Is Your Office Desk Making You Get Sick?

Most of us clean at home. Yet, there are a surprising number of workers who admit to never cleaning their desks. Workers sometimes spend more time at their desks than they do in their homes, so keeping their desks clean just makes sense! Keeping workstations clean will also help stop the spread of cold, flu, and COVID-19 viruses.

By the Numbers

​The average desk is 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat. And, if that doesn’t gross you out, how about this? Some workers eat at their desks and many of those don’t clean their desks beforehand. To state the obvious, that’s the equivalent of eating your sandwich off a toilet seat. Keeping your desk clean can also help reduce the risk of contracting colds, flu, and COVID-19 viruses. If you weren’t sold on desk hygiene before, we are betting you are now. 

The average desk is 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat. 

What is Desk Hygiene, Anyway?

Desk hygiene is a general term for the cleanliness (or lack thereof!) of office desk surfaces and work implements such as keyboards, mice, and phones. You might be thinking, “I keep my desk pretty tidy, so these facts don’t apply to me.” However, there’s quite a difference between a tidy desk and one that is hygienic. Below we list the main offenders when it comes to desk hygiene, and review strategies for keeping it clean.

Dirty Hands

Hands touch everything. The keyboard. The desk surface. The mouse. They touch the phone and all of the buttons, the stapler, and the calculator. If the hands are dirty, it’s a guarantee that every other surface is, too.  

Keeping it Clean – Handwashing

Frequent handwashing does more than keep your desk clean. It helps reduce the spread of cold and flu germs. So, be sure to give your hands a good scrub often throughout the day. If you aren’t sure how long it takes to get your hands good and clean, sing Happy Birthday at a moderate pace twice, or count slowly to twenty. And, it goes without saying that if you don’t want your desk to be as dirty as a toilet you should wash your hands after visiting the washroom!
 
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Eating at Your Desk​

Eating at your desk is begging for bacteria growth. Crumbs, especially those that get into warm places, like under computers or into keyboard crevices, will grow bacteria. As well, foods that leave behind sticky residues collect dirt and dust and are attractive to ants and other insects. 
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Keeping It Clean – Eating

Ideally, you should be trying to eat your lunch away from your desk. But, if you do eat at your desk, clean your desk before and after. Using Lysol or other wipes that kill germs is a great practice. 
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Desk Sharing

​Sharing phones, desks, and office implements puts germs on the fast track for spreading! When possible, discourage coworkers from using your pens, phone, or mouse. For those of you in a situation where sharing is unavoidable, be aware that the more people who share a workstation, the more germs can likely be found there.

Keeping it Clean – Hygienic Sharing

The golden rule applies when it comes to sharing—treat others as you want to be treated. Wash your hands before you sit down to work so that you are doing your best to reduce the spread of germs. Clean up any messes and sanitize the desk at the end of your shift.
 
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Having a tidy desk with less clutter will ultimately help improve hygiene because a desk with less on it will be easier to clean properly. As well, having less clutter is linked to better focus. Regardless of if your desk has a lot of stuff on it, or very little, practice the strategies above to ensure that your desk is hygienic and is a healthy and safe place to work!
 
MidSouthWest offers many online courses for COVID-19 risk reduction, workplace hygiene, and more! Find the right one today!
 

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MidSouthWest Training and Consulting offers a full catalogue of health and safety training, including an online library of courses. You can trust MidSouthWest Training and Consulting to provide you with cost-effective training solutions tailored to meet your organization’s unique health and safety needs.
 
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To learn more, contact us online or call 289.309.1143. Visit us 24/7 on the web at midsouthwest.ca.

​Last updated January 24, 2024