DIY Workplace Desk Cleaning – How to Keep Your Worksite Desk Clean And Organised during Covid-19

Depending on how frequently and for how many hours daily you are using your office desk, it is likely to be contaminated with a lot of germs. And by lot, I mean more than you can possibly imagine. If you are not cleaning your office desk every day or keeping it messed up, it’s time to change your habit.

With Covid-19 around, it is more important now than ever to keep your workplace clean and tidy. As your desk happens to be a major part of your work routine, make sure to keep it clean to avoid catching the virus. Need help? Here is a brief guide for DIY office Covid-19 deep cleaning.

Why Is Office Desk Cleaning Important?

Keeping your work desk clean and tidy is more important than anyone can possibly tell you. You spend a major part of your day working at your desk. And while you type using the keyboard, know that the same keyboard may contain thousands, if not millions, of germs.

Your work desk, including all other objects in and around it, is a major bacteria hotspot. And if you don’t do something about it soon, they might make you sick.

Lack of workplace cleaning is a major reason behind the increasing number of sick days being taken by employees in Sydney offices. It’s not just covid, there are other thousands of types of germs that can be found in an office space.

And with your desk being the most frequently touched place in your personal office, it is likely to have the highest concentration of bacteria.

While your office desk can have as many as 800 bacteria per square inch, the phone on your work desk is even worse, with almost 1,600 bacteria per square inch. That is about 30 times more than the number of bacteria per square inch in an average toilet seat. Yikes!!!

Now, think about all the times when you had lunch at your office desk while typing on the keyboard or using the phone. Feels gross, right?

Here are some other reasons why having a dirty or unmanaged work desk is bad for you –

• Bacteria on your office desk can spread infections and make you sick;
• About 96% of the bacteria on an average office keyboard are seriously harmful;
• Some of your co-workers might touch or use your desk, phone or computer every once in a while, thus further contributing to spreading germs;
• And to make matter worse, if even a single person in your office is sick (and still coming to the office), he/she can contaminate every surface they touch or come in contact with.

According to a survey by a leading job-search platform, almost 75% of all workers clean their office desks less than two times a month. Many others rely on their office cleaners to do the job.

More surprisingly, a large number of companies in Sydney and NSW do not have a dedicated office cleaner or team for regular cleaning of their premises.

There is no reason to be concerned though. Keeping your office desk clean and sanitised is not as difficult as some people will make it sound. By following a few simple personal hygiene practices and taking 10-15 minutes every day to clean your desk, you can reduce the risk of infection by up to 90%. Cool, right?

Here’s our DIY office desk cleaning guide prepared by Clean Group experts to help professionals like youtube maintain a clean and safe work desk.

Diy Office Desk Cleaning – How to Clean Your Office Desk by Yourself (Step by Step Guide with Checklist)

Step 1: Personal Hygiene

The first step to a clean and sanitised office is personal hygiene. To prevent the spread of infections, start with keeping your hands clean. Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating, every time you touch a high-traffic object or surface and after using the restroom.

When working at your office desk, you’ll be frequently touching and using items like your keyboard, mouse, phone, etc. and may also come in contact with other objects and people. It would be handy to keep a hand sanitiser close and use it frequently, especially after you come in contact with a possibly infected person or object.

Step 2: Clean and Disinfect Daily

Keeping your personal office desk clean and tidy is rather easier than keeping the entire office clean. It also wouldn’t take a lot of time or effort on your part. Here’s what you can do.

• Wipe down your desk, including all frequently touched surfaces and objects, every morning before you start work or once every evening.
• Regularly disinfect your desk and all objects on it.
• If you are using a reusable water bottle, make sure to wash it daily.
• Keep a disinfectant spray or wipes on your desk to wipe clean frequently touched objects as and when possible.
• Wash or clean other desk objects like calendars, pen holders, drawers, etc. at least once a week.
• Keep the desks organized throughout the day. Use separate boxes or compartments for different items such as files, stationery, electronics, etc.
• If something is spilled on the desk, wipe it clean immediately or it will form a stain that you might find difficult to remove later.
• Re-arrange your office desk when you sign off in the evening.

Cleaning your office desk

For basic cleaning of your office desk, you can use a microfiber cloth along with a cleaning solution. Make sure to first remove all items from the desk. Now, spray the solution on the surface of your desk and wipe it clean using a microfibre cloth. If there are stains on the surface, use a stain remover solution or hot water with soap solution to properly remove it.

Next, use a certified disinfectant to thoroughly disinfect the surface of the desk. Make sure to keep the disinfectant sprayer away from your direct contact as it may contain chemicals that you are allergic to, and always use a mask when using chemicals for cleaning. Wipe down the disinfectant solution using a clean cloth or let it dry on its own.

If your work desk is made of wood or any other sensitive material, be sure to verify that the cleaning product you are using or planning to use is safe for its surface and will not cause declaration or any other damage. A soap and water solution generally works the best.

Avoid washing wooden desks and other wood objects and remove any excess water immediately after cleaning. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe away germs from the surface.

Cleaning Your Keyboard, Mouse and Other Objects on the Desk

Other than the desk, be sure to also routinely clean your computer, keyboard, mouse, phone and other objects on your office desk. Once every two days is recommended.

Prior to cleaning, remove all plugs (computer monitor and machine) from their sockets. Also, unplug the mouse, keyboard and other units connected to your computer.

Use a vacuum cleaner to clear any dust and debris from the keyboard, mouse, monitor and CPU. Alternatively, you can use an air blower to clean smaller parts inside the computer machine and between the keys on your keyboard.

To clean the outer surfaces of the computer, monitor, screen, keyboard’s backside and front and the mouse, use a clean microfibre cloth that will also reduce germs on the surface.

Be extra careful when cleaning your computer screen, as extra force or unsuitable cleaning materials can damage the screen. Clean your desk phone using a microfibre cloth. If there are stains on any surface, use soap and warm water solution to clean them up.

Lastly, use a disinfectant wipe to thoroughly wipe down all the objects, paying special attention to frequently used surfaces, keys, computer mouse, buttons on the screen, desk phone etc.

Let the accessories dry completely before you use them again.

Step 3: Re-organizing

After cleaning and disinfecting the desk, let the disinfectant solution dry on its own. If there is excess moisture on the surface of the desk, remove it immediately using a clean cloth.

Rearrange the desk items back into place once the desk is completely dried. Arrange the items in separate compartments based on their use and category. Keep the files arranged in one corner of your desk or in a separate drawer. Put sharp objects like cutters and scissors away immediately after use to avoid accidents.

To keep your desk and objects germ-free, make sure to clean your hands before and use gloves when cleaning to avoid spreading infections.

Last but not the least, avoid eating at your work desk. We understand it can be difficult at first, especially if you are a habitual ‘desk eater’, but if you care about hygiene and want your desk to be clean and germ-free, it’s time to change your habit.

The definition of workplace cleaning has changed greatly in the past couple of years, mostly because of the covid-19 pandemic. Though office cleaning is not just about keeping your work desk clean and tidy, it surely is a crucial part of it. These basic steps and tips can help you ensure a cleaner office desk that not only looks attractive but is also free of germs.

Businesses nowadays are getting more aware of their office cleaning and safety needs and want to employ only professional office cleaners. Many offices in recent years have opted for Clean Group’s expert office cleaning services because they trust us to keep their premises and people safe. You can too. Contact us today for a free office cleaning quote.

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