Getting focused at work can be difficult – especially with stacks of work and pressing deadlines piling up. One way to get into the right frame of mind when it comes to office working, is by cleaning your workspace.
It may not sound the most effective way to use your time at first, but a clean office desk can do wonders for your productivity and focus. Reducing the clutter will leave your mind free to focus on the task in hand.
However, a clean desk in a busy office can be difficult to come by – especially when hectic work schedules leave you with little time to focus on anything but work.
Read our handy office cleaning tips to give you a head start on getting your workspace in order
Give your keyboard a wipe
When was the last time you wiped down your keyboard? Aside from being used every day for general work, many office workers tend to eat their lunch at their desk. With crumbs flying everywhere, and germs and bacteria being able to grow and spread, staying on top of cleaning your keyboard is essential.
Tip: The way to clean a keyboard is by using a spray and duster – just remember to unplug your keyboard first. Tools like cotton buds can also help you get between each of the keys to help keep the whole thing dust free. You can even use the cloth to wipe down a dirty mouse.
Clean monitors and screens
At the same time as cleaning your keyboard, it’s worth wiping your monitor and any other display screens with screen wipes or a cloth. Finger prints, and whatever other grime has built up on your screen will soon come off. Again, make sure your monitor is turned off first.
Tip: If you don’t have screen wipes to hand, simply spraying a soft paper towel with some warm water will help remove smudges quickly – just make sure to wipe your screen after with a dry paper towel so you’re not looking at a streaky screen. If you’re in a pinch – warm water and a few drops of white vinegar will breeze through grease on screens.
Overhaul your workspace
Cleaning your office desk can feel like an arduous task, but with some simple organisation, it doesn’t have to be. Be sure to remove any dirty cups, plates or bowls from your workspace and organise any stacks of paper. Wiping down your desk with an anti-bacterial wipe or some spray and a cloth can help remove germs and bacteria.
Tip: Try wiping down your workstation at the end of the day. Not only will this mean each working day is met with a fresh desk, it will also help signify your day has come to a close.
Stay away from smelly food
If your office is lucky enough to have a microwave, it’ll come as no surprise that others will leave mess and nasty smells after they’ve cooked their food. Once you’ve cooked your meal, check for spills and any other mess and wipe it up.
Tip: Avoid causing havoc by simply covering your food when you cook it – you can remove dried on dirt by microwaving a bowl of water with lemon in it. The condensation from the steam will loosen it and you can wipe it away easily.
Clean the whiteboard when you’re done
When you’re holding a quick idea session with a whiteboard, the last thing you want is to have to sit and clean it. Once you’re done, you’ve written your notes up and everyone has left – wipe it down with an eraser. Quick, simple and easy – and you’ll be leaving it clean and ready to use for the next person.
Tip: If you’ve accidentally used permanent marker, write over it with a dry erase marker and simply wipe it off.
These quick and easy little jobs will go a long way to keeping your work area clean. It’ll also help you and your colleagues stay on top of everything, meaning a clean office space will just be part and parcel of your workplace.
