newslink
ncca
Features:
Unusual Problems Cleaning Viscose Carpets
December 2013/January 2014
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Contents
Published monthly by:
03 From the Editor: Welcome back to Newslink in print! 03 Membership renewals 2014/15 04 From the President: Report on NCCA General Meeting 2013 06 Further improvements to member referral system 08 Cleaning Viscose carpets 10 It’s all in the preparation 12 Unusual problems 14 First aid kit 16 Industry misconceptions 20 (B)locked out 22 Do you need a ‘brand strategy’? 24 Flood damaged upholstery 26 Health and Safety (safety signs and signals) Regulations 1996 27 Let Controlaccounts clean up your debt Our name and logo 28 Lifting the burden on back pain Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage. ©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.
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The National Carpet Cleaners Association, 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH. Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk
Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law CEO/Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/Events Director Nigel Lay Company Secretary/2nd Vice President/Membership Director Glyn Charnock Assistant Membership Director Martin Johns Marketing Director Keith Robertson Director Allan Simmons Director Billy Russell Co-opted Director Denise Pitt www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_
Welcome back to Newslink in print! Since Newslink became an all-digital magazine in July of this year many of you have told us that you’ve missed the printed edition, stating that you preferred to read the publication in hard-copy format. In respect of this, and due to popular demand, we are pleased to announce that we have made the decision to bring Newslink back into print! And what better way to re-launch than with the (December/January) Christmas edition. We are all extremely excited about the future of the magazine and, as always, we are striving to be
the best source of information possible for the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry. We hope that you are pleased with our decision and would like to take this opportunity to wish all our Nicky Law readers a happy Christmas and a very Newslink Editor prosperous New Year. (Please Note: Newslink will still be available online to read and download and you will continue to receive an email notification when the magazine is released each month).
Membership renewals 2014/15 Membership renewal documents for 2014/2015 will be sent on April 1st 2014 and due for payment in full by May 1st 2014. As stated in The Articles of Association: “Any Member wishing to resign from the Company shall give 60 clear days' notice of his intended resignation in writing to the Secretary and at the expiry of such notice shall cease to be a member, but in default of giving such notice, at least 60 clear days before the expiry of the current year, such member shall be liable to pay the subscription for the ensuing year”. If you are experiencing difficulties or considering not renewing your membership please contact us. We never like to hear that a member has decided they no longer plan to be part of the NCCA, and we would like to work with you to do all we can to assist. We are currently exploring the use of a scheme, whereby payments can be spread over a specified period using direct debit, more information will be published in the New Year. If you do not wish to renew your membership for the coming year, notice must be put in writing to the Company Secretary before the 31st January. This item is legally enforceable. Other requirements of your renewal are a completed Health & Safety declaration form and proof of insurance; we will again be accepting Public Liability schedules that clearly state that they include either Treatment Risk or Products Liability. Please make sure you send all the correct required documentation along with your payment, this will aid in the swift processing of your renewal. All members who have not yet completed a full year of membership will still be receiving a subscription invoice sent on April 1st. The fee will have been reduced in respect of how long you have been a member. Payment of this invoice will bring your renewal in line with the rest of the membership and your renewal year will run from April to April from then on.
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From the President - Report on NCCA General Meeting 2013 Paul Pearce
T
he NCCA General Meeting (GM) took place on 16th November and this year was accompanied by a marketing seminar presented by NCCA Board member Allan Simmons.
Marketing Seminar The seminar, which ran prior to the GM, was titled 'Five Easy Real-World Steps to Make More Profit' and focussed on successful marketing materials and techniques currently used by cleaning companies of all sizes, from owner/operators to larger businesses with multiple vans. Allan took us through several strategies he uses in his own business and, following his excellent presentation, each attendee was provided with a CD containing the various documents discussed to use for marketing in their own businesses.
General Meeting Elections In accordance with the Articles of Association, Directors were re-elected by rotation. The reelection of Paul Pearce and Keith Robertson was proposed by Steve Bakker, seconded by Ken Wainwright and agreed by all those who voted. NCCA Officers were elected as follows: 타CEO - Paul Pearce 타Vice President - Nigel Lay 타2nd Vice President - Glyn Charnock 타Company Secretary - Glyn Charnock
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Co-opted Directors: Billy Russell and Allan Simmons were voted on to the Board, taken as a block vote for both candidates, proposed by Pawlo Woloszyn, seconded by Ken Wainwright. Auditors (re-elected): Peter Morris of MGC Hayles Ltd, proposed by Richard Meadows, seconded by John Claydon. Solicitors (re-elected): Sarah Franklin of Isis Legal, proposed by Peter Miller, seconded by John Claydon. With the inclusion of postal and electronic votes all motions were carried. Annual subscriptions It was agreed that annual subscriptions will increase with the rate of inflation having remained at the same level for the last three years Membership Restructure Our new membership structure has been in place throughout this year and we now have a number of members listed under the different categories. Trustmark Scheme As we reported last year we had started the process of joining Trustmark; this was being carried out through a third party, Diversity Ltd. Glyn Charnock, the Director responsible for the project, has worked tirelessly with Trustmark this year to enable us to become scheme operators with our own category. This is now in its final stages and we hope it will be in place by January 2014.
