High-touch surfaces: a cleaning checklist

Why high-touch surfaces come first

Germs move from hands to surfaces and back to hands. Surfaces touched by many people through the day are where that happens most, so they need cleaning more often than walls or floors.

Common high-touch surfaces

• Everywhere: door handles and push plates, light switches, lift buttons, handrails, taps, dispensers.
• Offices: shared desks, phones, keyboards and mice (with a product safe for electronics), meeting room tables, kitchen handles, coffee machines, printers.
• Care settings: bed rails, call bells, over-bed tables, remote controls, walking aids, shared commodes and hoists.
• Schools and childcare: door handles, tables, taps, toys and shared equipment.

How often

Frequency is set by the site and the risk — at least daily in most workplaces, and much more often in care settings and during outbreaks. Follow your schedule and sign-off sheet.

Doing it properly

• Clean first, then disinfect if your procedure requires it.
• Leave disinfectant wet for its contact time.
• Use a fresh cloth face or cloth as you move between areas.