Did you know that a single office desk surface can contain over 20,000 germs per square inch? It’s not just desks that carry these germs though – almost everything in an office harbours thousands of germs. Here’s the top six:
Phones
In first place is phones. Phones are in constant contact with our mouths and faces making them the worst offender when it comes to spreading bacteria. Touchscreen phones and mobiles can be especially bad and have been found to carry skin, nasal and even gastrointestinal bacteria.
Keyboards
Each stroke of the keyboard leaves and picks up microorganisms. This is particularly bad in offices with multi-user computers as it increases the range of organisms that the keyboard is exposed to. With many office workers choosing to eat their lunch at their desk, keyboards can be a sanctuary for food particles.
Pens
Pens inevitably end up in peoples mouths. How many people have had your pen in their mouth before you? And how many people will go on to put that pen in their mouth after you have finished with it? Not to mention the pockets it has been in, the ear its been behind or the hair that it has been hidden away in. Pens pick up bacteria from all over the place, not just surfaces and dirty fingers, but from your mouth and face, and those of your colleagues.
Paper
Paper, in one form or another, is probably the most circulated item of stationery in your office. Whether its an important document, a training document or a stock list, a paper document can pass between countless hands each day, picking up and spreading all sorts of germs along the way.
Printers and Copiers
These shared devices can be visited by multiple people every day. While they are not as bad as some of the other germ spreading culprits, the printer’s surface and buttons collect germs from every user and pass them onto the next.
Routine and thorough cleaning can help keep the germs at bay. But maybe you should consider replacing some of those chewed up pens or tatty documents? Global Office Supplies can take care of all your office supplies requirements. We provide eco-friendly and recycled office stationery such as paper, pens, print cartridges and toner. In most cases, we can deliver our eco office supplies direct to your door the very next day.
Give us a call on 0208 304 0185 today to discuss your requirements.
