From Danyelle Little at The Cubicle Chick:
The keyboard is one of the ickiest items in the office. We use it to create, communicate, and share, but we also don’t keep it as clean as we should. Studies have found over 3,000 organisms per square inch on keyboards alone.
Gross!
This is because when it comes to our workspaces, we don’t clean our keyboards regularly enough. The cleaning crew may clean around your work areas, and you may wipe down your desk and phone, but the keyboard often goes ignored.
Imagine how much gunk is on your keyboard—and I’m not just talking about the things like food and dust you can see. What about the yuckiness that you can’t see with your naked eye—just how nasty is your keyboard at work?
It is recommended that you clean your keyboard daily to keep it as germ free as possible. How can you properly clean your keyboard? Follow these steps:
- Cut the power source (unplug it from the computer if its’s connected). If it’s wireless, take out the batteries and/or turn it completely off. The same is true for laptops.
- Use a soft bristled brush to thoroughly clean your keyboard. A can of air can also work as well.
- Remove the keys carefully via manufacturers’ instructions. If you can’t do this, make sure to wipe each key down with a damp paper towel.
- Then wipe it down with a electronically friendly disinfectant.
If you think about it, keyboards are just one of many surfaces around the office that get overlooked and as such, become infested with germs. And keeping your hands clean from germs is the best way to avoid getting sick.
We’ve talked about this with tons of companies when we visit with them and talk about ways we might be able to help them devise a more effective cleaning program. If you are interested in learning more, this page shows you how we might be able to help you, along with our contact information.
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