Why use disinfectant in offices?

It might seem like an obvious question, but the reason we need to disinfect offices (and work spaces in general) is because manual cleaning alone does not eliminate or reduce harmful micro-organisms from surfaces. Disinfectant reduces the risk of spreading colds, flu and other infectious diseases and a thorough disinfection routine needs to be present in your workplace hygiene strategy year-round.

In the winter months, however, office disinfection is even more important due to reduced ventilation and more time spent inside where colds can spread, necessitating more frequent and thorough disinfection.

How to prepare your office for disinfection

Before disinfecting your office, first clear surfaces to give you more space to work with, without things like desk equipment or kitchen utensils getting in the way.

Next, begin cleaning your surfaces, including desks, worktops, tables and microwaves. There is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting, the former referring to using a fluid and friction to remove dirt from surfaces. The aim of cleaning is to leave surfaces looking clean and to prepare for office disinfection (with disinfection killing microorganisms).

When cleaning, to reduce the risk of recontamination try cleaning from ‘top to bottom, clean to dirty’ as recommended by NHS England.

How to disinfect the office

To disinfect the office, choose a suitable disinfectant. Disinfectants come in wipes and sprays and the type you decide to use depends on your intended applications – you might that using a range of products is the most effective way to cover all bases.

Wipes are great for quick cleaning and touch-ups throughout the day, such as kitchen surfaces, coffee machine and fridge handles. Having wipes readily available encourages staff to partake in keeping communal spaces sanitised too.

Disinfectant sprays are also easy to use when disinfecting the office (always double check which materials your disinfectant spray is compatible with). Spray down thoroughly cleaned and dried surfaces with your disinfectant spray and then wipe thoroughly with clean paper towels. Dispose of paper towels to avoid any recontamination and ensure your desk, handrails, switches and any other surfaces are completely dry.

How often should an office be disinfected?

Your office needs to be regularly disinfected and the frequency depends on the area in question. Here are some general guidelines, but as frequent as possible is the best approach!

• Toilets/bathrooms: Daily
• Desks: Twice a week (or daily if you eat at your desk)
• Frequent touch points, like handles, switches, handrails: Daily

Keeping on top of office disinfecting is the best way to prevent and reduce the spread of infectious winter illnesses, and the more often you can do it, the better.

What are the best products for office disinfecting?

The best disinfectants are easy to use, good value for money and effective at killing infectious bugs. Here are some of our top picks for the office for 2023/2024:

Guardicide Ready to Use disinfectant spray

This disinfectant spray is ideal for office usage. It’s a ready to use version of Guardicide Concentrate and offers high performance disinfecting, with outstanding microbiocidal performance and broad-spectrum activity against many bacteria, yeast, fungi, viruses and spores.

To use, thoroughly wet the surface with the spray and wipe dry, or rinse off and allow to air dry.

ReadySan Wipes

These pre-wetted disinfecting wipes can kill bacteria in 30 seconds and are effective against Ps.aeruginosa, E.coli, Staph.aureus and Ent.hirae. The biocide used is tested to EN 1276:1997 under dirty conditions and is low odour, meaning these wipes are both safe and effective for office disinfecting. ReadySan wipes are ideal for office kitchens surfaces and desks.

Gel Guard E hand sanitising gel

We haven’t forgotten about hand sanitising! Keeping hands disinfected is one of the most effective ways to stop to transmission of infectious diseases in its tracks. Gel Guard E alcohol-based sanitising gel contains 70% v/v ethanol as well as glycerine to keep skin moisturised.

To use, dispense a small amount into the palm and rub hands together until dry (remember that hand gels should not be used as a substitute to thorough washing with soap and water!).

Do you have your office disinfecting routine ready for the Winter? Or do you need some professional advice and product recommendations? At Chela, our team of experts are ready to help! Please give us a call on +44(0)20 8805 2150 or email us at [email protected]. Alternatively, fill out a contact form with details of your enquiry and we’ll get in touch as soon as possible.