newslink
ncca
Features:
Colloid Cleaners Reducing Humidity ŠDevonia Plain by Axminster
February 2011
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Contents
Published monthly by:
03 From the editor
The National Carpet Cleaners Association
03 Renewal Notice 04 Less than a month away - The Cleaning Show 2011 06 ‘Plaster Stone’ flooring 08 A ’Krap’ job 10 Join the .co revolution 11 Carpets help to trap Dust Mite allergen 12 How to reduce humidity when cleaning 15 Bleach stains on fabric 16 Colloid cleaners - what are they and how do they work? 19 The new health and safety course for carpet and upholstery cleaners 20 The UK water supply 23 Hard floor care course coming soon! 24 Rental equipment 24 Spot and stain removal course coming soon! 26 VAT and TAX increases 28 The truth behind health and safety myths
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.
62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 Fax: 0116 271 9588 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law CEO/Finance and Admin Director Nick Johnston Company Secretary/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Training Director Pawlo Woloszyn Marketing Director Keith Robertson Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Associate Liaison Director Denise Pitt Events Director Nigel Lay
©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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From the editor
T
he NCCA understands the importance of marketing and this month we have dipped our toe in the waters of Social Media (ie, Facebook, Twitter etc). Social Media Marketing (SMM) provides both large and small companies with the opportunity to generate exposure for their business with no cost involved. SMM and online communities allow for open discussion, customer reviews and peer-to-peer recommendation, driving awareness to an ever growing audience. Successful SMM can improve web traffic and bring you large amounts of backlinks that benefit your ranking in search engines. Although tentative at the moment, our involvement with Social Media will grow over time, so watch this space! (NCCA can now be found on both Twitter and Facebook). Our ongoing marketing campaign will continue to run alongside the Social Media Marketing as we are aware that this is still hugely important in creating awareness. During the last month the NCCA has had articles
published in CFR, Cleaning Matters, CHT and Tomorrow's Cleaning. Additionally we recently issued articles to the consumer press, including Good Housekeeping, Antiques Nikki Law magazine, Your Home, Woman's Weekly and various lifestyle magazines. We have also been looking for NCCA members who have cleaned a prestigious building within the last six months - to participate in our consumer press campaign, which involves the creation of competitions for regional publications. We are pleased to say that we now have several members on board and can move forward with the concept, but we are still looking for more people to take part. A prestigious building can include National Heritage buildings, National Trust Properties, celebrity’s houses or anything similar. If you think you fit the bill, please contact Nicky at the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550, or email:
Renewals Notice 2011/2012
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he renewal invoices for 2011/2012 will be sent out April 1st 2011 and due for payment in full by May 1st 2011. Unfortunately, we are no longer able to offer credit facilities to members who wish to spread subscription payments, this service was withdrawn by Premium Credit last year and the Association has been unable to find an alternative provider. If you have not already informed us that you do not wish to renew your membership this year please put this in writing to the Company Secretary before the 1st April. The new Articles of Association state: “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”. This item is legally enforceable. Another requirement of your renewal is proof of your insurance. Again, this year, we will only be accepting Public Liability schedules that clearly state that they include either Treatment Risk or Products Liability. Without proof you will not be referred to the general public by the office or via the website. Please make sure you send all the correct required documentation along with your payment, this will aid in the swift processing of your renewal. Important Notice: All members who have not yet completed a full year of membership will still be receiving a subscription invoice due on May 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. page 3
©Photograph: Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions
Less than a month away - The Cleaning Show 2011!
T
he Cleaning Show is being staged at Birmingham's NEC on 1-3 March 2011. The event is organised every two years on behalf of the cleaning industry by BCCE Ltd, a company jointly owned by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Publishing & Exhibitions Ltd, publisher of C&M. Feature-packed The Cleaning Show Innovation Awards have continued to grow in stature, taking a further step forward in 2009 with a new judging process undertaken by industry experts. This year the organisers are further developing and improving the scheme. Neil Nixon, chair of the judging panel, said: “One of the limiting factors previously for the Innovation Awards was the small number of categories. To better reflect the diversity of products within the cleaning sector, we will be doubling the number of categories in 2011 - whilst maintaining our commitment to judge all the finalists on site during the first day of the Cleaning Show. The judging panel which comprises recognised experts from all sectors of the cleaning industry - will be expanded to manage the anticipated increase in applications.” Visitors to the Cleaning Show are increasingly looking for environmentally friendly products and
this year the organisers are seeking to help them in their search by creating the Green Zone. The Green Zone will comprise a number of products from different companies, all developed to promote environmentally sensitive cleaning practices. Each exhibit will also be featured in an adjacent, free-toenter, seminar programme. The previous event's exit survey highlighted 'green' products as a major area of interest for visitors, the Green Zone has been designed to meet the requirements of modern product and equipment specifiers, purchasers and users. Visitor passes The most efficient way to guarantee your attendance at The Cleaning Show 2011 is to register in advance for your free exhibition pass. This can be done online at www.cleaningshow.co.uk simply by clicking the 'register now' button and completing your details. Your badge will be prepared in advance to avoid queuing at the event. For further details on The Cleaning Show 2011 please contact Martin Scott on: 01895 454438 Email: martinscott@quartzltd.com www.cleaningshow.co.uk You can visit the NCCA on stand B12 page 4
