10 Overlooked Places Germs are Hiding in Your Office

Germs can hide anywhere in your office, but some areas are hotspots for germ activity. Knowing where these spots are and taking action to keep surfaces clean can help your employees stop spreading germs and illnesses in the workplace.

1. Water Cooler

The water cooler is a high-touch part of the office, so naturally, it’s a place where germs collect. This is a place that should be disinfected multiple times throughout the week, especially during cold and flu season!

2. Carpets

Carpets aren’t exactly high-touch areas, but they definitely collect germs throughout the day. Dust that falls on carpets can get kicked back up when people walk on them. Likewise, germs from the bottoms of shoes can get ground into the fibers. Have your carpets vacuumed at least once per week, and shampooed periodically.

3. Employee Desks

Employee desks and workstations can be very germy indeed. Disinfect employee desks thoroughly at least once per week, especially on the mouse and keyboard. If your employees don’t want their workstations to be disinfected for them, then give them wipes that they can use to do this job themselves.

4. Bathroom

Your workplace bathroom is no doubt a hot spot for all germs, especially around the faucets and toilets. Having no-touch toilets and faucets can help, but these areas still need regular cleaning throughout the work week.

5. Printers and Photo Copiers

Printers and photocopiers get touched all day long, which means that people leave their germs on the buttons and trays throughout the work week. It helps to put hand sanitizer near the equipment, but that doesn’t eliminate the need to clean the high-touch parts periodically throughout the week.

6. Key Pads and Door Handles

Door handles are some of the germiest places in the entire office, especially if those door handles are in areas that are accessible and used by the public (like bathroom door handles). Keypads can be nearly as germy as door handles. Have these surfaces disinfected every time someone cleans your office.

7. Blinds, Window Sills

Blinds and window sills can be dirtier than you expect. Blinds can get very dusty, and that dust is stirred up every time the blinds are used. Window sills are also dusty, and sometimes get touched more often than you would expect. Have these surfaces cleaned every two weeks.

8. Shared Furniture

Does your lobby have shared furniture? Or maybe your conference rooms? Armrests can collect bacteria, while the backs of sofas can collect dust. Have these surfaces vacuumed, if they have upholstery on them, or wiped down if they’re made of plastic.

9. Stairways, Hallways

Stairways and hallways get touched a lot. You’ll be able to tell where these surfaces are getting touched most because you’ll be able to see the handprints in high-contact areas. Have these areas cleaned at least every two weeks.

10. Coffee Maker

Everybody loves coffee, but no one wants to clean the coffee maker! Have the coffee carafe and the buttons on the coffee maker cleaned at least once per week.

Don’t want to do all that cleaning yourself? Contact Blue Chip Cleaning.

You shouldn’t have to be in charge of cleaning everything in the office. Call Blue Chip Cleaning to eliminate germs in your workplace and keep your office safe for workers.