Have you ever thought so much about germs and bacteria in your life as much as you have in the last four months? Most likely not. One area that has, up until now, been overlooked is our workspace. We sit at our desks every day and touch our computers, phones, tablets, keyboards hundreds of times a day; suffice it to say your desktop is a hotspot for germs. It’s important to clean and disinfect these areas regularly, the CDC recommends that desks and other high-touch surfaces be cleaned once daily. But, there’s a catch; our electronics are especially sensitive devices which require their own protocol for cleaning and disinfecting.

The first step towards a sanitized workspace is understanding the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning removes dirt and debris from surfaces, by using soap and water. Cleaning can remove germs but it’s not as effective as a disinfectant. A disinfectant will kill germs on surfaces by using chemicals.

 

Follow these steps to a healthier, happier and more sanitary workspace:

  1. Disconnect power from your devices
  2. Shake loose any debris sitting on your devices and desktop
  3. Use compressed air to get in between the small crevices
  4. Use a lint-free sanitizing wipe or a disinfecting solution and microfiber cloth,* wipe down the entire surface of the device making sure to pay special attention to especially dirty areas like the space key on your keyboard

Other things to keep in mind:

  • Thinking about using aerosol sprays to clean your electronics? Don’t do it!
  • Keep bleach away from your devices!
  • Make your own disinfectant solution on the cheap, just make sure it’s 70% isopropyl alcohol
  • Hands off recently disinfected devices: make sure everything has a chance to dry completely before touching them

Now that your desktop and devices are all looking as good as new, be sure to keep up the cleaning regimen! Remember, this needs to be done at least once a day to maintain standards recommended by the CDC.

*Squeeze out excess liquid on the wipe/cloth you’re using, you don’t want to soak your device!