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Keith Robertson
Stoneman’s Corner Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
‘Plaster Stone’ flooring
N
o I haven't made a mistake, there really is such a thing as 'plaster stone'. The use of a gypsum based plaster to construct what were known as 'plaster stone' floors was quite common four hundred years ago in the East Midlands. I have no knowledge of whether this method was used elsewhere, but it was quite common for similar building techniques to develop quite separately in different parts of the country using materials common to that area. Recently, some interesting renovation of 'plaster stone' has been carried out at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire, which was originally built in the 1590's by Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury. History books record that she was one of the most capable and ambitious women of that time and had
amassed wealth and power second only to Queen Elizabeth I herself. The National Trust, who own and care for the home, decided it was necessary to repair some of the four hundred year old floors. Obviously 'plaster stone' floors are less common today and so it was necessary to carry out both research and trials, taking into account the need for it to be sympathetic to the existing floors but also effective as a hard wearing flooring material. The final product was a combination of Tarmac Building Products, Limelite High Impact Finishing Plaster and a gypsum plaster binder, mixed with an aggregate obtained by crushing old plaster salvaged from the property. In each of the rooms being worked upon the original crushed flooring was kept page 6
separate to be reused as the aggregate in the same the specialist flooring contractor who did the work, room. “the finished floor is a flat hard wearing surface that I don't know how extensive the testing of will hopefully last another four hundred years”. different products was, however, the product chosen (Limelite High Impact Finishing Plaster) is marketed as hard and durable with a finish formulated to provide high resistance to knocks and casual damage in high-risk areas. Before it could be used it was necessary to take up sections of flooring so that repairs could be carried out to some of the substructures and joists. Following the original construction method, oak lath was fitted over the joists, covered with scattered hay and finally the plaster, aggregate mix was laid to a depth of up Elizabeth Talbot to 100mm. Countess of Shrewsbury According to Brian Trumper of Trumpers Ltd,
The ‘Great Hall’ at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
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A ‘krap’ job Ken Wainwright
O
ver the years, it's surprised me how many carpet cleaning technicians will clean a carpet that has biological contaminants present, and who then pack away their equipment without any thought of sanitizing their machines, hoses and tools. Some don't even wear the most basic of PPE such as protective gloves! To start, I'll put my hand in the air and confess to being a little naĂŻve on these matters during my early years. It's been well reported in Newslink about the
perils of such complacency, and I remember an article sometime back by, I think, Peter Collins, which went much deeper into the biological hazards presented by body fluids and excrements. Reflecting on these matters just a few short weeks ago, it occurred to me that apart from the generic perils of cleaning up urine, faeces and vomit, there must also be diseases which could be contracted that are specific to certain species of animals. This greatly increases our page 8
exposure to risk. So I decided to correlate my own list from my memories of over thirty years in our industry. My 'Pee and Poo Parade', in no particular order, is quite extensive and almost certainly there will be some omissions, but here goes anyway. Top of the list must be dogs (of varying sizes) and cats. Then we have human followed by an array of birds including budgerigars, canaries, parrots, cockatoo and cockatiel. Then there are the small, four legged pets to add such as rabbits, mice, hamsters, rats, gerbils, guinea pigs and probably some other rodents too. Living in a rural area, livestock are also an everyday source of walked in soils. The obvious ones are cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens. But I've also encountered deer and wild boar! Then there are the exotic pets which I've cleaned up after, all of which terrify me. I've come across urine and faeces from various reptiles such as corn snake, python, lizards of differing sizes and one case of a Tarantula! I had one customer in Redditch back in the eighties who had a young alligator in a vivarium, and yes I had to clean its 'waste' from the carpet. The chap also informed me that he had TWO black mambas in a vivarium in the bedroom, and no, I didn't clean up after them. I didn't go anywhere near the room! There will almost certainly be other animals and pets that I've cleaned up after, but another 'senior' moment prevents me from recalling them When you start thinking about the variety of body soil sources that you may have encountered during your career and then multiplied by three to allow for each of urine, faeces and vomit, you may fully appreciate the peril that we expose ourselves to and the need to be vigilant with our procedures.
Diary Dates 2011 NCCA COURSES Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning 25th - 26th March 17th - 18th June 16th - 17th September 25th - 26th November Health and Safety For The Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner (NCCA members only) 17th March 16th June 15th September 17th November Spot and Stain Removal 18th March 18th November Hard Floor Cleaning 5th - 6th April 3rd - 4th November Leather Cleaning and Restoration Dates and venues to be arranged NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise Stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details.
IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician 15th - 16th February with Adam Jankowski Held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185
IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Carpet Cleaning Technician 15th - 16th February with Paul Pearce Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222
Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses page 9
Join the .co revolution
F
SiteWizard
ive months ago, a new domain extension was released to the World Wide Web, with over 500,000 registrations in just three months, the .co revolution had already started! The .co domain name is set to become the biggest global domain extension since .com was launched. The demand for .co is so high because it is treated as a global extension by Google, the same as .com. This means that your .co sites could be found just as easily and there are millions of high quality domain names still available! Did You Know? The .co extension is an abbreviation of .com, meaning company or commerce. One of the many
advantages of .co is the use of misspelling from website users. When searching the World Wide Web it is easy to miss off the 'm' of .com. Having the .co extension could bring your website extra visitors from unexpected sources. You can feel that all the good, relevant domain names have been taken, well not anymore! The .co. is a wide-open name space with literally millions of exciting memorable options for branding your online presence! So whether it's to protect your brand or get the domain that got away the .co domain opens a world of possibilities. You can now register your extension! www.sitewizard.co.uk/ncca page 10
Carpets help to trap Dust Mite allergen The NCCA encourages members, and other people within the industry, to write for Newslink. This month David Whitefoot, of the Carpet Foundation, responds to an article written by Glyn Charnock on Dust mite allergies (published in Newslink, November 2010 edition). See below. I have read with interest the article by Glyn Charnock ‘Dust mite allergies - can you help?’ in the November issue of Newslink. By and large I agree with almost all he has written, but the fact remains that carpet is not the ideal environment for Dust Mites to thrive, because generally they are too dry and cool. Bedding is the prime site for Dust Mites, but they and their allergen do migrate into carpet. However, the allergen particles need to be inhaled to constitute a hazard to health and the three dimensional nature of carpet traps the allergen and inhibits the particles from circulating in the
atmosphere where they may be inhaled. For this reason it is increasingly recognised that carpeting is beneficial to asthma sufferers in preventing allergen circulation in the atmosphere. It is certainly good practice to vacuum carpets on a regular basis since thorough vacuum cleaning will remove much of the allergen. Similarly a periodic deep clean will also be beneficial. However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that the application of acaricides is beneficial, and environmentally the application of chemical finishes is to be frowned upon. Certainly we would argue that they are unnecessary.
David Whitefoot If you would like to write something for Newslink, please contact Nicky at the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550, or email: nicky@ncca.co.uk
©www.ashbys-uk.com
How to reduce humidity when cleaning
D
rying times are extremely important to your clients; they all want a minimum of disruption and their rooms back in operation as soon as possible. A basic understanding of humidity is therefore very important to the professional carpet cleaner and can greatly assist in reducing drying times. Humidity, simply put, is the amount of moisture that is present within the air around us. When the term 'relative humidity' is used, this means the amount of moisture that is present within the air 'relative' to the 'maximum' amount of moisture that could potentially be held at a given temperature. The warmer the air, the more moisture it can hold,
Robert Olifent
the colder the air the less moisture can be held. Imagine a large room, with a temperature of about 22°C (70°F); the air could easily take up to six pints of water as vapour. Assuming that it has no more than three pints, the humidity is 50% (It has half the water vapour that it could take up before becoming saturated). If the temperature drops to 5°C (40°F) the air may only hold two pints of water vapour. One pint must go somewhere and so is deposited on furniture, carpets, and wallpaper where it is absorbed. Often the water vapour is more noticeable on windows, as the cold pane is more effective at condensing the airborne water vapour back into its liquid form of 'water'. page 12
So let's have a look at the factors that can affect drying times following the cleaning process. Heating solution If you are using heat in your machine rinse tank, ensure that the tanks lid is closed, in order to prevent moist air evaporating into the environment. Remember that if you are saturating the air in this way, you will inhibit drying, as the air cannot take up any more moisture from the cleaned items. Machine Exhaust Where possible use an exhaust hose from your extraction machine to vent the damp air outside. Exhausting outside will also result in an overall better indoor air quality, as any stale odours or contaminants within the carpet will not be dispersed in to the indoor environment. If it is not
possible to vent by exhaust hose then position the machine outside, or near an outer open door where it may displace the moisture and any airborne contaminants away from the indoor air. Drying passes Remember the simple but all important drying pass, as this can make all the difference between a few hours drying and a day's drying! With the modern day, three vacuum, portable extraction machines and wand technology moisture recovery is much easier to achieve. Bonnet cleaning Some technicians choose to ‘bonnet’ following extraction cleaning in order to take off excess moisture and any remaining residual soiling. Note Continued on next page
Open windows to create a through-flow of air
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Continued from previous page that the pile needs to be thoroughly reset following this process. Adequate ventilation All that is often required is a couple of small windows to be opened at either end of the house in order to allow a through flow of air, allowing moist air to escape. If you have created a muggy humid environment it is best to change the air completely by throwing open all the doors and windows for a while; air movers are also a tremendous boost in aiding moisture evacuation Warm environment A warm environment allows more air to be evaporated, but remember the importance of changing the air frequently! Air movement It is of little use using a turbo dryer within a humid closed up environment, as all you would be doing is blowing around moist saturated air. However, if a blower is used in conjunction with either adequate
ventilation, or dehumidification then they are a valuable aid for drying. Advice information slip: The advice that we give to clients following the cleaning process is vitally important, as without it we are leaving ourselves wide open for disasters to occur. Imagine carrying out work in the wintertime in a property, and the place is promptly closed up on completion of the job, hence no ventilation and no heating. You may have saturated the air when heating the solution with the tanks lid wide open. You may also have been exhausting moisture into the room. Drying times would have to be extended considerably. This could give rise to colour migration on some old carpets or rugs, as well as cellulosic browning or mould and mildew. Providing the customer with estimated drying times and a set of guidelines is essential. Doing this will ensure that there are no nasty shocks, and consequently possible complaints later on.
