Overlooked Places In Your Office Where Germs Are Usually Hiding

Studies show that on average a typical office worker’s hands come in contact with 10 million bacteria a day. This is not even the scary part. The same study indicates that:

• Viruses can survive on hard surfaces like desks for up to 24 hours
• 80% of infections are transferred by touch
• The average computer keyboard harbors 7,500 different types of bacteria
• 2/3 office workers eat at their desk and 1/5 of them never clean their desk before eating

Common areas in the workplace are the most likely areas that employees pass germs and it has been reviewed that it is easy for janitors and cleaning teams to miss cleaning these surfaces.

Over the past year and a half, as the pandemic created a rift in our daily lives, it is safe to say that we all have learned more about cleaning than we thought we ever would. However, even with increased awareness, it is still easy to overlook and miss spots that may not easily come to mind.

In this blog, we have listed some of the most common bacteria and virus hotspots that are usually missed by cleaning teams.

Printers And Photocopiers

Offices usually have one printer per floor. So, all the people working on that level interact with the same printer. These devices have multiple buttons and drawers that are used and touched by numerous employees throughout the day. However, when it comes to cleaning, it is usually wiped with a dry cloth to remove any dust buildup.

All the areas of the printer including the display, boards, buttons, and handles should be wiped with an antibacterial cleaner daily.

Coffee Maker

How many of you don’t have breakfast at home and go to the coffee station at your workplace before starting your work for the day? Most of us need at least two to three cups of coffee every day to keep going. Hence, the coffee maker sees a lot of contact throughout the day.

It is important that the coffee station and the coffee maker is wiped down with an antibacterial cleaner at least twice a day to help reduce the transfer of germs from one person to another.

Water Cooler

The area around the water cooler is commonplace for employees to hang around, take short breaks, and catch up with their colleagues. Most employees swing by the water cooler at least twice or thrice a day. Moreover, since these coolers are not usually located in the kitchen, but rather are often situated in hallways or corners for easy access they are overlooked and forgotten about.

Water coolers should be properly cleaned with a washcloth and an antibacterial commercial cleaner every day.

Other Commonly Used Areas

Other commonly used areas in the office such as window sills, blinds, stairways, hallways, and shared furniture are usually ignored while cleaning. They are either casually dusted or completely ignored since most of the cleaners focus is put on the bathrooms and employee workstations.

However, many people, including visitors and delivery people, pass through these hallways and touch the handrails and door handles. Dust, debris, bacteria and viruses can accumulate in these areas on a daily basis.

In addition to this, places like break rooms or waiting areas have shared furniture. The upholstery can harbor germs and odors. Hence, it should be vacuumed.

The best way to deal with this is by cleaning the handrails and doorknobs every day. While cleaning the upholstery with antibacterial commercial cleaners every few weeks.

Final Words

This looks like a lot of areas to cover and clean. However, with the right cleaners and a team of dedicated professionals, this can be easily overcome. A clean and safe environment has been known to boost employee productivity.

About Chem International

Chem International offers a complete range of top-quality and reliable industrial detailing products such as degreasers to meet your needs precisely. We provide you with the cleaning products you need to ensure your facility stays clean and grease-free for a long time. For more information contact us today.