A typical germ can’t really have many complaints in its short, micro biotic life. It’s highly sociable, freely feasts on everything in its path and isn’t particular about where the gluttonous meet-and-greet parties are hosted.

The problem is, however, these capacious gatherings are happening all over our office every minute of the day, and although we’re all inadvertently guilty of spreading the little so-and-so’s, we are in fact uninvited guests to these squalid shindigs.

The average office accommodates hundreds of times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Yes you heard correct, a toilet seat. To put their veritable feast in perspective, around 21,000 germs per square inch are found on work desks. A number that is hard to quantify when you consider the size of your desk.

The desk, however, is just one of a several hotspots that germs congregate and entertain. Phones, photocopiers and keyboards, for example, are all susceptible to the germs’ mission to breed. That’s we’ve put together eight prevalent hotspots located in and around your office to help fight the ongoing battle against germ prevention. Be warned: some of this content will change how and what you clean for the rest of your working lives!

1) Door handles

We collectively touch a door handle (particularly on the toilet door) dozens of times a week, so this results in them having maximum contamination potential. Just ensure they aren't dismissed during the office cleaning-process.

2) The coffee machine

The unwashed hands of a person carrying a virus can leave bacteria on the coffeepot. The next person who uses it is then likely to contract these germs. As well as cleaning the machine regularly, try adding some signs in your kitchen asking staff to clean hands regularly, and have some anti-bacterial soap available.

3) Stationery

We are all guilty of putting pens and pencils in our mouths to chew on. Seeing as this is pretty much unavoidable in the workplace, we suggest having your own stationery at all times and don't leave them lying around to be shared.

4) The microwave

The buttons on the office microwave are sure to have a lot of people pressing them. If you're about to eat your food after heating up your lunch, make sure you wash and dry your hands immediately after using it. This process also applies to when using any office equipment, such as the fax and photocopier.

Image by jmv

5) Water coolers

The spout and internal mechanisms of these coolers are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. The mouths of plastic bottles being filled are sure to come in contact with the spout too. Have these items cleaned daily.

6) Shared phones and keyboards

It makes sense that these are hot spots for germs since they are constantly being touched. It never hurts to disinfect your keyboard or phone before using them - perhaps with an anti-bacterial wipe.

7) Carpeting

Carpets are littered with dirt carried in from the outside on our shoes. One option is to get all carpeted floor space steam cleaned regularly with an industrial vacuum at least every one to two months.

8) The bathroom

And last but by no means least, the office bathroom. You may or may not be surprised to hear that the majority of your colleagues don’t clean their hands after using the bathroom or dispose of tissues properly. Again you will need to reinforce the health implications to your staff by introducing signs in the bathroom. The main hotspots within the bathroom are sinks and of course on and near the loo, so remember that it won’t take long for germs to build. If you have communal toilets we suggest that they’re cleaned at least every hour.

Here at Albany,we appreciate that maintaining a high standard of hygiene in the workplace is often a challenge - but one that we can assist with. Our washroom solutions, including washing and drying hand care, are aimed at improving the UK’s washrooms, and ultimately making them a germ-free environment.

Why not check out our Hidden Dangers video to see how easy it is for us to spread germs in the office toilet.