Is Your Keyboard Dirtier Than a Toilet Seat?
When thinking about hazards in the office, there are probably a number that immediately come to mind, like slipping on a wet floor, or knocking into cupboards. Few people would consider the humble keyboard to feature on a risks at work list.
However if you were to take a swab from your office keyboard and put it under a microscope you might find a whole plethora of bacteria and viruses lurking there.
It’s a startling and slightly unbelievable fact but a toilet seat is likely to have less germs on it than a keyboard. This makes it especially crucial to include sanitising workspaces as part of an office cleaning regime to ensure a healthier working environment.
The Surprising Bacteria Haven
When using your keyboard at work, it might not be top of your list of priorities but washing your hands before and after use, might be at the top of the list when using a public computer.
You will, most probably, be shocked to learn that on a toilet seat there are 50 bacteria per square inch, this compares to 3,295 germs per square inch on a keyboard. Yes, it’s hard to believe!
Nasties like Noroviruses, respiratory viruses (such as flu), yeasts, and moulds can be found and also Staphyloccocus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coli or Enterococcus faecalis, and antibiotic resistant Staphylococci (eg. MRSA) can develop on culture grown from a swab taken from a keyboard.
Therefore it certainly makes sense to wash your hands before and after tapping away on your keyboard, knowing how harmful these germs and bacteria can be.
Daily Habits Contributing to Keyboard Dirt
So how does this build up happen? The majority of the bacteria that accumulates on a keyboard tends to come from our hands. It lives on our skin, in our mouths and noses. Although this wouldn’t usually hurt you, if you have a cut finger or your immune system is weak because you’re already unwell it could affect your health.
Also using a keyboard without washing your hands is an easy way to spread bugs and germs. Causing unnecessary illnesses and infections.
Just in the same way as you’d wash your hands after going to the toilet, it would be helpful to do the same before and after using your keyboard. It’s simple but effective basic hygiene.
It’s become common for office workers to eat their lunch at their desks. When you eat and type you can risk transferring bacteria from your mouth to the keyboard and also spread crumbs in the cracks in the keyboard.
If that does happen keep some antibacterial wipes on your desk designed to clean keyboards and use them before and after eating to wipe off any lunch leftovers!
Comparative Analysis with Toilet Seats
It’s understandable that many people will think the toilet is the germiest place in the office, and are unlikely to consider a keyboard as one of the top places for carrying germs. However numerous studies have shown that your keyboard could be home to as many as three times more bacteria than a toilet seat whether that’s on your home or in a public convenience. Which is even more shocking!
Health Risks and Productivity Impact
You might think, “so what if there are germs on my keyboard” because they are everywhere and “don’t we need to build immunity” by being exposed to a certain level of bacteria?
However, if you are eating your lunch at your desk and crumbs build up in the cracks around the keys you’re also likely to attract rodents to your workspace. Given that they transfer urine across surfaces, this won’t make your lunch time snack that tasty and could lead to gastroenteritis. This will then not only be unpleasant, but could impact on productivity if sickness levels increase.
Cleaning Techniques
There are a number of ways you can keep your keyboard clean and maintain a germ-free workspace. Because of the dirt, grime and bacteria they collect it’s important to keep them clean.
Here are some of our tips.
Firstly, make sure your keyboard is turned off and disconnected and then turn it over a bin and tap it to get rid of any loose debris.
In terms of cleaning equipment we’d recommend small soft-bristled brushes that are specific for this job. You can then run them over your keyboard to dislodge any stubborn dirt. A can of compressed air is also useful here. If you put the nozzle between the keys it will blow out any dust that’s collected there.
Microfibre cloths have many uses, and they are particularly good for cleaning keyboards. If you also spray onto the cloth some isopropyl alcohol and rub gently on the keys it will lift off any grime and residue.
Professional Cleaning Solutions
However you might find it simpler and more effective to outsource your cleaning needs and use a professional cleaning service. Cleanology ensures that each cleaning task is included in a schedule to make sure each workspace is clean and thoroughly sanitised and on a regular basis. They are experts at getting the job done and to a high standard.
If you are looking for a commercial cleaning service, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
