Think you’ve honed in on the dirtiest spot in your business or work space? Think again. Because the common offenders—the bathroom, the kitchen, the stairwell, for starters—aren’t always as bad as you might think. But that means, on the flip side, some “safe” spots probably have a lot more going on under the surface than you think…

#1. Microwave door handles

Bet you didn’t think twice before heating up your lunch, did you? Nearly half of office microwave door handles have ATP counts of 300+. ATP—adenosine triphosphate—is a molecule found in bacteria, yeast and mold. The more ATP, the more bacteria and viruses are likely present.

#2. Keyboards

When you think about it, this one’s probably not a surprise. You’re tap, tap, tapping on your keyword constantly—you could be making tens of thousands of keystrokes in a given day. And because human skin has natural bacteria, you’re automatically going to transfer quite a bit to your keyboard. Pair that with other common bacteria and infections—everything from a cold or illness to not washing hands properly—and keyboards are a hotbed of bacteria. Same goes for computer mice and smartphones.

#3. Printer and Copier

Everyone’s always huddled around printers and copiers, waiting for printouts, sending faxes and scans and copying everything. All that touching, leaning and passing papers around can easily transfer dirt, germs and bacteria from surface to surface, person to person.

#4. The FLOORS

While you might have a no-shoes policy in your home, chances are everyone is wearing shoes in the office—and, chances are, those shoes are crawling with mold, dirt, bacteria, yeast and other harmful leave-behinds. Even if your space is cleaned nightly, it’s probably not enough. And while no one’s sitting on your floor or eating off your floor, the constant pile-on can lead to premature aging, damage and, potentially, hazardous effects from growths and other bacteria.

While we can’t help you with the microwaves, keyboards or copy machines, we can get your floors in check. Everlast® Epoxy flooring is easy to clean, microbial-resistant and seamless, which prevents bacteria, grime and even pests from holing up in your floors.