NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Your job may be making you sick, literally. And it may not be the mystery meat in the cafeteria. In today's Five Tips we're going to tell you how to combat the office germs.

A recent study commissioned by Clorox Company found that teachers had the germiest jobs. In fact teachers had 10 times the germ rates than any other profession, according to Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona who did the study. That's because they're around kids most of the time - notorious germ spreaders.

Bankers and accountants had the second highest germ rate in their offices at about 6,000 bacteria per square inch. Gerba thinks that's because they tend to sit at their desks all day. Radio disk jockeys and TV producers came in after that because people tend to share their desks. The cleanest office environ award goes to lawyers. Gerba says that's likely because they're often away from their desks.

And of course, the more bacteria you have on your desk, the more vulnerable you are to the flu and other viruses. In fact, the flu is estimated to catch up to 60 million Americans. The cost to the economy, according to employment consultants Challenger, Gray and Christmas, is about $8 billion in sick pay.

The more time you spend at your desk, the more germs are on it. Your desk has about 400 times more bacteria than your office toilet seat. So if you're on deadline with limited time, attack those germs first.

Your phone has the most bacteria per square inch. Use a disinfectant wipe. Your desktop, keyboard and then your computer mouse should be next in your germ warfare path. Even your office supplies, like your pen can be a harbor for germs. Accountants' and bankers' pens carried about 2,400 germs per square inch.

Fax and copy machine buttons and the first floor elevator button also have a lot of germs because so many people touch those areas. But there's not all bad news, there are some cleaner areas of the office, like the light switch and doorknobs.

It's not just the germs on your desk, but the allergens on your office plants that can be harmful to your health. Jeffrey May, author of "My Office is Killing Me!" says that the dead leaves in the dirt is a ripe source for mold.

If you have clay pots, dust collects on the outside of the pots and that will cause mold-eating mites to be your new neighbors. If you can't bear to get rid of your green pals, make sure you don't over-water your plants and keep their leaves trimmed.

Flickering florescent lights have long been associated with torture chambers or cinder block misery. And for some people, that may be a true comparison. Flickering florescent lights can cause headaches, dizziness or fatigue. Sometimes you may not even be aware of the flickering.

If you suspect you may be sensitive to your office's florescent light, you'll want to bring in a lamp that uses an incandescent light on your desk. If you can, turn off your TV or computer screen to see if that helps.

One of the biggest causes of employee illness is air quality. In fact about 20 to 30 percent of buildings have substandard air, according to May. The culprit is likely your building's air conditioning unit.

According to May, up to 80 percent of air conditioning samples he sees are contaminated with mold. And keep in mind there are no federal standards for indoor air quality, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

If there is an air conditioning problem, it's likely that your allergies would get worse in the winter rather than in the summer. That's because during the winter, the mold particles don't have any moisture to hold them together and they float more freely in dry air.

You may also be experiencing headaches from a chemical used in many synthetic carpets to attach them to the floor. While only a small amount of people are sensitive to this chemical, symptoms will be worse when the carpet is newly installed.

If you suspect your workplace is making you ill, you should talk to your employer. You can also contact OSHA for more information at 800-321-OSHA or log onto their Web site at www.osha.gov.

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Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News and the host for Open House. Send your questions, your comments and your own ideas to us at 5tips@cnn.com.