Who doesn’t love a bit of office gossip? But what if we told you the biggest revelation was not what went down at your work’s Christmas party, but how many germs you are exposed to, every single day? Germs that could be putting your health at risk, simply by going about your everyday activities? Find cleaning services near you.
Here are the 10 dirtiest areas of your office revealed to tell you more and quite possibly, instruct you where you need to clean…
Lift Buttons
Despite being much smaller, lift buttons hold 40 times the amount of bacteria than the average toilet seat. Lift buttons have two main issues in that they are something practically everyone touches countless times a day, and they are easily forgotten about. Both can lead to a quick accumulation of bacteria and viruses on the buttons.
Door Handles
It’s a fact… nobody remembers to clean the door handles! Given they usually require a firm grip to open and close properly, it’s an easy way to contaminate your hands with germs. People then touch their face and even eat their lunch right afterwards, making door handles a hotspot for bacteria. Find local cleaners in your area.
Desks
Our desks are home to a lot of items. Whatsmore, many people eat their lunch over their desks too. The more things that come into contact with your desk (especially phones or chewed up pens), the higher the chance it’s pretty unsanitary. It’s easy to assume that because a desk ‘looks clean’ that it probably is. But unless it’s subject to regular and thorough disinfection, it most likely isn’t.
Keyboards
The average employee racks up 6,000 keystrokes a day. But take a closer look at any office keyboard, and you’ll notice a film of skin on the keys and even crumbs down the back of it. Because our keyboards are one of the most utilised pieces of office equipment, they can pose a real threat to our health. This is especially the case with viral illnesses such as colds, flu or even stomach bugs, as the infection will happily live on surfaces for days.
Phone
While it may not always feel like it, many hands are responsible for answering that office phone. Every time they do, the person transfers bacteria onto the handset from their hands as well as their nose and mouth. If your office phone has been there for some time, go take a closer look at it. You might just be grossed out when you notice how filthy it is!
Photocopier Machine
When you wait for a document to print, your attention is probably on the document itself rather than what you had to touch to get the machine to print. The photocopier machine is yet another victim of the forgotten surfaces which is why it’s not just the ink levels you need to worry about. The more people in your office that use the printer, the more bacteria is being transferred to and from the buttons every day.
Watercooler
There’s no harm in a bit of water, right? Well if your watercooler only dispenses water instead of said water being used to clean it, then you could have a problem on your hands. From nervous interviewees to parched CEO’s, everyone stops by the watercooler at some point, bringing their germs with them.
Coffee/Tea Machine
Where do you head when you need something stronger than water? The tea or coffee machine of course! Most people can’t get through the day without their caffeine, meaning many trips are made to the location where they can make it. As well as the inside of the device, the main operating touchpoints are likely contaminated with bacteria too.
Kitchen Sponge
While hot water is very effective at cleaning dirty cups and disinfecting as it goes, the same cannot be said for the humble kitchen sponge. It’s recommended to change your kitchen sponge at least once a week for hygiene purposes. But if no designated person is looking out for this, then it could be left to fester instead, ready for the next person to ‘clean’ their plate with.
Bathrooms
There are obvious areas of bacteria in a bathroom, and then some more conspicuous ones too. Everyone knows the toilet and sinks need cleaning every day. But what about the bathroom locks, door handles or the light switches? Every corner of your work bathroom is a potential health hazard, thanks to the nature of what goes on in there. So it’s important to leave no stone unturned when it comes to cleaning it.
To Sum Up
If the above has left you reaching for the bleach and disinfectant wipes, you’re not alone! The grisly truth is that offices aren’t the cleanest of places. This is especially the case if you have people coming and going all day long, bringing who knows what with them on their hands.
The best protection against a filthy office is to undertake regular cleaning. That’s why most offices hire a commercial cleaning services, who are responsible for cleaning all the main areas of the building including staff kitchens and bathrooms too.
By keeping your office clean, it will benefit all those who work there and look more professional in front of your customers too.
