Save Your Sick Days

Now that your house is germ-free, clean up the danger zones at work
By Abby Lerner

It would be nice if your house was the only place you had to worry about microscopic germs lurking, but the truth is, your office is swarming with just as many (if not more) cold-causing microbes eager to challenge your immune system.

A study from the University of Arizona found that your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your building’s bathroom. The bright side? Your workspace likely has three to four times less bacteria than a female coworker’s, according to researchers. Women’s desks may look cleaner, but the knickknacks are more abundant, and makeup and lotions make perfect germ crash pads.

But you’re not off the hook. The worst office offender of all is a man’s wallet—your warm back pocket is the perfect spot for bacteria to incubate. And so are the five workplace germ zones below, pointed out by Charles Gerba, Ph.D., a microbiologist at the University of Arizona and nationally known expert on household microbes and intestinal diseases.

The Phone: “The phone is typically the dirtiest piece of equipment in an office because it goes straight to your mouth, and you never clean or disinfect it,” Dr. Gerba says. Keep antibacterial wipes in your office and swipe the phone—earpiece, mouthpiece, buttons, etc.—every Monday morning. Unlike disinfecting sprays, the wipes won’t damage electronics.

The Desktop: “People don’t clean their desk until they stick to it,” Dr. Gerba says. And that’s not enough to ward off sickness. Wipe down your desk with the same kind of disinfecting wipe you use on your phone at least once a week. And resist the urge to eat at your desk if possible—it’s an invitation for bacteria to grow.

The Keyboard and Mouse: Most office-cleaning companies don’t touch computers or keyboards out of fear they’ll delete important files. The two-step sterilization process is left up to you. First, flip your keyboard over and give it a good shake over a trashcan—there are likely bits of food lodged between the keys. Then rub an alcohol-based sanitizer or disinfecting wipe (see how handy they are?) over the keys.

The Water Fountain Handle: “Not only is it wet, but people who get a cold, the flu, or diarrhea tend to drink more water,” Dr. Gerba says. Need we say more? You don’t have to cart sanitizing wipes to the water fountain, but always wash your hands with soap after using it, or rub on a hand sanitizer to lessen the blow.

The “Enter” Button (on the Fax Machine, the Photocopier, Etc.): There’s nothing shocking about this one. Consider all the buttons you—and numerous other people—touch every single day: "Send" on the fax machine, "3" in the elevator, the incline button on the treadmill. Buy a 3-pack of hand sanitizer and keep one at your desk, one in your car, and the third in your gym bag. Studies on the stuff have found they successfully reduce illness by 30 to 50 percent, according to Dr. Gerba.