Air movers and dehumidifiers can be valuable aid for drying
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Bleach stains on fabric
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Peter Collins
amage, stains and colour loss can occur on rugs, carpets and upholstery if 'oxy' or 'oxi' type products are used incorrectly, these are usually in the form of oxidizing agents that can contain sodium perborate, sodium percarbonate and hydrogen peroxide. Cosmetic and medical products that contain benzoyl peroxide can also cause permanent bleach damage and colour loss. Some of these bleaching type products should not be used on wool, wool blends, silk, leather or items that are water sensitive. Clients will often phone after their attempts with these products (bought from the local supermarket) have failed to eradicate a stain. Most do not read the instructions on the labels and worst still is their assumption of 'more is better',
which will often lead to permanent staining, colour loss or dye bleed, especially on upholstery. When your client has called you in their woe, you must ask if any product has been used and if they still have the container it came in. Don't take chances or be manipulated by your client to resolve the problem, you could end up owning the item in question. The bleaching damage was probably present before you arrived and remember colour change can be masked by soiling and only become obvious after the area has been cleaned. When using bleach products, always read the instructions and data sheets, know the correct dilution rates, work safely and always use the correct PPE. page 15
Colloid cleaners - what are they and how do they work? Glyn Charnock
I
n the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry there are a huge range of cleaning products available for the technician to choose from. Some of them have been around for decades, and are still used by the 'old guard' (and some newer entrants to the industry) to great effect. Others are 'new technology' like micro-splitters and colloid cleaners, which have actually been around for quite a while, but are now being re-invented, repackaged, and most importantly re-formulated, often to great effect. This article is about colloid cleaners, what they are, how they work and the future possibilities of these highly versatile products. Here's the science bit. I will try to make this as simple as possible, but if you start to nod off, skip to the ‘What does this mean for carpet cleaners?’ bit. If you are a real science geek, I apologise for the over simplification, but I need to keep this article under one hundred pages! What are they and how do they work? The term 'Colloid' was first coined in 1861 by scientist Thomas Graham. His greatest achievements were in the field of gas diffusion and
the invention of dialysis used in many medical procedures today. Dialysis was actually a spin off from his work on colloids. The technical definition of a colloid is ‘a substance microscopically dispersed throughout another substance’. This consists of a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, and is used to describe a mixture of substances which would not normally mix, like oil and water, (as opposed to a solution where a substance dissolves in a solvent, like sugar in tea). Colloids can exist in gaseous, liquid or solid states, but for our purposes, only liquid colloids need be considered. The main characteristic of a colloid is that the dispersed phase does not settle out or separate from the continuous phase. One colloid you will all be familiar with is mayonnaise. So what has all this got to do with cleaning products? The majority of cleaning products are 'Surfactants', or 'Surface Active Agents'. These molecules consist of a hydrophilic (water loving) 'head' portion and a diffuse, hydrophobic (water hating) 'tail' portion which loves oil. A page 16
generic surfactant molecule is often represented as a tadpole structure (see picture below, right). These surfactants can be Anionic (negatively charged head), Non-ionic (no charge to head), Cationic (positively charged head) or Amphoteric/Zwitterionic (able to change between Anionic, Non-ionic and Cationic dependant on pH). Surfactant molecules, particularly those with short hydrophobic tails, can form structures called Micelles (see below) resulting in a colloid suspension of detergent molecules. These Micelles are spherical structures where the hydrophobic tails of the surfactant molecules align together making a hydrophobic area which can effectively suspend non polar oily soils in water and prevent them settling out or re-attaching themselves to the surface from which the soil has been removed. These Micelles can be as small as a billionth of a metre across (a nanometre), and as a result have a huge active surface area in a very small amount of product, meaning that they are very effective in
breaking down and suspending oily soils, even at very high dilution rates. These effects were discovered in the search for products to break down oil spills at sea, and Colloids can sometimes work better at weaker solutions than at high concentration, making them very cost effective. Colloidal Micelles act using a number of molecular forces such as Entropic Forces, where a chemical system progresses to a state in which entropy ('balance') is maximised, Van der Waals forces (the attraction between temporary and induced dipoles [weak positive and negative charges which result from changes in electron density within a molecule] producing forces of attraction between molecules), Electrostatic Continued on next page Hydrophobic tail Hydrophilic head
A Micelle
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Continued from previous page Interaction, where positive and negative charges attract or repel each other, and Excluded Volume Repulsion, which is the impossibility of overlap between hard particles such as atoms. Together, these forces combine to effectively break up and disperse soils at an almost molecular level. Because they are such small structures Micelles can even penetrate solids and break them down, when ‘normal’ detergents would just sit on the surface and have little or no effect. Enough science for one article - if you want to know more try Googling 'Colloid Surfactants', and you will have enough geeky stuff to sink a battleship! What does this mean for Carpet Cleaners? Colloids have a number of potential advantages, and some disadvantages, compared to traditional detergents used in carpet and upholstery cleaning. The main disadvantage of colloids is that they often require more dwell time to work effectively than we are perhaps used to giving our cleaning
products. Increasing temperature, agitation, or sometimes (but not always) product concentration can offset the required dwell time (remember the 'Cleaning Pie' on most carpet cleaning courses?), but time is often the primary factor in producing results when using colloids, and we all know that time is money. As for advantages, there are several, but the main ones as I see it are; They can be extremely cost effective due to the fact they can work at very high dilution rates. Some products on the market can be used at dilution rates of up to 300:1 and still remain highly effective. (1500 litres of pre-spray from a 5 litre bottle of product has got to be good value!) Also, they can be effective on a very wide range of soils, often removing the need for spot cleaning or stain treatment before or after cleaning, reducing the range of products you need to carry, reducing costs and saving time. If you are that way inclined, you could even (truthfully) claim to be using 'Nanotechnology' to clean your clients carpets when using these types of products, but make sure
