Based on some recent studies out of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology comes alarming evidence that many of us are getting sick from our computers and other electronic devices.
One recent study specifically out of the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill found that bacteria are more than at home on your keyboards and phones, pressing for recommendations to regularly sanitize work spaces to prevent you and your coworkers from getting seriously ill.
The study evaluated several sorts of bacteria and the conclusions were simple: clean up your work space.
What’s specifically on that keyboard?
The UNC researchers report that on average there are at least two or more harmful microorganisms on office keyboards—in some cases, they found staph bacterium (cause of bloodstream infections). Depending on your work environment, you may be more prone for more harmful bacteria. For example, if you work in a hospital, your keyboard may be more likely to contain microorganisms patients bring in. Your home office or workspace may be housing different bacteria (or viruses) depend on where you work (even outside of the healthcare environment).
Cleaning your workspace should be an easy solution
Your Clorox wipe container’s marketing says it all—99.9% of microbial contamination is eliminated by taking the simple task to regularly wipe down surfaces (including electronics you touch on a regular basis).
Today I want to walk through some simple ways you can make sure your work environment—phones, tablets, keyboards and laptops (amongst other devices)—is preventing spread of that nasty flu bug that seems to be going around.
Here are some key take homes from recent research:
Any disinfectant will work, but wipes work better—cleaning your keyboard and devices can be as simple as using a Clorox wipe. It really doesn’t matter whether you wipe down your keys with bleach or alcohol, research finds that wiping off the surface with some type of disinfectant will keep your keyboard from harboring nasty organisms. What the research did reveal is that pre-manufactured disinfectant wipes (such as Clorox wipes) were able to keep bacteria at bay for longer times than other products.
Consider wiping down your desk every other day—Researchers found that wiping down a surface kept it clean from harmful germs for about 48 hours. To keep you and your coworkers safe, we suggest wiping down surfaces on equipment that you touch—your laptop, keyboard, phone or tablet (in addition to the surfaces on your desk) every other day to be safe. If you are in an area of high traffic or in a treatment facility (hospital or clinic), you might consider wiping things down more frequently.
Bottom line: wipe down your workspace down with disinfectant wipes often!
Not sure how to clean your electronics? Here are some tips to help you safely disinfect them:
Power Down Your Tech—before wiping down surfaces, be sure your device or computer is shut down properly. If using liquid cleaners (not disinfectant wipes), consider unplugging the adapter prior to cleaning.
Don’t spray cleaners directly onto electronics—I know you might be tempted to douse your device with a disinfectant spray, but this may hurt sensitive electronics. Spray onto a soft cloth to avoid liquids from seeping through cracks or case openings.
Avoid Alcohol On Touch Screens and Monitors—we’ve found that alcohol-based cleaners may hurt touch screens and monitors. Consider using alternative cleaners on these surfaces (bleach wipes work well).
Remember to clean tablets and phones—phones and tablets are petri dishes for bacteria and germs. Tests show that mobile devices often carry more bacteria than a toilet. Yuck!
Wipe down your phones and tablets regularly with a microfiber cloth (you can get antimicrobial cloths to ensure that germs aren’t building up on the fibers). I would recommend washing cloths regularly (probably weekly) to make sure that you’re not just spreading germs around when you wipe devices.
Cleaning That Keyboard—you might be thinking “how in the heck should I clean that keyboard?”. There are too many crevices that may go overlooked. First off, it’s a good idea to clean your keyboard and mouse daily during flu or cold season, especially if you share the computer with others.
Step 1: Unplug your keyboard from the computer (or remove batteries).
Step 2: Turn your keyboard over and shake it a few times to release any larger dust or particles.
Step 3: If you notice a lot of crumbs in between the keys, use a can of compressed air to blow out particles in hard to reach places on your keyboard (focus primarily on the top of the keyboard here). You may also use a mini-vacuum that’s designed to clean keyboards (but these are likely not very easy to come by in a typical office).
Step 4: Wipe the keyboard keys and palm rest with a disinfectant wipe (or slightly dampened lint-free microfiber cloth). I prefer the wipes because they are easy and known to clean well. Make sure your wipes aren’t overly damp—squeeze out excess liquid before wiping your keyboard.
Step 5: Immediately wipe your keyboard down with a dampened microfiber cloth to remove any residue left by the disinfectant wipe.
Step 6: Wipe up any remaining moisture with a dry microfiber cloth (or other soft cloth).
You can take similar steps above to clean your mouse—unplugging it, disinfecting it with a disinfectant wipe, wiping off any residual disinfectant with a damp microfiber cloth, then drying it with a dry microfiber cloth.
Be sure to clean any hard surface at your workplace that you touch often routinely with a disinfectant wipe (especially if more than one personal touches it). Don’t forget to clean up often forgotten surfaces like doorknobs, appliance handles and remote controls).
If we all put a little effort into keeping our office spaces (and electronics) clean, we can do our part to keep our offices healthier this flu season. As always, if you have questions about keeping your office electronics clean, don’t hesitate to call!
