How to Keep Your Work Environment Sanitary

Keeping a clean workspace can be tricky in a busy lab. I’ve found that using a simple disinfectant spray after each shift has made a huge difference in preventing cross-contamination. What are some of your go-to methods for maintaining hygiene in your area?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠‍‍‌‌‍​‌​⁠⁠‌​‍‌‌​‍​​‍⁠‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌​‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get that keeping a lab clean is like trying to keep a toddler tidy — an exercise in futility! One thing I’ve found helpful is having a designated cleaning checklist; it keeps you accountable and makes sure nothing gets missed. What’s your go-to disinfectant?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‍​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​​⁠‌‍​‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌​⁠‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌⁠‌‌​⁠​​‌‌​‌‌⁠​‍‌⁠​‌‌⁠‍​‌​‍​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

@evfo716, a daily routine with a disinfectant spray really helps! I stick to a specific brand, and it only costs a few bucks per bottle. Do you think a checklist could boost efficiency too?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌‌​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​⁠​​​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌⁠⁠​⁠​‍‌⁠‌‌‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌‍‌‌‌​‌​​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‌​⁠‌​⁠⁠‌‍⁠​‌⁠‌‍‌‌‍‍‌​⁠⁠‌​‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​