you do your homework and can back up your claims if you come across a techno nerd who can ask the right questions! Some colloid products can be used in different applications and cleaning methods, such as a single product for carpet and fabric cleaning, which can also be used for stone, tile and grout as well as resilient flooring, or a single product suitable for both wet extraction and low moisture cleaning. Manufacturers are also researching cleaning methods as well as products, leading to systems which recommend the use of hair pads instead of traditional rotary pads for hard floors and the use of microfibre bonnets and cloths. There are also products applied using fogging machines instead of sprayers, and there are more innovations in the pipeline. Talking to manufacturers and distributors, perhaps one of the most interesting and exciting things about colloids is that they can be used to combine products with particular properties which would not work together if mixed using traditional methods. As an
example, anti-microbial products tend not to be as effective when mixed with detergents, the two products often affecting each others abilities to do the job they are designed to do. Mixing using colloid technology can allow these products to retain their effectiveness when combined. This is already leading to products appearing on the market which can help us provide additional benefits to both domestic and commercial clients, and could potentially open up whole new markets for our services. Watch this space! Just a final word - if you are thinking of trying out any product for the first time, not just colloids, please remember, a clients property is not the place to be experimenting. Try the product out in your workshop or at home, on a variety of soil types across a range of different fibres and constructions. Find out what it can (and can't) do, then make sure you are extra vigilant with your tests if you decide to use it in your arsenal of products. You may well find your trusted favourite products starting to gather dust on a shelf at the back of your van.
The new Health & Safety Course for Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners First one to be held on the 17th March 2011 Members only - ÂŁ115 + VAT / To be held in Leicester (venue to be confirmed) Health & Safety laws apply to all businesses no matter how small, even the self employed. The laws are there to prevent people from being harmed at work and providing a satisfactory working environment. They are also there to protect the public from workplace dangers. This course will take delegates through several policy and assessment documents, which are all on Microsoft Word templates and can be completed as required. Paul Pearce, the course tutor will walk you through step by step procedures to create your own documents. Many of these can be completed during the course, so if you have them please bring your own laptops. You will be able to leave the course having started to implement your company's health & safety policy.
The topics to be covered include: ! The Law ! Manual Handling, ! Lone Working ! Emergency Plans & Reporting Accidents ! Work Environment Guidelines ! Slips & Trips ! First Aid Guidelines ! The importance of Training & Induction ! Risk Assessment (inc template on CD) ! Method Statement (inc template on CD) ! Health & Safety Policy (inc template on CD) ! COSHH Assessment (inc template on CD) ! 10 Health & Safety PDF documents on the CD
Book now to avoid disappointment page 19
The UK water supply
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Peter Collins
n the last issue of Newslink we continued on the subject of water. As it was Christmas we took a light-hearted approach to the topic and discussed a popular water-based product enjoyed by many‌ beer! This month we are taking a look at our water supply here in the UK. Water is a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen elements and is commonly known as H2O. Water for drinking and cooking should be 'potable', ie bacteriologically and chemically safe. It should also be clear, colourless, have no unpleasant odour and be good to taste. In our present-day world, we need at least three basic types of water of somewhat different quality, depending on the requirements of each use: 1. Utility Water - Water which is suitable for use in sanitation and lawn sprinkling; bacteriologically safe, but not necessarily of the highest quality.
2. Softened Water - Water which is ideal for personal grooming, laundering and dishwashing. Since many of these uses demand hot water, fully softened water produces better results with minimum soap and detergent usage. 3. Drinking Water - Water to be used for drinking and cooking must be of optimum quality. It must meet specific bacteriological and chemical standards. Surprisingly, water used for drinking and cooking amounts to only about 0.5% of the total water supplied to a community. The remaining amount is used for a variety of purposes such as sprinkling lawns and irrigation, flushing toilets, and cleaning streets, as well as having utility, commercial and industrial uses. The water and sewerage industry in the UK used to be highly fragmented. The water act 1973 reorganised the industry in England and Wales into page 20
ten publicly owned water and sewerage authorities and twenty nine privately owned statutory water companies. The profits and dividends of the statutory water companies were subject to control. Today there are twenty one regional water companies in England and Wales, plus one in Scotland and one in Northern Ireland. We all take water for granted, at the turn of a tap we have unlimited supplies. However, have you ever wondered where it comes from? Well, it comes from many sources, even within your own water company's catchment area. Generally surface water comes from rivers, streams, lochs and reservoirs, while ground water supplies come from springs, aquifers, boreholes or wells. The water we are supplied with in England and Wales is considered to be very hard (high in mineral content). This is particularly so from roughly a line eastwards between the Severn and Tees estuaries, which exhibits 200 parts per million (ppm) of calcium carbonate. Generally in Wales, Devon, Cornwall and parts of North West England, the calcium carbonate content is from 0 to 200 ppm. Hard water causes scaling, which is the left over mineral deposits that are formed after the water has
