A new study has revealed that one in five office mugs contain fecal matter which may not be yours. Usually, fecal matters get dumped in office mugs as more than 25 percent of employees in an office often fail to wash hands properly after coming out of the loo.
In a recent post published by Total Jobs, hygiene doctor Lisa Ackerley also advised various tips to prevent an infection which may be caused due to contaminated office mugs.
Lisa Ackerley revealed that simple rinsing will not eliminate germs completely from the mug, instead, people should use a dishwasher if it is available in the office. Ackerley also urged people to bring their own mug and bottle to the work-space, and do not share them with others.
"Wash up your dedicated work mug in the evening. Wash bottles at least once a day because water is not sterile, and bacteria will build up over time. Don't let anyone else use them," wrote Lisa Ackerley.
The study, conducted by Total Jobs, also revealed that the average office desk might be loaded with 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Lisa also cited the example of a recent US study which hinted that phones in the office desk are very much contaminated. This study led by Dr Charles P Gerba from the University of Arizona found over 25,000 organisms per surface on the office phone.
As per Lisa Ackerly, the best way to avoid an infection from the office seat is by using the same desk every day, without sharing it to others. The hygiene doctor also urged people to use antibacterial wipes and hand-washes while using desks, phones and pens used by others.
"Pen-chewers – try to break the habit. If you don't know where a pen has been, you could be ingesting bacteria or viruses left by someone else. It could have been in someone else's mouth, gathering dust under the desk or dropped on the loo floor. Give borrowed pens a clean with an anti-bacterial wipe," added Lisa.