Training Programs and Exams to entry Our two-day training courses continue to run to capacity, as well as our Health & Safety and Spot & Stain Removal course. In fact their popularity has increased and this year we have had to add two more Spot & Stain Removal courses to the calendar. We have also reintroduced our one-day Leather Cleaning course and are encouraging our Corporate Members to become involved with us in carrying out training courses for NCCA entry. Carpet Cleaners Carnival (CCC) This year we enjoyed another excellent Carpet Cleaners Carnival at Wicksteed Park. Nigel Lay and Alan Simmons pulled out all the stops to make this a successful day. We had a lot of positive feedback from our Corporate Members, as well as attendees. We did try something different this time around, which was to encourage the exhibitors to carry out demonstrations wherever possible, and this was very well received. A small committee (Nigel Lay, Allan Simmons and Billy Russell) have already started work on next year's event having met recently to discuss more new ideas, so look out for further information in the New Year. Finance You will see from the financial report that the Association has again made a small profit. Our membership levels have stayed much the same, even in this climate. We tightened our belts to enable us to carry out new projects in 2013 and we scheduled a few more training courses which has also helped to cover this. This year we were
able to update our computers, add new CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software and carry out a marketing incentive, which is still under construction. Marketing Last year we took a different track with regards to marketing. First of all we set up Facebook and Twitter accounts. I trust you have noticed the activity, which is being carried out on FB, this keeps Nikki quite busy as she populates our page on a regular basis. Keith Robertson and Billy Russell have also been involved in this project. We agreed as a Board earlier this year to phase out the hard copy of the Newslink; this was as a result of discussions at the February Summit meeting. The thoughts were to modernise the way we distribute publications and information using Infusionsoft (the new CRM software) and secondly reduce the cost, which would allow us to divert funds to other projects. When you consider the amount of work that goes into the collation of the magazine, the cost of printing and the increasing price of postage, it mounts up. We have since received a lot of feedback from the members saying that they have missed holding and reading the Newslink and we therefore decided to reintroduce the hard copy. The issue of Newslink you are currently reading is the first published edition following our return to hard copy, though we will still continue to distribute the accompanying online version of Newslink every month. Continued on next page
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Members Summit In February we carried out the second Members Summit meeting, again inviting around twenty past and current members to spend a day together and brainstorm. It turned out to be another successful event. We have seen many of these ideas come to fruition, which is a great achievement, and having a to-do list always gives you something else to strive for. NCCA Staff and Directors This has been another year of achievements, with the Directors and Staff of the National Carpet Cleaners Association working very hard on your behalf. I probably say this each year, but it's true. I
couldn't complete this report without mentioning our office staff, Katie, Nikki and Lewis. We are extremely lucky to have such loyal and dedicated staff. They are always ready to offer advice, they continue to keep things moving and make all of the Directors look good. I would also like to acknowledge the Board. I have a good team of Directors around me. Everyone gets involved in what they need to, and everyone supports the efforts of others. So a big thanks to them all. Finally I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all members for your continued support and to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.
Important Notice: Further improvements to member referral system In 2010 we introduced an improved system for providing members’ details to interested parties who call the NCCA office requesting the services of a reputable cleaner. A major benefit of this system is that it has provided us with the ability to inform members when their details have been given out. We have recently added to this procedure and are now also requesting the name and telephone number of each interested party who calls the office. This information is now included in the notification you receive from us when your details have been provided to potential customers.
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To All Members from The Staff And Directors of The NCCA
Cleaning Viscose carpets
Paul Pearce
F
or quite a while now I have been working on some very high end wall-to-wall carpets. The interior designers that specify them say that these carpets retail at over ÂŁ220 a square metre. I'm sure you can imagine that the risk factor goes up a little when you are working on such expensive products. The thing that you could be forgiven for thinking, however, is that because these carpets retail at that sort of figure, nothing could go wrong and they are ideal for the consumer as well as the carpet cleaner. How wrong can you be? The main fibre (indeed sometimes the only fibre) is Viscose. It is known as Art Silk, Silk, Faux Silk and really whatever the suppliers want to call it in their attempts to get someone to part with their money. Of course when you see this carpet in its luxury home you can understand why people buy it, because it really does look plush. It feels nice to
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walk on, it looks silky and even, dare I say it, luxurious. Now what about the cleaning and maintenance of it? Have you tried to clean it? Have you even come across it yet? Well first of all, and thankfully, it's not that popular (I'm sure price has a lot to do with it). Using a standard burn test you can identify the fibre. If you're not too sure, Viscose burns, smells like paper and produces soft ashes at the end. You will find that most clients will tell you what it is anyway. The thing is, how are you going to clean it? All carpets are going to get dirty and will need cleaning, most will respond to low moisture or wet
extraction. Viscose is different, it absorbs moisture very quickly; it distorts, lays flat and stains. I have seen too many that have ended up this way, usually after they have been spot cleaned by the hired help using proprietary carpet spot cleaners. The problem is that the labels on these products very rarely explain about treating different fibres, so when a spillage occurs the natural thing is to get the spot remover out. No sooner is this applied than the damage is done. These fibres discolour very easily with most spotters, including those with oxidising agents in them. The safest way to clean them is to use a dry compound system, but that doesn't always get the deep spillages out and, being so absorbent, the whole fibre really needs wetting out to remove the staining. What happens when you wet it? Well it distorts like the fur of a wet dog. Sadly, unlike a dog, you can't shake the tangles out and brushing doesn't do a great deal either.
As a last resort I have cleaned them using wet extraction, but only after a detailed consultation with the client. One of the methods I have found a good response with is encapsulation, although you will need to be cautious using those containing oxidisers (they tend to cause discolouration). I have found that a good pump-up sprayer for the application process is best, then I use a counterrotating machine with soft brushes to massage in the solution, leave to dry for half an hour and then vacuum. The results are more than acceptable. If you have things like red wine or coffee then only use acetic acid or tannin spotters (no bleaches). Yes it may distort the pile slightly, but you can reduce this using a velvet carding brush. If spotting, you can also use most solvents - but as with anything Test! Test! Test! Of course it would be great if manufacturers stopped creating and experimenting with these socalled luxury fibres, but oh no! They are now developing fine fibres from Bamboo and Banana. I thought we had just started to understand Sisal and Seagrass (coincidentally now our customers have begun to move away from them). We obviously need to be aware of what our customers are buying and be ready to assist them with their cleaning needs. Just be careful out there.
