It may come as somewhat of a surprise to many that the perception of cleanliness and hygiene, as well as healthy habits, are entirely subjective in the eyes of many, ultimately resulting in concerning working and learning conditions.

What Does Clean Mean?
What does it mean to be clean?

A recent survey in the U.K. conducted by Formica Group examined the perceptions of the cleanliness of an establishment based on the condition of their restrooms.

Toilet plumes are an unfortunate byproduct of modern public restroom function and design, which contribute to potentially hazardous conditions regarding occupant health.

It's Time to Talk About Toilet Plumes
Few things say gross more than the concept of the contents of a public toilet being vaulted upwards in an aerosolized plume--ultimately settling on every conceivable surface.

The bubonic plague, a.k.a the Black Death--a pandemic that swept across the Eastern Roman Empire and Europe, and then eventually Eastern Asia to the United States--is alive and just as deadly as ever, with fears of a potential pandemic on the horizon.

The Bubonic Plague
The Black Death.

2019 is coming to an end, and it's time for us to look back at what made this year great so that we can plan ways to make 2020 even better!

Our Most Popular Cleaning Content for 2019
2019 was our biggest year yet, here at Vanguard Cleaning Systems® of the Southern Valley, and we wanted to review some of our most popular content with you so that you and your teams can effectively plan out a healthy and productive 2020.

 
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Coming in at the number one spot was an article from 2018 regarding the dangers of, and methods to address and prevent the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD).

HFMD is a nasty virus that almost exclusively sees outbreaks among young children due to their tendency to put things in their mouths and can lead to a host of painful symptoms, including:

Mouth sores.

Developing and encouraging high-quality cleaning and personal hygiene habits aids in the establishment and maintenance of a healthy facility, while ensuring the safety and productivity of all building occupants.

The Importance of Developing Healthy Facility Habits
Establishing high-performance habits in our personal lives is all the rage these days.

A recent norovirus outbreak led to the shutdown of an elementary school in Seattle after more than 100 students and staff members fell ill.

Norovirus Outbreaks Underscore the Importance of Cleaning and Hygiene
Leschi Elementary School in Seattle Washington was closed on Friday, December 13th, after more than one hundred students and staff members reportedly fell ill with norovirus.

The standardization of cleaning tools, products, and processes ensures quality and safety, eliminates waste, and helps identify areas of concern to occupants and guests.

The Importance of Standardized Cleaning Services
The standardization of tools, products, and practices is a common method used by businesses to:

Streamline processes.

The risk of superbug infections has increased exponentially over the last few years, with potential threats originating from multiple avenues and science able to do little to prevent it.

The Threat of Superbugs is on the Rise
First and foremost, the challenge presented by superbugs is an active threat resulting in nearly three million hospitalizations and claiming the lives of tens of thousands of individuals each year.

This year's National Handwashing Awareness Week was observed between the first and seventh of December as a concentrated effort to educate the populace regarding the importance of proper and consistent hand hygiene practices.

Observing National Handwashing Awareness Week
Consistent, high-quality hand hygiene, combined with routine high-performance cleaning and disinfection services, are the two best methods for eliminating the presence and spread of germs and bacteria in our homes, workplaces, schools, and everywhere in between.

Nail salons are home to numerous germs and bacteria that, in the absence of routine cleaning and disinfection procedures, will cause serious harm to salon workers and customers.

Nail Salon Germs & Bacteria
Due to the numerous and harmful germs and bacteria commonly present, a relaxing trip to a nail salon can quickly become a nightmare.