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Features:
Domotex 2014 Customer Complaints
February 2014
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Contents
Published monthly by:
03 From the Editor: New direct debit payment facility for NCCA membership fees 04 Domotex Carpet Fair 2014
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
06 Excellent NCCA courses - coming soon! 08 What is your USP? 10 Amazing discount on NCCA leaflets 12 A guide to customer complaints (part one) 14 NCCA tour of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio and Felbrigg Hall 16 Turkoman rugs (part one) 18 Men are from Earth... 20 Wood floor cleaning and maintenance 22 Some customers... 24 Expanding your business - is it the best way to go? 26 Mould - what is all the fuss about? 28 A quick health check - are your first aid arrangements up-to-date? 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. ŠCarpet 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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Editor Nicky 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 Corporate Director Allan Simmons Events/Social Media Director Billy Russell Co-opted Director Denise Pitt www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_
New direct debit payment facility for NCCA membership fees
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s notified in the December/January Newslink, renewal documents will be sent on April 1st, due for payment by May 1st 2014. Having held the subscription fees at the same level for the last three years, it was agreed at the General Meeting in November that an increase in line with inflation will be applied this year. Members are however being given the option of splitting their subscription fee into six monthly payments by using Direct Debit, something that we have not been able to offer previously. The advantage of using Direct Debit is that once it has been set up, the facility will remain in place unless it is cancelled, taking the worry out of remembering to pay subscription fees each year. This service will be managed online using a company called GoCardless. In order to make use of this facility, members must have an email address and are requested to contact the NCCA office prior to April 1st in order to set up an account and Direct Debit mandate with GoCardless, using their secure online form. There will be a small charge of 1% added to the Annual Subscription invoice if this option is taken up. Under section 4.7 of the Articles of Association, members are required to give 60 days notice if they intend to withdraw from the Association, which should be put in writing to the Company
Secretary. All notices of resignation received will be acknowledged from the office. We do not like to hear of members no Nicky Law Newslink Editor longer wishing to be part of the Association, therefore we like to assist where we can and ask that you contact us with any concerns you may have. As usual, we will need to receive confirmation of Public Liability Insurance, which must include treatment risk or Products Liability, along with the Health & Safety Declaration form introduced last year, swift return of these documents will aid administration of the renewal process. We would like to thank all our members for their continued support, and wish you all a successful 2014.
FANTASIC SALE! on NCCA Consumer Leaflets!
See page 10 for details
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Domotex Carpet Fair 2014
Paul Pearce
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recently visited the Domotex Carpet Fair in Hanover. This is something I have wanted to do for many years. I have been to Harrogate Carpet Fair a few times, Surfaces in the states probably a dozen times and, back in the good old days, there was even a carpet fair in London I used to go to. However, Domotex is the biggest of them all. There were thirteen halls crammed full of carpets, rugs, laminates, wood floors, tools, carpet tufting machines, cutting machines, fibre producers, even leather and hides. I arrived at 10am after leaving Stanstead airport at 8am. It was then an easy shuttle to the exhibition centre and by 11am I was walking through the doors of Hall 2 for the start of my three-day experience. In Hall 2 there were some big bespoke rug suppliers. You could buy everything from a tufted rug to a unique masterpiece constructed from such unusual fibres that it really did make you disbelieve your own eyes! I did try to ask the people displaying one of these rugs how you would maintain such an item, but their eyes glazed over which made me think they had either just been given some sad news or perhaps had suddenly realised that English wasn't their first language. Either way the answer wasn't forthcoming. Of course, if you have cleaned a rug or two in your time, you can usually work out for yourself what needs to be done to maintain them even if they are made from unusual fibres. After three hours of wandering around this hall I moved on to Hall 3 where the centrepiece was a display of wares from Iran, demonstrating just what they are capable off. One machine-made carpet, which was hanging up, was over twenty feet tall and displayed a photographic image of the remaining
