Office sanitation is an increasing concern, moreso now that we’re moving back into offices towards the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Disinfecting communal and personal spaces is a must – not just at home, but also in the workplace we spend the majority of our days in with other people and coworkers.
This list provides the 6 places in your office that should be high on your priority list in cleaning and disinfection. Cleaning alone is not enough to kill off all those harmful microbes and potential pathogens, which is why we need to learn to disinfect surfaces properly to protect ourselves from getting infected by the virus. Here are the spaces that need to be disinfected:
1. Office Kitchen
The office kitchen or pantry is where we sit down to eat, take a lunch break, or gather for some office gossip. Food spills inevitably happen on tables, as do dripping water from washed hands. As we talk around the office pantry unmasked, we also send out saliva particles that may or may not be infected with bacteria and viruses.
Office pantry cleaning gets rid of most of those greasy food stains and dust, but what about those microorganisms that threaten our health? Wiping a spray disinfectant on tables and chairs, as well as mopping the floor with a strong, but diluted, disinfectant solution will greatly decrease the chances of spreading germs around the office, particularly in the eating areas.
2. Front Desk
The front desk is the first in line in gathering dust, dirt, debris, and germs from the outside. It is where people pass through everyday before heading into the office, and where visitors must stay before getting approvals to enter the offices. As you would expect, the front desk, waiting area, and reception desk are all some of the dirtiest locations in the office.
A daily cleaning and frequent disinfection of the reception area would not only reduce the dust particles getting into the office, it would also kill off potentially harmful bacteria and germs before they get into the office. A spray disinfectant works best for this area as it is potent, and the aerosol would disinfect the air at the same time.
3. Bathrooms
Bathrooms are constantly disinfected for obvious reasons. Ideally, you would want to disinfect the toilet before and after each use. As for the rest of the bathroom, the surfaces like countertops, light switches, doorknobs, and others would need to be disinfected no less than thrice daily – more if time permits it.
Bathroom activities tend to be on the filthy side, and can easily spread germs around. Spray the bathroom with a good quality disinfectant frequently, and wipe every area clean during the start, mid, and end of the day for maximum effectiveness.
4. Personal Desk
Your personal desk will need disinfection as well, and we often overlook cleaning our personal spaces as they are private only to us. However, the longer you let your desk stay dirty, the more germs and bacteria start to grow in these places. You will need to organize your belongings, clean the desk, and disinfect your items to get rid of the germs.
You may use a hand sanitizer to disinfect your personal office desk, but rubbing alcohol or an aerosol disinfectant spray works just as well. Be sure you spray or wipe the disinfectant right onto the table, and let the cleaning solution dry on its own to be completely effective in killing off germs. The sanitizer must stay on for a minimum of 10 minutes to completely disinfect.
5. Office Chair
The smells coming from your office chair aren’t from you per say, but they are caused by bacteria that feed off moisture and organic material. The smell might be embarrassing, but it is nothing compared to the potential ill effects of sitting on a bacteria-infested office chair.
Clean your office chair with a deodorizing powder like baking soda, and vacuum up the excess. Use a spray disinfectant to cover the entire chair, and let the solution dry completely. Rubbing alcohol works well to deodorize your chair, as well as kill off any potential pathogens.
6. High-touch Areas
High touch areas, like doorknobs, light switches, and any handles or buttons in the office are covered in unseen germs. Disinfect these using a clean cloth dampened with some disinfecting solution. Wipe these areas twice daily, and allow the solution to dry before using.
