You spend long hours at your desk most days of the week, and your work area can get cluttered and dirty fast. If you’re like many other people, you may drink and eat snacks and meals in front of your computer. Co-workers may drop by and spread germs onto your space. Shuffled papers, dust and general grime leave their marks as well.
However, a clean desk is essential for hygiene. It also helps with focus, productivity and your stress level. Let’s look at how to keep your desk clean.
1. Start With a Daily Wipe-Down
At the beginning of each workday or at the end of your workday, take a moment to wipe down your work area. Use an antibacterial wipe or diluted vinegar and a microfiber cloth to eliminate germs.
While your desk surface requires attention, remember to wipe other high-touch areas. These include the keyboard, mouse, chair handles, stapler, printer buttons and more. Be careful not to damage electronics with the moisture.
2. Clear Clutter Before You Clock Out
The last thing you want is to battle morning traffic and finally arrive at work to find a messy desk. The easy way to avoid this situation is to straighten your work area at the end of the day.
Get in the habit of removing clutter and putting everything back in its rightful place before you clock out. This includes putting pens in pen holders, papers back in files and the stapler at the corner of your desk.
3. Organize with Trays, Bins, and Drawers
One of the reasons why desks get so cluttered and chaotic is because of a poor organizational system. In addition to being a daily source of stress, poor organization results in wasted time and reduced productivity.
Take stock of the items that you typically keep on your desk during the workday, such as specific folders or files. Are there other files that you use as reference materials and reach for often? Consider investing in organizational trays to keep your draws tidy. Use bins and file holders for the items you reach for regularly.
4. Keep Cleaning Supplies Within Reach
Cleaning your desk shouldn’t be a hassle, but it can be when you have to hunt down the supplies. As a rule of thumb, keep antibacterial wipes or a spray bottle with diluted vinegar at your desk or on a shelf nearby. Other cleaning supplies may include a pressurized air can, a hand-held vacuum, a microfiber duster and paper towels.
5. Avoid Eating at Your Desk
When you’re deeply involved with a task, you understandably want to keep your attention focused. However, your body needs fuel to keep going. Many people have snacks or even a full meal at their desk while they work, but this isn’t a great idea.
Crumbs, sauce droplets and more will inevitably fall on your desk and even your keyboard. Greasy hands can leave smudgy messes. The result is a filthy space that could attract pests and may be more likely to breed bacteria. Plus, crumbs stuck under your keyboard’s keys can damage the equipment.
6. Go Paperless Where Possible
Paper and offices have gone hand-in-hand for the last few centuries. However, stacks of paper pile up and get pushed from one side of the desk to the other. Tiny paper fibers combine with dust to make your desk look dirty only hours after you’ve cleaned it.
While paperwork was a necessary evil for years, the digital revolution has changed this. When possible, go paperless. Your desk will stay neater, and you won’t have to contend with paper fibers covering your desk and keyboard.
7. Schedule a Weekly Deep Clean
While there are many steps you can take during the week to keep your work area clean, a weekly deep cleaning is essential. First, take stock of your cleaning supplies and ensure that you have enough available for the following week. Wipe down high-touch areas in your office that you might not clean on a daily basis, such as doorknobs, light switches and drawer handles.
Dust off the air vents, and deep clean the kitchen and bathroom. This is also the time to wash any dishes that you haven’t washed throughout the week. You should also vacuum carpet or sweep and mop hard floors.
Whether you work at home or run a busy office, it’s important to keep your work area tidy and sanitary. Rather than taking time out of your busy schedule to clean your office, let the TidyHere team do the work for you. Call us today to learn more about our professional cleaning services.
