The dirtiest places in your office are the ones that are often overlooked. They may even be places you utilize every day - so how could they be that dirty, right? You think there is no way for dust or germs to settle on them because they are in constant use. Those are usually the dirtiest places actually. It is important to recognize where these places are in your office and how to keep them clean.
Elevator Buttons
Even before you enter your office you may be at risk of picking up germs along the way.
One of the dirtiest places in office buildings can be the elevator buttons. On an average day, how many people do you think press the buttons of an elevator? Even in smaller office buildings it is more than you know.
Unless they are cleaned daily, they are one of the dirtiest places. Building owners should ask their cleaning company to disinfect elevator buttons daily. If you are a building tenant, ask if the cleaning company performs this task. If they don’t, make sure to carry hand sanitizer to use after touching these buttons.
Desktop
Many people sit at a desk all day or at least part of the day. This is why the desktop is one of the dirtiest places in your office. In fact, it has about 400 times more germs than a toilet seat – that’s disgusting! The average uncleaned desktop surface contains approximately 21,000 bacteria, viruses, and fungi per square inch.
As we are all aware, germs travel most often on our hands moving from objects as you touch them. As you venture through the office, you bring back germs from everything you touched along the way. This is why washing your hands frequently or using hand sanitizer is key to stopping the spread of infections. Stop by the kitchen sink to wash your hands before returning to your desk or have hand sanitizer on top of your desk.
Computer and Phone
Along with your desktop are the two most touched objects in an office environment – your computer and phone. They are also the most neglected when it comes to cleaning or disinfecting.
When someone comes into the office with a cold, they get germs all over this equipment. Think of how many times someone might wash their hands prior to using an office computer or phone. Probably not as often as you would hope. What if they sneeze while sitting in front of your computer without covering their mouth? Or worse while they are talking on the phone. It becomes especially troublesome when having to share this office equipment with other employees.
Employees may also eat at their desks, which can pose some issues. Germs are attracted to sticky fingerprints and crumbs left on the keyboard. If the keyboard never gets clean and is shared with co-workers, who knows how many germs could be lurking on it. Each person would be adding their own oil, grime and possibly meal and snack crumbs. Eeeewww!
Keep electronic friendly disinfectant wipes close by for daily use. Wipe down the keyboard and phone a few times a day, especially if other people are using it. The use of cotton swabs for the intricate areas of the keyboard is also valuable. Having these things handy and in plain view will hopefully encourage others to use them. Hey, a sign couldn’t hurt either!
The Rest of the Office Equipment
Employees share a lot of other office equipment regularly. As a result, employees are also sharing their germs. These germs can hide and thrive on buttons on printers, copiers, fax machines, postage meters and other office equipment.
Unfortunately, this equipment often gets neglected from regular cleaning and disinfecting. To help fight germs, place disinfectant wipes near this commonly used equipment. Hopefully it will serve as a reminder to you and others to give these areas a wipe down. Hand sanitizer in these areas of the office will also help.
In the Kitchen/Break Room
There are several hot spots in the kitchen where germs linger. Being a high traffic area throughout the day it requires extra attention especially with flu season right around the corner.
First, employees should clean up after themselves. Regular disinfecting should also be done. Make sure your cleaning company provides that service.
The sink can be a highly germy spot in the kitchen. The array of hands and food that come into contact with it makes it a magnet for bacteria and other germs. Think about how many people touch the faucet handle. Have your cleaning company pay special attention to the sink area when disinfecting the kitchen making sure to get the faucet handles.
The sponge is also well-known for harboring germs because it is primarily moist and designed for absorption. It has been shown that most sponges will pick up bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and staphylococcus within three weeks. When people are using the sponge throughout the day, they are transferring these germs to other parts of the office. Replacing the sponge frequently will help prevent these germs from being spread.
Microwave and refrigerator doors are also used frequently in an office kitchen. Add these two spots to your cleaning company’s list of places to disinfect daily. While you are at it, make a schedule for someone to clean out the fridge on a weekly basis. They should also wipe down and disinfect the inside to eliminate those germs as well.
The Coffee Maker
Chances are the office coffee maker is being neglected when it comes to cleaning. Most people don’t clean it at home, let alone at the office. This appliance has a double-whammy on the germ scale. Not only is it shared by employees, but bacteria also grow best in damp, dark areas.
If the coffee maker doesn’t come with a self-descaling option, plan to have it periodically cleaned by someone in the office. Simply fill the water reservoir with 4 cups of white vinegar and let it sit for about a half an hour. Then run vinegar through the machine followed by three cycles of water until the smell of vinegar is gone. Oh – and don’t forget to wipe down the creamer and sugar canisters, too!
Vending Machines
Some businesses supply vending machines to employees as a convenient way to get snacks or even a complete lunch. This is a great option, but who cleans these machines? Is it the person who comes and replenishes the machines? Is it the cleaning company? I’m not sure … are you?
That being said, think about how many people’s fingers press those buttons and how often it might be cleaned. Do those people wash their hands before pressing those buttons? Do you wash your hands after pressing the buttons, getting your food, and eating it? You may want to consider having this on your list of disinfecting areas as well.
Water Cooler
Another amenity your office may provide is a water cooler so you can drink filtered water. This is another feature frequently overlooked even though it is used throughout the day. Not only that, germs can be brought in during transport and delivery of the bottles. Unless the water bottles and water cooler are disinfected, consider bringing your own bottled water from home. This is especially true during cold and flu season.
Door Handles
It goes without saying everyone uses door handles to get around any office. Obviously, the more people that use each handle the more germs that can pass from person to person. Washing hands and disinfecting door handles more frequently will help to stop the spread. Also make sure your cleaning company wipes down and sanitizes door handles every day.
Restrooms
Another one that goes without saying is the restrooms. There are many germs that can cover the office bathroom. Again, making sure your cleaning company does a complete cleaning and disinfecting of the restrooms on a daily basis is especially important. They should disinfect all surfaces including all doors and sink handles. To keep even more protected, you can use a paper towel to touch things in the bathroom. For example, flushing the toilet, turning the water on and off and open the doors. This will prevent you from physically having to touch them. Also carrying hand sanitizer to use after leaving the bathroom can provide extra protection against any germs.
Make sure your cleaning company is paying attention to these hot spots and cleaning and disinfecting them every day. With the COVID-19 pandemic, cleaning companies like Cleantec are offering 8-hour touch point cleaning with electrostatic spray technology.
You could also create a sign-up schedule for willing staff members to conduct daily spot cleaning and disinfecting throughout the office. Some people will jump at the opportunity to better protect themselves and their fellow employees.
Cleantec aims to offer helpful information to our clients and friends. We currently serve all of New York, including the Syracuse, Ithaca, Manhattan, Rochester, Utica, and Buffalo regions. We also have operations in Palo Alto, CA; Denver, CO; Muscle Shoals, AL; Tampa, FL; and Sanford, NC. Give our sales professionals a call at (877) 469-0543 for a free consultation and quote regarding janitorial services. Learn how we can help your business achieve your cleaning needs.
Cleantec ensures all staff members are thoroughly vetted conducting background checks and drug testing. In addition to providing professional cleaning services, we are also a supplier of specialized cleaning products and green chemicals. Please call (315) 463-5353 to place an order.
