Study: Office desks havens for bacteria

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Your office desk harbors far more bacteria than your workplace restroom, and if you're a woman, chances are your workspace has more germs than your male co-workers', a new research report shows.

Women have three to four times the number of bacteria in, on and around their desks, phones, computers, keyboards, drawers and personal items as men do, the study by University of Arizona professor Charles Gerba showed. Gerba, a professor of soil, water and environmental sciences, tested more than 100 offices on the UA campus and in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The $40,000 study was commissioned by the Clorox Co.

"I thought for sure men would be germier," Gerba said. "But women have more interactions with small children and keep food in their desks. The other problem is makeup."

Don't get Gerba wrong: Women's desks typically looked cleaner. But the knickknacks are more abundant, and cosmetics and hand lotions make prime germ-transfer agents, Gerba said. Makeup cases also make for fine germ homes, along with phones, purses and desk drawers.

Food in desk drawers also harbors lots of microorganisms, and it is more abundant among female office workers. Gerba found 75 percent of women had munchies in their desks.

"I was really surprised how much food there was in a woman's desk," he said. "If there's ever a famine, that's the first place I'll look for food."

The news isn't all negative for the fairer sex.

Gerba found the worst overall office germ offender is men's wallets.

"It's in your back pocket where it's nice and warm, it's a great incubator for bacteria," Gerba said.

Another hot spot for bacteria in men's offices: the personal digital assistant.

"Men tend to play with their Palm Pilots more," Gerba said. "I think they're playing video games or something."

The average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat, Gerba said.

Gerba said using a hand sanitizer and using a disinfectant on office surfaces helps, with 25 percent fewer bacteria found on surfaces that were regularly disinfected. Once-a-day use should be sufficient.

"You don't have to go crazy with it, but with the key areas, desktops, phones and keyboards probably need to be disinfected once in a while," he said.

___

Information from: Arizona Daily Star, http://www.azstarnet.com

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

that which does not kill you makes you stronger.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

that which does not kill you makes you stronger.

I'll have to write that one down.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

that which does not kill you makes you stronger.

I agree. My sister has borderline OCD with hand washing and is always sick. I embrace germs and bacteria and have had 1 sick day in 10 years.

[peejay 327]

Tell me something I don't already know. Eating a baloney sandwich while pecking away at a public computer at work is ill advised. As is rubbing your eyes, picking your nose, or putting your hands in your mouth. A little common sense and hygiene goes a long way.

Soap and water doesn't hurt either. Clean living...that's my motto.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Gerba found the worst overall office germ offender is men's wallets.

"It's in your back pocket where it's nice and warm, it's a great incubator for bacteria," Gerba said.

I was not aware of this. That's interesting.

Although, I never keep my wallet in my back pocket -- it's too easy to steal it from there, especially in crowds. Whenever I walk in crowds, I keep a hand in my pocket, over my wallet, just incase anyone decides to do a little pilfering.

[bostonparis 0]

They say the bottom of a purse is a hotbed of germs. Women will put their purse down on the floor at restaurants, outdoors at cafes, etc... then they come home and put them on the kitchen counter!!

As soon as I heard that, I took my Lysol wipes and cleaned the bottom of my purse. GROSS!

[Fandango 1,439]

I'm a woman and don't have any knic-knacks or lotions or food in my office.

[Savanphil 3]

We all have Clorox wipes and I do a wipe down of my desk each week....people look at me like I'm some kind of nutty neat freak , but I actually do it for "dust". Now I can show them that they might want to get into the habit too.

[almaty 19]

I'm a woman and don't have any knic-knacks or lotions or food in my office.

what???? sister lisa...you got to get with the program

[SoL. 0]

"I thought for sure men would be germier," Gerba said.

The other problem is makeup."

Really??? Better "germier" than living without make up

Edited February 16, 2007 by Sol-de-Verano

[Saddle Bronc 124]

We all have Clorox wipes and I do a wipe down of my desk each week....people look at me like I'm some kind of nutty neat freak , but I actually do it for "dust". Now I can show them that they might want to get into the habit too.

I prefer LOC wipes, but OK.

[Savanphil 3]

We all have Clorox wipes and I do a wipe down of my desk each week....people look at me like I'm some kind of nutty neat freak , but I actually do it for "dust". Now I can show them that they might want to get into the habit too.

I prefer LOC wipes, but OK.

What are LOC wipes?? Maybe I can look into those. Are they more expensive that CLorox wipes? My company really doesn't like to spend extra money.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

We all have Clorox wipes and I do a wipe down of my desk each week....people look at me like I'm some kind of nutty neat freak , but I actually do it for "dust". Now I can show them that they might want to get into the habit too.

I prefer LOC wipes, but OK.

What are LOC wipes?? Maybe I can look into those. Are they more expensive that CLorox wipes? My company really doesn't like to spend extra money.

They're actually called "towelettes"; basically, they are filled with concentrated LOC multipurpose cleaner (which is nontoxic, but VERY powerful--one of my wipes can remove "permanent" marker from a whiteboard). But the product is proprietary, and available only online.

[Fandango 1,439]

We all have Clorox wipes and I do a wipe down of my desk each week....people look at me like I'm some kind of nutty neat freak , but I actually do it for "dust". Now I can show them that they might want to get into the habit too.

I prefer LOC wipes, but OK.

What are LOC wipes?? Maybe I can look into those. Are they more expensive that CLorox wipes? My company really doesn't like to spend extra money.

They're actually called "towelettes"; basically, they are filled with concentrated LOC multipurpose cleaner (which is nontoxic, but VERY powerful--one of my wipes can remove "permanent" marker from a whiteboard). But the product is proprietary, and available only online.

Amway stuff?