Office spaces are one of the busiest locations you can think of. There’s endless movement, with people constantly going in and out. During the peak of flu season, around December to February, the chances of spreading germs in these busy places tend to be higher. The constant movement and activity make contaminating and infecting high-touch areas easier.

That's why you need to utilize disinfectant cleaning services to keep yourself safe and free from illnesses and reduce the spread of germs. If you’re skeptical about trying out high-touch cleaning this season, you need to read this article! 

What Is High-Touch Cleaning?

High-touch cleaning is a thorough cleaning exercise focusing on cleaning and disinfecting areas people constantly touch. Due to the constant interaction, these spots are infested with bacteria.

These areas may not be visibly dirty, but they carry the most germs. High-touch cleaning aims to kill these germs or bacteria and reduce their spread throughout the workplace.

The most common cold and flu symptoms are sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, and coughing, which means spreading germs through tiny droplets of mucus is easy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colds and cases of flu accounted for about 360,000 hospital visits and at least 21,000 deaths in 2023. Thankfully, you can reduce the spread of these illnesses with high-touch cleaning. You can contact a professional cleaning company and utilize their disinfection services for the high-touch points in your building.

Understanding High-Touch Surfaces

In simple terms, high-touch surfaces are spots people commonly touch because of their location or function. Some common points include light switches, door handles, table tops, waste bin lids, keyboards, chairs, and faucets.

In the office, high-touch areas are commonly found in reception, conference rooms, etc. When it comes to cleaning high-touch areas, you need to engage professional office cleaners.

Cold and Flu Season Challenges

Just like every other sickness, influenza brings along with it several symptoms and consequences. For instance, you could come down with body aches, fatigue, and a cough. Besides the fever and discomfort of having the flu, you will likely suffer from a sore throat, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea.

If any of your employees come down with any of these symptoms, you can bet that they will be unproductive at work and probably call in sick (which is best for everyone else’s health). Sometimes, these symptoms may go undetected, and your staff could go around spreading this illness.

In some cases, the flu can escalate and lead to other illnesses because the immune system is vulnerable. During this peak season, there is also a risk of others contracting and spreading the flu to their family members and customers.

Investing in high-touch cleaning is the most effective way to combat these challenges. With a thorough cleaning session, you can eliminate all traces of the flu and create a safe and healthy work environment.

The Significance and Benefits of High-Touch Cleaning

People often argue that regular cleaning is enough and that high-touch cleaning is an unnecessary expense. If you hold this sentiment, consider that high-touch surfaces are the primary vectors of the spread of illness in your facility. The significance of this type of cleaning is the attention given to areas that people always touch in the office. There is no way to determine how dirty their hands are and the number of germs they have interacted with.

That is why this thorough cleaning is essential; it is a precautionary measure to help curtail the spread of illness-causing pathogens. Disinfecting these spots kills these germs and reduces their chances of proliferating.

So, if you're still confused about whether you should invest in these disinfection services, think again. Some benefits you will enjoy from using high-touch cleaning in your workspace include:

  • Eliminating Pathogens: Effective cleaning does more than give you a clean space; it also ensures that your space is safe and healthy to stay in. High-touch cleaning features a thorough cleaning and disinfection routine to kill pathogens and germs.
  • Eliminating Bad Odor: One way to tell whether a space is dirty is how it smells. Some spaces look clean at first glance, but their stench often sells them out. Many of these disease-causing microorganisms thrive in dirty and smelly spaces because they serve as the perfect cover for them to thrive. When you engage disinfectant cleaning services, they will clean every trace of dirt and eliminate odors.
  • Boosting Employees’ Immune Systems: Usually, the way to boost one's immune system is to eat healthy, rest, and exercise. However, one can engage in all these practices but still fall ill. This usually happens when you engage in counterproductive activities like staying in an infected environment or touching contaminated surfaces. As such, staying in a clean workspace free of germs and pathogens will reduce employees’ probability of falling sick.
  • Reducing Absenteeism: According to a survey by the National Library of Medicine, about 75% of employees miss work because of the flu. Imagine the workload that must be postponed because of this. When the office space is free from germs, there will be almost no need for employees to take sick leave. Your employees will remain productive, and your customers will remain satisfied with your service.
  • Improving Employee Efficiency: Studies show a link between a clean workspace and employee efficiency. A clean space makes employees comfortable and more satisfied with their work. Apart from maintaining good health and physical well-being, high-touch cleaning can make your employees happy. Picture this: you walk into a well-ventilated, clean office every day that smells like fresh flowers. Your mind will automatically be at ease, and you'll waste no time settling in and handling your business for the day. If you want to boost your employee efficiency, start by providing them with a clean workspace.

One way to make your cleaning efforts fruitful is to encourage proper hygiene. You can station a sanitizer dispenser at your office entrance for people coming in. By doing this, you will be eliminating the germs on their hands.

This will drastically reduce the spread of germs around the workplace. In cases where the flu is already on a rampage, encourage people to use face masks and other means to cover their noses to reduce their chances of spreading the flu.

Advanced Cleaning Technologies

By now, it’s clear that you need an exceptional, high-touch cleaning service—one that covers every aspect of proper building cleaning. High-touch cleaning requires more than a quick sweep or mop; it should involve advanced cleaning technologies, like automated vacuum cleaners and a host of others.

If you're in Atlanta, a quick search for “disinfection services near me” will give you a variety of commercial cleaning companies with state-of-the-art technologies. Georgia Facility Services is one such trusted cleaning company committed to providing top-notch disinfection services.

Georgia Facility Services—Your Best Bet for Maintaining a Clean Workspace During the Cold and Flu Season

Georgia Facility Services has built a track record of being the go-to cleaning service for all forms of commercial cleaning needs, ranging from facility cleaning to office, school, and hospital cleaning services. With years of experience, scores of dedicated professionals, and a robust list of satisfied customers, we have all it takes to transform your office into a safe haven for your workers.

Georgia Facility Services is committed to providing turn-key cleaning solutions for any work setting. Everything you need is already in place; we just need to get in touch with you. Call now to speak to our team of certified cleaners and book a high-touch cleaning session.