evaporated, this is also known as limescale. The scale can clog pipes, ruin water heaters and shorten the life of toilet flushing units. Insoluble salt residues left in your hair after shampooing can similarly leave the hair rougher and harder to untangle. Fabrics and fibres are also prone to this if rinsing agents are not used, or used incorrectly. Hard water will definitely have an effect on your cleaning machinery. It can shorten the life of the water heater, pump and water hoses if you don't regularly clean them out. However, it is worth remembering that our NCCA Associate members do sell products with water softeners in them. So, what causes hard water? Well, simply it is water with a high mineral content such as calcium, magnesium, metal cations, bicarbonates and sulphates, which makes it more alkaline. Calcium usually enters the water as either calcium carbonate in the form of limestone and chalk, or calcium sulphate in the form of other mineral deposits. The predominant source of magnesium is dolomite. Although water hardness usually measures only the total concentrations of calcium and magnesium (the two most prevalent, divalent Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page metal ions), iron, aluminium and manganese may also be present at elevated levels in some areas of the UK. Iron if present will be in its tervalent form, causing the calcification to be brownish (the colour of rust) instead of white (the colour of most other compounds). A simple test to determine the hardness of water is the lather/froth test. Soap or toothpaste when agitated with water lathers easily in soft but not in hard water. When I first started carpet cleaning, I often wondered why in one home the water would not lather, while in another five or ten miles away it did. Well, this is because, as I mentioned earlier, although the water may be provided by the same water company it still enters each building from a variety of different original sources within that area. Temporary hardness is caused by a combination of calcium ions and bicarbonate ions in the water. It can be removed by boiling water, or by the addition of lime (calcium hydroxide). Boiling
promotes the formation of carbonate from the bicarbonate and precipitates calcium carbonate out of solution, leaving the water softer when it has cooled. Permanent hardness in water cannot be removed by boiling, usually because of the presence of calcium and magnesium sulphates and/or chlorides which become more soluble as the temperature rises. However permanent hardness can be removed by using a water softener, or an ion exchange column, where the calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged with the sodium ions in the column. In conclusion, we can say that hard water usually has a high pH (alkaline), while soft water has low pH (acidic). It is considered desirable to soften hard water, especially if you operate water fed equipment such as carpet cleaning machinery. However, please note that it would be unwise to use the above methods to try and soften water, instead make sure you use the recommended solutions supplied by the manufacturing companies.
Hard floor care course coming soon!
A
growing number of NCCA members are adding hard floor cleaning and maintenance to their list of services. Although a number of members are primarily carpet cleaners, many have now come to understand that there are an ever increasing number of hard surfaces and a need to care for them. Hard floor care requires a degree of knowledge and the NCCA have a keen interest in ensuring that there is an increasing supply of skilled and qualified technicians. To make certain members accomplish a high standard of proficiency, the Association offers a two-day course dedicated to hard floor cleaning. The programme includes some practical hands-on training and covers the cleaning and care of Resilient, Wood, Ceramic and Natural Stone. Each delegate is provided with an excellent accompanying reference manual, which is theirs to
take home once the course is over. The course instructor is NCCA Director and hard flooring expert, Keith Robertson, a professional with over thirty years experience running a floor care company in Edinburgh. As well as being a committed affiliate of the National Carpet Cleaners Association Keith is a member of the British Institute of Cleaning Science, an IICRC Master Textile Cleaner, an IICRC Stone Masonry and Tile instructor and writes regularly for the trade press. The next NCCA Hard Floor Cleaning course will take place on the 5th and 6th April in Leicester. Places will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis so early booking is advised. For further information, or to book your place, contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 or log on to: www.ncca.co.uk to download a booking form. (See page 9 for full course list) page 23
Rental equipment
Peter Collins
I
n the last few years we have seen weather patterns alter, bringing us snow and consequently frozen and burst pipes. Some restoration companies have rushed out and purchased equipment to deal with this while others, with forethought, have done their homework securing contacts with major insurance companies before disaster struck and making sure they had suitable equipment. Now obviously the purchase of machinery is expensive, and panic buying equipment during a busy period is never a good idea, but at the same time you don't want to have to turn down a job because you are not equipped to do the work from start to finish. There is an option, however, which is often not considered, and that is to rent the necessary items instead.
You will probably find a rental company in your nearest town or you could speak to one of the NCCA Associate members. Many companies are happy to offer this service. There are many advantages to renting. You will save on maintenance costs and insurance and be able to retain a healthy cash flow. Another big 'plus' is that if you rent equipment, you get to give it back, so it's not sitting there taking up space in your workshop. It is also probable that the rental company will have some of the latest equipment available - an attractive option for many people. So don't delay, even if you are not in the business of disaster restoration, phone around and obtain some information on rental equipment. You may find that, in your particular circumstances, it is a viable alternative to buying.
Spot and stain removal course coming soon!
ŠNCCA
S
pot and stain removal is still a genuine craft and requires a higher degree of skill and knowledge than almost any other process undertaken by the professional carpet cleaner. Despite the improvement in cleaning products, there is always an unknown spot or stain that proves difficult to remove. In March we are holding another of the popular Spot and Stain schools. Delegates will be taught how to identify a stain, specific things to look out for and how to advise the client prior to carrying out any work. The school will assist in understanding the item/s being worked on, identify the stain and establishing the chemical solution to be used. It will also teach how to determine results, not forgetting that complete removal of a stain should never be guaranteed. Each delegate will use his/her own spotting products on the prepared samples, which will be handed out during the training. They will not just be
taught how to remove the soils, but also how to do it without causing further damage to the samples. Delegates will also receive a course manual and three spotting tools to be used on the day, which can be taken home to use again. So come along and learn the A.B.C of stains and how to identify spillages using F.O.C.A.L, along with the five methods of removal. As a carpet cleaner this is an important part of your job so DON'T MISS IT! (See full list of course dates on page 9) page 24
NCCA member referral results Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 167 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 65 referrals from the NCCA office, 83 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 19 referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database. If you have not yet supplied us with an email address, but would like to receive notification when your details have been given out, please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.
Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Carpet and Upholstery cleaning services business for sale, established in 2001. Package includes Renault Master van (2006) with bespoke fittings for chemical storage. Premium interactive website with online survey/quotation facility which can be viewed at www.spotlesscleaningservices.com The domain names www.spotlesscleaningproducts and also www.spotlessnetwork domain names included, and online shop facility. Steempro 2000 with all extras, Sebo Vacuum cleaner, karcher hot water extraction stainbuster, orbis cyclical cleaner, chemicals, etc. Leather restoration kit. Regular customer base. Reason for sale: Allergy to chemical products. Sale price £20,000 O.N.O. Tel: 0141 941 2510. Email: spotless@ntlworld.com
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
carpet care survey form ! Provides all the information you need before starting a job. ! Allows you an opportunity to pick up on previous damage. ! Provides an evidence trail in the unlikely event of a dispute. Remember, it is more professional to survey a job and give the customer a copy prior to starting a job.
Only £19.50 per pad inc. VAT or 3 for £50 Tel: 0116 271 9550
URGENT SALE! Due to the owners moving away! Carpet, upholstery and stone floor cleaning company 50% OFF the valued price to the first person who offers the sale price of only £75K. Fully Automated business system in place. Full training and consultation will be provided, if needed, for a limited time only. Contact Andrew Sacker on: 07711 454402 or email: andy@GoldenProdigy.com
MACHINERY FOR SALE Power-flite 500psi upright hot water extraction machine (PFX1350) with heater and twin vacs. New vacuum motor fitted October 2010 and new heater fitting November 2009 - £925. Also 3-jet wonderwand - £220. Please call Tony on 07951 413815.
VAN & TRUCKMOUNT FOR SALE:
New NCCA Members
Blue Line ThermalWave HP II - 50hp and Citroen Relay LWB Van. True Twin Wand Operation Truck Mount Cleaning. Asking Price: £17,995 + VAT. Call 0118 931 0516 for more details. Or Visit: www.truckmount.info
FULL MEMBERS Quality Clean Ltd (London, IG6) Rothwells Cleaning Services (Babraham, Cambridgeshire)
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.
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VAT and TAX increases
T
Phil McCabe (Forum of Private Business)
he first months of the coalition government have seen mass demonstrations, outrage over supposed u-turns on policy and a general sense of shock at the drastic economic measures designed to save the British economy from freefall. The recent VAT rise has been a major bone of contention for many public figures. In a recent parliamentary debate Labour MP Katy Clark noted that the Coalition bears more than passing resemblance to the Conservative Government of the 1980's who were elected after saying they had no plans to increase VAT, only to increase it from 8% to 15%. There have been stark warnings that the VAT rise could lead to a double dip recession. As well as the issues is could create for the poorest in society, he noted that the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has calculated that the rise to 20%
could result in the loss of 250,000 private sector jobs. The Government has rejected this criticism by stating that the projected ÂŁ13 billion to be raised by the increase would have to come from other areas of the public sector, making the VAT rise the least painful way to help heal the economy. Whoever is correct in their assessment, there is no denying that the recent increase poses some very serious questions for small carpet cleaning companies, especially when taken with other factors affecting businesses, such as late payment and excessive, expensive red tape. The Forum for Private Business has noted that the VAT increase will present yet another rise in taxes on fuel following January's fuel duty hike. This is especially important for small traders, including many mobile carpet cleaning firms, which might struggle to cope with rising costs at the page 26
pump, along with the increased costs across their supply chain. Unlike larger companies, which will probably be able to absorb the initial pain of the VAT rise - indeed, many of them are publicly not passing on the increase to their customers - smaller businesses will find it difficult to compete in an already competitive market. The economic consequences for SMEs are not helped by the fact that, unlike their larger counterparts, they do not benefit from a VAT tax loophole that distorts competition and leads to outright tax abuse, and one that successive governments have failed to close. The Forum is leading the call for the Government to lower the threshold of Low Value Consignment Relief (LVCR), which is available to traders that have set up shop in the Channel Islands. The relief allows goods worth ÂŁ18 or less to be imported into the UK VAT free. Many larger retailers have set up shop in Jersey and Guernsey to take advantage of this loophole, leading to the loss of hundreds of millions of pounds of tax revenue for the Government, as well as the inability for smaller businesses - which cannot afford to move to the Channel Islands themselves - to compete on a level playing field. However, the Forum is advising small businesses to keep on top of their book keeping
in order to cope with tax increases and other cash flow issues. One of the major problems small businesses face are out of date and inefficient accounting systems, which often leads to incorrect invoices being issued - causing often expensive headaches further down the line. Despite promising a 'light touch' approach to mistakes made following the 2.5% VAT increase, and criticisms of its own internal procedures and the levels of service provided to business customers, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is set to impose fines in excess of ÂŁ3,000 for what it calls 'significant record keeping failures' To help prevent this, small businesses need to ensure they are able to keep proper records, if possible utilising automated, online accounting systems. The Forum has joined forces with Liquid Accounts Ltd to provide small businesses with the ability to manage their finances and accounting systems using leading online accounting software and cloud computing technology.