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It’s all in the preparation...
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
I
was pleased to hear from an Insurance source that claims made by carpet cleaners were at a fairly low level during the last year but, at the same time, sorry to hear that the claims that were received were mainly due to lack of proper preparation. This failure to prepare the ground properly had, in several instances, led to the damage of surrounding items that were not actually being cleaned at the time. For example carpets damaged whilst cleaning furniture, due to the lack of appropriate protective drop sheet. Overspray was another culprit, causing damage to items of polished or stained wooden furniture and in some cases adjacent wood flooring.
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I have seen quite a few videos on the internet of cleaning technicians waving the spray lance over a carpet in a very haphazard way without any consideration whatsoever for surrounding items. It's really just a simple matter of having a suitable spray tip and applying the pre-clean solution in a uniform and even pattern, surely not too much to ask? The spraying of pre-treatment and postprotective treatments onto soft furnishings should always be approached with extreme care. If I was the customer I wouldn't be happy seeing someone
Diary Dates 2014 NCCA COURSES
spraying chemicals about willy nilly over items that I had paid a fair bit of money for, would you? Damage to skirting boards and furniture from brushes/pads on low moisture rotary bonnet/brush systems is yet another common reason for an insurance claim. Again, simply due to lack of care on the part of the cleaning technician. Wood flooring coming into contact with moisture is unfortunately also a far too frequent problem. Cleaning solutions, or even just water, may affect the appearance of the surface finish if allowed to make contact. Some of these floors are also liable to buckle/warp and will cost a fair bit for the offending technician to replace or rectify. Don't forget too that the high humidity caused during a cleaning process where moisture is present can also have a detrimental effect on this type of flooring. So, could this general lack of preparation be due to the fact that cleaners do not leave sufficient time to complete the jobs properly? And is this because they are under-pricing I have to ask. We are all likely to have a claim at some point in our cleaning careers, it is one of the simple facts of life. There are always going to be circumstances beyond our control, but a lack of preparation will certainly add to our chances of something going wrong. To quote the wise words of the 'Old man of Essex' “we are not just in the cleaning business we are in the risk business�. I agree and believe it is part of our job to recognise the risks and take the appropriate action to minimise them.
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 17th - 18th January 21st - 22nd March 23rd - 24th May 4th - 5th July 19th - 20th September 21st - 22nd November Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 21st February 20th June 10th October Leather Identification & Cleaning 20th March 18th September NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details.
IICRC COURSES (HERTFORDSHIRE) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 11th - 12th March 20th - 21st May 16th - 17th September 25th - 26th November Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 18th - 19th March 3rd - 4th June 23rd - 24th September 2nd - 3rd December Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician with Paul Pearce 25th - 26th March 30th Sept - 1st Oct Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222
IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 18th - 19th February 3rd - 4th June Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 12th - 13th March 23rd - 24th July Held at National Flood School, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Visit: www.iicrc.org for further details on all IICRC Training Courses.
Unusual problems
O
Cecil Aigin (Honorary Member)
ver the years, every carpet cleaner will have encountered problem situations which will have needed some deep thought in order to reach a solution. In my forty five years in the industry I experienced many such occasions, most of them forgotten with time but a few of which remain clearly in my memory. One lasting memory is of an enormous computer room The original Thames Carpet Cleaners Ltd works (in the 1990s) belonging to a major company. We were requested attention was not given to replacing blocks in to inspect the flooring which was providing cause original positions, with the result that sections from for concern following the recent completion of previously exposed areas were laid alongside installations in the area. formerly uncontaminated blocks. The room contained a cavity floor and was As you would predict, the floor covering that had covered with removable wood blocks onto which been subjected to foot traffic, had become soil carpet tiles were stuck. attracting and resulted in the condition described. Our company was asked to determine why Many will have experienced the difficulty of individual carpet tiles, or blocks of tiles, in varying obtaining accurate information with regard to the positions on the entire floor surface, had soiled possible cause of stains and discolorations. There whilst adjacent tiles were in good condition. is, occasionally, reluctance from a person, who is A sample cleaning of several soiled tiles provided responsible for maintenance, to own up to the good results but the spurious nature of the soiling was a puzzle, so I consulted the site foreman on the possibility that some procedural system had not gone according to plan. immediate past history of the room. By chance, I met the managing director of a major I discovered that the entire floor had been fitted carpet manufacturer at a meeting. A short time prior to the completion of work in the area. Subsequently, almost the entire floor area had been later he contacted me and asked if I could inspect lifted and the blocks stacked to enable cabling to be an area of carpet, supplied by his company, which was installed in a major hotel. installed in the floor cavity. Needless to say,
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I remember thinking that I hoped they didn't choose that night to have a flood. But, sure enough, I arrived home and had hardly taken my coat off when the hotel maintenance manager was on the phone to advise me that their entire 1000 sq mtr banqueting suite was under water and to ask me if I would attend as a matter of urgency. It was a question of choosing between the World Cup match and a very valued client. Needless to say, I opted for the hotel and drove back to discover that the entire floor was in fact under water. I advised them to draw as much water off as possible with a motorized wet pick-up and then supervised their maintenance staff in taking up the carpet and separating seams into manageable sections. The following morning, with the cooperation of another NCCA member who had in-plant facilities, all the carpet was removed from site. It was then processed and returned four days later. We were equipped with automatic carpet cleaning and drying equipment and were well placed to handle work of this nature, although it did mean putting our regular work on hold for a few days. The hotel dried out the area and was able to hold a banquet according to schedule. I hope that these reminiscences will provoke memories in other members; no doubt Nicky, our Newslink editor, will be interested to receive them.
