How to Disinfect your Desk

No matter how tidy your workspace looks, it can still become a haven for germs and bacteria. If you don’t take the time to properly disinfect your desk, you’re putting your own and your colleagues’ health at risk. Indeed, it’s important that you keep your work desk as hygienic as possible. To do this, we recommended hiring office cleaning services in addition to going through your own cleaning routine.

In this blog, we’re going to outline a simple guide on how to disinfect your desk. We’ll also discuss the distinction between cleaning and disinfecting and why both procedures are important.

Cleaning vs. Disinfecting

Though these two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they are actually two separate practices.

Cleaning involves removing dirt, dust, stains, debris and grime from surfaces. In order words, you’re mainly dealing with visible marks and blemishes. You can clean your desk by using a general-purpose cleaner and a soft cloth. You can also use a mixture of mild soap and water. If you hire a professional cleaner, they should be able to clean hard-to-reach areas like narrow crevices and tight corners.

Disinfecting, on the other hand, involves killing the microscopic bacteria on the surface. This process requires more specialised products like disinfectant wipes and sprays. Compared to cleaning, disinfecting is a more delicate procedure. This is especially true if the surfaces that you’re cleaning have been exposed to viruses like COVID-19. If you’re not careful, the bacteria could spread beyond your workspace.

For the best results, we also recommend that you hire professional cleaners to do the disinfecting for you. They will be able to contain the spread of the bacteria and have the necessary equipment to handle any harmful viruses that might be lingering in your workplace.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Desk

• Cleaning

Before you start cleaning, be sure to clear your desk as much as possible. Remove your laptop, your coffee mug(s) and notebooks. Indeed, you want to be able to wipe down as much of the surface as possible. You should also take this opportunity to throw away anything that you don’t need. This could be scrap paper, pens that have run out of ink or food wrappings.

Begin wiping down your desk, making sure to clean the drawers and nearby shelves as well. For stubborn stains you can use baking soda and vinegar or a strong general-purpose cleaner.

It’s important that you clean your workspace before you start disinfecting. If there’s dirt or grime on the surface, it could hinder the effectiveness of the disinfectant. Additionally, it is important that you wait for the surface to dry before moving on to the next step. This is because if the moisture spreads to other areas, the bacteria will come along with it.

In terms of your computer, there are a lot of specific products that you can use to clean your monitor and keyboard. For example, there are specific brushes that allow you to reach the area in between the keys on your keyboard. There are even dust blowers that you can use to get rid of all the dust and debris that’s underneath the keys.

• Disinfecting

Spray disinfectant on all parts of your desk and let it sit for a few seconds. Afterwards, use a paper towel or a cloth to wipe down the entire surface area. Make sure to start from the far end of your desk and make your way towards the front.

If you have drawers, make sure to disinfect the handles as well. Touch points in general are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria and should be disinfected as much as possible.

• Disposal and Clean Up

After you’re finished, place the gloves and mask in a secure plastic bag and dispose of it along with general waste. The plastic bag is to ensure that the bacteria does not spread. Any reusable equipment that you used, including mop heads and cleaning cloths, should be thoroughly washed.

That was just a basic guide on how to disinfect your desk. To fully protect your workplace from harmful bacteria, you will need to disinfect other parts of your office as well. The carpet, the doors, the chairs and the various touch points around the office should also be cleaned and disinfected.

If you want to make sure that every part of your workplace is covered, consider hiring professional office cleaners. They will have a checklist to ensure that every nook and cranny of your workspace is hygienic. They can also give you advice on how to clean your workspace on a daily basis. To stay safe during these times, be sure to contact a local cleaner today.