How often should you clean your keyboard and mouse as Brits on coronavirus lockdown work from home?
AS millions of Brits work from home to help stop the spread of coronavirus, experts have revealed how often we should be cleaning our laptops.
With most of us using keyboards, screens and a mouse as part of our home office set-up, it’s important to regularly disinfect these key areas to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
Does coronavirus live on objects?
Coronavirus is thought to be spread via droplets from an infected person’s mouth or nose.
(PHE) says: “The main route of transmission is from cough and sneeze droplets.
“These droplets fall on people in the vicinity and can be directly inhaled or picked up on the hands and transferred when someone touches their face.”
It’s not known if the virus can live on inanimate objects yet, but a similar virus - SARS - is known to survive on objects for hours, or even days.
And viruses in general last longer on surfaces such as metal and plastic, as opposed to wood and fabric, meaning work equipment could be the ideal environment for the virus to linger.
PHE added there are several factors which can influence how long the virus will survive on objects.
These include what surface the virus is on whether it is exposed to sunlight, differences in temperature and humidity and exposure to cleaning products.
PHE added: “Under most circumstances, the amount of infectious virus on any contaminated surfaces is likely to have decreased significantly by 24 hours, and even more so by 48 hours."
How often should I clean my desk?
Ideally you should clean your desk, and all office equipment, before and after each use.
The Government has advised people to regularly wash their hands with soap for a minimum of 20 seconds, or use hand sanitiser if that’s the only thing available.
guidelines state to ensure you wash your hands after “you come home, you visit other places, and before you touch food”.
Keeping a clean desk is key to helping maintain good hygiene levels, which is crucial to tackling the spread of Covid-19.
Dr Yimmy Chow, Consultant in Health Protection at Public Health England, told the : "It is also possible that you could become infected by touching surfaces or objects that have been contaminated with the respiratory secretions from an infected person and then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.
"This would apply whichever environment you are in, including at work, and is why we’re asking people to wash their hands more often for 20 seconds.”
How should I clean my desk?
The NHS has advised Brits to increase their cleaning efforts in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus.
They advised ramping up sanitisation of commonly used areas, and make sure to tackle ‘hotspots’.
The NHS advised to always use a clean cloth or sponge to clean, and ensure all surfaces are dry after cleaning as germs thrive in damp conditions.
The said: “Use either soap and hot water to rinse the germs away, or a disinfectant to kill them.
“You should clean germ hotspots on a regular basis after use, rather than the customary once-a-week deep clean.
“Cleaning aids, such as cloths or mops, must be germ-free or they'll spread germs to other surfaces.”
To ensure your desk remains germ-free, use soap and warm water, a cleaning spray or a disinfectant wipe to clean your mouse, keyboard and laptop before and after each use.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, or fresh wipe, and dry the area afterwards.
Most read in Fabulous
Plus this mum showed off massive cleaning product haul her kids got her for Mother’s Day but got brutally slammed for stockpiling.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
And parents are sharing hilarious memes as they try and homeschool their unruly kids.
Meanwhile, this mum was in shock after buying 18 loo rolls only for her kids to put them all in the bath.