Most of us think the dirtiest place in the office is the bathroom. But guess what? The real germ party is happening in places you touch way more often\u2014without even thinking about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your office is filled with tiny germ factories hiding in plain sight. If you\u2019ve ever wondered why you\u2019re always catching that annoying \u201coffice cold,\u201d these spots could be the reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are the top 5 germ hotspots in your office you probably never thought twice about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019re going to break down each of these sneaky germ hubs, explain why they\u2019re dirtier than they look, and give you quick tips to keep them cleaner (and keep you healthier).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Your Keyboard and Mouse<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s kick it off with your own desk. Your keyboard and mouse are basically crumb-filled, bacteria-covered islands. Every time you eat at your desk, sneeze near your monitor or touch your mouse after shaking someone\u2019s hand, you\u2019re piling on more germs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fact: <\/strong>A study by the University of Arizona found that keyboards can have up to 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Yep. Let that sink in.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Quick Tip: <\/strong>Wipe down your keyboard and mouse once a day with disinfectant wipes. And yes\u2014unplug or power down before you do.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. The Breakroom Coffee Pot Handle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019d think the place that gives you coffee would be safe. But nope. That coffee pot handle is touched by everyone. Think about it\u2014people stumble in, half-asleep, probably coughing into their hands, and grab that handle without thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suggestion: <\/strong>If your breakroom has hand sanitizer nearby, use it before and after making your coffee. Also, rotate who cleans the handle each day. It\u2019s a team effort.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Desk Phones and Mobile Devices<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you still have a desk phone, you probably don\u2019t think about cleaning it. But here\u2019s the thing\u2014your mouth is right up on that receiver. And your fingers are dialing and pressing buttons all day. The same goes for your mobile phone. It touches every surface, goes into every room (including the bathroom\u2014don\u2019t lie), and gets pressed right to your cheek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Info: <\/strong>Phones are one of the most contaminated objects we carry, according to the CDC. They can harbor viruses like the flu and even E. coli.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Quick Tip: <\/strong>Use a microfiber cloth and alcohol-based cleaner a few times a week, especially after lunch or a meeting where you shake hands with others.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Elevator Buttons<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These little germ panels are touched by everyone<\/em> in the building. Think about how many hands hit the same button within just one hour. If someone sneezes, wipes their nose, then heads up to Floor 4\u2014congrats, you just inherited their germs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warning: <\/strong>Researchers found more bacteria on elevator buttons than on public toilet seats.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Quick Tip: <\/strong>Use your knuckle or a pen cap to press buttons when possible. And keep hand sanitizer close\u2014you\u2019ll want it right after.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Shared Pens and Office Supplies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ever signed in at reception or borrowed a coworker\u2019s pen? You might as well have shaken hands with every person who touched it before you. Pens, staplers, scissors\u2014if it\u2019s shared, it\u2019s suspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The flu virus can survive on hard surfaces like pens for up to 48 hours. Keep your own pen handy. Even better\u2014get a quirky one so no one else tries to \u201cborrow\u201d it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n So, what\u2019s the dirtiest place in the office? Spoiler: it\u2019s not the bathroom. It\u2019s the stuff you touch without thinking<\/em>\u2014your keyboard, the elevator button, the office coffee pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The good news? Now you know what to watch out for. A few wipes here and a squirt of sanitizer there can go a long way in keeping you from catching that dreaded office bug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stay clean, stay sharp\u2014and maybe bring your own pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n How often should I clean my desk at work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At least once a day if you\u2019re working full-time in an office. Especially high-touch items like your mouse, keyboard, and phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is hand sanitizer enough to kill office germs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, if it\u2019s alcohol-based (at least 60% alcohol). It won\u2019t replace washing hands, but it\u2019s good when soap and water aren\u2019t nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can I get sick from sharing office supplies?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Absolutely. Germs can linger on shared items for hours or even days, depending on the surface and the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the safest way to press elevator buttons?<\/strong> Do antibacterial wipes really work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They do! Just make sure they\u2019re EPA-approved, and you let the surface stay wet for the time listed on the label.nce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Most of us think the dirtiest place in the office is the bathroom. But guess what? The real germ party is happening in places you touch way more often\u2014without even thinking about it. Your office is filled with tiny germ factories hiding in plain sight. If you\u2019ve ever wondered why you\u2019re always catching that annoying […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2792"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4633,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2792\/revisions\/4633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4718"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myaiostagingweb.com\/royal-immaculate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Breakroom Item<\/strong><\/td> Bacteria Level (CFU\/sq inch)<\/strong><\/td> Cleaned Daily?<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead> Coffee Pot Handle<\/td> 34,000<\/td> Rarely<\/td><\/tr> Microwave Buttons<\/td> 1,500<\/td> Sometimes<\/td><\/tr> Fridge Door Handle<\/td> 12,000<\/td> Occasionally<\/td><\/tr> Sink Faucet Handle<\/td> 17,000<\/td> Often<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Use your knuckle, elbow, or even a pen. And sanitize your hands afterward just to be safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n