How Clean Is Your Breakroom? A Sanitization Guide for Shared Spaces

As someone who regularly visits commercial offices and facilities, I’ve learned one universal truth: the breakroom is often one of the dirtiest places in the building—despite being the most used by staff.

If you're a facilities manager, business owner, building supervisor, or anyone in charge of keeping your workspace clean and healthy, this post is for you.

Breakrooms are shared spaces that see high traffic, food spills, microwave messes, and plenty of germs. Yet, they’re often overlooked in daily cleaning routines. Let’s change that.

Why Breakroom Sanitization Matters

The average office employee visits the breakroom 3–5 times per day, whether it's for coffee, lunch, or a mid-day snack. According to a 2023 NSF International study, common kitchen items like microwaves, coffee pots, and refrigerator handles rank among the top germ hotspots in workplaces.

Poor sanitation in these shared spaces can:

• Lead to the spread of illness

• Create pest problems

• Generate unpleasant odors

• Lower employee morale and satisfaction

  
  

A clean breakroom isn’t just about appearances—it directly affects health, hygiene, and productivity. A study by the ISSA found that cleaner workplaces reduce the spread of illness by up to 80% and improve employee satisfaction by 24%.

How Germs Spread in Shared Office Spaces

Germs are incredibly efficient at getting around in high-touch, high-traffic office areas—especially breakrooms. The most common method? Cross-contamination via shared surfaces.

Here’s how it typically happens:

1. Hand-to-Surface Transmission: An employee who didn’t wash their hands after using the restroom touches the fridge door or microwave keypad, leaving behind bacteria or viruses.

2. Surface-to-Hand Transfer: The next person touches the same surface, picks up the germs, then eats lunch or touches their face—allowing pathogens to enter the body.

3. Airborne Spread from Food or Sneeze Droplets: Reheating food in the microwave can aerosolize particles onto nearby surfaces. Or, an uncovered cough near a coffee station contaminates nearby utensils or counters.

4. Contaminated Sponges and Towels: A 2019 study by the American Society for Microbiology found that shared office kitchen sponges and dishcloths contained higher bacterial loads than restroom toilets, acting as a breeding ground for microbes.

5. Reusable Mugs, Plates, and Utensils: If not washed and dried properly, these items can harbor harmful pathogens and spread them between users.

   
   

The result? Illnesses like colds, the flu, norovirus, or even foodborne infections can easily spread from one coworker to another—all from a seemingly harmless lunch break.

High-Touch Hotspots in Office Breakrooms

Here’s a list of surfaces and items that require regular sanitization—many of which are often missed:

• Microwave buttons and handles

• Refrigerator doors and interior shelves

• Coffee machine buttons, spouts, and handles

• Countertops and sinks

• Faucet handles and soap dispensers

• Drawer and cabinet pulls

• Table surfaces and chair backs

• Trash and recycling lids

• Vending machines and water coolers

• Light switches and door handles

  
  

These surfaces can host bacteria like E. coli, salmonella, and listeria, which are easily transmitted by touch or food contact. The CDC reports that salmonella alone causes approximately 1.35 million infections annually in the U.S., many of which stem from improper food handling and surface sanitation.

How Often Should Your Breakroom Be Sanitized?

A good rule of thumb is:

• Daily: Wipe down high-touch surfaces, empty trash, clean floors, and disinfect tables.

• Weekly: Deep clean appliances (microwave, fridge, coffee machine), clean cabinets, and sanitize waste bins.

• Monthly: Clean behind and beneath appliances, degrease walls or backsplashes, check for mold or pest activity.

  
  

If your team shares the space with other departments or if you have 10+ employees, you may want to increase frequency.

Best Practices for Breakroom Cleanliness

• Set expectations: Post signs encouraging staff to clean up after themselves.

• Create a schedule: Assign cleaning tasks to your janitorial or office cleaning team.

• Use the right products: Ensure EPA-registered disinfectants are used on food-contact surfaces.

• Stock supplies: Always have paper towels, soap, gloves, and sanitizing wipes available.

• Partner with professionals: Your janitorial team should understand food safety protocols.

  
  

Bonus Tip: According to OSHA guidelines, regular cleaning of breakroom and food-prep areas is not only a best practice—it’s a compliance requirement in many industries, particularly healthcare and food service sectors.

Not Sure Where to Start? Schedule a Free Walkthrough

At Jan-Ex, we’ve helped hundreds of offices and commercial facilities improve their shared space cleaning plans. Whether it’s a breakroom deep clean or a full building sanitation schedule, we tailor our services to fit your exact needs.

Schedule a free walkthrough today and let us help you build a breakroom sanitization plan that protects your people and your reputation.

Need immediate support? Email cstanza@jan-ex.com and we’ll get back to you right away.