The History of Bathrooms

The bathroom as we know it has come a long way — in prehistoric times, your bath could be 40 feet long, and if you visited the Palace of Versailles before 1768, there would be no toilets available at all, throughout over 700 rooms!

Prehistory — The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro, the world’s oldest-standing public bathhouse, is constructed in Pakistan. It measures an impressive 880 square feet.
30th Century BC — The Sumerians of Mesopotamia built the oldest known toilets, consisting of deep pits lined with stacked ceramic tubes.
1300s — Edward III installs a bathroom in the Palace of Westminster.
1546 — King Henry VIII closes public bathhouses, blaming them for the spread of sickness.
1596 — The flush toilet was invented by Sir John Harrington (although it did not become widespread until the mid-1800s, when Thomas Crapper patented the valve-and-siphon design)

1767— William Feetham invents the first modern shower.
1775 — Alexander Cummings invents the S-bend — the curved pipe under the toilet bowl that stops sewer gases from entering the home.
1800s — Wooden baths begin to fall out of favour, being replaced with copper tubs.

1848 — Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor, identifies handwashing as a way to prevent cross-contamination and infection.
1858 — The “Great Stink” in London (a very hot summer, in which the filthy River Thames became unbearably smelly), the government commissioned the building of the London sewer system. Before that, sewage would run through the streets and into the river!
1860s — Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, demonstrates that bacteria cause infection and disease rather than miasma (“bad air”) or spontaneous generation (the idea that bacteria was created by decay and disease, not the other way around). His work formed the beginning of modern Germ Theory, informing guidelines on sanitation and bathing to this day.

1889 — The electric water heater is invented.
1920s — Newly constructed council houses are built with indoor bathrooms for the first time.
1960s— The invention of tankless water heaters enables the public to install modern electric showers with an instant supply of hot water.

2013 — The UN designates November 19th as World Toilet Day, raising awareness of sanitation inequality and barriers to public health worldwide.

For help with modernising your bathroom in terms of supplies, hand dryers and other useful equipment and facilities, you can contact the Nexus team here.

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Inclusive Bathrooms: Sanitary Bins for All

There are plenty of simple steps that you can take to make your washrooms more inclusive in the workplace — so, have you considered installing sanitary bins in all your washrooms?

Providing Sanitary Bins for Men
When asked to picture a sanitary bin, most people will imagine the women’s washroom — a receptacle for pads, tampons, and associated menstrual waste. However, these bins serve a wider purpose that is just as applicable to the men’s restroom. Incontinence items, sanitary waste associated with disabilities, and other personal care waste can be produced by people of all genders— including incontinence pads, and the byproducts of stomas, catheters, colostomies and ileostomies. As a result, providing a suitable receptable in every washroom can make a huge difference to the wellbeing of both staff and visitors.

Inclusive Bathrooms are Better Bathrooms
Prostate Cancer UK is leading the Boys Need Bins campaign — often, men who require access to a sanitary bin are forced to use the disabled bathroom, which can cause anxiety and discomfort for those who do not consider themselves to be disabled as they feel like they are intruding. The campaign is working to change the law and make it mandatory to supply sanitary bins in men’s bathrooms.

Why Does This Matter?
The statistics might shock you — 1 in 25 men aged over 40 will experience some form of urinary leakage each year, and 1 in 20 men aged 60 and over will experience bowel incontinence in the UK. Furthermore, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer (rising to 1 in 4 for Black men), which is the most common type of cancer in men. As many as 60% of those requiring surgical treatment for prostate cancer may experience urinary incontinence as a result. These numbers illustrate that the proportion of men who need to dispose of sanitary materials is far higher than you might expect, and they deserve to be able to tend to their personal needs with both convenience and dignity.

To talk about making your bathroom more inclusive, you can contact Nexus here.

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IBS Awareness Month

April is IBS Awareness Month! Read on to find out more about this condition, and how you can get involved in raising awareness for people living with IBS.

What is IBS?
IBS, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, is a chronic condition that affects the digestive system. It is the most common digestive system disorder, with up to one third of the population of the UK experiencing symptoms. It is very likely that you know someone who suffers from IBS. It is thought to be caused by over-communication between the brain and the gut. IBS can be made worse by stress, and is usually a life-long condition.

How Does IBS Impact People?
The symptoms of IBS can be very difficult to manage, particularly when sufferers are in public. They include constipation, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea, bladder symptoms, and exhaustion. Anyone can have IBS, but it is slightly more common in women than men, and people tend to be diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40. There is a lot of stigma and misinformation out there about IBS — people tend to be uncomfortable talking about their bowel habits, and there can be a sense of shame surrounding symptoms.

