The emergence of COVID-19 Delta strain has impacted our lives in ways many of us haven’t experienced before. It’s changed the way we interact with each other and the way organisations run their businesses. While many workplaces are encouraging their staff to work remotely, some employees, such as those who work with specialised systems and equipment, still need to be in the office. To keep your premises safe for your employees, it’s crucial to observe some hygiene steps and clean your office regularly and thoroughly throughout this time.
At CJM Cleaning, our professional team can help to keep your workplace as safe as possible during this troubling time. But regardless of who’s performing your cleaning, make sure they adhere to the following guidelines.
Increase Cleaning Frequency
This virus can survive on surfaces for up to several days depending on the environment and surface it’s on. Recent studies have shown that it can survive up to 72 hours on plastics, 48 hours on stainless steel, 24 hours on cardboard and 4 hours on copper.
With the office being a contained and cool environment, it’s best to clean and disinfect the surfaces in your office regularly. You should clean frequently touched surfaces daily, or even multiple times a day with disinfectant, especially if your office uses shared equipment and spaces. These surfaces include:
Door handles
Light switches
Electronic devices such as phones, keyboards, mice and touch screens
Tabletops and desks
Sinks and faucets
Toilets
Cutlery and appliances in the kitchen
Office appliances such as printers and scanners
Cabinet Handles
Surfaces that you don’t come into contact with regularly such as the floors, blinds, walls and windows can be cleaned every few days or every week. However if they are dirty or soiled, be sure to clean them as soon as possible as dirty surfaces contain more germs.
How To Clean And Disinfect
To get rid of germs and viruses on a surface, first clean it with soap and water or a detergent. This removes dirt and particles that can carry the virus, which helps the disinfectant to be more effective.
When disinfecting a surface, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to prepare the disinfectant solution and follow any safety precautions. You should always use freshly prepared disinfectant and wear protective gear including gloves, face mask and protective eye wear when mixing the solution.
When using disinfectant wipes, only clean one surface at a time and dispose of the wipe after cleaning a single surface.
You may consider using a protective plastic cover for your keyboards for easy cleaning.
General Hygiene In The Office
Besides taking steps to clean the surfaces in your office, everyone should practice good hygiene habits to prevent spreading and contracting the virus.
Things you can remind your employees to do include:
Wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or sanitise regularly.
Use hand sanitisers with an alcohol content of 60% and above to properly kill germs and viruses.
Cover their mouth and nose with a paper towel when coughing or sneezing, then dispose of it and wash their hands immediately.
Wipe down the surface of their desks and devices with disinfectant wipes regularly.
Clean counters after preparing food.
Wipe down surfaces immediately if any food spills.
Besides following these cleaning tips and practising good hygiene, you can support your team by providing them with sufficient hand sanitisers and encouraging social distancing. With these guidelines, you can ensure that your office is clean and safe from COVID-19. If you have questions about how to effectively clean your office or if you need a professional cleaning service, feel free to contact CJM Cleaning.