With colds and flus popping up all the time (and currently COVID-19), you want to try to prevent them as much as possible. This is why you should pay attention and don’t forget to clean these bacteria infested spots. Whether you are cleaning your office building or your home, these items where most bacteria tend to attach. 

Commercial Building/Office Cleanings

We suggest doing a deep cleaning once every 3 months. Make sure your staff is vacuuming and sweeping the floors, wiping countertops and sanitizing crucial areas such as the bathroom and kitchen. 

Cleaning staff should also: 

• Clean carpet with a carpet extractor to get rid of germs, grime and debris deep down in the carpet. 
• Clean the kitchen and bathroom, especially the high volume areas. 
• Hard tile or wood floors should be sanitized and buffed/polished. 
• Get rid of dust and spider webs in the air ducts and change filters when needed. 
• Other areas to pay attention to: 
  • Copier/Fax buttons or touch screen: In an office a fax/copy machine is used quite frequently by everyone in the office. Make sure to sanitize the touch screen or buttons. 
  • Doorknobs: Everyone needs to touch the doorknobs to get into the building, restrooms, conference rooms, offices, etc. These are known to spread viruses by 40-60%.
  • Coffee Pots: Every office has their typical every day coffee drinkers. Many of them go to refill their coffee 1, 2, maybe 3 times a day. Make sure to wipe off the handles and areas that are consistently touched. 
  • Pens, Pencils or dry erase markers: In an office, these items are always used. A NSF International study showed that germs found an average of 14% of pends have staph located on them.
  • Kitchen Faucet: A study showed that 75% of break room faucets had a high level of contamination/germs. Make sure these are wiped down on a daily basis. 
  • Phones: Phones are consistently picked up throughout the day to receive or make phone calls. 
  • Computer keyboards: What’s an office without a computer? Keyboards constantly have hands typing on them. 
  • The Front Door: With all of the traffic coming in and out of your office, make sure to wipe down and disinfect the front door handle.
  • Light Switches: We use lights every day, constantly turning the switches on and off. This would be another hot spot for germs to collect. 
  • Cupboard Handles: If you have a break room or kitchen in the office, make sure you wipe down the cupboards that are constantly being touched and opened. 
  • Fridge Door Handles: With breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time, the fridge is always being handled by whoever is in the office. 

Home Cleanings

• Coffee Makers: Most people in the office love their coffee. It’s the item that gets them through their day. Make sure to flush the coffee makers with white distilled vinegar once a week and make sure to wash and dry the coffee pot (especially the handle) every day. 
• Sponges/Rags: These items are hotbeds for germs and bacteria. Make sure to replace these as often as possible or wash them in hot water in the dishwasher or washing machine. 
• Kitchen Sinks: Sinks are used to wash dishes, get water, rinse items off, etc. Keep germs from gathering by disinfecting the sink with items like Clorox as often as possible. 
• Faucet Handles: Did you know that kitchen faucet handles have more bacteria on them that faucet handles in the restroom? Use a paper towel or your elbow to turn faucets on. Make sure to wipe these handles down with disinfecting wipes every day. 
• Countertops: With all the food prep debris and splatters, countertops are definitely a hot spot to form bacteria. We suggest cleaning the counter after each use and disinfect every morning. 
• The Front Door: With all of the traffic coming in and out of your home, make sure to wipe down and disinfect the front door handle, inside and out, as well as any locks or bolts. 
• House Keys: Think about how often you use your keys, where they are place and how much you touch them. These are definitely items that should be wiped down on a regular basis. 
• Wallets and Bank Cards: Just like the house keys, your wallet and bank cards go everywhere with you, being exposed to who knows how many germs. 
• Cell and Home Phone: Especially with your cell phone, you want to make sure to wipe your screen down on a daily basis. Our hands are touching so many different things and then we touch our phone and bring it to our face. Try to clean your phone every day with a disinfectant wipe. 
• Touch-Screens: iPads, laptops, smart phones, music players, smart watches, etc get gross throughout the day and should be wiped down daily as well. 
• Light Switches: We use lights every day, constantly turning the switches on and off. This would be another hot spot for germs to collect. 
• Remotes: How often is our household watching TV? How many hands are constantly on the TV remote? Ensure you clean every inch of these remotes. 
• Bannister and Railings: If you have a staircase, make sure to give these a quick wipe down occasionally.
• Cupboard Handles: With our family constantly going in and out of the food cupboards, we should always wipe these down every now and then. 
• Fridge Door Handles: With breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time, the fridge is always being handled by whoever is in the house. 
• Toothbrush Holders: Think of all the dried toothpaste, water, and germs from your mouth that drip into the holder on a daily basis. When doing a bathroom cleaning make sure to get this as well. 

By ensuring you clean and disinfect all of these hotspots will help prevent you or anyone around you from getting that nasty cold or flu that is going around.

If you currently live in Utah and are needing COVID-19 disinfection services, contact our sister company, AJET Services (801-330-0398 or contact@ajetservices.com).