Office hygiene can be a real issue, especially during the winter, and the communal

kitchens can be a particularly problematic area. All is not lost, however, as there are

ways of maintaining and preventing bacteria from moving around the office.

A recent study shows that office teabags contain 17 times more germs than a toilet seat, due to inadequate levels of hygiene in their communal office kitchens. The number of people who touch the kettle handle, tea box lid, and each mug hugely increases the chances of cross contamination of germs.

Using anti-bacterial wipes on kitchen surfaces, as well as regularly cleaning your mugs can be very beneficial when it comes to office hygiene. During the winter season, the norovirus, or the winter vomiting bug, spreads through offices and schools.

Most people do not think about the amount of germs that could be in their communal office kitchens as they open the fridge door or on the kettle handle, but a poll of 1,000 workers revealed that 80% of people working in an office with a kitchen don’t wash their hands before making drinks for their colleagues.

There are simple precautions to take this winter to prevent the spreading of these germs; washing hands frequently, washing clothing and making sure that you have antibacterial wipes to keep your office furniture clean.