An average worker spends at least 8 hours a day in the office, which amounts in total to at least 40 hours per week. Because employees spend significant time inside the office, it is crucial to maintain the cleanliness of their workspaces.
A clean workplace positively impacts the productivity of employees, enhances their work efficiency as well as their well-being. Conversely, an unhygienic, disorderly office poses health risks and hazards to employees. According to a research by Kimberly-Clark Professional, office spaces can be germ hot spots, especially when employees fail to sanitize their hands. Dirty office spaces can encourage mold germination and become a breeding ground of dangerous bacteria, which cause respiratory diseases when released into the air. It was likewise found that a virus-infected person can infect more than 50% of co-employees and other office equipment in a span of four hours.
Additionally, a University of Arizona research study also revealed the following statistical findings:
- 71% of employee-respondents believe that dirty office spaces caused them diseases
- 82% of respondents think that being in a clean work environment increases their efficiency
- 60% of diseases experienced by the employees are believed to be caused by dirty surfaces inside the office
- Employees come in contact with 10 million bacteria per day
How To Clean Dirty Office Equipment and Items
Heavy workloads and busy work schedules can prevent employees from regularly cleaning their individual work space. If you are among those struggling to find time to conduct an extensive, thorough office cleaning and disinfection, here are some simple office cleaning hacks that you can use to sanitise your work station:
Office Telephone
Your office telephones contain at least 25, 127 microbes per square inch. The first step in cleaning your phone is to wipe the entire unit, along with its cables and wires with a clean cloth dampened with alcohol or mild cleaner. For telephone surfaces in contact with your skin (ears and mouth), make to rub these bacteria-infested areas with anti-bacterial wipes. Using these anti-bacterial wipes is better than damp clothing, since it prevents excess moisture from seeping into your telephone and causing damage to any of its electrical partsComputer Keyboards
Keyboards contain at least 3,295 microbes per square inch. Before starting to clean the keyboard, first turn off your computer. Tilt the keyboard or shake it to remove debris or left-over food crumbs or grime. Begin the sanitisation by dipping on alcohol a cloth or cotton then placing the latter on keyboard keys, taking the time to scrub the cotton swab thoroughly over commonly used keys like Enter, Backspace and Space bar to remove the dirtiest spots which contain grease, grime or heavy dust.Office Desk
According to research, the office desk is 400 times dirtier than the toilet. Keeping the office desk clutter-free is a must, but it can very challenging especially when you’re too busy with work. To clean your desk, it’s advisable to devote a day or two for its organization. You may start by emptying all the things in your desk and separating the rubbish from the essentials. Once everything is cleared, proceed to wipe your desk using a damp cloth and liberally apply onto the surface anti-bacterial spray to complete the disinfection process and minimise the risks of spreading germs. Thereafter, gather the essential work items onto a pile, organizing them into different categories. Sort paperworks and place them in envelopes or ring binders, put pencils and pens in pen holders and put books or reading materials in drawers in order to keep everything neat.Office Pantry
The pantry is an important place because it is where employees prepare their food and beverages and eat their meals in the office. Since food preparation is made in the pantry, it is susceptible to mold and bacterial growth, along with food mess and spills. To keep the pantry clean, you must strive not to leave food items in the refrigerator for more than 48 hours and have the initiative to wipe spills immediately and dispose of food spoilage immediately in proper rubbish bins. Make an effort to return utensils where they should be, spray countertops and stoves with anti-bacterial solution and wipe kitchen appliances like the refrigerator and microwave. Keep your waste disposal management in excellent condition to ensure that all rubbish is disposed of on time.Sink Faucets
Sink faucets are, according to Kimberly-Clark’s research, the filthiest items in the office with an ATP count of at least 300 or higher (high levels of Adenosine Triphosphate indicate filthiness). They are prone to microbial growth and unpleasant grimes and odors. To begin cleaning, check the finishing of your sink faucet and the recommended cleaning solutions of its manufacturer as there are finishing which do not work well with abrasive cleaners. For best results, apply anti-microbial solutions on the fixtures, using white vinegar to remove grime build up and baking soda to remove stains.
Hiring Office Cleaning Experts: Why It’s a Better Choice
Having a well-maintained office can yield different benefits for any business establishment. If employees are too busy working on their assigned tasks or checking off backlogs, it may be more ideal to hire the services of a professional cleaning company which specialises in office cleaning. When you’re too worried about your work, it’s best to leave cleaning duties in the hands of licensed cleaners. They have a results-driven approach to cleaning, offer convenient after-work cleaning schedules, and can regularly maintain office hygiene so that you can focus on what matters: doing business with ease. Contact Avalon Services today for a free quote!