When it comes to the germiest spots tackled by your office cleaning service, you might already know most of the worst culprits. Bathroom floors? Covered in bacteria. Sink faucets? Teeming with microorganisms. Phone receivers? Breeding grounds for germs.
However, the biggest culprit for spreading germs in your office is probably something you don’t think twice about touching: your office’s door handles. Door handles are one of the worst germ hotspots in any workplace, and they’re a big concern for office cleaning services.
The following information will help you get a grip on the danger posed by door handles in your office, plus how you can stop door handles from spreading germs so easily.
Door Handles & Office Hygiene
People tend to underestimate the germ-risk posed by door handles. Unless they’re attached to a bathroom door, we don’t think of them as spots that are likely to carry bacteria.
Door handles come into contact with the most potent germ-spreader in your office: people’s hands. Every time someone opens a door, oil and bacteria from their hand gets onto the handle. The next time someone uses the handle, the bacteria transfers onto to their hands.
In the end, two factors make door handles uniquely effective at spreading germs: how frequently they are used and how many different people use them.
Door handles in prominent areas are touched more often than almost any other surface in your office, meaning they accumulate an extremely high number of germs per square inch. They’re also contacted by more people than virtually any other surface, meaning more employees will be exposed to the bacteria on the door handle.
Door Handle Hygiene & Cleaning
Suddenly a little more nervous about touching door handles? We can’t blame you. But we can offer tips on how you, your workforce, and your office cleaning service provider can improve door handle hygiene in your workplace.
An effective defense against the spread of germs by door handles will need to be waged on three fronts.
- Reduce the amount of bacteria transferred to door handles.
- Protect employees against bacteria spread by door handles.
- Work with your office cleaning service to disinfect door handles regularly.
Prevention and protection will require a team effort between you and your employees. You’ll want to educate employees on the importance of hand hygiene in the workplace. Post friendly reminders in your bathrooms that illustrate healthy handwashing techniques. Make hand sanitizer readily available throughout your office. During flu season, take the time to remind your team about how quickly door handles can spread germs.
Disinfection of door handles will be covered by office cleaning services. Speak with your cleaners and ask questions like: What disinfectants do they use on door handles? What equipment are they using during disinfection? How do they ensure complete coverage when applying disinfectant? If you’re unsatisfied with the answers, ask for an adjustment to your office cleaning service plan.
You might also want to consider purchasing disposable disinfectant wipes, which you can use to disinfect door handles in between cleanings by your office cleaning service provider. This can be especially useful for door handles in high-traffic areas, or for workplaces where cleanings aren’t performed on a daily basis.
Prevent the spread of germs in your workplace with office cleaning services from your local JAN-PRO®. Call 866-355-1064 today to request a FREE consultation.