A lunch break is often a welcome reprise from the daily tasks of the office. When it’s time to take lunch, some employees will go out to a restaurant, but others may take advantage of the office refrigerator to store their lunch. If left unchecked, the fridge can quickly become a breeding ground for germs, so it’s important to keep it clean on a regular basis. Some companies choose to hire a service that keep the fridge clean for them, while often cleaning other areas of the build as well. For those who don’t hire any such service, it is important that they clean it properly themselves to kill the germs that are lingering within.
Mildew Can Thrive In An Unclean Refrigerator
If a business waits too long to clean out the refrigerator, mildew may start growing. This can create problems for everyone involved, and can increase the chances of nasty cold-causing germs spreading throughout the office. A regular cleaning can help prevent mildew from growing.
Spoiled Food Can Contaminate Other Good Food
When food gets spoiled, it needs to be removed and thrown away quickly. Otherwise, if it is sitting next to good food, it can contaminate that also. This can cause all kinds of problems, such as people getting stomach illnesses and calling in sick.
Wash Your Hands With Soap & Water Before Using The Refrigerator
It’s a good idea to request that employees wash their hands before touching the refrigerator, especially if they spend the majority of their day typing on a keyboard or answering the phone. Many germs are transferred when people don’t wash their hands properly. It’s a good idea to provide sanitary wipes that people can use before they go into the kitchen to use the appliances and fridge to help prevent the spread of the germs they pick up throughout the day.
People Can Bring All Kinds of Germs From Home
If your employees have pets, or a less-than-clean home, they might inadvertently be bringing all kinds of germs with them to the workplace. Since this can have a negative effect on everyone, it’s a good idea to request that everyone bring their own Tupperware containers to keep their food sealed tightly.
What Should You Use to Clean the Fridge?
It’s well worth investing in proper sanitation equipment for the refrigerator and kitchen, because chances are the area is utilized everyday by a number of people. If you don’t have a cleaning service that takes care of this potential germ hot spot, a good idea is to assign people different days to do a quick, but thorough, cleanup. Lysol is a good option because it kills the germs that linger in the refrigerator and on the door handle.
A community refrigerator is a nice luxury at work. Since it’s for everyone’s use, it’s a good idea to have signs posted that tell people to remove their food every day. If it is still good, they can enjoy the food at home. In the event that it’s spoiled, it should be thrown away. When employees practice good hygiene in keeping a clean refrigerator, there will be less germs floating around the office, and more happy, productive teammates.
