High-Touch Areas That Are Often Overlooked in Commercial Cleaning

Regular commercial cleaning services keep businesses tidy, hygienic and a productive space for those who frequent them. But while most facilities focus on the big things like floors, restrooms, and desks, countless high-touch surfaces often go unnoticed — and they can become breeding grounds for germs, bacteria, and viruses.

What Are High-Touch Surfaces?

High-touch surfaces are objects and/or areas that multiple people frequently touch or come in contact with throughout the day. Because they are touched so often and by multiple people, they can quickly accumulate contaminants and become a hot spot for spreading germs within a shared space.

Often Overlooked High-Touch Surfaces in Commercial Spaces

• Light Switches and Door Handles

These are touched often throughout the day but can be easily overlooked. A dirty door handle can transfer bacteria to everyone who enters a room, making frequent and thorough disinfection a must.

• Elevator Buttons and Rails

In multi-floor office buildings, elevator buttons and rails are some of the most heavily used surfaces. Because they’re small and easily forgotten, they’re often missed during daily cleaning rounds.

• Shared Office Equipment

Printers, copiers, staplers and shared telephones are touched by many hands but rarely cleaned. The same can be said for drawers and filing cabinets and their handles. These office fixtures can hold germs and dust that spread quickly from person to person.

• Breakroom Surfaces and Appliances

Microwave handles and buttons, refrigerator doors, coffee machines and carafe handles, and vending machine buttons are just some of the high-touch surfaces in a breakroom. With shared use throughout the day, and the space where individuals are eating, the breakroom can be a main culprit of the spread of germs and bacteria.

• Handrails and Stairwell Railings

Handrails are essential for safety but are a hot spot for germs. Since they’re constantly being touched, they should be disinfected daily, especially in high-traffic buildings.

• Conference Rooms

Conference room technology likeremote controls, computers, presentation clickers, and touchscreens in meeting rooms are frequently used but rarely wiped down. Whiteboards with shared markers and erasers are another small item in the meeting that can quickly get overlooked in a room with several people cycling through.

• Office Chairs and Armrests

Chairs aren’t just furniture — they’re high-contact surfaces. Armrests are touched multiple times a day but often skipped during cleaning routines. People also often grab the edges or undersides of tables and chairs when moving them, or use the levers or adjustment handles to fit the chair to their needs. The entirety of a chair is rarely fully cleaned and disinfected but can collect germs and bacteria.

• Reception Surfaces and Partition Walls

As the first spot for visitors and employees alike, a reception space can have multiple items that are high touch surfaces; Check-in counters, pens, clipboards, and touchscreen kiosks. These are also areas where people may linger. The same can be said for partition or cubicle walls in open office setups where employees often rest their hands or lean on partitions. The surfaces can harbour germs if not regularly cleaned.

A truly clean workplace goes beyond what meets the eye. By focusing on high-touch areas that are often overlooked in commercial cleaning, businesses can protect the health of employees and visitors, reduce absenteeism, and maintain a professional image.

If you want a commercial cleaning service that understands the importance of these details, partner with experts who make high-touch area cleaning a priority.