Top Germ Hotspots in the Office You Never Think About

Did you know that your office computer keyboard and mouse are potential breeding grounds for bacteria? Both of these pieces of equipment carry 200 times more bacteria than the average toilet seat. Most of the germs on your body are responsible for causing illness, but where do these germs come from? Well, its answer might surprise you- Your hands!

You may be pleased to know that the average office worker's hands harbor 10 million bacteria per day. There exist a number of germs in the workplace which needs to be addressed. Therefore, it becomes important to wash your hands regularly to avoid infection. But sadly, not many people take the time to wash their hands properly.

In this section, we have provided a list of all areas in your office where you should avoid catching any sickness.

Some Common Hotspots In Your Workplace

1. Computer Keyboard and Mouse

Creating an environment full of infected germs is possible since office systems and computer mouse do allow use by many people. A simple cough, flu, or cold transmission becomes a real threat. It is vital that the keyboards and mice get disinfected on a regular basis. Employees should also be reminded to make use of hand sanitizing gel. Always washing one's hands regularly is yet another method to avoid the transmission of germs in the work environment.

2. Remember The Door Handles!

Door handles at the office entrance have twice as much bacteria as your bathroom. Likewise, for water fountain handles, keep in mind they may possess a much higher number of germs. So, the best way to solve this problem would be just to keep the doors open if possible. In this case, you will not be required to touch any door handles. If this is not possible, then consider using the elbow or back of the hand to open the door, since this part of the skin has fewer bacteria than the palm.

3. Water Dispensers

With a lot of traffic in water dispensers and coffee stations, a regular ingestion of these dispensers' handles and buttons can further accumulate germs. It often goes unnoticed in normal clean-up routines. These two machines need deep commercial cleaning at frequent intervals, along with the removal of all stains from both their insides and outsides. Untreated cleaning might become the first reason for sickness among employees.

4. Office desks

Employees having an individual office desk consider their protection of germs. At least if you eat all your meals casually, clean up. There are more items, like pens, notebooks, and coffee cups, that can also be the grounds of bacteria. So, it's important to clean the office desks regularly to avoid spreading infections.

5. Light Switches

For the most part, we tend to neglect the switches used in the office. Keep in mind, turning the lights on and off is probably one of the most common surfaces we touch in the office. Since so many employees at work switch the lights on and off daily, these switches can quickly turn into some of the dirtiest spots in your office.

Therefore, it should not be a problem to include cleaning the switches in the office cleaning routine. One can also install monitor-sensor lighting in common areas and reduce the need for contact. You can encourage your staff to use hand sanitizer after touching any switchboard or other equipment. That’s why commercial office cleaning services need to be required time-to-time.

6. Employee Personal Belongings

Employee belongings, such as bags, coats, and phones, carry various germs from the outside into the office. These germs are then deposited onto surfaces like desks and keyboards. Employees should be told to store their coats and bags in the specified area to avoid places of germ contamination.

7. Elevators

Elevators are used by most employees working inside an office building. Another reason for this area to be considered for infection would be from the buttons being touched by people. Especially in buildings having several floors. Hence, wipe down the buttons at least several times a day with disinfectant wipes or spray.

Some encouragement should be given to employees to use a pen or knuckle instead of their fingers when pressing an elevator button. Another preventive method is to place a stand with sanitizer instead of one near the elevators for easy access; this will curb the spread of germs caused by button pressing from one person to another.

The Final Verdict

Germ-infected areas in offices are now discussed. Common office bacteria are usually found in places such as desks, keyboards, and other touchable surfaces. It is very important to engage a professional cleaning company like Uncle Sam’s Contractors with demonstrated experience in deep cleaning solutions. They would assure that all prime hotspots are adequately sanitized against bacteria proliferation, thereby promoting a healthier working environment and productivity.