Understanding How Germs Spread in Your Office

The spread of germs throughout your office can seem mysterious. After all, you can’t see germs – whether they’re on your hands or on the surfaces you’re touching. What makes the spread of germs even more mysterious si that most people don’t even realize how many surfaces they touch throughout the day.

This may come as a surprise: typical employees touch about 300 surfaces every half hour they spend at the workplace. These surfaces include door knobs, keyboards, telephones, printers, copiers, and more.

Whenever an employee goes into the bathroom, they bring germs with them – and then when they leave, they take germs from the bathroom to other parts of the office. Transactions like this happen all day, with germs being passed from one part of the office to the other.

Hot Spots for Germs in the Office

There are many places where germs can hide around the office. Any high-contact area is likely to be a place where many germs can be found.

• Carpeting
• Door knobs
• Office furniture
• Keyboards
• Telephones
• Desks
• Hallways
• Staircases
• Blinds
• Door handles
• Fixtures
• Bathrooms
• Office equipment

Many parts of the office can play a surprising role in the spread of germs around the workplace. For example:

Carpeting

Carpeting can hide germs and allergens that settle on the floor throughout the day. Carpeting can also be difficult to keep clean because carpeting fibers hide those germs deep down. Carpeting can harbor pollen, chemicals, fungi, and more.

Regular vacuuming can help with this problem, but may not solve it entirely. It helps to get your carpeting shampooed on a quarterly basis.

Personal Work Stations

Personal workstations are full of high-touch areas that can be very germ-covered. Keyboards, telephones, and more are all places that can be difficult to keep clean. Every time your employee sits down at their work station, they pick up more germs, which they then bring with them to other parts of the workplace.

Bathroom

Office restrooms are one of the biggest germ spreaders in an office setting – especially if that bathroom is also used by the public. Encourage your employees to wash their hands every time they use the restroom.

If your bathroom fixtures require your employees to touch a handle or turn a crank to turn on the water or get paper towels, replace these fixtures with modern touchless fixtures. This can go a long way to stopping the spread of germs! Have these high-touch areas cleaned multiple times throughout the week.

Public Areas

Areas that are used by employees and visitors can be very problematic. Your lobby, for example, likely harbors many germs on door knobs and more. Every time someone walks into the office, they get more germs on their hands, which then can spread to other parts of the office. Have these areas disinfected at least once per week!

How to Eliminate Germs from Your Office

Just a simple cleaning of a keyboard with an antibacterial cleaning solution can result in a 100% reduction in bacteria. Unfortunately, many businesses don’t have the time to keep their office spaces clean without help. That’s why it’s important to hire a cleaning service.

Blue Chip Cleaning service can help your business stay clean. With visits throughout the week, we’ll help you maintain a clean office, clean workplace bathroom, clean kitchen, and more. Call today to get a quote for services.

Sources: https://commercialcleaningcorp.com/understanding-how-germs-spread-in-your-office/