Let’s face it – germs are everywhere. No matter where you go, germs are bound to be there. In a shared office environment, the germs are always multiplying. The reason is that there are so many people going in and out of the workspace. Even if you practice good hygiene, others may end up making you ill.
It may sound like there's nothing you can do about it, but that’s not the case. Whether you are working from an office or coworking space, there are a lot of ways you can eradicate the germs and make the work area clean. In this article, we will list the top 10 ways to make your coworking environment germ-free.
Instead of focusing on the tips, we will talk about the areas and equipment where germs are the greatest in number. Therefore, rather than following generic tips that serve no real value, focus on these 10 areas or pieces of equipment. This will greatly reduce the probability of falling ill, thereby impacting your productivity.
A coworking space revolves around the idea of a shared desk. Instead of paying for a dedicated office, you are paying for a desk that you share with the wider community. Thus, the cost goes down significantly. Naturally, when others are using the same desk as you, there are bound to be germs. Therefore, based on our experience, it is always wise to clean the desk before starting your work.
If you don’t trust us about our views regarding the germs on the desk, carry out a little exercise. Find a piece of tissue paper and dampen it. Rub the issue across the desk and you’ll find out the answer yourself. Hence, the best way to eliminate the germs from the desk is to use a disinfectant on the desk before starting the work. Don’t place your items on the desk until it is fully disinfected.
Everyday you take your laptop to the coworking space. It accumulates germs during the daily travel to and from the shared office space. The coworking space is also full of germs. Thus, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the entire laptop is a hotspot for bacteria. Of course, you cannot wash your bag every single day.
The alternative is to rub it down with disinfectant or leave the bag in direct sunlight for about 60 minutes. You might think that sunlight killing bacteria is a myth, but it is not the case. Studies show that sunlight is indeed the best disinfectant.
The best coworking spaces usually offer free tea or coffee at least once per day. Even if they don’t do that, all the required ingredients are available in the kitchen. You can help yourself to whatever drink you prefer. In most cases, coworkers don’t bring their own mug and use the ones offered by the shared space.
Some people just store their cup in the kitchen rather than bring it every day. What happens is that other people may use your mug too. Even if they don’t, the mugs are not properly washed. Bacteria from other mugs can attach to your mug, causing you to fall ill. Therefore, before every drink, make sure that you wash the mug thoroughly.
It is better to bring your own water bottle. If you use the glass offered by the coworking space, you are exposing yourself to germs of a countless number of people. Thus, our first advice is to bring your own water. If that’s not possible, wash the glass before using it. The water cooler and the communal glass are among the dirtiest places in the entire coworking space.
Imagine the number of people that use the same toilet as you. We won’t go into the details but it is undoubtedly the dirtiest place in the space. Some coworking spaces even charge less for rooms or desks located near to the washroom. Now, no one expects you to clean the entire washroom before using it.
However, it doesn’t mean that you use it as it is and expose yourself to germs. We recommend using a disinfectant on the seat before using it. Put the seat cover down before pressing the flush button. Once done, clean your hands with soap. Once you get out, use a hand sanitizer.
The best coworking spaces offer a communal fridge. You can store your breakfast, lunch, or dinner in it. Of course, you won’t be the only person using it. Imagine all the sorts of hands using the fridge handle to open and close the door. Thus, use a tissue to open the door. Also, ensure that your food is properly covered before placing it in the fridge. Wash your hands before you start your meal.
If your coworking space offers a shared printer, it is used/touched not just by the coworkers but even the staff. Thus, it is quite dirty; even dirtier than a dog’s food bowl. There are two options. Wipe the printer with a disinfectant. Although we don’t recommend it as it can cause problems. The last thing you want is all the blame being put on your shoulders. The other option is to use a sanitizer afterwards.
During the pandemic, office doors were left open as the virus could easily transmit from the door handles. It shows that the door handles are quite dirty. Ask your coworking space to keep the doors open. If this is not an option due to cooling/heating purposes, use a surface sanitizing wipe to open the door.
The chairs and overall sitting area is quite dirty. It is often the area which is not even cleaned properly. Therefore, before sitting in your chair, give it a good wipe down with the disinfectant.
Lastly, don’t forget about the buttons. Ask the staff to wipe down the buttons daily with a disinfectant. The light switches are a health hazard.
This concludes our article on the top 10 areas/pieces of equipment that are riddled with germs/bacteria. Always disinfect them before using to avoid falling ill. With the rise of super bacteria, even antibiotics won’t work. Therefore, you will be out for a much longer period, impacting your long-term health, productivity, and income.
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