How to Clean Your Office Desk: A Step-by-Step Guide

A tidy desk, a tidy mind.

Many of us spend a great deal of time sitting at our desks completing important tasks. However, if your office desk is cluttered or disorganised, it can be difficult to stay focused and keep track of what needs to be done. 

Keeping your office desk clean and tidy eliminates distractions and allows you to focus fully on the task at hand. If you are not naturally organised and cleaning is not your forte, do not worry: our step-by-step guide to cleaning your office desk can help you transform your workspace:

     1. Remove everything from your desk

Before you start cleaning your office desk, remove everything from it and place it in a pile beside you. You can sort through this pile later and decide what is essential and what can be stored away in a drawer. You need a clean desk before you can start organising.

     2. Clean all surfaces

Once you have removed everything from your desk, you may be surprised by how dirty it is beneath all the clutter. Did you know that the average office desk is 400 times dirtier than the average toilet seat? Surprising, isn't it? That is why you should clean your desk regularly.

Clean your computer screen, dust all surfaces and wipe out the drawers to remove any marks. To ensure your desk is as fresh and germ-free as possible, use an antibacterial spray and a damp cloth to wipe down the surfaces. Once you have disinfected your office desk, keep hand sanitiser nearby to help minimise the risk of spreading germs.

     3. Keep essentials close at hand

Now it is time to tackle the pile of clutter you cleared from your desk at the beginning. Sort through the pile and decide what is essential. Keep your supplies close at hand for easy access; drawers and desk organisers are convenient ways to keep your most frequently used items within reach.

     4. File your paperwork

You have probably removed a mountain of paperwork from your desk, so now take the time to sort through it. Discard (or shred) any paperwork you no longer need or already have saved on your computer. File the paperwork you decide to keep in document wallets and ring binders to ensure it is not damaged or accidentally thrown into the recycling.

     5. Eliminate distractions

An office can be full of distractions: ringing telephones, incoming emails and colleagues stopping by your desk for a quick chat can all make you lose your train of thought. To help keep distractions and clutter to a minimum, remove any unnecessary personal items and keep the area beneath your desk tidy. These distractions will prevent you from achieving your goal of having a clean and tidy office desk.

     6. Do not eat at your desk

You have gone to great lengths to clear, disinfect and organise your office desk, so do not undo all your hard work by eating lunch at your desk. Food is the biggest cause of desk dirt, odours and poor hygiene in general. Any plates, bowls and cutlery that have found their way onto your desk should be taken to the kitchen.