5 Surprising Places Germs Can Live in Your Office and How to Reduce the Risk

The average workplace is a breeding ground for germs. It’s true– the average person carries about 100 different kinds of bacteria on their body. The only way to stay healthy and prevent the spread of germs is to maintain a clean office environment. However, it’s not always that easy.

There are multiple nooks and crannies in an office that give germs a place to live – some of them, pretty surprising!

Here are some of the dirtiest, germiest (is that a word?) places in your office or workspace. Clean them regularly!

1. Light switches

In and out, on and off – if you have a steady flow of co-workers (or family members!) going from room to room and turning the lights on and off all day, that’s a lot of chances for germs to spread. (Especially the bathroom light switch.)

And while we’re speaking about lighting, don’t forget light bulbs!

Light bulbs are something that are overlooked in most offices, but they’re one of the more surprising places germs can live. Light bulbs that haven’t been changed for months or years can literally be a breeding ground for bacteria. To prevent it from becoming an office health concern, change your bulbs every few months or at least once a year.

2. Door handles and knobs

Door handles are one of the most common places for germs to live. It’s easy for people to touch door handles and then forget to wash their hands. This can lead to the spreading of bacteria, which can make its way onto your desk or other surfaces in your office. To prevent this from happening, it is important to make sure that everyone washes their hands after they’ve been touching any door handle. And clean the knobs regularly with an antibacterial soap or spray.

By the way, ANY handle, knob, or button that gets pushed frequently by multiple people is probably germ-ridden. The sink faucet handles in the breakroom. The handle on the microwave door. The button or handle on the drinking fountain. The refrigerator door handle. Vending machine buttons. The elevator buttons and doors to the stairwell.

3. Key cards

One of the most surprising places germs can live in your office is on your key card. It’s recommended to change your key card every three months, but that might not be enough. Germs can survive for up to a year in certain conditions. A quick and easy way to reduce the risk of germs on your key card is by wiping it down with a disinfectant wipe before you put it away or leave the building at the end of the day.

4.Kitchen Sink and Sponge

The active bacteria found in the kitchen – yes, where you go to CLEAN your coffee cups and lunch containers – are higher than any other area in an office. In fact, according to Dr. Chuck Gerba, a microbiology professor in Arizona, “Usually there are about 200 times more faecal bacteria on the average cutting board than on a toilet seat.”

Even worse is the sponge. According to Gerba, a typical sponge holds about 10 million bacteria per square inch; a dishcloth is a bit better, merely a million.

By way of contrast – and this is surprising – a typical toilet set has about 50 bacteria in a square inch. Doing the match, then – a kitchen sponge is 200,000 times dirtier than a toilet seat, and a dishcloth is 20,000 times dirtier.

Maybe it’s time to ditch the sponge altogether and stick to paper towels.

5. Computer mice and keyboards

The surfaces of computer mice and keyboards are areas that have been found to contain the most germs. The keyboard has a recessed space where crumbs can get caught, and the mouse has a gap where dirt can collect. Not only that, your hands are on them all day, making them natural collection points for dead skin cells, food particles and dust.

To avoid this problem, make sure you clean your mouse and keyboard with a disinfecting wipe or spray on a regular basis.

It may not seem like much, but printers are another place where germs can lurk. To eliminate this risk you should always keep a roll of paper towels nearby and use it to clean around the printer as well as after each print job

Conclusion

There are many ways that germs can find their way into your office. Luckily, there are some easy ways to reduce the risk of infection. It’s not that difficult to wipe off the doorknobs with some antiseptic wipes every once in a while. Some of today’s high-end air purifiers enhance surface disinfection, too. (Less bacteria, viruses, particles in the air means less on surfaces.)

And yes – wash your hands.