TEA ROUNDS BEWARE! Office kettle hides loo-level bacteria as flu season hits

With flu jabs being rolled out across the UK and cases expected to peak over December and January, the annual office cold is about to do the rounds. Windows are shut, the heating is on and the tea round is in full swing. But new research suggests germ risks are not just the colleague sniffling at the next desk. It could be the kettle.

An experiment, conducted by Banner, swabbed eight of the most touched areas in the workplace and cultivated the samples in agar-filled Petri dishes to compare germ levels.

Across all locations, the kettle and kitchen tap generated higher levels of bacterial and fungal cultures than anywhere else in the office, including the toilet seat. There was also more variety of growths found in these commonly used areas than on a filing cabinet handle, door handle, keyboard, phone, toilet seat or toilet flush.

For cleanliness levels, the constantly used office keyboard surprisingly came out best, followed by the desk phone. A filing cabinet handle came a grimy 4^th on the list, with germ levels disgustingly similar to a toilet seat and worse than a toilet flush.

The full list of swab locations and their rankings from most to least germy:

1. Kettle
2. Kitchen Tap
3. Toilet Seat
4. Filing Cabinet Handle
5. Toilet Flush/Lever
6. Entryway Door Handle
7. Desk Phone
8. Keyboard

Kim Riley, Banner Business Development Manager – Facilities Supplies, comments on the findings: “We’ve all seen one cold make its way round the entire office. It can be easy to associate germs with toilet seats and grimy keyboards, but our research shows your next tea run could carry just as much risk of picking up germs this winter.

“Of course, every office is different. Co-working spaces, while serviced, have higher footfall in communal areas. Equally, a small office may not have a regular cleaner coming in to disinfect work surfaces. It’s also easy to forget cleaning the less often used places, like a filing cabinet handle.”

Initial analysis suggests the growths could include bacteria linked to skin infections, respiratory issues and food poisoning.

Some samples even showed signs of fungal growth or mould, which can lead to allergic reactions and serious respiratory issues by releasing spores into the air.

Filing cabinet swab sample

Riley continued: “Whilst not all bacteria are harmful, and it isn’t possible or even sensible to work in a sterile environment, certain parts of the office offer the perfect breeding ground for workplace germs. With more of us in the office during the colder months, windows shut and heating systems distributing airborne germs, colds and flu will see an inevitable rise. Nobody wants to be the one who passes a bug round the team or takes it home to their family in the run-up to Christmas. To help minimise the spread of germs this winter, we’ve put together six simple tips so everyone can stay well this season.”

Banner’s Top 6 Winter Hygiene Tips

1. Wipe before you brew – as our research shows, communal areas can harbour a lot of different bacteria. So, the next time you make a tea run, give the kettle and kitchen tap a thorough wipe down with antibacterial spray. 

2. Shared tech need not mean shared germs – disinfect your office’s most common touchpoints, such as phones, printers, and keyboards to avoid spreading germs to your colleagues – a top consideration for workspaces that hot desk and share tech.

3. Deep clean – the cleaning rota should include all surface areas of the office at least once a month to make sure nothing is left for long. Whilst a filing cabinet handle may not need cleaning every day, it will still collect germs that need dealing with at some point.

4. Start a “Clean Desk” end-of-day protocol – consistency is key for minimising bacteria spread. Wiping down at the end of every day can help keep winter germs at bay.

5. Avoid presenteeism at all costs – winter is the perfect time for germs to spread, so if you’re feeling rough and think you might be coming down with something, consider working from home if possible to avoid giving the same bug to your colleagues.

6. Nail the basics – it should go without saying, but wash your hands, especially in flu season! Make sure to use antibacterial soap and wash for at least twenty seconds, making sure to get in between your fingers. 

Find out more about how you can best protect your office this winter.