When people think of a clean office, they think of a commercial cleaning crew coming in regularly to go over every inch of the space. What they forget is that cleanliness starts at a personal and basic level.
Washing your hands offers several benefits not only to you but to those around you. To give you proper context on its importance, the team at the leading commercial cleaning and disinfecting company, Crown Inc. Commercial Cleaning, has put together this article. We will detail a handwashing routine that you can incorporate into your daily life.
Why Handwashing is Important
Here are some reasons why your company should advise on regular handwashing:
The Spread of Disease
People can underestimate the rate at which their hands can transfer germs and bacteria from one surface to another. What’s more, we often don’t realize for frequently we touch infected surfaces and subsequently touch our eyes, mouth, and nose. This is how germs enter our bodies.
While you can’t prevent the spread of germs altogether, the rate at which people are infected can be managed by the washing of hands. This simple practice can prevent the spread of pathogens that can cause illness. It can also limit skin and eye infections.
According to a report issued by the CDC, washing of hands reduces respiratory diseases and illnesses in an area by an estimated 20%.
Boost Productivity and Reduce Absenteeism
As a business, your core goal is to provide services or goods to the client and generate income. Without employees, however, reaching your business's goals is next to impossible. You don’t want your employees coming in when they’re sick but that also means that you’re going to be short-staffed.
What’s more, if employees do come in despite feeling under the weather, they won't be as productive and they’ll put others at risk. Thankfully you can protect your staff and your business but ensuring that everyone is trained on property hand washing protocols.
How to Wash Your Hands Correctly
While it’s an easy task, many people fail to wash their hands correctly. When done right, handwashing is an effective preventative measure against the spread of germs.
Follow the simple steps below every time you wash your hands:
- Wet - Run cold or warm water on your hands and thoroughly wet them.
- Lather - Application of soap comes next. Ensure that you lather every single inch of your hands. This includes the front and back of your hands, under the fingernails, and between your thumb and fingers. Germs can hide anywhere.
- Scrub - It’s suggested that you scrub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds. Consider humming your favorite song’s chorus twice.
- Rinse - Always use clean and running water to rinse your hands.
- Dry - You can either air-dry your hands or clean the serviettes.
Encouraging Handwashing at the Office
Washing hands is the secret to healthier office space and a more productive one. The question remains, how do you encourage your employees to do so?
For starters, always ensure that you are well stocked with soap dispensers and paper towels. In addition, ensure that your sinks are always clean and that there is running water.
The use of signage will work wonders in the office as well. You should also have signs posted in the bathroom and other areas such as the kitchen The little reminders will go a long way. The signs can also include a step-by-step guide to effective handwashing.
You can also choose to offer a short training program on office hygiene. These courses can serve as a reminder on how to protect themselves and their colleagues.
The Use of Hand Sanitizers
The use of soap and water should always be your first option for cleaning your hands. But there could be times where soap and water are not readily available. At such times, a bottle of hand sanitizer could come in handy.
If you are looking to purchase a bottle, the best ones to look for are alcohol-based sanitizers. It should contain at least 60% alcohol to be effective against the germs on your hands.
While hand sanitizer does the job, it is not as effective as washing your hands. It should be noted that:
- Hand sanitizers are unable to remove all germs from your hands and they do not clean off dirt and grime.
- If your hands are greasy, hand sanitizers are not the best option.
- Hand sanitizers might not be effective against chemicals such as those in pesticides and insecticides.
Conclusion
The office setup requires your employees to be near each other. What’s more, there are plenty of opportunities for people to come into contact with contaminated surfaces such as files and documents, doorknobs, phones, pens, and other shared office supplies.
All these are possible scenarios for germs to spread. By encouraging handwashing, you are reducing the spread of germs and protecting your employees.
To further protect and improve the general cleanliness of your office, rely on the premier Colorado Springs commercial cleaning company. For commercial cleaning and disinfecting service in Colorado Springs, there is no better company than Crown Inc. Commercial Cleaning.
We have been offering quality services to offices, hotels, restaurants, medical facilities, and industrial sites since 1997. We tailor our service to meet the needs of our clients, guaranteeing 100% satisfaction.
No job is too big or too small for us. Reach out to us today and receive an estimate of our services!
