Teamwork is the goal in any office, but when coworkers meet in the same space, the last thing anyone wants to share is germs. Dirt can be found in the obvious places – like all over that floor mat right inside the entrance – but it can also lurk in spots you may not notice.
As experienced office cleaning subcontractors serving the Chester County, PA region, our eyes are trained to notice. Our commercial cleaning and janitorial services are set up to clean each surface to boost your reputation and guard against health risks.
Today we’re unpacking ten of the most-touched areas in the modern office. According to the CDC, high-touch surfaces should be cleaned at least once a day or as often as deemed necessary.
1. Keyboard
You use it every day, but when was the last time you cleaned it? And cleaned it well?
Keyboards are constantly touched, sneezed on, snacked over, and spilled on. Keyboards used by a single person are bad enough, but keyboards shared with coworkers carry even more oil, grime, and germs.
2. Desktop
As the placeholder for your keyboard, computer, and any other tools for completing your tasks at work, you can bet the area is crawling with bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Our eyes may not see those things, but their presence affects our physical health.
Commercial cleaning and janitorial services are more critical than ever as our world adapts to the ever-changing nature of COVID-19 and its variants. Cleaning and disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces like desktops can help reduce the risk of infection.
3. Copier
Shared office equipment like copiers, printers, fax machines, and postage meters are easy to forget when it comes to cleaning.
Don’t forget to clean these high-use items. You can also place sanitizing wipes nearby to help maintain cleanliness between routinely scheduled commercial and janitorial cleaning services.
4. Communal Breakroom Items
Shared coffee pots, coffee makers, refrigerators, and microwaves also rank high on the list of the most-touched, germiest surfaces in an office.
Make sure to clearly communicate who is in charge of cleaning shared items like these. Microwaves in particular are laden with germs as countless people touch the door handle multiple times (putting food in and taking it out) throughout the day.
5. Door Handles
Speaking of the microwave handle, office door handles are another high-touch area in the office. The more people that use a door, the higher the variety of germs that get passed among coworkers, clients, and whoever touches that handle.
Proper handwashing is an individual’s top defense against these germs. Still, a trustworthy office cleaning subcontractor like Transcend will be sure to wipe down and sanitize door handles to enhance your health.
6. Restrooms
Restrooms are undoubtedly one of the most heavily frequented areas and one of the germiest. Regularly sanitizing bathrooms is essential.
According to Occupational Health and Safety Online, an effective surface disinfecting and cleaning protocol can reduce employee sick days by as much as 50 percent. Commercial cleaning and janitorial services are crucial.
If the thought of the germs makes you queasy, you can take precautions by holding a paper towel in your hand when you turn the sink on and off and when you open the door to exit the restroom.
7. Common Areas
Each office setup is unique, but yours likely has common areas that are touched by many hands. Think of conference rooms: the light switches, the armrests on chairs, the large table, the shared pens, and so forth.
Surface germs typically lurk for up to 72 hours, so you might want to nix the idea of sharing pens altogether. But when it comes to those other common areas, Transcend is here to help as your trusted office cleaning subcontractor in the Chester County, PA region.
8. Water Cooler
These high-touch surfaces are often overlooked for regular cleaning. The spout should be disinfected routinely, especially when you consider the possibility that some users may touch it directly as they fill previously-used water bottles or cups.
9. Elevator Buttons
Hundreds of people use elevators in an office, touching the buttons every time. A fun (or not so fun) fact for the next time you’re riding the elevator: the one, first floor, or ground button is the top spot in an elevator for germs.
10. Vending Machines
Prepackaged food might sound like a free pass from germs, but getting food from an office vending machine means you’ll come into contact with another most-touched surface. Hands, money, and food all cross paths at vending machines, making them hotspots for potential pathogens.
One of the best ways to combat germs and viruses and keep them from spreading through an office space is through Transcend’s professional commercial cleaning and janitorial services. We have strategies and scorecards to maximize client value, and we establish checkpoint meetings to evaluate what is working, what needs improvement, and how to increase service quality.
Transcend enhances the appearance of facilities in the greater Chester County, PA region to boost our clients’ reputation and increase employee engagement. Contact us today to learn more about our services that will guard against health risks to keep everyone in your office safe.
