It’s no secret that germs and viruses can be found on surfaces in the workplace. With many people going back to work after this pandemic, it’s important to learn how to properly disinfect your work space to do your part to keep COVID-19 contained.
Germs and viruses are spread when someone touches a contaminated area and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth. This should be taken into account when cleaning your office space and determining what surfaces need to be cleaned more often. The following surfaces should be disinfected regularly: phones, computer equipment, desks, and other frequently touched surfaces.
According to Harvard Medical School, the Influenza virus can live on a surface from 2-8 hours, however COVID-19 can survive 4 hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to 2-3 days on plastic/stainless steel. This long life expectancy is why disinfecting your equipment has become such a vital part in keeping your business profitable.
Several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodine – based antiseptics, and alcohols are effective against human viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time.
“If a disinfectant product is not available, you can clean surfaces with a chlorine bleach solution made by adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to a quart (4 cups) of water; use a cloth to apply this to surfaces and let stand for 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing with clean water. (For a larger supply of disinfectant, add ¼ cup of bleach to a gallon [16 cups] of water),” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
When going back to work, we must remember to wash our hands regularly and to clean off these surfaces as a part of the effort to keep each other safe.
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