and hand-drying stations

Handwashing is only as effective as what happens next—drying. CDC’s guidance for schools and early care settings calls out the need to provide paper towels or hand dryers, noting that germs spread more easily when hands are wet.
CDC’s handwashing steps also include drying hands using a clean towel or an air dryer.

How disposable towels help in practice

They’re softer than many paper towels (helpful for frequent washing + sensitive skin).
They can reduce shredding/lint in sinks and around faucets.
They support consistent “one child, one towel” habits.

Best practice: define one drying towel per wash

Staff: 1 towel after each handwash.
Kids: 1 towel after each supervised handwash.
Place a covered towel caddy away from splash zones and restock daily.

Operational tip: If your center uses elbow handles or touchless faucets, great. If not, CDC notes you can use a paper towel or another hands-free method to avoid re-contaminating hands when touching the faucet, but it’s not required for everyone in all settings.

2) Diapering and changing stations

Diapering is where towel discipline matters most, because it’s a high-contact workflow with multiple steps.

CDC’s diapering guidance includes actions like discarding liners, wiping up visible soil, and then disinfecting the surface (following product directions).

A simple, repeatable towel protocol
Create three clearly labeled zones:

Clean towel zone: unopened packs or covered container
In-use zone: the towel currently being used for the task
Dispose zone: hands-free bin lined with a bag

Where towels help

Surface lining (optional): A disposable towel can act as a temporary barrier for non-critical tasks (like placing a clean diaper or wipes on a clean area). It should not replace an appropriate disposable liner if your licensing requires one.
Controlled wipe-ups: Use a towel for visible soil cleanup before disinfecting (or use paper towel/wipes as directed by your protocol). The key is: remove soil first, then disinfect.
Quick hand/arm wipe-downs (staff): If water isn’t immediately available, a towel can remove moisture/soil, but it does not replace proper handwashing.

Compliance-minded note: Childcare licensing rules vary by state/county. Some specify paper towels, disposable liners, or specific disposal steps. Treat disposable towels as part of your single-use consumable system, and verify fit with your local standards.

3) Meal times, snacks, and classroom surfaces

Food routines create predictable mess cycles: sticky hands, milk spills, crumbs, and wet tables.

CDC’s early care guidance emphasizes cleaning then disinfecting where appropriate.
Disposable towels help with the “remove the mess” phase so cleaning chemicals work as intended and staff aren’t chasing moisture around.

Where disposable towels shine

Hand/face wipe-down (post-meal): soft, low-lint towels for sensitive skin
Table resets: one towel to remove crumbs/liquid, then clean/disinfect per protocol
Highchair trays: towel first, then cleaning product, then air-dry per product label

Rule that prevents cross-contact

Towels used on tables/highchairs do not get used for faces/hands.
Keep separate towel caddies labeled “TABLES” and “HANDS/FACES.”

4) Art, sensory play, and outdoor cleanup

Paint, glue, water tables, sand, and outdoor play all produce the same operational need: quick drying + quick reset.

A larger disposable towel reduces the number of towels needed for a task (and avoids “wipe, toss, wipe, toss” inefficiency with small paper towels).

For broader surface coverage during table resets, many centers use the DAVELEN Natural 32×16 Disposable Towels as a standardized classroom workhorse size.

Use cases

Water table splashes: mop up around the perimeter
Paint cleanup: wipe hands, then discard
Outdoor mud: blot shoes/legs before kids enter the classroom (paired with your floor-cleaning routine)

5) Illness cleanup: “Contain, clean, disinfect”

Childcare centers need a plan for vomiting/diarrhea events, because a single incident can disrupt an entire classroom.

CDC’s norovirus prevention guidance includes wearing disposable gloves and wiping the area with paper towels, bagging waste, and using an appropriate disinfectant (including bleach solutions at specified concentrations) as directed.
Even when the illness is not confirmed norovirus, this style of contain → remove soil → disinfect workflow is operationally sound.

A safe, practical approach (high-level)

PPE first: gloves (and additional PPE per your policy)
Absorb + remove visible material: disposable absorbent materials (towels/paper towels) into a sealed bag
Clean, then disinfect: follow product label instructions; in early care settings, CDC emphasizes reading labels and using disinfectants safely.
Handwashing: soap and water after cleanup; restock the cleanup kit immediately.

Important: This article isn’t a substitute for your center’s illness policy. Always follow your local health department and licensing requirements.

Choosing the right towel size for each daycare zone

A common mistake is trying to use one towel size for everything. A better approach is a two- or three-size systemaligned to tasks.

Size 1: Small towels for hands, faces, and quick wipes (15×15)

Use these for:

Hand drying after washing
Face/neck wipe after meals
Quick spot cleanup on toys (followed by cleaning/disinfecting as required)

DAVELEN offers a 15×15 disposable towel format designed for compact, lint-free use.

Daycare placement

Every sink
Every classroom snack/meal cart
Front desk “quick cleanup” drawer

Size 2: Medium towels for tables, spills, and activity resets (32×16)

This is the “workhorse” size for classrooms.

Options in DAVELEN’s lineup include:

32×16 natural disposable towels (plant-derived viscose/rayon; dye-free/bleach-free positioning)
31.5×15.7 premium salon towel sizing (100% viscose rayon, multi-pack options that can fit high-volume operations)
27.6×15.7 multipurpose 80-pack towels (noted as dye-free/bleach-free on product page)

Daycare placement

Classroom supply cabinet
Kitchen/service area (if applicable)
Janitorial closet for quick resets

Size 3: Large towels for full-body coverage or bedding incidents (≈55×27)

For:

Accidents requiring clothing changes + drying
After water-play changes
Emergency backup during laundry outages (if your center has shower facilities or similar)

DAVELEN’s extra-large disposable bath towel option lists ~55×27 sizing.