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columns of a ruin, which I can only assume was situated somewhere in Iran. It was certainly common to see rugs, both big and small, with photographic pictures on them. I had decided that I wasn't necessarily at the carpet fair to purchase, but more to admire, to gain information and to soak up the atmosphere. So I made sure that the sales staff knew, on my initial approach to each stand, that my interest was mainly from the angle of a cleaning consultant rather than as a buyer. This way they could decide if they wanted to spend time with me or swiftly move on to someone else who was more interested in buying. This proved a good move; most of the sales staff were happy to talk to me and didn't put me under any pressure to buy anything. Halls 4 and 5 contained most of the fair's wall-towall flooring stands, together with a British stand
titled 'The Best of Wool'. A large number of the companies with displays in these two halls were from the UK and many were showcasing new products. One particularly interesting product I came across was a carpet produced by an Italian company, Martinello Ginetto. They have created a wool/viscose/bamboo/nylon chenille loop pile carpet that has a rugged look, its called Heather Tweed. Watch this space. The first day ended for me at around 4.30pm. I wanted to locate my hotel, which was situated in the centre of Hanover, and Domotex was a fare way away. The information centre at the fair was most helpful, explaining that the Metro was the easiest way to get there and that my entry ticket to the fair covered the cost. I took two trains and after about sixteen stops I was within 200 mtrs of my hotel‌ simples. It was basic but central and clean and the staff were more than helpful. Day 2 was rug day. There were two halls, 16 and
Iranian carpet displaying photographic image of a ruin
ŠPaul Pearce
17, that housed more rugs than you could ever imagine. Most were hand-knotted and were all shapes and sizes. I was in a candy shop; there were silk (real), wool, linen, cotton and even polyester rugs. There were Tabriz's, Heriz, Gabbeh, Qum, Kilim's, Afghan's Nepalese, Indian, Chinese, Moroccan, Turkish, Uzbekistan, Pakistani's and loads more. On quite a few of the stands there were some very interesting patchwork rugs. These had been constructed using old pieces of rugs that had been damaged or discarded or, in some cases, made especially for the purpose. Some had been purposely 'distressed' or aged and usually sewn together in 45cm squares, then a cloth back had been attached. I can't wait to see one that needs cleaning. When wandering around these halls I couldn't help thinking about how the carpets and rugs had been shipped there from all around the world and how long it all must have taken. The container companies must have been doing a roaring trade. The rugs were being turned over and over so buyers could view them and then the pallets were being loaded with the buyer's pickings. The forklifts were picking them up and loading the waiting trucks continuously. On day three I concentrated on wandering through the middle halls where the tools, equipment, laminates and wood were. However, before the end of the day I decided to take a wander back into the rug halls to look again at the beauty of these pieces of art. Even the odours that some of them emitted drew me in. Some had the rawness that you would expect from tribal communities, others smelt as though they had been through a washing process and were on the Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page final part of the drying cycle, then you had the ones that had been through a complete finishing process and just smelt new. I Images: finished the day ©Paul Pearce walking through 1st Rug Avenue. This is where designers had created several roomsets using modern and old looks, into which they had integrated handknotted rugs from many different countries, some of which had been placed on the floor and others on the walls. This really demonstrated how you could add to the aesthetics of a room using rug art.
During the three days I met up with some colleagues from the UK whilst wandering around, which was a nice way to spend some time and we chatted about what we had seen or missed. I finally left the fair at 4pm as it was time to travel home. I was laden with books, brochures and samples and with my purchased Patchwork rug rugs left on a pallet hoping that they would find their way home. I can't wait to go back next year. The dates are 17th to 20th January, put it in your diary and plan early, you won't Roomset be disappointed.
Excellent NCCA courses - coming soon!
