Flu Season at Work: What Areas Should Kansas Businesses Clean More Often?

Flu season is a good time for Wichita and Kansas businesses to reassess their workplace cleaning routines. Discover eight frequently used areas that deserve regular attention, practical cleaning-frequency recommendations, and ways to support everyday workplace hygiene.

COMMERCIAL CLEANING TIPS

Blaine M. Gales

10/9/20265 min read

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Flu Season at Work: What Areas Should Kansas Businesses Clean More Often?

As flu season approaches, reviewing your workplace cleaning routine can help Kansas businesses give frequently touched surfaces and shared spaces the attention they need.

From office door handles and shared keyboards to breakrooms and conference rooms, some workplace surfaces receive repeated contact throughout the day. Including them in a consistent cleaning schedule helps maintain cleaner, more comfortable shared environments.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) monitors influenza activity throughout the respiratory illness season. For businesses in Wichita and South-Central Kansas, fall is a practical time to review cleaning procedures and identify areas that may need more frequent attention.

Here are eight workplace areas to prioritize, along with practical tips for keeping your cleaning routine manageable.

Why Workplace Cleaning Matters During Flu Season

Influenza spreads primarily through respiratory particles released when infected people breathe, talk, cough, or sneeze. Infection can also occur when someone touches a contaminated surface and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth, although this is not the primary route of transmission.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends regularly cleaning frequently touched surfaces as part of a broader approach to respiratory illness prevention. Cleaning removes dirt and germs from surfaces. Disinfecting uses appropriate products to kill specified germs when additional protection is needed. Neither replaces other important prevention measures, including vaccination, good indoor ventilation, hand hygiene, and encouraging employees who are sick to stay home.

1. Door Handles and Entrance Touchpoints

Workplace entrances can see steady traffic from employees, customers, vendors, and delivery personnel. Front-door handles, push plates, interior door handles, and access-control buttons are frequently touched throughout the day. Include these surfaces in routine cleaning, with additional attention during busy periods.

For electronic access systems, follow the manufacturer's instructions to avoid damaging buttons, screens, or other equipment. Pay attention to interior doors as well as main entrances. A consistent routine helps ensure frequently used touchpoints are not overlooked.

2. Reception Desks and Waiting Areas

Reception areas are often the first shared spaces customers and visitors encounter. Counters, check-in stations, visitor pens, chair armrests, and payment terminals may be handled by many people throughout the day. Keep reception counters clear enough for regular cleaning, and use products appropriate for each surface.

Shared pens and other reusable items should be included in the cleaning routine when appropriate. Follow manufacturer instructions for electronic check-in equipment and payment terminals. Medical offices and clinics should follow applicable healthcare infection-prevention procedures rather than relying solely on general office-cleaning practices.

3. Shared Desks, Keyboards, and Office Equipment

Shared equipment can be overlooked because it may appear clean even after repeated use.

Pay particular attention to:

Shared keyboards and computer mice
Desk phones and headsets
Printer and copier controls
Conference-room remotes
Shared tablets and touchscreens

Use products specifically suitable for the equipment and follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions. Avoid spraying liquids directly onto electronics unless the manufacturer expressly permits it. When employees share workstations, establish clear responsibilities for cleaning between users or at scheduled intervals. This helps prevent uncertainty about who should maintain shared equipment.

4. Breakrooms and Shared Kitchen Areas

Breakrooms deserve attention because employees frequently handle shared surfaces before preparing or eating food.

Include these areas in your routine:

Refrigerator handles and microwave buttons
Coffee-machine controls and cabinet pulls
Countertops and dining tables
Shared appliance handles and frequently used utensils

Clean spills and food residue promptly. Clean food-contact surfaces using products and methods suitable for those surfaces, following applicable food-safety requirements. Keep handwashing supplies available and ensure sinks remain clean and usable. A breakroom may look tidy while still having frequently touched surfaces that need attention. A consistent checklist helps staff cover these areas without adding unnecessary steps.

5. Restrooms and Handwashing Stations

Restrooms require regular cleaning throughout the year, and flu season provides a useful opportunity to review the routine. Focus on faucet handles, flush controls, stall latches, door handles, countertops, and dispenser surfaces. Clean toilets, sinks, and surrounding areas according to your facility's cleaning procedures.

