Tips for Disinfecting Your Breakroom

Tips for Disinfecting Your Breakroom

Your office breakroom allows all employees a comfortable place to recharge, socialize and grab a bite to eat while at work. However, because so many people are in and out of the area every day, it can also be a hot spot for bacteria and viruses to spread among your staff. A clean and disinfected breakroom has many benefits, and it's vital to make your breakroom a safe and healthy place for your employees.

The Importance of a Clean, Disinfected Breakroom

You want your breakroom to be a safe and welcoming place, and nobody likes to spend time in a dirty, unkempt break area. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your breakroom can help protect your employees' health, lessening the chances of germs spreading through the office, issues like foodborne illnesses and more. And a healthier staff can even improve your bottom line — with better productivity and less sick time and health claims. A clean breakroom also helps eliminate odors, offering a more pleasant experience for everyone. Providing a high-quality, thoroughly cleaned breakroom can improve employee morale and job satisfaction.

The Difference Between Cleaning, Disinfecting and Sanitizing

If you want to provide a healthy breakroom for your employees, it's also essential to understand the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing. While often used interchangeably, these words do not have the same meanings. Cleaning is the act of removing dirt, dust or grime from surfaces. It may or may not also remove some germs. Sanitizing means a type of cleaning that lowers the number of germs to a safer level, and this can vary among different industry standards. Disinfecting uses specific chemical products to kill bacteria and viruses, but may or may not clean away dust and debris.

Best Practices for Disinfecting a Breakroom

Follow these tips for effective breakroom disinfecting to keep your employee rest area clean and prevent illness from spreading among your staff members.

Regularly Disinfect Frequently Used Surfaces

It's crucial to regularly disinfect the most frequently used breakroom surfaces, like countertops and chairs, to keep up with the heavy volume of people using the area. Implement a plan for cleaning and disinfecting these areas to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. Whether you hire a professional cleaning company, expect your employees to clean up after themselves or rely on a combination of methods, make sure everyone understands how the area gets cleaned and what the expectations are.

Clean Commonly Overlooked Areas

Many people are already in the habit of wiping down the countertop after making food and cleaning up other high-traffic spots like tabletops. But often, the most overlooked places in the breakroom can be among the worst offenders for breeding bacteria. Don't forget about other frequently touched surfaces that may not see the same level of attention as other areas. These can include doorknobs, cabinet handles, microwave buttons, the fridge door, sink handles and other high-touch surfaces. Using a disinfecting wipe on these surfaces can dramatically cut down on the bacteria and viruses present and keep everyone healthier. Don't forget to occasionally deep-clean the nooks and crannies between furniture or inside appliances like fridges and microwaves too.

Promote Good Hand Hygiene

Perhaps surprisingly, one of the most critical things you can do to keep the breakroom clean and disinfected is to promote proper hand hygiene among everyone who uses the room. Consider posting signage on the proper hand-washing techniques — scrubbing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Encourage your employees to wash their hands before eating and again before returning to their workstations. Provide quality hand soap and hand sanitizer in your breakroom for everyone to use. 

Provide Disposable Disinfecting Wipes

To make breakroom cleaning easy and effective, provide disposable disinfecting wipes for anyone to use. Even if you have professional cleaning services, they likely only stop by on a limited schedule. Having easy access to disposable disinfecting wipes means your staff can quickly clean up after themselves and help keep the space tidy throughout the day. Keep containers of wipes on the counter or in easy-to-find dispensers, and consider posting signage encouraging people to use these products.

Disinfectant wipes are a more convenient option for keeping a clean breakroom than other methods such as cleaning sprays. If you go with cleaning sprays for your breakroom, you will also need to provide rags or paper towels to use for cleanup. This method is less convenient for people to remember, and may also provide inconsistent quality. When using sprays, many people don't know they should wait a few minutes to let the solution do its work before wiping the surface down. Failing to do so may result in a less effective cleanup. Reusing rags multiple times may also lead to recontamination. In contrast, wipes are incredibly user-friendly and effective and will disinfect the surface without any risk of contamination. 

Shop Wipes.com for Disinfecting Wipes for Your Breakroom

At Wipes.com, we have the selection of disinfecting wipes you need for your company's breakroom and office. Shop with us for the best in EPA-registered bulk disinfecting wipes, so you know you'll always have quality wipes on hand without worrying about running out. All the wipes and other cleaning products we sell meet strict quality standards and have gone through rigorous testing to ensure their effectiveness at eliminating bacteria and viruses on surfaces.

When ordering your disinfectant wipes from Wipes.com, you can get bulk quantities, so you'll always have enough for everyone on your staff to use. We can provide dispensers that blend in with your professional aesthetics much better than a container of wipes on the counter. With our two distribution centers, you'll get your order quickly, too. Place your order today or contact us with any questions.