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arpet cleaners are facing stiff competition when gaining work and, because of this, many have decided to improve their existing business and/or branch out and extend the range of services they offer. If this is something you have been contemplating then we would like to remind you that the NCCA offer excellent training courses to help you learn further skills. One of these courses is the popular Leather Identification & Cleaning course, which is running again on 20th March. Leather is an extremely complex product and cleaning it is at least as involved as cleaning fabrics, possibly sometimes more so. The course will teach you about the tanning process, how to identify different types of leather from Aniline through to Bicast and Faux leathers, how to determine when it is cleanable (or
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in need of restoring or replacing), how to identify different finishes and how to clean leather upholstery (with demonstrations). We are also running our excellent Advanced Spot & Stain Removal course again on the 21st February. Spot 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. The course will teach you not just how to remove the soils, but also how to do it without causing further damage to the samples. So if you think you’d be interested in attending one (or even both) of these courses and improving your skills, don’t delay, book your space now! To book, please phone the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 or visit: www.ncca.co.uk/training.php
What is your USP?
Keith Robertson
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ne of the first things I was taught about marketing was the importance of the USP (Unique Selling Point). It was one of those things that all the marketing books said you must have, but initially I found it very difficult to come up with a good USP for my own company. Even now I still don't have one for all of the business names we use. Only recently I found out that the person who originally thought of the idea was a marketing man named Rosser Reeves. I say that it was his 'idea' but what I really mean is that he was the first to enumerate, to detail, to put it into words and to give it a name. Possibly, from the beginning of written advertising, copywriters will have understood the importance of not only using strong headlines but also of highlighting the benefits of a specific product, but nevertheless it was Rosser Reeves who put it into words and apparently conjured up the title. Although Rosser Reeves retired in the mid 1960's one of the projects he had previously been involved in is still remembered to this day and that is the M & M's USP: 'melts in your mouth, not in your hands'. His argument was that, although all products have a number of benefits, it is likely that one particular benefit will be more popular than any of the others and sometimes more popular than all the others put together. Having found out what it is, it is then vital to communicate that benefit to potential purchasers so as many as possible understand that if they make the purchase they will receive that benefit. If it is possible, not only state the benefit but prove it by presenting some good evidence and
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the case is even stronger if it can be done in a way that demonstrates it. Before the internet, advertising for smaller companies was limited to using words (descriptions of our services or written testimonials) or 'stills' (such us 'before' and 'after' photographs). Today, it is easier for us to demonstrate the benefits of what we do by using our phones to shoot video sequences of our work in progress which we can then load onto our websites. Simple, yet so effective. Often keeping it simple works best. Something I have noticed about a significant number of TV advertisements is that the creative teams sometimes get so carried away with their ideas that the resulting advert completely misses the point. Some of them are so over the top that you are left wondering what it is they are actually advertising and some are so irritating that it actually puts you off ever purchasing the product/service being promoted. Another of the things Rosser Reeves said was, “A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen.� Read some of the copy that describes products and services on the daily Groupon web postings. In
some cases the copy is so over the top that it certainly wouldn't encourage me to purchase. That doesn't mean I have never purchased from Groupon. I have, but only when it is a product or service I have wanted. In these cases I have clicked on to the actual company website to learn more. I have to concede that had these companies not used Groupon (I am only using Groupon as an example, but there are a number of similar services out there) I might not have learned of the offer, but repeatedly Groupon's over the top style has put me off making other purchases. Emphasising the importance of the actual product on offer Reeves said, “Let's say you have $1,000,000 tied up in your company and suddenly your advertising isn't working and sales are going down. And everything depends on it. Your future depends on it, your family's future depends on it and even other people's families depend on it. Now, what do you want from me? Fine writing? Or do you want to see the sales curve stop moving down and start moving up?� Reeves also believed it was a waste of money to claim uniqueness where there isn't any. It doesn't take the purchaser long to find that out and, as