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All photographs are of the original Thames Carpet Cleaners Ltd works (taken in the 1990s) ŠCecil Aigin
An inspection of the carpet, which was installed in corridors, indicated many yellowish discolorations in the beige pile. I attempted to obtain a clue as to the possible cause and suggested to the maintenance manager that some hard surface cleaning fluid, which may have been used in a nearby indoor pool, might have accidently dripped on to the carpet. He refuted any possibility of this having occurred. A pH check of the stains indicated a degree of alkalinity and treatment with a mild acetic rinse removed the staining and returned the carpet to a satisfactory condition. A few weeks later, I received a call from the deputy manager of the hotel who took the trouble to advise me that staff, which were responsible for spotting the carpet at night, had been using a hard surface cleaner by mistake, instead of a proprietary carpet spotter which had been obtained for the purpose. Possibly, the situation that I remember the most clearly was back in 1970. I was driving home from work at about 5pm, anxious not to be late for the start of a World Cup match that England were playing in that night. During the journey, there was an enormous cloud burst just as I was passing a large hotel where we carried out regular carpet maintenance.
First aid kit
Ken Wainwright
D
o you carry a First Aid Kit in your van? Have you ever needed to use it or do you depend on your customer to help out should an accident occur? My story is comical in hindsight but, to me, it was serious at the time. This tale is a little complex and I'm sure that several planets would have had to have been in alignment, so to speak, for the incident to occur as it did, so please bear with me and my preliminary details. I had been suffering with minor lower back pain and my treatment was to apply some Percutane, a naturally resourced cream made from hot chillies and manufactured in New Zealand. A great and effective product that can be comfortably hot on the skin, becoming more intense when wetted. I was working in an empty house, cleaning carpets and upholstery at the end of a tenancy, when the need arose to use the toilet. Unfortunately, there was no toilet tissue in the house. No problem me thinks, I always carry some in the van for such emergencies. Well I thought I did but unfortunately on this occasion I discovered it had all gone. Being a resourceful type, I took a clean towel from my van so that I could have a freshwater wash down afterwards. Then I discovered there was no soap in the house either.
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This is when my problem began. Whilst washing myself, some water must have splashed onto my back where the Percutane had been applied and, over the next few minutes, a little of this water obeyed the laws of gravity and trickled down my bum cleavage, resting in the freshly washed region.
ARGHHHHHHH. My bum became an inferno! There was no soap available and another freshwater wash didn't help at all. So, out to the van I went to lay my hands on my trusty First Aid Kit. Petroleum Jelly brought instant relief and life was back to normal. So, the moral of my story is to always make sure you have tissue paper in the van and to always, always carry a fully stocked first aid kit with you. You never know when you might need it!
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Industry misconceptions Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
T
his month I want to reflect on some of the misconceptions that are common within our industry. I have decided to deal with this in two sections (1: customer and 2: cleaner) and some of my comments may well prove to be controversial but “Hey Ho… in for a penny, in for a pound”. Common customer misconceptions: 1) Carpet and upholstery, once cleaned, will miraculously look like new again WRONG! Five or ten year old soft furnishings are never going to look exactly 'like new' again even if you've done a superb job with the cleaning. However, as the designated cleaner, you are in an ideal position to dispel this myth immediately simply by discussing expected results with your customer at the initial survey stage and, if necessary, re-educating them. 2) Every spot and stain will disappear We are all aware that the 'No guarantee' rule should be applied here particularly as, at this point, we may be unaware of all the home remedies that have already been tried and have subsequently failed. Again, educate your customer on the expected results during the initial survey stage. Common cleaner misconceptions: 1) Customers won't pay that sort of money I wish I had a fiver for every time I've heard that statement, quickly followed by “there are cleaners in my area charging £15 per room, I have to compete with that”… No you don't! I was talking to a cleaner recently who showed me the worksheet his boss had given him for that day. His first job was booked for 9am, to clean a lounge carpet for £15! He showed me the
contents of his van, a small extraction machine that cost (he said) around £300 plus several gallons of cleaning chemicals each marked with a felt tipped pen, i.e. carpet cleaner, stain remover etc. No manufacturers' labels were in evidence, so no dilution rates, no Health & Safety information… SCARY! No wonder the prices his company were charging were so cheap. If you're doing a great job, however, why
shouldn't you charge for it? I read a short article in my daily paper recently where an experienced carpet cleaner was denied the chance to clean carpets in a prominent London property because, apparently, his inexpensive rates betrayed a lack of experience! Now, don't get me wrong, I don't agree that cleaners in the Capital should exploit wealthy people at all, but there are obviously some areas in London where it is almost expected
that workmen will charge a higher rate and a 'too low' quotation will be regarded with suspicion. Actually, it is my personal belief that many cleaners generally charge far too cheap a price for their work anyway and that society has moved into the B.O.G.O.F. (Buy One Get One Free) era to the point where the 'bottom feeders' prevail. So, Continued on next page
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cleaned and the end result looks pretty good, the customer is delighted, BUT… is it really clean? Ask yourself what the carpet is going to look like in three weeks' time when all the oil that has penetrated into the backing starts to wick back up to the surface. Will the customer be happy then? REMEMBER - People buy 'people' Be Professional in everything you do. That means looking good, that means clean, tidy and possibly investing in a uniform, smelling good (splash on the deodorant). Have a clean tidy van, inside and out - make sure your kit is clean and tidy too Charge a realistic price so that you can offer a complete service and, dare I say, leave a 'clean' carpet that your customer/client is truly
if you think you can't charge more for your work just think of all those cheaper priced cleaners fighting for lower-end business within your area. They're leaving the 'cream' for all those professionals who excel in offering a good service. There are higherend clients in every region of this country who need their soft furnishings cleaned, not just London. Why shouldn't it be you offering them this service? 2) The customer is delighted with the job so it must be clean In all honesty I have to ask… is it really clean? Each person's perception of 'clean' is different. Remember the old saying, looks are only skin (or in this case 'tuft') deep. Let me paint a picture for you if I may. A spillage of oil on a kitchen carpet, quite a happy with, now… AND in the future. bit of oil in fact, has been walked into the carpet for Don't be a 'bottom feeder' go to the top of the a considerable period of time. The carpet is bonnet tree. You're worth it… aren't you?