Daycare placement

Health office / nurse station (if applicable)
Emergency kit closet
“Accident response” bin

Setup: storage, dispensing, and cross-contamination control

A towel is only “clean” if it stays clean. Your setup matters as much as your product choice.

Storage rules that prevent contamination

Keep unopened towels sealed until use.
Store towels off the floor and away from toilets/diaper pails.
Use covered bins or wall-mounted dispensers near sinks.
Avoid storing towels under sinks where leaks can occur.

Dispensing rules that reduce waste

Pre-stage only what staff can use in a day (restock daily).
Use “first in, first out” rotation.
Assign a staff role to do a 60-second restock check at open, mid-day, and close.

A simple labeling system

Use three labels on bins/caddies:

CLEAN (unopened or covered)
IN USE (one towel at a time)
DISPOSE (hands-free bin)

This is the kind of clarity that makes new hires successful quickly.

Inventory planning: how many towels does a daycare need?

You don’t need perfect forecasting—you need a repeatable estimate and a reorder point.

Step 1: Estimate towel “events”

Common daily towel events per child:

Handwashing: arrival, before/after meals, after restroom/diapering, after outdoor play, after art (varies by age group)
Cleanup: meal table reset, activity table reset

A practical planning formula:

Weekly towels (small) = (children × handwash events/day × days/week) + (staff × events/day × days/week) + 10–15% buffer

Weekly towels (medium) = (classrooms × table resets/day × days/week × towels/reset) + spill buffer

Weekly towels (large) = expected incidents/week + emergency reserve

Step 2: Set a reorder point

A simple rule:

Reorder when you have 2 weeks of supply left (or 1 week if storage is tight and shipping is fast).

Step 3: Standardize by room type

Example:

Infant room: more diapering + handwashing (higher small towel usage)
Toddler room: more table resets and sensory play (higher medium towel usage)
Pre-K: more art/activity resets

If you operate multiple locations, consistent sizing across sites simplifies training and purchasing.

Disposal and sustainability considerations (without greenwashing)

Disposable towels are a tradeoff: they reduce laundry dependence but increase solid waste. The best approach is to be transparent and operationally realistic.

What disposable towels can reduce

Laundry volume (water, energy, detergent, staff time)
Towel shortages during peak illness season
Cross-contact risk from improperly handled reusables

What they increase

Waste volume (especially if staff over-dispense)

Practical disposal guidance

Dispose of used towels in lined bins.
If towels are contaminated with bodily fluids, follow your center’s biohazard/local disposal rules.
Do not flush disposable towels.

Some DAVELEN towel options describe plant-based fibers and note that biodegradability/composting depends on conditions and local facilities.
In childcare operations, the safest public-facing statement is: “Dispose in trash unless your local program explicitly accepts this material.”

A 7-day implementation plan (low disruption, high compliance)

If you want adoption without chaos, roll this out like a mini operational change.

Day 1–2: Pilot one classroom

Place small towels at sinks + medium towels at activity table.
Train staff on the three-bin system (CLEAN / IN USE / DISPOSE).

Day 3–4: Add diapering stations

Add a dedicated towel caddy and disposal bin at each diapering area.
Make “one towel, one task” non-negotiable.

Day 5: Add meal-time protocol

Separate “hands/faces” towels from “table” towels (labeling matters).

Day 6: Create a cleanup kit

Include:

Gloves
Disposable absorbent towels
Approved disinfectant (per your policy)
Sealed bag for waste

CDC’s norovirus prevention steps highlight gloves + disposable wipe-up + proper disinfection.

Day 7: Measure + adjust

How many towels did you use?
Where did waste spike?
Did staff run out at any station?
Adjust par levels and placement.

Bottom line

Disposable towels aren’t a “nice-to-have” in daycare operations—they’re a practical way to standardize hygiene steps that happen dozens (or hundreds) of times per day. When you place the right towel size in the right zone and train staff on single-use rules, you reduce cleanup time, improve consistency, and support the handwashing and surface-cleaning routines childcare programs rely on.

FAQs

1) Can a daycare use disposable towels instead of paper towels?

Often, yes—if they’re treated as single-use and your local licensing rules allow them. Many guidelines focus on ensuring hands can be dried completely (paper towels or hand dryers are common examples). Check your state/county childcare licensing requirements and align your towel choice to that language.

2) Do disposable towels replace disinfecting wipes or sprays?

No. A disposable towel helps remove moisture and visible soil. CDC guidance for early care settings emphasizes cleaning first, then disinfecting with an appropriate product or diluted bleach solution, and following label instructions for safe use.

3) What towel size works best for daycare handwashing stations?

A small format (like 15×15) is efficient for hand drying and quick face/hand cleanup, especially when you want “one child, one towel” without excess waste.

4) How many disposable towels does a daycare typically use?

It depends on enrollment, age groups, and how many handwashing/table-reset events you run daily. Use a simple estimate:
(children + staff) × events/day × days/week + 10–15% buffer, then set a reorder point at ~2 weeks of remaining supply.

5) Are disposable towels safe for sensitive skin?

Look for towels positioned as soft, low-lint, and free from added dyes/fragrance where possible. DAVELEN’s product pages describe options that are dye-free/bleach-free on certain lines and designed for sensitive-use areas.

6) Are disposable towels flushable?

No. Disposable towels should go in the trash (or in regulated waste streams when required by your policy).