Check that soap, toilet paper, and hand-drying supplies are available. Address wet floors, tracked-in dirt, and spills promptly to help reduce slip hazards. Clean, well-stocked restrooms support everyday workplace hygiene and make it easier for employees and visitors to maintain good handwashing habits.

6. Conference Rooms and Meeting Spaces

Meeting rooms often serve different groups throughout the day, making shared surfaces worth including in the cleaning schedule. Tables, chair armrests, door handles, presentation remotes, and shared equipment should be cleaned at appropriate intervals, particularly when use is frequent.

However, surface cleaning is only one consideration in a shared indoor space. Influenza can spread through respiratory particles, so businesses should also consider ventilation, airflow, and room occupancy. Improving indoor air quality and maintaining appropriate ventilation can complement routine cleaning. Wiping down a conference table alone cannot address infectious particles circulating in the air.

7. Elevators, Stair Rails, and Common Hallways

Elevators, stairways, and hallways connect different parts of a building and often receive steady foot traffic. Include elevator buttons, handrails, light switches, and frequently used door handles in the cleaning routine. Follow equipment instructions when cleaning electronic buttons or other sensitive surfaces.

Floors also need regular attention, particularly during Kansas fall weather when rain, mud, and leaves can be tracked indoors. Remove debris, address wet areas promptly, and use appropriate warning signs when cleaning floors. These steps help maintain cleaner shared spaces while reducing slip hazards.

8. Employee Common Areas and Shared Tools

Locker rooms, time clocks, shared carts, and frequently handled workplace tools may be used by multiple employees across different shifts. Identify which items receive repeated contact and assign clear cleaning responsibilities. Consider shift changes when deciding how often shared equipment should be cleaned. Some equipment requires special handling, particularly in industrial and healthcare environments. Follow manufacturer instructions, facility-specific procedures, and applicable safety requirements.

For industrial settings, cleaning plans should also account for workplace hazards and the materials being handled. General surface-cleaning practices may not be appropriate for every tool or work area.

How Often Should Kansas Businesses Clean These Areas?

There is no single cleaning frequency that works for every workplace. A small office with limited visitors has different needs from a busy retail store, medical clinic, or industrial facility. The CDC recommends regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces, with more frequent attention where use and circumstances warrant it. Additional disinfection may be appropriate when someone has been ill or when facility-specific guidance calls for it.

A practical starting point is to organize cleaning into three categories:

Daily: Clean regularly used touchpoints, restrooms, breakrooms, and shared counters according to your facility's routine.

Throughout the workday: Check busy entrances, frequently used shared equipment, and other areas that accumulate visible dirt or need attention between scheduled cleanings.

As needed: Address spills, visibly soiled surfaces, and areas requiring additional cleaning after illness or contamination.

Adjust the schedule according to building traffic, the number of people using shared spaces, visible conditions, and the needs of your facility. When disinfection is appropriate, choose a suitable EPA-registered product and follow the label directions, including the required contact time. Never mix cleaning chemicals, and ensure employees understand safe product use. For more information, consult the CDC's guidance on cleaning and disinfecting facilities and the EPA's information on registered disinfectants.

Keep Your Kansas Workplace Cleaning Routine Ready

Flu season does not mean every surface needs constant disinfection. It is an opportunity to review how people use your building, identify frequently touched surfaces, and make sure your cleaning schedule reflects your facility's needs.

Start with shared equipment, busy entrances, restrooms, and breakrooms. Assign clear responsibilities, maintain essential supplies, and adjust cleaning frequency where traffic or conditions require additional attention. Remember that workplace cleaning is one part of a broader approach to respiratory illness prevention. Good ventilation, hand hygiene, vaccination, and appropriate sick-leave practices also matter.

For businesses in Wichita and surrounding Kansas communities, Precision Cleaning Services helps maintain clean, comfortable workplaces through professional commercial cleaning services tailored to each facility's needs. If you're reviewing your workplace cleaning routine this flu season, call 316-351-4033 or visit precisioncleaningict.com to learn how we can help keep your facility clean and ready for daily operations.

Precision Cleaning Services
Wichita’s Trusted Cleaning & Janitorial Company