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O
ne of the things that surprises me about the wood flooring industry is the lack of interest in installing new wood block flooring. We are all used to seeing wood block in old public buildings (schools being the primary example) and any estate agent will tell you that a property with a beautiful floor of this type will sell quicker and at a higher price. Add to this that, technically, a wood block floor suits modern living better than any other type of solid wood floor, and the mystery deepens. Part of the attraction of a wood floor is that people think of wood as a natural product, a living breathing thing, and in flooring environment they are partially correct. Of course when a tree is felled it is no longer living but it will stay 'breathing' until the day it is totally destroyed. The 'breathing' in the case of wood consists of absorbing moisture and therefore swelling and losing moisture and shrinking in the process. If all houses were fitted with climate control it would be easy to acclimate any size wood flooring to the house norm, install it and forget it. The reality is
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that most houses don't have climate control. In the summer we turn our heating off and the moisture content of the air in the house increases and peaks towards the end of summer/beginning of autumn (the incidence of wood floor problems increases during this period). As winter sets in we turn our central heating on and this dries out the air and therefore the wood in your house. In effect our wood floors are expanding and contracting annually and this is the reason all wood flooring needs expansion gaps, at least around the perimeter So, back to my statement about wood block floors suiting modern living. Why? If we take on board the fact that wood expands, we have to
accept that the wider the board (expansion is mainly through the width of the board) the more it expands. As wood block flooring is made up of quite narrow pieces, each block only expands a small amount. Between this block and the next will be a small but important gap that it, and its neighbour, can 'move into' at times of high humidity. In addition to this, several other factors come into play. The first is that the most popular patterns for this type of flooring are herringbone and basket weave, if you look at both these patterns you will notice that the sides of the blocks are laid against the ends of some of their neighbours (this helps with expansion issues due to them mainly occurring through the width). The second is that the modern adhesives allow the blocks to move during expansion but will also, to some degree, pull them back again during
contraction, unlike old fashioned bitumen or nails. Finally the very nature of a patterned floor made up of small blocks fools the eye and disguises any discrepancies. So, let's compare wood block to the latest 'designer fad' - wide plank boards. Yes, wide plank is beautiful and when it's an engineered board it is reasonably practical (engineered boards do not suffer from extreme expansion or contraction), but an engineered board is not for life like a solid wood block floor (if it were around in Victorian times, would it still be giving good service in those schools? I don't think so). Those that choose solid wide plank should be prepared to carry an ice axe during the winter months, they'll need it to climb back out of those gaps! So, finally, to answer my own question “why isn't wood block installation more common?”, maybe it's because we live in an 'instant' world and wide plank (or for that matter any other pre-finished wood floor) fulfils that need at the lowest cost. Wood block itself isn't expensive but it does require a good fitter and sanding and finishing to a high standard, but as my daughters would say, “it's just soooo worth it!”
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Do you need a ‘brand strategy’?
I
f you were to seek advice on improving your business, you would likely be told that you need to 'build your brand' or create 'brand awareness'. Typically this means spending money on a fancy logo and generally telling the marketplace what a great business you are. If you do this, you are following the lead set by many, many corporate type companies. But is this the best way for you, as a small carpet cleaner, to get more sales? I was intrigued recently while watching Man Utd vs Arsenal at Old Trafford to see that a well-known travel company have changed their logo. It was on one of the electronic billboards. A bit of research on the internet revealed that the company in question has recently updated its corporate identity, rebranding as part of a rootand-branch overhaul by a new boss who was recruited last year to save it from collapse. Their old logo (first used in 1980) has been abandoned and a new design has been created, recently unveiled alongside a new slogan. The company says that the new visual identity and branding looks to reflect the 'warmth and approachability', 'trust and personalisation' and message of 'High Tech, High Touch' of the brand. You'll notice that in response to near collapse,
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David Coker
they have decided that the answer is… a new logo! But surely the most important question of all is, will this lead to more SALES? Well, let's ask one of its valued customers… ME! I've travelled with this company twice in the last eighteen months. What has been my experience? On my recent trip to Mexico the transfer took two and a half hours arriving at my hotel at the equivalent of two in the morning. The problem? The advertised transfer was one hour. The previous year, with a rival firm, it was thirty five minutes. Apparently they had crammed in more drop-off points before ours! On a previous holiday to Egypt, they cancelled an entire plane leaving passengers bound for Manchester to travel via Gatwick - an add-on of several hours. Incredibly they didn't let the Manchester bound passengers know until they got to the airport in Egypt. It also meant that although I had pre-booked a window seat, I ended up sitting in the centre row. I decided there and then that I would NOT travel with this company again unless I had very little choice. Would the money they spent on re-branding not have been better spent on improving the experience for the customer? Frankly I don't care about their logo or their ‘trust and personalisation’
or their ‘warmth and approachability.’ But I do care about getting what I've paid for. A re-brand (new pretty logo) does not fool me! So what brand strategy should you follow? 1) Forget 'brand awareness'. You don't know whether it's successful or not as it can't be measured. 2) Forget advertising just to remind people of your existence. Killer advertising is simply 'salesmanship multiplied' according to copywriter Gary Halbert. 3) A good advert will work the first time. People don't need to see it seven, fifteen or twenty times. 4) Don't be fooled that a brand is the most important thing. The people who give you money are! 5) Forget 'clever' type advertising with just your 'image' displayed. If you acted strange or did a silly dance and then mentioned the name of your company at the end of it, you wouldn't expect a potential customer to request your services based on this performance would you? As a small business, the best course of action is to focus on personal salesmanship. Talk to your customer, find out what they really want, present your service as the best solution to their problems and then ensure your service lives up to your claims. I'll give the last word to Claude Hopkins who wrote about silly logos and image type advertising this way: “Instead of sales, they seek applause”. I say… Let them have the applause - my bank doesn't accept it!
