Places in the Office Where Germs Love to Thrive - What to Know

Believe it or not, your mind is fooling you when you see the shiny, sparkling surfaces in your office and think that they are well-sanitised. Sometimes, germs can still thrive even in spots that look glimmeringly clean.

Part of keeping an office space sanitary is making sure that the areas do not provide microorganisms with good habitable conditions to thrive. The illusion of clean surfaces can conceal the fact that germs can still live in such places. It’s important to identify which office spots are prone to housing these despicable microorganisms to eliminate as part of regular office cleaning. Doing so will allow you to regularly and thoroughly disinfect them, preventing workers and clients from getting sick.

For your guide, here are some of the places in the office where germs love:

1. Phones

Save from your personal smartphone—which can still house germs, by the way—the phones in your office that are used by employees are some of the known spots for germs to thrive. People in the vicinity will pick up the phones, which means that bacteria can easily transfer onto them.

What makes it worse is that you’re never certain where the hands that touch these phones have been. The fact that bacteria and germs from office phones can quickly transfer from one person to another is often overlooked. For that reason, it’s advisable to observe proper hygiene and wash your hands after touching office phones. Additionally, regularly disinfect these phones by spraying alcohol.

2. Hand dryers

Little did you know that the dryers in your office toilet are actually a harbinger of germs. Toilets are the hub where germs and bacteria get washed off. That said, microorganisms can scatter onto the air, especially when someone flushes the toilet or touches the countertops. Hand dryers, as they push out air, also push these germs onto your hands.

Quite ironically, hand dryers are what you would typically use after disinfecting your hands. But these air-blowing machines can actually cause germs and bacteria to transfer onto your newly-washed hands, especially in toilets.

To avoid this, rely on paper towels, especially newly-opened packs. These tissue papers will wipe your hands clean. Furthermore, they dry so much faster than a hand dryer would.

3. Printers and photocopiers

In the corporate world, paperwork is part of the whole process. Of course, printers and photocopiers will be used by many coworkers. However, these equipment are not exactly what people perceive as habitats for germs, so they don’t get cleaned and disinfected as much. Different people use these machines regularly in the office. Pressing the buttons, touching the sides, and even the simple act of loading them with paper can allow germs to spread onto the surfaces of printers and photocopiers. With that in mind, it’s best to keep some wet wipes and disinfectant near these machines and allow workers to wipe their hands clean after using them.

Conclusion

Sanitising and disinfecting in the office is often overlooked. However, keeping the work environment safe and clean is critical to maintaining the health of everyone in the office. Therefore, it’s best to practice disinfecting these germ-prone spots, along with other office areas.

If you need commercial cleaning services in Melbourne, get in touch with us today! We’re happy to help.