The worst places for germs in your office

We all know that our office desks can be somewhat germy, but you may be surprised to what degree. A study from microbiologist Dr Gerba found that the average office toilet seat housed 49 germs per square inch whereas the standard desktop had an alarming 21,000 germs per square inch.

That means your desk is over 400 times more germ-ridden than the communal toilets! Locations across the office can be unexpectedly dirty, especially in large workplaces, and can contribute to the spread of illness.

Let’s take a look at some of the dirtiest spots in an office.

Desktop

As mentioned previously, your desktop is a prime location for bacteria and dirt. You pick up germs on your hands from a multitude of places and then type and click away at your desk for a lot of the day. This makes it somewhat unsurprising that your workstation becomes a smorgasbord of microbes. If you share your desk, keyboard, mouse and phone, or are one of the 66% of people who admit to eating at their desk, the dirt potential only increases. Keep a handle on the hygiene levels by regularly wiping down all the components of your desktop with antibacterial wipes.

Handles

Whether this is the front door handle, fridge handle or that of the communal coffee pot, it is likely that there is a myriad of microbes lurking here. WebMD publicised a report which found that large percentages of handles around the typical office environment could stand to be cleaned, with some rated even worse, as ‘officially dirty’. Microwaves and fridges were ranked some of the worst bacteria breeding grounds.

If you have a regular cleaning service, make sure that these areas are targeted. You should also routinely wipe down handles with disinfecting wipes during winter months when more illnesses are going round.

Faucets

Sink faucets are a place that a lot of different hands come into contact with and, as a result, accumulate germs. From those who don’t wash their hands properly in bathrooms to food particles getting left on kitchen taps, there are many different sources of dirt which leads to a wide variety of microbes. In fact, the WebMD report into office cleanliness ranked faucets as, on average, the dirtiest area of the whole office.

When your office is cleaned, ensure that taps and the surrounding basin area get paid special attention and that suitable disinfecting or steam cleaning is thoroughly carried out.

Printers and copiers

Printers/copiers are another piece of equipment which gets used many times a day by people across the office. Germs can easily get transferred on to the equipment and live on this hard surface for up to 24 hours. One study found that on average, the buttons and control pad of the office copier were home to over 1 million bacteria! Giving the controls a once over with an antibacterial wipe before use is, therefore, a good idea.

Antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser can go a long way to help reduce the spread of germs in your office. To keep up the cleanliness of your whole office environment though, a regular cleaning service who use quality methods and equipment should be sought.

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Alpha Power Cleaners is a leading supplier of cleaning equipment of the highest quality, from major brands. Our reliable and reasonably priced equipment is available to buy or hire across the Midlands. Units such as steam cleaners, carpet cleaners and upholstery cleaners will all significantly contribute to keeping your office or commercial premises clean and hygienic.

For any further information or enquiries, contact our helpful team today.