Do you catch yourself experiencing allergies while you are working in the office? The chances are that your office is harbouring allergens and airborne dust. Unsurprisingly, the rapid spread of germs and bacteria within an office is expected for several reasons. For one, there is a high volume of movement in and out of the office, and low upkeep results in dust and grime accumulating over time on various surfaces.
If anything, the areas most overlooked for cleaning are the frequently used appliances and shared spaces in the office, which we do not pay any mind to. To promote a healthy workspace environment, maintaining the cleanliness of the office and regularly sanitising common areas or high touchpoints is crucial.
Here are five spots in the office that should be given special attention to during cleaning maintenance.
1. Office kitchen appliances
Where there are food and drinks, there will be people. Kitchen appliances located at an office pantry, such as the water dispenser and the coffee machine, are among the regularly used items in the workplace. Therefore, daily gentle cleaning of such appliances and their surfaces will be vital. Pay special attention to high touchpoints of the kitchen appliances, such as the handles and buttons, as they would need to be thoroughly wiped down to avoid the spread of bacteria from one user to the next.
2. Shared office spaces
Shared office spaces where people work or take a break, such as a hot desk or the lounge, have high traffic and touchpoints. Employees and guests flow in and out of this area whilst in contact with the furniture, carrying and compounding the spread of germs with anything or anyone they encounter.
All shared furniture should ideally be deep cleaned regularly by engaging a cleaning professional familiar with deep cleaning upholstery. Coffee tables or hot desks should be wiped daily, effectively making the shared space cleaner, healthier, and safer for everyone.
3. Door handles
As you enter and exit the office, you will be touching doorknobs or handles, with others doing the same as well. These high touch points are usually overlooked; however, they are an excellent breeding site for dirt and bacteria. We mindlessly transfer these bacteria and dirt onto our face or phone as we carry on with our activities, which is why doorknobs and handles should be cleaned and sanitised daily. It is always best to carry a small bottle of sanitiser with you to curb the transfer of germs from high touchpoints.
4. Desks and workstations
You might think your desk is the cleanest because only you are using it. In reality, desks are germ magnets and can carry over ten million germs, about four hundred times more than the regular public toilet seat. We work, eat, drink at our desks, and sometimes our colleagues come over to our desks too.
Curb the spread of germs by instilling routine cleaning habits in your team; encourage your employees to disinfect their digital appliances daily, including laptops, mouse, and mobile phones. Consider purchasing a handheld or a portable sanitising spray gun for office use for computer desktops and office chairs that are bulky to clean or sanitise, given their weight and material.
5. Carpets
Carpets are frequently overlooked as they are not within our line of sight, and we walk above them with our shoes on while working, so we tend to be ignorant of it. In actuality, they accumulate the most dust and dirt. Eventually, these particles will go airborne and can negatively impact your employees’ health due to inhalation of air impurities. Have them deep cleaned regularly by a carpet cleaning specialist in Singapore; not only are you protecting your employees’ health, but you can also minimise employee productivity loss.
Conclusion
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, practising general cleaning in Singapore offices is even more essential. Bustling offices more often than not lead to overlooking the aforementioned germ carriers.
At APlus Clean Solutions, we understand that the safety and health of your employees is the utmost priority. Our team of cleaning professionals are adept at any cleaning needs you may require for your office space. To know more about our services, you may call our friendly consultants at +65 8233 6300.