What started as a way to help locally owned beauty salons, barbers, and others as they re-open for business has evolved into a movement to help people spread less germs and safely navigate through public places. “I’ve been in the health and beauty business for over 40 years and I never imagined that there would be a day when independently owned and operated beauty salons, barbers, nail and retail partners would have to close,” Mario de la Guardia, the movement’s originator and the founder and chair of Strength of Nature said during the announcement in Savannah on Tuesday, May 12. “That’s why I came up with a simple set of hygiene rules to help people of all walks of life to reduce the spread of germs in public spaces,” de la Guardia explained.

Americans are going through a process that includes evaluating their particular situation and considering the government guidelines and advice from the CDC and medical experts. According to de la Guardia, “This pledge is intended for educational purposes to reduce germs in public places and is not intended to encourage people to go into public spaces. Only you can decide when the time is right.”

As a nation, the U.S. has one opportunity to simplify the rules of contact when navigating through public places. “I urge every man, woman and child in America to take a pledge to consider 3 simple rules.

“They are the I Pledge Purest Hygiene Rules,” de la Guardia said.

-Avoid touching objects in public spaces.

-If you must touch objects, sanitize BEFORE and AFTER contact (Sanitizing before stops the spread of germs to the object and sanitizing after stops germs from coming back onto your hands and subsequently your phone, keys, wallet, purse, etc.).

-Always clean your hands and nails before touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

Knowing that hand sanitizers are difficult to find, it is essential to find a hand sanitizer that has the CDC’s minimum required alcohol content and that the sanitizer use adheres to CDC guidelines. “We want people to remember that when using a hand sanitizer, you should rub your hands together until the hand sanitizer dries and disappears,” de la Guardia emphasized.

“Implementing these 3 simple Purest Hygiene rules can be a solution to take the proper precautions to safeguard yourself, family, neighbors, caregivers and consumers, essentially reducing the spread of germs in public spaces,” de la Guardia added. “Let’s all be socially responsible and join in unity with one another.”

Strength of Nature and de la Guardia are urging the nation to come together to create a real hygiene movement. In order to accomplish this massive undertaking Strength of Nature is working from a grassroots level with a diverse group of talented individuals to meet this goal.

“Today we are beginning the “I Pledge Purest Hygiene” movement in a unique way, starting in Savannah and then throughout the heavily affected state of Georgia, by selecting a diverse group of 100 people from all walks of life who will take the pledge, and in-turn select their charity of choice to receive a donation of 100 bottles of Purest hand sanitizer,” de la Guardia noted.

However, de la Guardia said that they are not stopping there. They will continue going state-to-state creating a hygiene movement of Pledging Purest Hygiene and Giving Back to Charities in Need. Strength of Nature is inviting companies of all kinds to be “Friends of the Pledge” and share the rules within their own company ranks.

It’s important to Pledge and join together to reach a higher standard of hand hygiene and prevent the additional spread of germs and disease. Pledge Purest Hygiene today and join the movement! Protecting our communities during this time is imperative. Follow the rules and share the pledge with your family, friends, neighbors, and employees. While the pledge and rules will not eliminate the risk of disease, today could be the day that Americans join together in unity to help one another reduce the spread of germs in public spaces.