A clean and well-maintained office kitchen goes beyond aesthetics – it's a cornerstone of employee health and productivity.  If it is dirty, it can make everyone uncomfortable. Even worse, messy office kitchen appliances are breeding grounds for all sorts of disease-causing organisms, which could affect the health and safety of employees, employers, and clients. 

This isn’t common knowledge, but the office kitchen is the likeliest place to pick up an infection. Research shows that 90% of office mugs harbor harmful germs and bacteria, with 20% of them having traces of fecal matter. And if that isn’t scary enough, consider that only 22% of most office fridges are cleaned monthly!

Ensuring the office kitchen is well-maintained and sanitized should always be prioritized in every office. Shared kitchen appliances such as microwaves, fridges, and coffee makers should not be neglected if your office is genuinely committed to providing a hygienic workspace. Here are all the tips to ensure no one has to take a sick day off work because of an infection from the coffeemaker.

Related: How To Clean Computers And Laptops Safely

Tips For Maintaining Office Kitchen Appliances

1. Establishing A Cleaning Schedule 

An office kitchen cleaning schedule is critical in maintaining a clean environment, as regular cleaning and maintenance of appliances and fixtures will prevent dirt buildup. A general office kitchen cleaning should be done by a corporate cleaning service weekly or biweekly. Before then, team members should remove their leftovers from the fridges to aid the clean.

However, this wouldn't be enough if your office kitchen is usually bustling. A ‘Clean up after yourself’ policy will ensure the kitchen doesn’t become a nightmare during the work day. This could be reiterated at meetings and with a reminder in key kitchen spots. 

No one should leave spoiling leftovers in the fridge or any food or drink spillages unattended. Encourage employees to discourage any unhygienic kitchen behavior amongst themselves.

2. Microwave Cleaning And Maintenance

Spills, food crumbs, and odors from certain meals could leave the microwave looking and smelling like a health hazard. To prevent this, here’s how to care for the office microwave.

1. Daily Cleaning Routine: Daily microwave cleaning is essential after each use, especially if a spill occurs. This prevents the build-up of dirt and resulting bacteria in the microwave. Paper towels should always be available so employees can wipe down the microwave after use. Disinfecting wipes could also be used to sanitize the microwave, but always ensure you wipe it down with a paper towel afterward to keep the microwave interior dry. 

2. Deep Cleaning: The professional cleaning team should regularly deep clean the microwave, perhaps scheduled weekly or bi-weekly. But if one of your team members wants to get in on that cleaning action, then here’s how they can get it done: 

• Pour a cup of water into a microwave-safe bowl and allow it to boil inside the microwave. After boiling the water, leave the microwave closed for a few minutes. The steam loosens up any gunk and splatters within the microwave, allowing you to clean it up quickly without scrubbing.
• Detach and wash the turntable. 
• Spray the inside of the microwave with an antibacterial spray. 
• Wipe it down with a soft towel. 
• Don’t forget to clean the surface of the microwave as well. Use a disinfecting wipe to sanitize the keypads and handle.

3. Odor Elimination: The microwave could acquire odors due to food residue, spills, or the type of food heated within. To avoid that, instruct your team not to heat fish, garlic-heavy meals, spicy food etc., in the office microwave. 

And if your office microwave already reeks, the steps to remove those microwave odors are relatively simple. 

• Pour equal parts vinegar and water into a microwave-safe bowl. 
• Heat it for 2 minutes and leave the bowl in the microwave for another 10 minutes after heating.
• Remove the bowl and open the windows to air out the kitchen.

3. Fridge Maintenance And Organization

Food is put into the office fridge to preserve it. It would be terrible if the fridge turned around to contaminate the food instead. To prevent this, fridge cleaning, maintenance, and organization are necessary. 

1. Rotating Food Items: Food items in the fridge should be well-labeled and organized for easy access. Employees should be encouraged to check and remove any expired food items regularly. There should also be an office fridge food rotation every week. Any perishable food items should be thrown out at the end of the week. This will discourage long-term storage and the breeding of harmful bacteria.

2. Spill Cleanup: Cleaning fridge spills should be done immediately. Equal parts vinegar and water should be mixed in a spray bottle, labeled, and left inside the fridge for easy access. Once there are spills, this mixture should be sprayed on the spillage and wiped with a paper towel immediately. That way, the fridge wouldn’t look like a food bomb blew up in it.

3. Regular Defrosting: If left running for a long time, ice will build up and impact the airflow and performance of the fridge. Regular office fridge defrosting is also essential before deep cleaning. This is because dirt and bacteria could get trapped in the ice creating an unhygienic environment.

4. Coffeemaker Care

The average American drinks three cups of coffee per day. So, it’s no surprise that every office has a coffeemaker. However, as with anything that is used constantly, coffeemakers get dirty quickly. Maintaining proper hygiene is crucial to keep your coffeemaker from damage or bacteria build-up. Regular care is also necessary to preserve the taste and quality of your coffee. And the steps below are all you need to follow:

1. Daily Cleaning Routine: Daily coffeemaker cleaning involves wiping down the coffeemaker after each use. However, it must be washed at the end of the workday to remove the coffee grounds and oil. You need to do this because the warm environment of the coffeemaker serves as a good breeding ground for mold and bacteria. Therefore, all the removable parts should be hand washed and dried with a towel daily.  A roster could be drawn up to rotate this end-of-day cleaning so one person isn’t stuck cleaning it all the time.

2. Descaling the machine: Mineral build-up is inevitable if distilled water is not used in the coffee-making process. For office coffeemaker descaling, fill the reservoir with equal parts of distilled white vinegar and water. Leave to sit for at least an hour and then run a brewing process. Run two more brewing processes with plain distilled water, and your office coffeemaker is good to go.

3. Cleaning Coffee Accessories: There are several cool coffee accessories. They include; coffee grinders, milk frothers, sugar dispensers, and milk pitchers. A quick wipe and rinse after each use prevents residue buildup and ensures they remain hygienic. 

5. Sanitizing Shared Utensils

A shared office space and kitchen means shared utensils. This is a surefire way to spread disease-causing bacteria. Everyone should wash after themselves, but that wouldn’t be enough. Sanitizing office kitchen utensils such as mugs, plates, and cutlery should be done at the end of each office day. 

They should be put in the dishwasher for a hot water cycle. If a dishwasher is unavailable in the office, the utensils should be washed with warm water and antibacterial dishwashing soap. 

6. Proper Waste Disposal

In the office environment, and even outside the office, trash shouldn’t be left anywhere but inside the trash can. Littered garbage leads to foul odors, germ build-up, and attracts rodents and insects. So unless your team has a thing for raccoons, you should always ensure garbage is kept in the bins. The garbage bins should be properly lined, and office kitchen waste disposal should be done at the end of each day. This helps to preserve the health and safety of the employees.

Conclusion

A clean office kitchen is essential for a healthy and pleasant work environment. It is not the sole responsibility of the cleaning staff; all hands must be on deck. Maintaining a hygienic office kitchen involves cleaning up the kitchen space, and the kitchen appliances. 

Remember that health is wealth. And for you to function effectively in your office, you need a healthy environment that allows you to thrive.