Do you work in an office? Are you constantly getting sick? It might not be your fault! Many office workers are guilty of having unhygienic work habits that could be making them sick.
The modern office can be a wonderful place. With fancy furniture, amazing technology and free coffee, what’s not to love? However, office life isn’t always glamorous. In fact, it can be pretty gross.
From the office cleaner who doesn’t clean properly to the colleague who never washes their hands after going to the toilet, there are plenty of opportunities for germs to spread in the workplace.
In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common dirty little secrets that office cleaners keep. We will also provide tips on how to avoid getting sick at work.
Some of the worst offenders when it comes to office cleanliness are the office cleaners themselves. That’s right, the very people who are responsible for cleaning your office could be making you sick.
Some cleaners often miss important areas such as door handles, keyboards and phones. This can lead to the spread of germs and bacteria.
We’ve known of cleaners using the same cleaning cloths and mops for every room. This means that they are just spreading dirt and grime around, rather than actually cleaning anything.
Germs can be spread in a number of different ways in an office:
Coughing and sneezing at work
“Coughs and sneezes spread diseases”.
Covering coughs and sneezes as well as washing hands helps minimise the spread of serious respiratory illnesses like influenza, whooping cough and COVID-19.
Disgusting bathroom habits
Some of the things people do in the office toilets baffle us. Finding poo in a pedal bin, diarrhoea covered cubicle walls, used tampons hanging from a cubicle door and so much more, we’ve seen it all; and that’s just in the women’s toilets.
The office toilet is one of the most common places for germs to spread. This is because people often touch door handles, taps and toilets with their bare hands.
If you don’t wash your hands properly, you could be spreading bacteria and viruses around the office. Everyone needs to make use of the toilet facilities so leaving it in a unhygienic and disgusting state is just not cool and can have serious health implications.
Touching door handles, phones and other office equipment without washing your hands
Hand washing gets a section all of its own! It’s scary and sickening to see so many people use toilets and leave without washing their hands. These people are then touching the same door handles, phones, kettles, microwaves, and keyboards as everyone else in the office.
Proper hand washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is the best way to protect yourself from getting sick.
Hand gel is not a substitute for hand washing! The alcohol in hand gel doesn’t kill all bacteria and viruses. In fact, some bacteria and viruses are actually resistant to alcohol.
Dining at your desk
It’s easy to see why we sometimes eat at our desks. We’re busy and don’t have time to take a proper break. However, this can lead to office desk lunches becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
Bacteria can build up in the tiny nooks, crannies and gaps in a keyboard and around your phone if left unchecked and can cause illness. Don’t believe us? Tip your keyboard over and give it a good shake, you might be surprised at what falls out.
Not cleaning up after yourself in the kitchen
This one is for all the office slobs out there. Leaving dirty plates and cups in the sink, not wiping down surfaces after you’ve used them and leaving food to rot in the fridge are all habits that can lead to bacteria build-up and make people sick.
If you use a shared microwave you’ll know how quickly they can become dirty. One person doesn’t clean up after themselves and before you know it, the microwave is caked in dried food, causing a potential health hazard.
Remember to give the microwave a wipe down after each use, it only takes a few seconds and could save you from getting sick. It’s easy to wipe up any spillages in the fridges and clean down kitchen surfaces when you’re done using them, so there’s really no excuse not to.
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink
This is closely related to the previous point but deserves its own section. Leaving dirty dishes in the office sink is one of the most unhygienic things you can do at work and it’s just lazy. Dirty plates, cups and cutlery in the office sink is an easy way to attract bugs and bacteria.
If you’re too busy to wash up your dishes straight away, at least rinse them off so they’re not covered in food and bacteria. If everyone in the office washed their dishes straight after using them, it would make a big difference.
Not emptying bins
Bins are a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses, so it’s important to empty them regularly. If you don’t, the office will start to smell and attract bugs and insects.
Even if your office cleaner is responsible for emptying bins it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure they’re not full or overflowing. An overflowing bin is not only unhygienic, it’s also a fire hazard.
Well, there you have it – our dirty little secrets. Now that you know what to watch out for, here are a few tips on how to avoid getting sick at work:
First and foremost, always cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and make sure to wash your hands regularly (especially before you eat). If possible, try to eat lunch away from your desk and never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
And lastly, if you need a professional office cleaning service in Nuneaton, give us a call – we’d be happy to help!
