LATEST CLEANING NEWS

July 4, 2025

High-Touch Areas Your Office Might Be Missing During Routine Cleaning

In today’s work environment, keeping your office clean isn’t just about appearance—it’s about health, safety, and productivity. While most cleaning routines cover the basics like emptying trash cans and vacuuming floors, many offices unknowingly overlook the high-touch surfaces that harbor the most germs.


These neglected spots are touched dozens or even hundreds of times a day, making them hotspots for bacteria and viruses that can lead to illness and absenteeism.

Here are some of the most commonly missed high-touch areas your office might be overlooking—and why they matter.


🖱️ 1. Accessories: Keyboards, Mice & Phone Receivers

Desks often get a quick wipe, but individual equipment rarely does. Studies have shown that keyboards can harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat, especially when shared between employees.

Quick Tip: Regularly disinfect keyboards, mice, touchpads, and phones—especially in shared workstations or hot desk setups.


🚪 2. Door Handles and Light Switches

Obvious? Yes. Cleaned regularly? Not always. These are some of the most frequently touched items in any office—and also among the most forgotten.

Think:

  • Main entrance handles
  • Office doors
  • Bathroom knobs
  • Light switches in conference rooms and private offices

Solution: Make sure these are disinfected daily.


🪑 3. Chair Armrests

Employees spend hours in their chairs, but how often do those armrests get cleaned? They’re one of the most overlooked surfaces in the office and a common breeding ground for germs.

Bonus: Cleaning them regularly also extends the life of the upholstery or material.


☕ 4. Breakroom and Kitchen Touchpoints

You may wipe the counters and sweep the floor—but what about:

  • Microwave handles and buttons
  • Refrigerator door handles
  • Coffee pot handles and touch screens
  • Drawer pulls and cabinet knobs
  • Sink faucets and soap dispensers

These spots are touched before and after eating, making them critical to keep sanitized.


🛗 5. Elevator Buttons

If your building has multiple floors, the elevator is a high-traffic, high-touch zone. The buttons inside and outside the elevator are rarely cleaned by in-house staff but are some of the dirtiest surfaces in any workplace.

Ideal Approach: Include elevator panels in your nightly disinfecting checklist.


💳 6. Security Card Readers & Time Clocks

Badge readers, biometric scanners, and punch-in/punch-out machines are touched constantly but almost never cleaned. In today’s workplace, they need to be part of any infection control strategy.


🖨️ 7. Office Equipment: Printers, Copiers & Devices

That communal copier or all-in-one printer is a silent germ spreader. Think about how many people press the same buttons, touch the same trays, or lean on the machine while waiting.

Recommendation: Clean these machines daily—especially the control panel and paper trays.


🚻 8. Restroom Fixtures Beyond the Obvious

While toilets and sinks are cleaned regularly, items like:

  • Stall door locks
  • Soap dispenser buttons
  • Sanitary disposal bins
  • Toilet paper holders

…often go ignored, despite frequent handling.


🤝 9. Conference Room Tech

Presentation remotes, HDMI cables, speakerphones, and touchscreen control panels in meeting rooms are used by many and cleaned by none—unless your cleaning provider knows to include them.


🔁 10. Shared Supplies & Surfaces

Think pens at reception, visitor sign-in tablets, handrails on stairs, water cooler levers, and whiteboard markers. These communal items are some of the most touched and least sanitized.


Why It Matters

High-touch areas are exactly where viruses, bacteria, and allergens are most likely to transfer from person to person. Ignoring these spaces increases the risk of:

  • Staff illnesses and sick days
  • Poor indoor air quality
  • Client concerns over sanitation standards
  • Decreased employee morale and trust in leadership


Final Thoughts: Don’t Let the Details Slide

Routine cleaning is essential—but thorough cleaning is what protects your people. At DEEP CLEAN 365, we go beyond the basics, making sure no high-touch area is left behind. Our trained professionals know where germs like to hide and how to properly disinfect these hotspots.


Want a cleaner, safer, healthier office?
Contact us today for a free walkthrough and customized cleaning plan.

LATEST CLEANING NEWS

July 8, 2025
Proper Floor Care to Prevent Workplace Slips, Trips, and Falls
June 30, 2025
How Often Should a Business Schedule Professional Cleaning?
June 27, 2025
Why You Should Hire a Pro Instead of Doing It In-House