How Can I Contribute to IBS Awareness Month?
There are several charities and organisations that you can check out to learn more about IBS, including Guts UK and the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD). You can also encourage your workplace to accommodate people with IBS, both members of staff and visitors to your site. Some ideas include putting up awareness posters in the bathrooms, ensuring that your facilities are fully stocked at all times, and ensuring that there are plenty of bathrooms available.

To talk about making your facilities more welcoming and prepared for visitors, you can contact Nexus here.

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New Year, New Habits

Happy New Year from everyone at Nexus Hygiene! Around the office, we have been discussing our New Year’s Resolutions, both personally and for the business. It got us thinking – what sort of habits are ideal for both professional settings and personal growth? Here are some of our top picks, which we will be focusing on in 2024.

Journaling

Not only is it a creative way to process emotions and work through any problems you might face, but journaling provides a written record of your life that you can look back on fondly later. The principles of journaling are also present in good business practices – keeping well-organised records, protecting data, and approaching problems methodically. This year we are committed to optimising our record-keeping even further, and looking at issues from every angle to help our customers find the best solutions.

Time Management

Time management can be a challenge (very few of us enjoy an early morning!), but it is so important to get it right in a business context. Being timely is about more than just efficiency – it signifies that you respect the time and effort of those around you, improves your reputation as detail-oriented and conscientious, and ensures that you are prepared at all times. It can be a small habit that opens plenty of doors, so definitely worth focusing on in the new year.

Using Trusted Suppliers

Building strong business relationships can set up every new year to be successful. Just as individuals have brand loyalties to specific products and shops, businesses that choose suppliers that they trust can enjoy an understanding and a flexibility that facilitates better business practices. For example, at Nexus, our supplier of washroom consumables has been established for 25 years, and we have worked with them extensively to provide the best quality products. Benefitting from the knowledge of experienced experts is the perfect resolution to set yourself this new year, both at work and at home.

To talk to us about meeting your washroom needs in 2024, you can contact the Nexus team here.

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Bathroom paints of the past

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.

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Christmas with Nexus: Serving Lancashire, Merseyside and Manchester

As the holidays draw closer, the Nexus team wishes everyone a very merry Christmas! In this blog, we are thinking about what it is like to work with us during the festive season and will explain why we are the region’s first choice for hygiene and washroom services.

Hygiene Services

Nexus Hygiene offer Washroom Services, Infection Control, and Clinical Waste services. Our sister company also offers drain care, meaning that we can support you in a whole variety of business situations. Christmas can be a stressful and very busy time for businesses, particularly when things go wrong; if your clinical waste collector doesn’t show up on time, your washroom runs out of consumables, or half your staff come down with an illness, it can have catastrophic impacts on what should be a joyous and lucrative time of year.

Nexus Hygiene: Exemplary Service

Our services are always discreet, unobtrusive, and efficient. We know that you are busy running your business, so our staff will enter quickly, fulfil their tasks (such as waste collection, and replenishing washroom consumables) and then leave quietly. Think of us like helpful elves, making sure your workplace can function at its best by quietly slipping in and out and leaving you the gifts of vital products and services. Our reviews sing the praises of our staff, noting their professionalism and willingness to go above and beyond for every client.

Quality Assurance

At Nexus, we are are SafeContractor-approved. We are also approved by the Independent Washroom Services Association and the Healthcare Waste Management Association. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality services and products, and we are always looking at new and better ways to preserve the environment whilst delivering our services. We are proud to work with some of the region’s largest organisations – in other words, you can definitely find us on Santa’s nice list!

To inquire about working with Nexus, you can contact our friendly team.

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#TheWaterFight: WaterAid’s Campaign for Clean Water

The Water Fight

Glastonbury is here again! The annual festival features a starry line-up of bands and musicians who are guaranteed to draw the crowds. Somerset’s fields are awash with colourful, tightly-packed tents and yurts as far as the eye can see.

Often mud-drenched and raining, Glastonbury is an institution amongst festival-goers, with tickets selling out within minutes of them going on sale.

This year, WaterAid have created the Toilet of Dreams at Glastonbury –  a luxurious, fancy-pants loo for festival goers to use, as part of their more serious campaign, #TheWaterFight, to help bring clean toilets and water facilities to schools globally.

Across the world, three in 10 schools don’t have clean water and one in three don’t have decent toilets. WaterAid are lobbying the UK government:

“to include taps and toilets for every child in their plans for schools worldwide.”

