Many of us like to think that we're on top of our hygiene and cleaning habits. However, when it comes to the office environment, it's easier than you think to fall victim to a few unhealthy traps! The fact is, office workers face unhygienic hazards each and every day.

While you can’t control what everyone else does, you can start to think about how to be that little bit more careful. Here are a few things you might already be doing in the office that are seriously unhygienic!

Believe it or not, the average office desk is said to harbour 400 times the bacteria you’ll find on your toilet seat. This disgusting fact might already have you reaching for the hand sanitiser, and for good reason!

There are plenty of great ways to reduce the bacterial impact your desk has upon your life and those around you. Make sure to wipe down keyboards, telephones, mice after each use. If you’re worried, antibacterial hand gel is always an asset to have to hand!

It’s understandable that not all of us have time to eat properly some days while working. However, eating at your desk can be a trigger for bad hygiene habits. If you can, avoid eating messy lunches and snacks at your desk at all.

You could be transferring food waste to your keyboard, mouse and other items. The best thing to do – where possible – is to eat outside of the office during designated break times. It may be convenient, but it’s not necessarily pleasant!

To some people, it’s an obvious point to make, but so many office workers fail to wash their hands after using the toilet. As stated, you can’t control what other people do – but you can encourage hygienic behaviour.

Having clear signs to encourage hand washing and hand sanitiser points will help to curb the spread of germs. Take care of yourself, again, with hand gel and good desk practice.

Offices are hotbeds for germs to spread and for illnesses to pass from one person to another. Think how many times that one door handle has been used in just the past few days. Has it been wiped down after each use? Probably not!

Office hygiene matters as, ultimately, the fewer people who get sick, the better! Illnesses can spread to people outside of the office, too. What's more, with more people off ill, less work gets done.

However, there are steps you can take to make sure your office and your own habits are in check. Simply take care wiping areas down, washing your hands and encouraging good habits.

UK Cleaning can help with regular office cleaning from carpets to doors, windows, surfaces and more. Worried about workplace hygiene? Don’t be! Call our team today to learn more about how we can help on 0800 002 5001, or book a quote online.