7 Areas in the Office You’re Missing When You Clean
Office cleaning is a hassle, which causes many of us to rush through it in the hope of finishing sooner. One of the problems with this, especially now during a pandemic, is that certain areas and frequently touched places get missed in the clean. These are the areas we rarely think about, but which employees handle all day long, time and again.
At RBC Clean, we strive to ensure that cleanliness and sanitation are prioritized on every visit. Sometimes we get questions from our clients about the areas we clean or areas that should be cleaned regularly between our visits. These are the top 7 areas most offices forget about while cleaning.
1. Light switches
Some rooms, like the main office area, may not require the light switch to be touched every time you come and go. Some rooms may even be on a timer or sensor, which is great for sanitary purposes and saving electricity. However, there are some rooms in most office buildings that require employees to touch the light switch, dial, or panel.
Light switches must get wiped down regularly to avoid spreading bacteria. Every time an employee touches the light switch, it adds a risk that the next employee to touch it could get sick or spread whatever bacteria is lurking there to their desk and communal spaces.
Remember, the light switch is part of an electrical system, so it is never a good idea to spray liquid directly at it. Instead, moisten a cleaning rag with disinfecting spray, and wipe the area thoroughly a few times each day. The best way to keep these spaces clean is to hire a commercial cleaning team.
2. Faucets
Another place we touch regularly is the faucets in the bathroom or staff break room. Again, some offices are lucky enough to have automatic features in these spaces, but for those which do not, wiping down taps is just as important as light switches, maybe more so.
In the case of a light switch, we can assume the person who turned the light on had clean hands. However, in bathroom spaces, most people turn the handle to the sink to wash their hands because they are dirty. This means dirty hands are constantly touching the sink taps to get the water running, and every employee who touches those taps is touching the bacteria left by the last.
Faucets are less problematic than taps but are still an area to clean daily. Some people wash their hands too close to the faucet, which causes spray. Others may wash dishes out and allow the dish to get too close, causing food residue to leave a mark on the faucet.
3. Drawer and cupboard hardware
Desk drawers, storage spaces, and even the snack cupboards in the staff room are all areas that get touched regularly. The problem with bacteria is that it is microscopic, making it difficult to know what to clean and what is ok. The best solution is cleaning anything that is touched on an ongoing basis throughout the day.
Wipe all handles and cupboard hardware with a disinfecting wipe. Encourage employees to wipe their desks and office hardware in this way and rotate the assignment in common areas to keep them clean. Some of these cupboards are hard to reach and should be assigned to a professional cleaning team for safety reasons.
4. Keyboards and mice
Speaking of maintaining employee workspaces, keyboards, mice, and personal office equipment should be maintained as well. We understand how much dirt, dust, and bacteria get caught in these devices.
To thoroughly clean a mouse and keyboard, they should first be disconnected from your computer system and the power outlet. Next, use a canned air cleaner to spray bursts of air between the keys and remove dust and crumbs. Next, moisten a cleaning rag with a disinfectant cleaning solution and wipe the keys and mouse. Let them dry before you reattach them.
5. Elevator controls
The elevator in any office building is a communal hot spot. People go up and down all day long, meaning the control buttons are covered in finger oil, food residue, and other bacteria. This is a tricky area to clean as you need to be careful not to get moisture into any electrical components.
You also do not want to push every button as you clean, or you will wind up riding the elevator for a day. Instead, moisten a cleaning rag with disinfecting solution and very gently wipe over buttons and anywhere else you see hand or fingerprints.
Hiring a service for commercial cleaning in Southern Ontario guarantees these public areas are regularly cleaned and disinfected properly, with no risk of ruining the electronics inside.
6. Vending machine buttons
Vending machines fit in much the same category as elevators. They do very different jobs, but they attract people from all over the office building and are covered in fingerprints and bacteria.
With the same attention to detail as above, wipe the vending machine buttons gently to remove dirt and germs. This should be done regularly, but especially following lunch breaks, which tends to be the high point for snacking in most office spaces.
7. Door Handles
Finally, door handles go hand in hand with light switches. Any room with a switch likely also has a door needing to be opened or closed. Door handles are touched by multiple employees and often overlooked because they appear “clean.”
Remember, most of the grime we want to remove is invisible to the human eye. Wiping door handles is a good practice during cold and flu season to prevent the spread of illness and keep your office productive.
If your office building is concerned about the coming cold and flu season, the spread of bacteria during the current crisis, or needs a cleaning team you can count on, a professional cleaner may be able to help.
To learn more about the areas in your office that you miss when you clean, call RBC Clean at 1-855-493-9259 or contact us here.