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As winter draws near, cold and flu season comes with it, making hygiene more important than ever. While we often focus on keeping our homes clean, many of us overlook the office, where we spend a significant portion of our day.
Desks, shared equipment, and everyday items like keyboards and phones can become breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses, increasing the risk of illness. Simple daily cleaning habits can make a big difference in preventing sickness. By paying attention to a few key office items, you can maintain a healthier workspace and protect yourself and your colleagues this season.
How to keep your office clean and healthy during cold and flu season
Keyboard
Your keyboard might look clean, but it is one of the dirtiest surfaces in the office.
Research from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia revealed that keyboards can host more than 400 times the bacteria found on a typical toilet seat. Germs can survive on the keys for up to 24 hours, making this an ideal hotspot for the spread of illness. Daily wiping with a disinfecting wipe, especially on frequently used keys, can prevent the transfer of bacteria and keep your workstation hygienic.
Copier button
Shared equipment in the office is another major source of germs, and the copier’s start button is a prime example.
Throughout the day, dozens of employees touch this button, each potentially leaving behind bacteria. A study by Hloom found that the average office copier button can carry up to 1.2 billion colony-forming units of bacteria per square inch, vastly higher than the 3,200 units found on a toilet seat. Regularly wiping down the copier button and any shared control panels can reduce bacterial spread among staff.
Pens
Pens may seem harmless, but they are another surprisingly common way for germs to travel.
Sharing pens can easily pass viruses and bacteria such as staphylococcus or the common cold from one person to another. The simplest way to avoid this is to carry your own personal pen and refrain from lending it to colleagues. Cleaning pens periodically with a disinfectant wipe, especially before using them after sharing, is a smart precaution during the cold and flu season.
Desk surface
Your desk is more than just a workspace—it’s a magnet for germs.
You touch it multiple times a day, place personal items on it, and often eat at it, all of which contribute to bacterial buildup. Daily cleaning with a sanitizing wipe not only helps maintain hygiene but also keeps your workspace looking tidy and organised. A clean desk can also promote productivity and reduce the spread of illness to colleagues who may touch shared areas near your desk.
Your phone
Phones are notorious germ carriers. Office phones are shared, but even your personal smartphone can harbour more bacteria than a toilet seat.
According to the University of Arizona, smartphones often carry over ten times the number of germs found on a typical toilet. With the average American checking their phone up to 47 times a day, it’s easy to transfer bacteria from hands to device and back again. Wiping your phone daily with an alcohol-based disinfectant can help limit the spread of germs.
Keep your office space germ-free
This winter, make a conscious effort to maintain a clean and germ-free workspace. Focus on the most commonly used and shared surfaces, including keyboards, desk surfaces, phones, copier buttons, and pens. Wiping these items down at least once or twice a day will not only help prevent illness but also keep your office looking neat and professional. A few minutes of daily cleaning can lead to a healthier, happier, and more productive cold and flu season for you and your colleagues.Also Read: What do ravens eat: Discover the wild and unexpected foods they devour
English (US) ·