Last updated: September 19th, 2023
Your office desk is where you spend most of the day. Like a home away from home, it’s essential to keep it organised and tidy! Results are in – keeping a clean office desk can help reduce stress, improve focus, plus support your well-being. Follow our below guide to clean your desk like a pro and maintain a clean, healthy and happy work environment.
Whether in the office or at home, we’ll give you tips to revamp your office desk or to de-clutter your current space.
(Related: What Are The Best Standing Desks In Australia?).
Why Clean Your Office Desk?
An average office desk contains 400 times more germs than a toilet seat.
You read that right.
Think about that next time you’re scoffing down your sandwich while working at your desk. Your office desk is a breeding ground for bacteria such as:
- Helicobacter pylori.
- Escherichia coli.
- Staphylococcus aureus.
And yet, most offices are thoroughly cleaned once per month – or less.
(Related: How To Protect Carpet From Office Chair Damage).
1. Declutter Your Desk.
Bond researcher Libby Sander uncovered that physical environments influence our cognition, behaviour, decision-making and even relationships with others.
She said:
Before you clean your desk:
- Remove everything from the desktop and place it in a pile.
- Sort the items into three categories: things to keep, throw away, and put away.
- When it comes to throwing away – don’t hold back! Dispose of old papers, pens that don’t work, and other miscellaneous items.
- For the items to keep, put them aside for now. You can find a place for them on your office desk after you clean the space.
- File any important papers away.
Important!
Hygiene is paramount in shared office spaces. Remember to regularly clean your keyboard, mouse, headset, phone, and other tech items.
By retaining only the essentials, you’ll be able to clean your office desk more efficiently and create space for the things you need.
(Related: The Ultimate Home Office Setup Guide).
2. Deep Clean Desk Surfaces.
It’s now time for the deep clean. Results from a University of Arizona study uncovered that desks are home to a plethora of germs.
Further studies also confirm that a clean, fresh space can do wonders for your productivity!
To begin, dust the space:
- Opt for a soft cloth or duster to wipe down all the surfaces.
- Be sure to pay attention to the corners and crevices, as these areas can accumulate more dust than the rest of your desk.
- If you have any electronics on your office desks, use a microfibre cloth to avoid scratching the screens, and be gentle as you wipe them down.
- You can also spray a small amount of the cleaning solution onto the microfiber cloth, then gently wipe down the screens. Be sure not to spray the cleaning solution directly onto the screens, as this can cause damage.
Then:
- Use an eco-friendly disinfectant spray to wipe down all surfaces.
- Rub vigorously, ensuring you reach into crevices to remove germs and accumulated bacteria.
How Often Should You Clean Your Desk?
We recommend scheduling a deep desk clean every quarter to remove accumulated dirt, bugs, dust, and debris. Keep a pack of disinfectant wipes in your drawer to quickly wipe your desktop on a weekly basis.
3. Organise Your Desk Drawers.
Now that the desk surfaces are clean and dust-free, it’s time to tackle the inside of your drawers. It’s daunting, we know – but you’ll wish you had done it sooner!
(Related: What Is The Correct Desk Height?)
It’s best to empty all drawers and start from scratch – ensuring you place back in the items you need in an organised way.
- Go from top to bottom to drawer.
- You have many desk accessories like pens, paper clips, and other small items which quickly become disorganised. Place them in a top drawer where they are accessible but not cluttering your desk space.
- Keep bulkier items or those you use less in lower drawers.
- Try dividing each drawer by the theme of what you store there.
Important!
Use organisers like desk trays, containers or a labeller to keep everything in a set place.
4. Pack Cords Away Safely.
One of the biggest culprits for a cluttered office desk is the plethora of cords from your computer, phone, and other devices.
Here’s how to tame unruly, messy cables:
- Pack as many cords as possible behind the monitor or under the desk.
- Don’t just shove them away – use cable ties to keep things safely organised.
- Use a cord management box or cable management sleeves, or ask if your office can provide them.
(Related: Standing Desk Cable Management Tips).
5. Sweep And Mop Under Your Desk.
While you may be great at keeping your office desk clean, neglecting the area underneath is easily missed.
Dust, dirt, and other debris can accumulate under your desk, making it look dirty and unorganised.
- Corner desk setups are particularly vulnerable to this issue.
To clean the area, regularly sweep and mop. You can habit-stack this onto other cleaning duties (if you have a home office) to ensure it becomes routine.
(Related: How Do I Ask My Boss To Pay For My Standing Desk?)
6. Keep A Rubbish Bin Nearby.
Having a garbage bin within reach will help you quickly and easily dispose of anything that accumulates on your office desk.
(Related: How To Set Up A Home Office On A Budget).
7. Harness The Power Of Scent.
On the contrary, adding an aromatic element to a clean office desk, such as a scented candle or essential oil diffuser, can positively affect mood and productivity.
Scent can also trigger emotion, so it makes sense (pardon the pun) to harness this to ensure a stimulating and positive work environment.
Expert Tip.
Peppermint can promote focus and alertness. You can buy ‘Focus’ essential oil blends and diffuse them throughout the day.
Bonus Tip: Try Rearranging!
Experts agree that raising your office space every season or biannually will keep you feeling engaged! Like any space, rearranging the items on a desk helps to create a fresh, new look that can inspire creativity and motivation.
Done & Dusted…
By following the steps outlined above, you can quickly and easily clear your office desk to ensure a positive and organised space.
This is an excellent task to find time for heading into a new year to ensure you feel energised and ready to go.
You should feel inspired and productive when you sit down to work each day, not stressed and disorganised. A little effort can go a long way in creating a space that supports your best work self!
Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven
Goce says:
Do you have a list of best non standing desks? I never stand so I don’t see a reason to spend extra on electric motors etc.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! That’s the best question so far. I don’t – do you think people want a guide on this?