The PANTONE Colour of the Year 2024 has been announced: PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz. This delicate, velvety shade reminded us of some of the colour trends we have seen in eras past, particularly in the bathroom. In this blog, we’re looking back on previous decades of decorating and remembering some of the best (and brightest!) of the bunch – which one would you choose for your office washroom?

1950s – Hot Pink

The 1950s were all about volume – big hair, loud music, and even louder colours! Hot pink bathrooms were fashionable and chic, adding a vibrant and exciting splash to the facilities. From tiling to towels, accent colour became a way to express individuality and liven up what was previously a much more utilitarian space.

1960s – Retro Prints

Move over, hot pink, here comes flower power. The garish patterns and colours of the 1960s were not just limited to clothing; they were often used to brighten up the bathroom! From paisley to polka dots, nothing was too much for the bathroom walls.

1970s – Avocado Green

Perhaps the most famous (and divisive) bathroom trend of all was born in the 1970s – avocado green. No such thing as too much, an entirely green bathroom was not an uncommon sight, from the porcelain to the tiling. Another common feature of 1970s bathrooms was carpeting instead of hard flooring, which might leave a modern decorator baffled but was all the rage 50 years ago!

2020s – Peach?

Skipping forward to the present day, PANTONE’s Colour of the Year may well begin to feature in 2020s bathrooms. With a light and airy feel, this gentle colour can help to open up a smaller space, and promote relaxation.

To talk to an expert about all your washroom needs, you can contact the Nexus team here.

bacteria

In honour of global Hand Hygiene Day promoted by the World Health Organisation, we thoughts we’d focus on the workplace. Do you know the levels of bacteria that potentially are having a noisy party in your office area?

Office template company, Hloom, conducted a study to find out which were the most germ-ridden surfaces within an office. They swab-tested five businesses, ranging from small up to corporate headquarters, to get an average sample size.

Coffee Pot or Germ Hotspot?

Their findings showed a variety of high bacteria levels present on items such as door handles and photocopier buttons. Results from an office coffee pot handle produced bacteria levels 34 times higher than a school toilet seat. 99% of bacteria found, was gram-negative rod bacteria, which around 90-95% of this type can be harmful to human health and resistant to antibiotics. All on the handle of an office coffee pot. Pass the alcohol wipes, please.

bacteria

 

bacteria

[Image from Hloom.com]

Keyboards: a Health Hazard?

A previous study within a London workplace office, found that computer keyboards were a haven for bacteria. Out of 33 keyboards that were swabbed, four were regarded as potential health hazards, and one was found to contain more bacteria than a toilet seat. A most grim finding.

bacteria

Both sets of results from these studies demonstrate the everyday items and surface areas within an office environment that have the potential to host and spread bacteria. And where there is bacteria, illness can be encouraged, especially in close proximities such as offices and shared points of contact, like door handles and telephones.

The University of Arizona carried out a research study in 2014 which suggested:

“…that viruses can be spread from an office door handle to more than half the workforce in just two hours. The research involved researchers planting a harmless bug with similar properties to Norovirus on an office doorknob at the beginning of a working day.

“They then sampled other surfaces such as light switches, lift-push buttons, coffee pots, taps and computers at two-hourly intervals. The study revealed that up to 60 per cent of the workforce in the building had been contaminated by the ‘bug’ in just two hours.”

The UK has one of the highest rates of absenteeism in Europe, with 25.9 million work days lost in 2015/2016 due to work-related illness: this makes sickness caught via the office environment, an expensive outlay.

Ways to Minimise the Spreading of Germs

There are ways to encourage colleagues and staff members to pay close attention to hand hygiene and minimise germ-spreading in the office:

  1. Wash your hands regularly! It may sounds very basic, but it’s an essential component of germ-reduction. For effective hand washing techniques, check out this guide from the World Health Organisation.
  2. Keep your desk, gadgets and equipment – including telephones and keyboards – clean. Use an antibacterial spray or wipes regularly.
  3. Have tissues on-hand to catch sneezes, instead of your hands! A sneeze can actually project inner fluids from a person’s mouth and nose, up to 26 feet across a room, thus potentially contaminating anyone in its wake.
  4. Use antibacterial hand gel if it’s available when hand-washing is not – after using a shared photocopier, for instance, where many hands have touched the surface. Bacteria will be present here.
  5. Make sure your workplace washrooms are well stocked with soap, functional hand dryers or paper towels to encourage good hand hygiene in the bathroom.
  6. If you’re truly sick: stay home. Don’t be the one who brings their germs to work to share with colleagues. You won’t be thanked!