New NCCA Members Revive Carpet Cleaning Bolton, Lancashire CCS Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Aldershot, Hampshire Contract Cleaners Ltd Dartmouth, Devon Cleaning Doctor Norwich Wymondham, Norfolk Black & White Cleaning Co. Barking, Essex Master Floor Care Ltd Northampton, Northamptonshire
Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 128 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 80 referrals from the NCCA office, 47 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 1 referral to a member without an email address, which has been tracked by the office.
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Flood damaged upholstery
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
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s with all soft furnishing cleaning, in the case of flood damaged upholstery a pre-inspection survey should be carried out to determine the extent of any pre-existing damage such as: - rips, tears, splits or loose seams, frayed piping, colour loss, shrinkage of fabric in all areas, deterioration of cushions or foam, rusty or missing buttons, shredded or loose tufts, structural damage, scratches or nicks in wood, residues from previous cleaning, hair oil or perspiration stains, colour bleed from pens, markers and lipstick. Always carry out a pre-test for possible colour bleed, possible shrinkage, possible loss of handle or texture if cleaning a chintz fabric, indelible stains that might not be removed, a crock test, burns test and if dealing with velvet a test for possible crush removal. In addition to these measures check fabric and wood for moisture adsorption (swelling). This will determine if the upholstery item(s) has already incurred non-restorable water damage and requires replacement. Also note the type of water damage, which has occurred, ie whether it is
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clean, grey or black water. This will determine if the upholstery can be cleaned and restored successfully. All this information must be in writing and your client must fully understand what has been written in your pre-inspection survey, so that if any problems arise you have written proof to which you can refer (survey forms are available to NCCA members from the office). Photographs are a good backup plan as well as the inspection survey, which must be thorough. Examine every part of the upholstery, even the underneath, inside, metal springs and also unzip every cushion/seating unit for close inspection. The type of fabric the piece of upholstery is
covered in will determine how you can clean watermarks from it. If it is a fabric that should not be wet cleaned, inform your client that although wet cleaning would remove the watermarks successfully, unfortunately some fabrics can be damaged by this method. A cold/hot solvent clean or foam might be the safer option. The most effective method of watermark removal on upholstery is hot water extraction (HWE). However, it is important to minimise fabric solution wetness on certain delicate/sensitive fabrics as this can cause greater problems (shrinkage, splitting, colour run/loss) than the watermarks. Watermarks usually occur after a flood, or perhaps when liquids have been spilt on fabric, which causes any soil to spread. When the fabric dries the soil remains at the outer edge of the spill, which can also cause browning. The removal of watermarks on upholstery will usually cause very few problems. Clean with an alkaline detergent and rinse thoroughly with an acid based rinsing agent, making sure you dry as quickly as you can. Make sure that you leave the cleaned fabric in a neutral (pH 7) condition in the event that pH sensitive dyes have been used during the manufacturing process. A note of caution, never remove cushion/seat covers for separate washing as this may cause shrinkage or colour loss, and never tumble dry them as this can result in shrinkage and destroy the backing or damage the fabric. Please remember the end product of any restoration service is to make sure that the preloss condition is met, nothing less will do.
TrustMark Update The final obstacles to having our own category with TrustMark have been resolved. We are formally submitting an application to become Scheme Operator for our own Carpet Cleaning category and, all being well, this should be up and running by 1st January.
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Health and Safety (safety signs and signals) Regulations 1996 Steve Scotter
Y
ou have a duty of care in your work to ensure that your actions or omissions do not result in injury, illness or financial loss to others. If you employ technicians there is a legal requirement to display safety signs whilst working but, even if you are a sole trader, you must use these signs to protect others. When you enter any building to carry out work it becomes a workplace and therefore Health and Safety laws apply. Cleaning carpets and hard floors can result in damp surfaces, which can easily become a slip hazard, so slippery surface warning signs are required. These warning signs need to be left in place until the area is dry. When extraction cleaning is taking place there are pump and vacuum hoses running from the cleaning area to the extraction machine; these are trip hazards so, again, a warning sign is required. Safety signs can also be used as barriers to section off an area where your equipment has been placed. It is also a good idea to place signs on the side of your machinery or, if using a truckmount, on the side of your van. An additional benefit in doing this is that I have actually known of carpet cleaners who, when they've included their contact details on these signs, have obtained further work as a result. If you do not display warning signs and someone should trip or slip it could be very difficult to defend a compensation claim against you. Remember, noncompliance with Health and Safety law is a criminal
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offence and, although your insurance covers you for negligence, it may not cover you if you are found to be working illegally. It may seem like a lot of work to comply with Health and Safety law but bear in mind that money and time spent on H&S will improve your work efficiency, help you to avoid accidents and costly mistakes, improve your company reputation and ultimately lead to increased work or job size. Sometimes customers have unrealistic expectations of what you can do in a set time, do not let these people make you work unsafely. On occasion, a client's desires have conflicted with my ability to comply with Health & Safety law and I have had to point out why I am not willing to carry out my work in the way they have suggested. Also if there are children running around the house as you are trying to work you need to take control of the situation and stop this. Personally I would rather walk away from a job than expose myself to a claim or prosecution. Remember, it is the law that you work safely at all times.
