While we all might breathe a collective sigh of relief when flu season is over that does not mean the germs just fade away into the summer sunlight. Unfortunately, germs and illness can still be spread regardless of the season. Here are some of the surprising spots within your office that contain germs.
1. Computer keyboards
The workplace keyboard can have more than 200 times as many bacteria as a toilet seat. To begin with, it is often touched throughout the day, so wherever those fingers have been, it’s likely the computer keyboard has been there too. It is also the perfect surface for catching sneezes and all the times people cough while sitting at their desk, either into their hands or out in the open.
It’s no surprise – we eat at our desks, drop all sorts of things on our keyboards and rarely wash our hands before we start using the computer.
Caleigh Jerde
2. Telephones
Think of all the different people in a single day who are touching the phone with the hands while their putting their mouth near it as they speak. It was estimated that there are 25,000 germs per square inch that can live on the workplace telephone.
3. Break Room Sink Faucet Handles
In a study by Kimberly-Clark Professionals, 75% of break room sink faucet handles were found to be extremely dirty and at high risk for spreading illness, while 91% needed to be cleaned overall. You might have noticed a trend: Most of the dirtiest places in your office are surfaces that are meant to be handled, but that don’t get cleaned very often.
Other seriously dirty germ hotspots in your office are:
- Fridge door handles
- Water fountain buttons
- Vending machine buttons
- Computer mice
- Phones
- Coffee pot handles
Buttons, door knobs, handles, and other places that are touched by lots of people are hubs where germs and contaminants spread. That’s why keeping your office well cleaned is so important!