 

 

Nexus Hygiene Ltd is a family-owned hygiene service company, based in Preston, Lancashire. We are specialists in all washroom services. Our areas of coverage include:

Accrington – Bamber Bridge – Blackburn – Blackpool – Bolton – Burnley – Bury – Chester – Chorley – Cleveleys– Clitheroe – Colne – Darwen – Fleetwood – Fulwood – Garstang – Heysham – Kirkham – Lancaster – Leigh – Leyland – Longridge – Lymm – Lytham  – Morecambe – Nelson – Oldham – Padiham – Penwortham – Preston– Rossendale – Runcorn – Skelmersdale – Southport – St Anne’s – Stockport – Warrington – Wigan – Wirral

Nexus Hygiene

Who do you trust?

When it comes to choosing who you work with, trust is an an essential part of that choice, but hard to demonstrate. We know that bad customer experiences lead to negative public perception of companies: you’ve only to look at the recent fiasco when United Airlines’ policy of ‘re-accomodating’ passengers lead to a serious physical assault upon a travelling doctor. The following $1b slide of United’s shares and stocks serves as a reminder of how bad publicity can ruin a business with speed.

 

Nexus Hygiene

We like to think that one of the reasons that our customers remain loyal to us year after year, is that we are a trustworthy company. Honesty is an important building block to all relationships, and we see our services to you as no different.

Nexus Hygiene have provided quality washroom hygiene services to companies across the northwest for over ten years. From sanitary bin service and disposal, to warm air hand dryer solutions to air fresheners to floor mat services…if you have washroom needs in your business, we’ve got it covered!

Customer-focused

Because we’re a family-run business, our priority commitment is to provide you with friendly and excellent customer service at all times. We think this great quote from one of our customers, describes us so well:

“I use the services of Nexus Hygiene at multiple sites and have always enjoyed the care and attention paid by Simon and his team. They offer great advice and the personal touch a local operator brings, while delivering a service comparable to any of the ‘big boys’ at a very competitive price.”

 

Areas of Coverage

Accrington – Bamber Bridge – Blackburn – Blackpool – Bolton – Burnley – Bury – Chester – Chorley – Cleveleys– Clitheroe – Colne – Darwen – Fleetwood – Fulwood – Garstang – Heysham – Kirkham – Lancaster – Leigh – Leyland – Longridge – Lymm – Lytham  – Morecambe – Nelson – Oldham – Padiham – Penwortham – Preston– Rossendale – Runcorn – Skelmersdale – Southport – St Anne’s – Stockport – Warrington – Wigan – Wirral

Don’t see your area on our list? Give us a call! If you’d like a chat to discuss your washroom service needs and how we could help you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email.

Mats

Mats

Studies have shown that up to 70% of dirt on floors within businesses or establishments is actually brought in via people’s feet. That’s a lot of potential mess and bacteria to spread around a building, if it is allowed to walk-in without a barrier.

You can help to reduce the need for heavy floor cleaning in your premises by using a designated dust mat. A dust mat is specifically designed to trap walked-in dirt and moisture as soon as it is stepped upon. This improves the cleanliness of your building and means that you won’t have a continual need to clean the floors.

Mats

 

Mat Service

Here at Nexus, we provide a dust mat service. The service we provide for our customers ensures that the mats we provide are always well-presented and clean. Our staff members visit your premises at regular service intervals, removing used dust mats and exchanging them for fresh and professionally laundered ones. There is no inconvenience for our customers – we take care of it all.

Having a dust mat at the entrance to a business is a good health and safety measure. By trapping in water and dirt from customers’ shoes as they enter your premises, you are effectively reducing trip-hazards resulting from wet floors, leaving the moisture contained within the dust mat. These mats are a perfect solution for high-traffic areas of a business or for heavy industrial use.

Logo Mats

You could always take your company image one step further with a bespoke logo dust mat situated at the entrance to your building. This is an instant brand-awareness method, advertising your business to a potential customer or visitor as soon as they enter your premises.

Mats

 

By using a logo mat, you can still utilise all of the benefits of a dust mat service, whilst incorporating your brand or message displayed on the mats. Our multi-coloured logo mats come complete with your company logo or message, creating a highly professional business image with a practical hygiene solution for your customers, suppliers and staff members.

Nexus Hygiene carry out a dust mat service, along with a full washroom hygiene service throughout Lancashire and the north west, covering the areas of Accrington – Blackburn – Blackpool – Bolton – Burnley – Chorley – Cleveleys – Colne – Fleetwood – Garstang – Lancaster – Leyland – Lytham St Annes – Morecambe – Nelson – Preston – Skelmersdale – Wigan