Steve Scotter was a carpet cleaner and a member of the National Carpet Cleaners Association for many years. He now works for NCCA Corporate Member, Hydro-Dynamix Ltd, as a NEBOSH qualified Health and Safety Manager.
Let Controlaccount Plc clean up your debts
W
e are pleased to inform you that the NCCA is working in partnership with Controlaccount Plc to help our members in dealing with slow paying customers. Controlaccount aim to collect your outstanding accounts within a fourteen-day cycle to help prevent further action by litigation, which is a service they also provide should all else fail. The NCCA have negotiated a preferential rate on a no-recovery no-fee arrangement and so Controlaccount are able to recover your outstanding commercial accounts for 7.5% of whatever balance is collected. In addition, if they can add LPA interest and compensation (late payment act) to cover part of recovery costs these fees will reduce to just 5% commission charged on monies collected. Their service includes: ŸA dedicated team of collectors with an expert knowledge of commercial and consumer debt,
enabling them to collect your accounts with minimum disruption to you or your business. ŸFully automated systems to deal with all queries you may have. ŸOnline referral system for ease of notifying them of any accounts you wish them to chase. ŸOnline notification systems keeping you fully informed of conversations they have had with your customers. ŸOnline reporting providing up-to-the-minute information on all accounts placed with them for collection. ŸIn house legal system, should it be necessary for legal proceedings to be issued, with the same upto-the-minute reporting facility allowing you, as the client, so see exactly what point all proceedings have reached. For additional information please Contact Chris Lisle on 0777 8776580 clisle@controlaccount.com Company website: www.controlaccount.com
Our name and logo We need your help to ensure that only bone fide members of the NCCA use the coveted name and logo and to safeguard our good name from use by unscrupulous individuals or companies. If you become aware of an individual or company using our name and/or logo, and you have reason to believe that they are not members of the NCCA, please send us any evidence you can, together with any other information that might help us when we take a particular case to Trading Standards.
We accept as evidence the appearance of our name or logo on websites or any printed material. In the case of official publications we would need to know the date and name of the journal/directory in which misuse occurred. It is in everyone's interest to help us stamp out the illegal use of our name and logo, so please be vigilant.
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Lifting the burden on back pain
Sophie Tompkins (Eversheds LLP)
T
he Health and Safety Executive have recently published their Annual Statistics report for 2012/2013, with some illuminating results. Over 2011 and 2012, 27 million working days were lost due to health and safety incidents, and over 2012/2013 employers reported 80,000 injuries to workers. Clearly the risks of getting health and safety at work wrong are significant, but whilst managing the risks can be viewed as a burdensome and costly task (particularly for smaller businesses with fewer resources to devote to the issue) this isn't necessarily the case - often problems can be avoided simply through vigilance and the taking of small, simple steps. Back pain is a common problem amongst all age groups and industries, but musculoskeletal disorders ('MSDs') are particularly prevalent in manual and skilled occupations such as the cleaning industry. A total of 7.5 million working days have been lost due to MSDs and last year there were 141,000 new cases. This article looks at the disorders, why the cleaning industry in
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particular needs to be aware of the problems and how they can be recognised and managed. What are musculoskeletal disorders? MSDs are conditions that affect the nerves, tendons, muscles and supporting structures (for example the discs in your back). Whilst commonly associated with back pain, MSDs can also be developed in the neck, shoulders, elbows, hands and lower limbs. The risk of suffering from MSDs increases with age, with the highest rates for workers aged over 45. Approximately 40% of disorders affect the back, and 40% affect the upper limbs. Most MSDs will develop gradually over time, and
can be caused by postural strain and repetitive movements. The main risk factors include manual handling, awkward postures, work organisation and hand/arm vibration. Many of these will be faced on a daily basis by those in the cleaning industry, so it is important to be aware of the risks and how to handle them. Preventing MSDs As with all health and safety risks, employers have a legal duty to manage their employees' exposure to MSDs. The risks must be known in order to be managed and prevented, and those exposed to the risks must be ascertained. Once this information has been established, both employer and employee will be better placed to take care of their safety and wellbeing. An assessment of the risk of musculoskeletal problems in cleaners should take account of the tasks being undertaken, the individual involved and the working environment that they are in. Where the task involves manual handling, the loads involved should be considered along with any hand/arm vibration and awkward postures. Employers should be alert to any reports of pain and discomfort and employees choosing to wear splints, bandages or back supports. Training staff in proper lifting techniques, use of handling aids and raising awareness of the risk will reduce the likelihood of injuries. It is important for employers to talk to those at risk and involve employees in considering solutions. The situation should be continually monitored. These simple and cost effective steps will help to
keep in check the risks of these problematic disorders and getting such preventative steps right not only avoids injury, but also increases productivity by avoiding unnecessary days off work.
