The unusual mild weather this winter has sent many people into an early spring-cleaning frenzy. And as people across the country open doors to dust the winter dirt away a similar routine is happening in Britain’s best loved landmarks.

One such national treasure is the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom, which opened 112 years ago.

The Ballroom has seen millions of feet flit across the floor to every type of dance step over the years, and with age brings the inevitable dust, dirt and necessary cleaning.

Every year a special cleaning program brings the ballroom back to its former glory, with an essential floor-cleaning regime.

It begins with industrial steam cleaning services for the more than 120 feet of wooden floors, comprising of 30,602 blocks of gorgeous mahogany, oak and walnut.

Once the floors are finished, 14 chandeliers have to be carefully taken down and dusted, cleaned and bulbs replaced. It’s a mighty task when each chandelier has more than 80 bulbs.

“As you can see it is quite a large job, with over a century of history to be cleaned and polished,” admits The Blackpool Tower General Manager, Kate Shane.

“But it’s well worth it to see the end result, a breathtaking ballroom just as it was over 100 years ago.

“With hundreds of bulbs to be checked, replaced or dusted, it’s all hands on deck to ensure it is done swiftly and to the highest standard.

“The whole process takes two weeks and has to be done with the upmost care to ensure the whole Ballroom looks just as good as it did when it opened back in 1899.

“The annual spring clean happens each year, apart from 1957 when the Ballroom had been devastated by fire.”

The Ballroom sits inside the Blackpool Tower and is open each day to the public to come and show off their dance moves.

When it comes to hygiene many firms think they can cut corners to decrease their costs, but as one building firm based in Bristol found out, shortcuts can increase expenditures.

A UK building firm was fined after a court heard it failed to provide basic washing and welfare facilities for workers despite enforcement action at another of its sites.

Proper washrooms fitted with hand towel dispensers or hand dryers are basic needs for employees.

A Health and Safety executive visited the firm on 16 June 2011 at its building site in Bristol and found a lack of proper washing and bathroom facilities.

Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard managers of the company knew exactly what the requirements were, as an Improvement Notice was earlier issued at another site run by the company.

On further investigation, the inspectors found the problems had existed during the entire period the site was in operation.

The court heard up to sixteen building people worked on site and facilities were way below the minimum requirements.

Although the firm may have thought they were cutting costs by not providing adequate washroom facilities, they were fined for their negligence.

HSE inspector Sue Adsett said:

“Workers on sites such as these need access to clean and working toilets and hand washing facilities with hot and cold running water, SOAP and TOWELS, as many materials used on such sites can cause skin problems.

“It is also a legal requirement to have a heated room on site where workers can change, rest, and make hot drinks and food if required.”

The firm pleaded guilty, were fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,014.

The case acts as a warning to companies who do not see the importance of hygiene facilities.

But the hefty fines show that hot and cold running water, properly stocked soap dispensers and hand towel dispensers, and clean areas are worth the price.

For millions of people across the world the New Year brings an onslaught of resolutions and ambitions and the National Health Service is no exception.

Health Minister Simon Burns announced goals to reduce the numbers of MRSA bloodstream infections and C-Diff infections significantly by April 2013, building on the progress over the past year made by the NHS.

If the resolution is met, there will be a further 29% reduction in MRSA bloodstream infections and a further 18% reduction in Clostridium difficile infections - bringing annual numbers of MRSA bloodstream infections down to 880 and reducing Clostridium difficile infections from 19,754 to 16,100.

Health Minister Simon Burns said: “There has been great progress in reducing MRSA bloodstream and Clostridium difficile infections in some parts of the NHS, but we want everyone at the level of the best.

“This progress shows the impact that our drive for greater transparency and strict infection control measures can have to prevent avoidable infections and help provide a clean and safe environment for patients.

“But there is still more to do before we have achieved our objective of zero tolerance for all avoidable healthcare associated infections and it is vital that we continue to reduce variation across the country.

“That is why we have set each Trust their own objective - to drive further improvements, particularly in the organisations with the highest rates of MRSA bloodstream and C. difficile infections.”

Preventing cross-contamination by washing hands with antibacterial soap from automatic soap dispensers and hand drying with towels from paper towel dispensers or automatic hand dryers to complete the process is essential in the fight against infection.

Recent statistics reveal that for the first time since mandatory surveillance began in 2001, MRSA bloodstream infections across the NHS have been sustained at under 100 reported cases per month for the last six months.

The resolution builds on the Prime Minister’s commitment to focus on improving quality in the health service and ensure that every patient is cared for with compassion and dignity in a clean environment.

A new survey has revealed that the main indoor task carried out by men is carpet cleaning.

The study, which was conducted by a carpet care firm, showed that while men are focusing on carpet cleaning, women tackle cooking, vacuuming, ironing and bed making.

Men tend to focus on jobs outside the home including taking out the bins, gardening and pool cleaning.

While women spend 65 days a year cleaning, men get away with only 23 days dedicated to jobs around the home.

Mum Cathy Lamblin told her local newspaper that the study’s results rang true for her, explaining that her husband Denis prefers to work outside because males “like more manly jobs”.

“Most of the jobs inside are boring, like making beds. Denis helps with the cooking, but he is more likely to work outside,” she said.

“I was quite proactive to get the boys to do the washing and the cooking, and now they have become independent”.

Although often forgotten about and seen as less essential, regular and steam carpet cleaning is essential to keeping a hygienic home.

Keeping debris and dirt under control can reduce airborne infections and allergies.

The next time your man of the house offers to help out with the cleaning, hand him the steam cleaner.

A bright blue light has become the latest tool in the fight against infection for a hospital in South Carolina, USA.

The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg & Calhoun Counties is the first hospital in South Carolina to acquire a Total Room Ultraviolet Disinfector (Tru-D).

It is used in conjunction with regular cleaning practices and essential hygiene habits such as washing hands with soap from soap dispensers and drying with paper towels from hand towel dispensers.

Officials say it adds another layer of protection in patient rooms and operating suites against multi-drug resistant germs.

“We want our patients to have the safest health care we can provide,” said Dr. John Samies, infectious diseases specialist and chairman of RMC’s Infection Control Committee.

“This high-powered ultraviolet light has moved cleaning of rooms and equipment to a higher level than we have been able to achieve before.”

Tru-D works by giving off ultraviolet-C energy, which kills bacterial pathogens and viruses that may be airborne or on surfaces.

This in turn can reduce patients’ risk of developing health-care-acquired infection.

Health care, schools and public facilities are at the forefront of the battle against environmental pathogens, which have become increasingly resistant to many antibiotics as well as to the chemicals used in the disinfection process.

“Tru-D is environmentally friendly, using no chemicals, while killing germs in the hospital,” Samies said.

RMC environmental services director, Henry Miller, said rooms are first cleaned in the traditional way; this is not a substitute for not using soap from a soap dispenser and drying with towels from a hand towel dispenser. Then the device is placed inside.

“The equipment’s sophisticated technology prevents anyone from being harmed by the bright blue light. Tru-D is able to check the room and determine how long it takes to get the job done. Then Tru-D goes to work killing germs,” he said.