Let’s pretend we are germs following an employee around the office. From the moment our employee enters the office we have set up base on the door handle every other employee will touch on their way into the office. Our employee then sits down at their desk, checks their email and answers a phone call. We have now spread to the keyboard, mouse, phone and desktop. Our employee is getting tired and needs a coffee to wake up. He goes to the office kitchen, makes a new pot and pours himself a coffee. Now we find ourselves on the kitchen counter, coffee pot, sugar and milk containers and we have only been in the office for one hour.

Unfortunately for germs, simply disinfecting touch points in the office on a regular basis can drastically reduce you and your employee’s chances of spreading and catching any sicknesses. This means less sick days for you and your employees which results in more productivity! Below are several ways in which office cleaning can prevent the spread of germs and sickness in the office.

1. Touch Points: Touch points are any place in the office that people come into direct contact with. This list includes door knobs, phones, keyboards, computer mouses, desktops, kitchen counters, water fountains and etc. These areas should be a top priority and disinfected on a regular basis because they are hot spots for germs and pathogens.

2. The Bathrooms: Office bathrooms are a place where germs can spread, but they are also a place where germs can be stopped. Touch points such as flush handles, door knobs, sink handles and the paper towel dispenser are hot spots for germs, but proper personal hygiene can prevent the spread of germs from the bathroom. We recommend placing signs in the bathroom encouraging employees to wash their hands.

3. Protection: You never know what is going to walk through your door. But with a little preparation you can help protect your employees and potential clients. We recommend strategically placing bottles of hand sanitizer and tissues around your lobby and office for people to use. You should leave them on any tables or counters you have. You should also encourage your employees to get their flu shots.

Let’s look at this office kitchen and identify what items should be disinfected:

Items that should be disinfect on a regular basis include the table, counter top, fridge handles, coffee maker, cabinet handles, chair arms and the microwave. But keep in mind simply washing your hands in the sink before and after using these items can prevent you from catching and spreading germs around the office.

For more ways to keep your office clean check out these other blog articles and our Office Cleaning Checklist:

5 Cleaning Tools to Keep at Your Desk

5 Office Hangouts for Germs and How to Keep Them Clean

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