The office is a professional space, and we all do our best to keep it neat and presentable. But try as we may, it still gets dirty on occasion. But with so many people working in one space, I’m surprised that many offices still manage to keep their areas clean and fresh.
The frequency of workplace cleaning often depends on whether you’ve retained janitorial services and the nature of the space. For instance, industrial workshops often need more cleaning than offices and retail stores.
But there will be times when you need to do the cleaning yourself. Maybe there’s an office party, but the janitors aren’t coming in that day. If you’re busy and short on time, the last thing you want to do is to spend the next hour or so brushing a stain off the carpet. You know you could always put it off until the following day, but the office will still be dirty when you return.
1. Clean your computer with some vinegar
Computers, particularly the mouse and keyboard, are full of bacteria. A National Institutes of Health study has found multiple strains of disease-causing Bacillus and Staphylococcus bacteria on office keyboards.
If you want to do some quick keyboard cleaning, all you need is a piece of cloth and some vinegar. Mix half a cup of vinegar with half a cup of water. Dip the cloth in the vinegar solution and wring it until it’s barely damp. You can then start wiping your computer down. You can also use it to disinfect your desk.
2. Microwave sponges
The office pantry is a shared space, and everyone who uses it is responsible for its cleanliness. But even if the area looks spotless, there might be hidden dangers lurking in the unlikeliest of places. One item that people often overlook is the kitchen sponge. We use it to wash dishes and wipe countertops. But according to a Nature study, kitchen sponges are home to millions of bacteria.
Disinfecting a kitchen sponge is very easy. All you need to do is to run it under the tap, squeeze it tightly, and microwave it at high power for two minutes. You’ll kill up to 99 percent of bacteria that way.
3. Use steam to clean the microwave
The microwave is one of the most heavily-used appliances in the pantry, and it can get dirty fast. I’m sure you’ve opened the office microwave only to be greeted by dried gunk stuck to the interior. Thankfully, all you need is a little bit of steam to clean the microwave.
Place a bowl of hot water inside the microwave and let it run on high for five minutes. The hot steam will loosen up any bits of food stuck to the interior. Afterward, you can just wipe the dirt off with a piece of cloth.
These cleaning hacks will undoubtedly be helpful whenever you need to quickly clean something, whether it’s your desk or the office pantry. A tidy workplace helps improve productivity and raise office morale. Once you share these pointers with your coworkers, you’ll see positive changes in the workplace.
