Awareness of how germs or viruses can be spread and the importance of hygiene is now higher than ever. Office spaces are necessary for many businesses to function fully, but they are also very public spaces. Below, we’ve put together information on how to help protect your personal workspace or office.
Sanitization of the General Spaces of the Office and Common Spaces
Cleaning of the Common Areas
Although most, if not all, offices have professional cleaning staff who clean common areas every hour, every day, or every week, it is also our responsibility to clean up any mess we have created ourselves. When you spill something, clean it up, and if you go to the sink, wash your hands before touching anything else in the office.
Bathrooms and kitchens are usually the most active common areas. There are many places where you need to pay attention to cleanliness before and after use. Items that can be cleaned include doorknobs, cabinet handles, refrigerator or microwave door handles, microwave buttons, etc. If you decide to eat in a common area, clean the area before you leave, so it is clean for the next person.
Avoid Coming to Work Sick or with Those Who Are Sick
There are many people who come to work sick, especially if their current symptoms seem mild. However, this affects everyone and everything they come into contact with in the office. If you or someone you know in the office is sick, please stay home or advise others to stay home. If you know someone in your office is experiencing symptoms, try to avoid close contact with them. If you are a manager, encourage your employees to take a sick day or work from home even if symptoms seem mild.
Hands Should Be Cleaned Before Touching Your Face
It’s easy to spend your day touching a lot of things in the office and then your face. The problem is that in the office, many other people have also touched those objects before and after you. At a minimum, wash your hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
Don’t Abuse Antibacterial Products
It’s easy to go overboard with antibacterial products. Some use them as a substitute for handwashing. However, to date, the benefits of using antibacterial hand soap have not been proven. According to the US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) , there is not enough scientific data to show that antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than washing with soap and water.
Avoid Community Meals
Communal meals can be tempting, but difficult. While you may take precautions to avoid touching other foods in your environment, not everyone may take such precautions. If you are going to take part in any communal meals, make sure that they have maintained a certain level of hygiene. Also, respect the fact that others will eat. We left whatever food over after you have taken your turn.
Use an Air Purifier
Offices rarely have open windows or doors, and any mechanical air system has a lot of space to cover. Air purifiers are a great addition to any office, whether used for a personal workspace or the entire office. Offices and personal spaces can benefit from a wide variety of air purifiers. Air purifiers can filter out contaminants like dust or mold and deliver cleaner air.
Workspace Cleaning: Disinfecting Surfaces
An office and the sanitation workers handle the sanitation of the entire office. Although sanitation workers usually work to clean the entire office, they have a lot of space to cover. It is important to take responsibility for disinfecting your personal workspace regularly. Below we have listed some items and ways to maintain a cleaner personal workspace.
Disinfection of a Desk
Desks can quickly accumulate a layer of dust, crumbs, and germs. Every day at work, we are constantly touching our desk, putting objects on it, and even eating or sneezing on it. No matter what you do on your desktop, it’s important to clean it regularly. Even if you don’t touch your desk, a layer of dust can form. Depending on the type of desk you have, you can clean it with disinfectant wipes, a cloth dampened with water, or cleaning products and a towel. When you clean your desk, don’t forget to remove any objects or clutter before thoroughly cleaning it everywhere.
How to Clean a Keyboard
External keyboards should be unplugged or turned off before cleaning prevents keystrokes. We should handle keyboards connected to a laptop with special care, as they sit on top of the computer’s electrical components. After turning off the keyboard or laptop, turn the keyboard over and shake out any loose crumbs or debris. To clean dust, use a combination of compressed air to blow out whatever is loose or flakes off, and a towel or cloth to wipe up the rest.
Screen Cleaning
Your monitor screen collects dust over time, making it necessary to clean it. Before cleaning the screen, turn off the monitor. You can safely and effectively clean your screen by using a microfiber cloth. To dampen the cloth, add a few drops of water. However, you should never soak the cloth or spray water directly on the screen. Never use liquids other than water unless we specified them as safe for use on screens.
Clean Computer Mouse
In addition to keyboards, the “mouse” is one object that we touch the most in the office. If you notice that your mouse is less responsive or erratic, it may be time to clean it up. Just like your keyboard or monitor, unplug or unplug your mouse before you clean it. To clean the mouse, moisten a lint-free cloth with rubbing alcohol and use it to clean it. Once you’ve cleaned it, let it dry. Blow off any other loose dirt or dust and reassemble the mouse. We can clean the exterior of the mouse with a damp microfiber cloth.
Sterilize a Phone
Phones are a focal point for germs and dust as we touch them, talk to them, and leave them on our desks. To fully disinfect your phone, be sure to clean the screens, buttons, earpieces, and cables. Each of these parts can be sterilized by wiping them down with a well-wrung disinfectant wipe.
Reduce Clutter
Clutter builds up quickly on a work desk. Clutter not only makes it harder to clean the rest of your desk and supplies, it also attracts more dust. So the more consistent you are with cleaning up any clutter, the easier it will be to maintain a cleaner desk.
conclusion
Sanitizing and maintaining a hygienic work environment is critical to maintaining your health and safety. Regular cleaning of workspaces can provide preventative measures for illness, worsening allergy symptoms, and much more. These practices are important throughout the year since colds, viruses or allergens are constantly present in the air and the environments in which we find ourselves.