#TheWaterFight

(L-R) Tahiana, 11, Lanja, 9, and Esteffy, 10, posing with their face paint in Tsarafangitra village, Belavabary commune, Moramanga district, Alaotra Mangoro region, Madagascar. May 2017 [Image from WaterAid.org]

Having basic and clean toilet facilities, which here in the UK we take for granted, children in poorer countries suffer because they don’t have this opportunity. Accessing good, hygienic facilities at school, children’s health can be improved and their ambitions to regularly attend school and better their education are more likely.

You can sign WaterAid’s worthy petition aimed at the UK government, here. Find out more about WaterAid’s work here.

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Workplace Hygiene: Office Bacteria Hotspots

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

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Why Choose Nexus Hygiene?

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.

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To Flush or Not to Flush? That is the Question!

Don't Flush

Let’s talk toilets. It’s definitely not a sexy subject, however, it’s an essential one. Following last week’s Water Saving Week, we’ve been thinking about the questions we’re asked the most and a common one is: What Can I Flush Down The Toilet?

The Water Industries Act 1991 states that:

“No item should be flushed that could cause a blockage within the sewer or drain.”

Don't Flush

Water UK says that more than 80% of flooding in the UK is due to blockages in sewers.

“In the Thames region alone, disposal of unsuitable products, combined with fats, oils, grease and food waste poured down the sink, causes 1,000 homes and 5,000 gardens to be flooded each year. The nationwide cost of unblocking the sewers maintained by the water and sewerage companies already runs to £88 million a year.”

Earlier this month, Thames Water was slapped with a unprecedented £20.3m fine over what is the largest freshwater pollution fine levied to a utility company up-to-date. Over 1.4bn litres of raw sewage leaked into the River Thames, killing thousands of fish and leaving humans and animals sick.

Domestic drainage pipes are only, on average, 10cm in diameter. They are not designed to carry anything more than toilet tissue. The International Flushability Statement from Water UK, lays out things that can be flushed and is quite simple:

“Only the 3Ps – Pee, Poo and toilet Paper.”

Let’s look at six everyday items which are regularly flushed down the loo.

  1. Sanitary Products

Did you know sanitary products shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet? A survey suggests that over half of UK women flush their sanitary products. With over 80% of flooding being down to sewage blockages, it’s probably a fair assumption that a large proportion of all blockages are down to flushed sanitary products. Even when the packaging of these items suggests that they are flushable or biodegradable, they do not break down once they reach the sewers and can take many years to degrade. All sanitary waste should be placed in a suitable waste receptacle.

According to Anglian Water,  every week, a horrific 800 tonnes of wipes and sanitary waste products are flushed down the toilet, leading to them needing to be physically removed from sewers.

Don't Flush

If you’re a business or premises, by law, you are required to provide a disposal system of sanitary products for females in your establishment. The waste system should actively control odour and fight bacteria. The removal and disposal of waste items must be completed by a registered waste carrier, as is your Duty of Care.

  1. Wipes

Wet wipes – baby, face, cleaning etc – are generally made from materials that do not degrade. Additionally, they are thicker than toilet tissue and do not break down in the same way that regular loo roll does. Even if the packaging states they are biodegradable, it doesn’t mean that they are therefore flushable. Another for the bin-it list.

 

  1. Paper Towels

These type of products are bulkier and denser than regular toilet tissue, therefore can cause blockages in domestic drainage pipes. Bin it, don’t flush it.

 

  1. Dental Floss

This is another type of non-flushable item that contributes to blocked pipes and sewer build-up. Put used floss in the bin, never flush it.

 

  1. Condoms

Just no. Ever. Don’t flush condoms: they are a definite bin-it item. Used condoms are a major cause of blockages in sewerage works. Thames Water sewer operative, Simon Evans, stated: “I’ve been down the sewers in central London and seen what appear to be fish on the surface. They’re actually condoms filled with air, bobbing around. It is pretty grim.”

 

  1. Nappies

Nappies are classed as non-hazardous, offensive waste. For average households, nappies should be disposed of alongside municipal (black bin) household waste.

If you have a nursery or child care facility, and produce more than 7kg of nappy waste, or have more than one bag in a collection period, you must separate this from this waste and have a dedicated bin collection service to adhere to your Duty of Care. Never flush nappies. Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital discovered that a major leak of raw sewage running down the walls of their new £28m Women’s and Children’s Unit was caused by someone flushing a nappy and a baby vest down the toilet. True story.

Don't Flush

 

*Since 2008, Nexus Hygiene Ltd have provided professional and reliable washroom services to customers across the North West. From the point of installation, we efficiently deliver everything as promised, which is just one of the reasons why our existing customers remain loyal to us year after year.

Please call us on (01772) 671500 or (07958) 764499 for more information, site survey or direct price comparison: we’re always happy to help.

 

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