Photo: Sean MacEntee

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Flu season is always a rough time, but this year has been especially brutal. According to a recent article from CBS News, the flu has spread to 43 states, up from 36 states the previous week. The CDC has already reported that this year’s outbreak has reached an epidemic level, with hospitalizations more than double what they were at this time last year.

Basically, this year’s flu is nothing to mess around with, which is why you and your coworkers must take extra measures to prevent the spread of germs. While there is no sure way to completely stop germs in their tracks, the following guidelines from the expert cleaners at Spotless Commercial Cleaning should help keep the sniffling, sneezing, and sick days to a minimum.

The Problem is Surfaces, Not Sneezes

According to this article from the Wall Street Journal, it’s not your sneezing coworker you have to worry most about avoiding, but the tables in the break room.

A study conducted at the University of Arizona found that in an office setting, a virus traveled from person to person not from employees shaking hands or coughing on each other, but from sharing surfaces.

In fact, the researchers found that it took just four hours for the virus to spread to about half of all surfaces, where the germs could survive for days and even months. Furthermore, it only took four hours for the virus to spread from those surfaces to half of all employees’ hands.

Know Your Office’s Germ Hotspots

Which surfaces do we mean? The following were discovered to be the biggest collectors of virus-spreading germs:

• The coffee station
• The microwave button
• The fridge door handle
• The light switch
• The door knob
• The sink faucet

Think any surface that’s touched by everyone, every day.

How To Keep Germ Hotspots Clean

So, what should you do to keep these spots from swarming with viruses?

• Ask your office manager to stock your space with disinfectant wipes. These are better than reusable sponges or rags, which can end up collecting germs themselves and worsening the problem.
• During the height of flu season (which is right now!), disinfect all of the problem spaces three times a day. You may want to suggest a break room disinfecting policy.
• Keep hand sanitizer handy. If every cubicle has a dispenser, it will encourage employees to use it and remind them to take other precautions, too.

Remember, this is the time of year when it’s most important to keep the office clean, so if you’re in need of professional office cleaners, you know who to call: the veteran professional cleaners at Spotless Commercial Cleaning.