Several months ago, our CEO wrote a blog in Huffington Post about the 5 things you are forgetting to clean in your home. Since then, we have been asked by our commercial clients if there are 5 things in the workplace that they are forgetting to clean–and, of course, there are.
Here are 5 things you should be cleaning in your workplace, but are probably missing:
Kitchen Sponge
It’s easy to take ownership over the kitchen sponge when it is in your own home, but in the workplace kitchen those little pieces of bacterial heaven become an even bigger breeding ground for germs. At the end of each day, soak sponges overnight in a mixture of 1 cup of hot water, ½ cup white vinegar and 3 tablespoons of salt. The next day, rinse and toss in the microwave on high for at least one minute (but not more than 2 minutes)—make sure the sponge is still very wet and use caution when removing it from the microwave. Don’t get too attached to kitchen sponges. The rule of thumb is to discard after 3-4 weeks of use.
Small Tech
Studies show that the typical TV remote is one of the dirtiest items in a home–can you imagine how dirty that remote is sitting in your conference room or break area? Small tech items such as remote controls, headpieces, and computer mice are usually used by numerous people in the office making them great landing places for germs. Mix a 50/50 combination of alcohol (or vinegar) and distilled water and use it to wipe down all your small tech items–including keyboards. Use a cotton swab to get in between the small spaces and crevices.
Broom
Yes, the office broom–that wonderful piece of cleaning equipment used to sweep up daily messes could be keeping some pretty serious germs and bacteria in its bristles. Clean the bristles by taking the broom outside and gently hitting it against a hard surface or use the handheld attachment from your vacuum cleaner to help loosen debris. Once a month, let the broom soak in warm, soapy water for at least an hour–let air dry outside if possible—sunlight will help kill any additional germs.
Kitchen Appliances
From the coffeemaker to the toaster, the small appliances in your workplace kitchen go through a lot during the week. Take some time to run a mixture of vinegar and water through coffeemakers, remove and clean the bottom of the toaster (crumbs galore!), and stick a lemon and some water in the microwave (instructions here) to clean away those stubborn stains from lunch heat-ups gone wrong. In addition to making your environment tidy, keeping these small appliances clean will make your food and drinks taste that much better.
Trash Can
This item makes the list for both home and office–but, especially the office. Between used tissues, disposable food containers and crumpled papers, your trash can is a haven for harboring bacteria and germs. Once a week, after your trash can is empty, take it outside and spray with a hose (or, if the weather is too cold, use your sink). Spritz with vinegar to absorb odors and wash the inside with a scrub-brush. And, just like your broom, let air dry outside if possible.