Office environments are one of the most difficult to clean due to the lack of time, disruption, and high standards required. However, there are some things you can do in your office every day to keep it free of germs, bacteria, and sickness risks.
A clean office is important for maintaining good health amongst the workforce. Germs are everywhere so being able to limit their spread through regular cleaning is vital to staying healthy at work! Here are some quick tips on how to maintain a hygienic and clean environment that won’t break the bank or drain resources.
Organize Your Workspace and Employees
Different kinds of waste keep piling up every day in the office, due to which office cleaning becomes a herculean task. Waste like paper, plastic, food scraps, etc should be segregated at the source and disposed of days following the office’s policy (food waste disposal, recycling, etc). Taking care of keeping an office clean and tidy should also be the duty of every employee, instead of expecting office cleaning service providers to do everything. That’s why it would be a great idea to make an office cleaning checklist for employees and stick to it every day. This way office cleaning will become a habit for them, and office cleaning services won’t seem so frequent.
Wash Your Hands Regularly
There is no way to avoid germs and bacteria, but an office cleaning checklist can be used to clean surfaces that come into contact with hands or food every day. Try to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching office equipment like computer keyboards. Also, try not to touch your face after touching office supplies like pens and pencils which carry a lot of bacteria.
Additionally, make sure to wash your hands at regular intervals especially before you eat or drink anything. If you can, give employees a disposable hand towel to encourage them to use the bathroom sink instead of the kitchen sink for washing their hands in between tasks. Also, avoid using hand dryers which spread more bacteria in the air. Instead, install paper towel dispensers at every sink if possible.
Clean Office Surfaces Daily
Dust and dirt create a home for bacteria, so it is important to clean office surfaces every day. The larger the area that’s being cleaned, the more time it takes to get rid of all the dirt, dust, and debris. So be sure to prioritize areas like door handles, desktops, etc which are touched by everyone in an office daily. In case these surfaces are not wiped down daily, try using a disinfectant every two weeks to kill all the germs. Also, encourage employees to use their microfiber towels for cleaning tasks instead of sharing them with others. This will prevent the spread of bacteria from one person to another via dirty clothes and other items.Â
For your office computer, wipe the office keyboard with the cleaning spray containing antibacterial agents. It is also important to keep the office computer screen clean by cleaning it with a soft dust cloth and office screen cleaner for best office health results.
Substitute Disposable Items With Reusable Ones
Disposable items are convenient, but they also accumulate waste quickly due to the disposable nature of these products. Plastic water bottles create problems for office cleaning services as well as increase landfill waste each year. Consider replacing disposable cups with reusable glasses available at office supply stores; plastic utensils should also be replaced by reusable forks and spoons. All of the disposable paper towels, tissues, etc used in your office can be replaced by cheap handkerchiefs and rags available at local dollar stores.
Change Your Office Air Filters Regularly
Like most office appliances, office air filtering systems also go out of order after a certain period if they are not maintained regularly. The office building becomes filled with dust particles and germs when office filters get old and dirty, which leads to office fall sick risks like flu/cold and other similar ailments. Keeping office air filters clean is an important task that can be done by the employees themselves to keep the office environment germ-free without additional cost!
Maintain Hygiene In Washroom Area
As mentioned earlier, the toilet is one of the dirtiest areas in the office requiring special attention while cleaning because it is mostly used by multiple people throughout the day for different purposes. The toilet must be cleaned three times a day; morning, afternoon, and office closing time to avoid office sickness risks. Apart from doing office cleaning towards the office toilet, office employees must also take extra care to keep the office washroom sink clean by wiping it after each use with disinfectant wipes. It is advisable not to share office soap and paper towels with other people in the office.
What goes on in the office affects office employees’ overall wellbeing. It is important to maintain an extremely hygienic office environment for happier and healthier employees, which can be done with a little effort from everyone by following these simple steps.
