What Germs Lurk in Your Office

It is important to know germs are all around us and the way we can protect ourselves is by thoroughly cleaning not only our homes but also our workplaces. You may think, “But my office is so tidy what are you talking about?”. Well, our expert cleaners can tell you that if your Oxford office is not professionally sanitised at least once every couple of weeks expect a trip to the doctor soon.

What Types of Germs Lurk in Your Oxford Office

The 3 most common types of bacteria that can be found in office spaces are Actinobacteria, Staphylococcus Aureus and Proteobacteria. Most of them are found in the human body in small quantities. However, they can be very harmful if allowed to spread and multiply. Depending on where your office is located and what type of business you conduct there you may find also traces of E.coli.

Why Cleaning Your Work Place Is So Important

The term germs combines the four most common types of microorganisms we come in contact with – bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. Some are an essential part of our inner fauna, and we can’t live without them. Others exist to destroy our cells.

Generally speaking, if we maintain good hygiene both at home and at the workplace, wash our hands, sustain a clean environment, and don’t get in contact with rotten foods, we will be safe from infections.

The majority of germs we come in contact with can cause a decline in our health and the development of different diseases, that is why we must do our best to eliminate them.

What Are the Most Common Germ-infested Areas

According to our extensive experience, a couple of areas tend to be “hot spots” for all kinds of nasty microorganisms. Professional commercial cleaning companies advise taking good care of the following places in your Oxford office:

• Kitchen – the area where the food is being stored is always one of the most germ-infested places. You can find various types of moulds, and all 3 of the already mentioned office bacteria. On top of that, if you or your colleagues don’t wash your hands regularly, you can easily spread E.coli. Plates and mugs must be washed with dishwashing liquid not just rinsed with water. If you spot foods well past the expiration dates you need to place them in the trash immediately. On that thought, the rubbish bin must be cleaned on a daily basis. At least once a week the doors of the fridge and the microwave must be wiped and sanitised.
• Bathroom – The best place to catch Staphylococcus Aureus, E.coli (the last can cause hepatitis) is your office bathroom. The stool doors, floors and toilet bowls must be sanitised every day. Don’t forget to always wash your hands after you are done with your business.
• Desk – Here is the germ heaven. Your telephone, keyboard, laptop, actual desk and even chair are covered in germs. Streptococcus, E. coli and Staphylococcus are just some of the germs frequently found on phone handles and keyboards. To avoid them, you need to wipe your desk and everything on it with sanitising wipes at the end of the day.
• Door handles – They are a magnet for all types of bacteria mentioned above for a couple of reasons. First, everybody touches them constantly. Second, usually, when you clean your office you forget about them. Third, the majority of bacteria travel on top of the skin of your hands which means that the germ exchange on the handles is enormous. You can protect yourself by regularly washing your hands and disinfecting all handles daily.
• Coffee machines – You have no idea how many germs there are in your office coffee maker, everything from Enterococcus and Pseudomonas to Stenotrophomonas and Sphingobacterium. You can find them in the filters, in the leftover over in the container even on the surface of the machine. You need to change the water and filters every day. Clean the leftover coffee and wipe everything.