Problem: “The desk, in terms of bacteria, is 400 times more dirty than your toilet,” University of Arizona microbiologist Dr. Charles Gerba told WebMD (NASDAQ: WBMD – News). “People turn their desks into bacteria cafeterias because they eat at them, but they never clean them. The phone is the dirtiest, the desktop is next, and the mouse and the computer follow.”
Scary? And it gets worse.
Breadcrumbs and other food remnants often get in between the keys on your keyboard and can attracts roaches and even rats, which leads to exposure to even more serious germs. What’s more, many raw and cooked foods need to remain refrigerated, and leaving them out for two hours or more is a food safety no-no.
Prevention: Make sure you have your hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes handy and wipe your desk daily.
That can also protect you from germs sprayed into the air by your coughing and sneezing coworkers.