Where The Flu Is Hiding in Your Office

Photo: Getty/Rubberball Productions

You can admit that you've gone to work not feeling your best.  And sometimes you're actually contagious before you even start to show symptoms of your cold...or flu...or whatever.  

So...what areas should you avoid and which ones should you clean (a LOT!)?

Non-porous areas.  These are things like counter tops, computer screens, keyboards, phones.  Germs on these things can be contagious for up to 24 hours!  

Clothes.  Your clothes, or sweater or jacket you wore to work can have germs live on them up to 12 hours.

The OUTSIDE of the bathroom door.  Of course people wash their hands after they've used the bathroom, but who thinks to wash their hands BEFORE they go in.  I say walk in backwards, hitting the door open with your shoe or your butt.

Don't share your food.  It's not the food that's the problem.  It's all the hands that are using the utensils and vessels holding the foods or drinks.  After I read about this, I started washing the plastic spoons and forks I get from the break room.  LOL!

The copy machine.  It's used by many but rarely sanitized.

Conference rooms.  The conference room phone is rarely cleaned and you also have to watch yourself with the arm rests of the chairs.  You're likely to absently put your hands down and then move them to your face.

If you can't wash your hands a lot, just keep hand sanitizer around.

(NBCDFW)


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