Forum members have access to a range of exclusive benefits. For more information visit www.fpb.org.
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Lisa Wilson
The truth behind health and safety myths (Eversheds LLP)
T
here have been recent reports in the press which perpetuate the myth of an 'elf and safety' culture, this article examines some of the truths surrounding health and safety law. “The Health and Safety Executive ("HSE") must prove what I did wrong” If something goes wrong, Health and safety law contains a reverse burden of proof so the defendant must prove that they took all reasonably practicable measures to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees or those who come into contact with their business. The HSE do not have to prove that all reasonably practicable measures were not taken. Recent cases emphasise that where an employer has been charged with offences under section two or three of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA), the prosecution do not have to prove that the risk was either appreciable or foreseeable.
“Health and safety law is merely red tape and form filling” The same criminal law used to punish 'real' offenders is used by the HSE. The litigious part of health and safety law enforcement is dealt with primarily by the HSE (although Local Authorities regulate certain activities such as retail and distribution) through the criminal justice system. Companies prosecuted by the HSE often believe that they can negotiate or settle their case with the HSE by paying compensation or a fine but this isn't settling the case, it is pleading guilty to a criminal offence which results in a conviction and criminal record and significantly, there is no ability to settle 'out of court'. page 28
“Health and safety is just an issue for the company” The days of only the company being prosecuted are over, increasingly we are finding that individuals are being prosecuted as well as the company. Under the HSWA duties and responsibilities are imposed on directors, managers and employees as individuals. Not only does the employer owe a duty to its employees, the employees owe themselves and fellow employees a duty to take reasonable care for their health and safety. “Insurance will cover any costs and any fine imposed by the courts” Legal expenses insurance may cover the costs of your own lawyers and possibly any experts that you engage to help with your case but is unlikely to cover anything else. Some insurance policies cover your fees from the date of the summons whilst others begin much earlier at the point that an investigation is commenced against you. You should check the type of cover you have in place. Even if you have your legal costs covered, you cannot insure against a fine imposed by the courts. If you are convicted, insurance doesn't cover costs awarded against you, those incurred by the prosecution and HSE in investigating and prosecuting the case. Be aware that you have the right to choose a specialist lawyer. Often insurance companies insist on appointing a panel lawyer but you can insist on the use of specialist lawyers, especially if they have been involved from a very early stage. “Even if I am found guilty, the worst I will face is a fine” It is correct that when a company is found guilty of a health and safety offence it must pay the fine imposed by the court, the costs of the prosecution and of the HSE's investigations. Even in simple Magistrates' court cases, HSE legal and investigation costs alone can exceed £10,000. This is before any fine or your own legal costs. Importantly, from January 2009, new legislation gave courts the power to imprison individuals for breaches of health and safety, so whilst a company
cannot be jailed, individuals can. “Accepting an enforcement notice has no real consequences” Improvement and Prohibition Notices are a matter of public record. HSE tend to argue in a prosecution that an enforcement notice is an acceptance that you have broken the law. HSE Inspectors cannot issue notices unless they believe the law has been broken. Furthermore, HSE is increasingly attempting to bring evidence of previous enforcement notices, sometimes issued years before and often unrelated, in the context of trying to persuade a court to allow the previous notices to be put to the jury before deciding its verdict in the current case. “Fines in health and safety cases are modest” Fatal accident cases regularly result in fines of £250,000 or more and now, even cases involving minor injuries or in fact, no injuries at all, can attract fines of over £10,000. New Sentencing Guidelines govern sentences given to defendants found guilty under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and under the HSWA when death is caused. According to the Guidelines, in cases prosecuted under the HSWA, the appropriate fine will seldom be less than £100,000 and may be measured in hundreds of thousands of pounds or more. In corporate manslaughter cases the appropriate fine will seldom be less than £500,000 and may be measured in millions of pounds. Importantly, the Guidelines apply to all sentences given on or after 15 February 2010 (regardless of the date of the offence). “That won't happen to us” Even the most competent businesses can inadvertently be caught up in a health and safety investigation and sometimes even a prosecution. The key to good health and safety management is ensuring that the risks in your business are properly considered and controlled. Your workforce must be competent and suitably trained. Ensuring an effective and comprehensive health and safety management system will help reduce the risks to your business and its employees but there is no guarantee that this will protect you. page 29
NCCA Associate Members NCCA Shop The NCCA has a number of items to order by members. Below are some of the more popular items purchased. For a full list of merchandise please visit the website on: www.ncca.co.uk. Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550. + PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each + Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £19.50 each or £50 for 3 + NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each
+ Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law: 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F)
+ Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63
+ Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K)
+ Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each
+ Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T)
+ Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over) + NCCA Tie £12.93 each All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging. A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.
+ Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Homeserve at Home: 0870 320 3333 + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr) + LTT Leathercare: 01423 881027 (T) + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + Nilfisk Advance Ltd: 01284 763163 (M) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C)
NCCA Member Benefits
+ Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)
+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500
+ Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)
+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860 + EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650
+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C)
+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860
+ The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K)
+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385
+ Vitec Global: 02392 666053 (C)
+ Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500
+ Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) 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