NCCA Member Benefits Adelante Merchant Services: 01628 820500 BeValued - Home Options (specialist claims management - insurance work): Call Shaun Mulvey on 01323 418432 Control Account PLC: 01527 882901 EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650 Hibu (previously Yell) - ask for Corporate Advertising Department: 0808 100 7890 HMCA (free legal and counselling helpline): 0117 934 2600 HMCA (medical health cover): 01423 866985 MF Oils (fuel discounts): Call Jake on 01202 339197 Payatrader: 01296 660177 SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860 Thompson Local - ask forCorporate Advertsing Department: 01252 390385 TrustMark (Diversity): 0115 9673767
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Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details. BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, well established carpet, hard floor and upholstery cleaning business (London and Kent borders). Package includes: 57 plate Vauxhall Vivaro LWB Van with 53k miles on the clock, Prochem Blazer GT Truck Mount machine with only 270hrs on the clock, established interactive website (which had SEO programme last year), chemicals, turbo drier, 250 feet of solution and suction hose and van mounted hose reels, together with a property maintenance company name, website and promotional materials. Contact telephone number 020 8309 6517. Sale price: £18,000 O.N.O. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - £2950 Top of the range Ashbys Ninja adjustable up to 400psi with inbuilt heater and Hot Solvent Functionality. 2 x25m vacuum hoses, 1 x silencer hose, 1 x wand, 1 x upholstery tool, 1 x dry cleaning solvent tool. Sebo Duo agitator, Sebo Vacuum BS36, 1.5hp blower dryer, Truvox high speed buffer, Prochem Stain Removal kit, 2 x 6 litres pressure sprayers, 1 x 1 litre upholstery / spot sprayer, vinyl mat for Ninja, and 1 terrapaulin sheet, Huge array of chemicals including: Prochem Power Burst, Defoamer, Prochem Pre Spray Gold, Prochem Natural Carpet Cleaner, Ashby's supreme Anti Grease, Prochem Browning prescription, Prochem Fabric and Fibre Rinse, Ashby's Extra Fresh, Prochem Odour Fresh. Box of other bits including shoe covers; brushes, polystyrene pads, measuring jugs, dry compound. All in excellent condition. Selling as my second business is consuming all of my time. Contact Richard 07903 841534. MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Chemspec stainless steel 4 jet floor wand in good condition - £100.00 plus delivery charge if applicable. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885 804560.
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VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Experienced full time Carpet and Floor Care Technician required. Own van and equipment an advantage but not essential. Good business incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com with full CV, etc.) or telephone: 01672 871882 or mobile: 07831 172743. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Mobile container/bin (red) - comes with lid. Heavy duty container on wheels. L55” x W32” x H31”, ideal hose and other carpet clng equipment storage. List price: £199 - selling for £75. Whole room drier/air mover. List price: £534 - selling for £175 (no VAT). Contact: Chis on: 02380 898 212 or email:mncrostance@googlemail.com or phone Chris on: 07970 040729. BUSINESS FOR SALE Small long-established reputable NCCA registered working business, specialising carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning. Northumberland based owner/operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Sign written 55 plate Iveco Daily van with fitted Prochem Blazer Truck Mount High pressure and extraction hose reels complete with hoses, including wands, hard floor surface spinner 3 turbo dryers fans, 4 dehumidifiers, MMs Plus, Sebo vac and duo, Rotary scrubber, plus lots of other equipment and chemicals. Plus a fully SEO website. Genuine interested parties only please. Call 01670 787185. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Whole room downdraft dryer from Power Flite. Versatile air mover - multiple positions. Hardly used. Was: £325. Accept: £150. Victor Sprite 12" Rotory Machine. Used once. Was £855 - Accept £450. Collect from Coventry. Tel 02476 620444. CLEANING AND RESTORATION MACHINERY EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIES Dri-Eaz Dehumidifier 1200 as New Boxed £450.00. Dri-Eaz Sahara Pro TurboDryer - New Boxed £150.00. Dri-Eaz Dri X Airchanger Dehumidifier New Boxed. Normal Price £1900.00. Our Price £500.00. Plus much more. For a complete list please telephone: 07580 182 325 or E-mail: info@restoration-direct.co.uk
NCCA Corporate Members OFFICE PRINTER/COPIER Duplo DP-2211 Single colour A3 or A4 duplicator. Full working order, any fair trial. Ideal for low cost Flyers. Some consumables. PC Interface, prints direct from P.C. or printed copy - £250.00 o.n.o. For further Information Contact gary@amazingcleaning.co.uk or call 0116 2672720. Based in Leicester EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount £150.00. Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £250.00. Contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact Andy on: 07970 544806. WHOLE ROOM DRYER 360 degrees air mover, ex company stock used for 18 months only (Truvox) - Cost new: £500. Selling cost: £150. Contact: 02380 898212. TRUCKMOUNT Banclene truck mount complete with base unit, stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feet of Vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline heater and misc parts etc..The van has been sold seperately. Selling due to retirement and will consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976 218304 or email derek @aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk
+ Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry Franchising Ltd: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleanpro Software Solutions Ltd: 01582 518467 + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Dri-Eaz Products Ltd: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + Get Booked Up Software: 01405 813665 + Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr)T) + Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + NSL Restormate: 01670 590099: (M/C/Tr) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C) + Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)
The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.
+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + Robert Saunders Marketing Mentor: 08450 537129 (K) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.: 00353 91846488 (M/C/Fr) + The WoolSafe Organisation: 01943 850817 + Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Worldwide Cleaning Support: 01279 422220 (C/M)
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C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr - Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance / Tr - Training.
31 Christmas related words have all been hidden in the grid below. You can find the words by looking diagonally, forward, backward, up, and down. See if you can find them.
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Christmas Word search
Find these words BELIEVE BIBLE CHIMNEY CHRISTMAS COOKIES ELVES FAMILY FRANKINCENSE GINGERBREAD HOUSE GOLD GREEN
HOLIDAY INN JESUS JOSEPH LIGHTS MANGER MARY MILK MYRRH NAUGHTY NICE
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