repeat business is so important to the well-being and growth of our businesses, it is extremely foolish to promise anything that is not possible. If our service isn't good enough it would be better to improve it before making over the top claims. Much is said, and written, about the importance of building brands and recently I have noticed a number of television adverts where the initials of the group owning the particular advertised product is appearing almost as reminder that, although you are purchasing so and so's washing powder or fish finger, you should appreciate that it must be better because it is part of this big international conglomerate. Reeves view was that a provable claim-based strategy is more likely to be successful than the use of brand images. His view was that a brand image can be interpreted in different ways, some of which might not help support the product and an image is unable to articulate the full story. Most of us could improve our online presence, and our printed advertising, if we took the time to consider what we have to offer that is relevant from a customer's point of view. And, as important as video and pictures are becoming, the right choice of words (remember to keep them simple) are still important if we are to get through to our audience. Unfortunately much of what we write is because it is important to us and we don't usually put ourselves in the position of our customers and what is important to them. In a recent conversation with Willie Little, the owner of the successful Cleaning Doctor franchise, he explained to me his standpoint when putting together copy or preparing the layout of a website. He said he always asks himself, “What would Mary Continued on next page
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Continued from previous page be looking for? What is it that she wants?” If it's time to review your advertising, whether website, direct mail letters or leaflets, it would do you no harm to do it this way. First ponder to try and find something that you genuinely do that is different to your competitors, something your customers will appreciate. Then, once you've found something, craft it into your own USP. Use this as a
base to create your advertising and marketing materials, making sure you see things from your customers' perspective at all times. Remember, all that interests them is WIIFM, (what's in it for me) so let them know just what that is. Although Reeves died in 1984 his ideas have continued as a worthwhile legacy. If you are interested in learning more, he wrote an excellent book in 1961 entitled 'Reality in Advertising.'
Amazing discount on NCCA leaflets! Buy yours now! New leaflet launch We are pleased to announce the launch of our new consumer leaflet which is available for NCCA members to purchase. The leaflet is ideal for leaving with domestic customers and presents another opportunity for you to promote yourself and gain new business. Wide distribution will ensure that more people will become aware of who we are and what you, the member, has to offer. Whilst this publication is designed to give each member the full weight and authority of the Association, it is also designed specifically to be seen as your leaflet and your own produce with all the prestige that goes with it. It includes a section on how to tackle stains and spillages, which will encourage your customer to retain the leaflet for future reference. There is also a space on the back where you can place your own company details, ensuring that your customer will have your particulars readily available should they want their carpets and upholstery cleaned again in the future.
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Amazing 40% discount! Our initial print-run of the new leaflet revealed a slight misprint on the outside back-page within the box where you can place your own company details. The mistake was spotted by NCCA member James Steer, from West Sussex, who was the first to receive his order. So, a huge 'thank you' to James for saving us all from our blushes. For those of you with your own address labels, the misprint can be easily covered, so we are offering these leaflets with a huge 40% discount! Here are the prices you will be paying You can order any amount you want but if you were to order: Ÿ250 - you would pay £16.50 Ÿ500 - you would pay £28.50 Ÿ1000 - you would pay £57.00 If you would like to take advantage of this fantastic offer, please email Nicky on: nicky@ncca.co.uk An example of the misprint can be sent to you via post or email… you will see how easily it can be covered!
A guide to customer complaints (part one) Lewis Scroby (NCCA Standards and Fair Trading) Over the coming months, NCCA Standards and Fair Trading Officer, Lewis Scroby, will be providing a series of articles on complaints. He begins this month with an introduction, advice on avoiding complaints and on pre-cleaning inspections. t is an unfortunate fact that any carpet cleaner, at some point during their career, will have to deal with a complaint. Whether it be a callback, an over-expectant customer or problem arising down the line, that undesirable call will be one you have to deal with. It can be very difficult to receive, accept and attempt to resolve a complaint. But there are methods you can employ to make the process much easier. We find a lot of the time that properly dealing with a complaint can leave the customer just as, or if not more, satisfied than if the cleaning results had been perfect first time. As you all know, the NCCA offer arbitration services to assist members and customers when a complaint arises. For many years the Association has helped members to resolve disputes and provided assistance and advice to manage and settle potentially strenuous situations and uncompromising customers. I am the current Standards and Fair Trading Officer for the Association and handle all complaints that are reported to the NCCA with assistance from NCCA CEO, Paul Pearce, and the Board of Directors. Unfortunately it is not always possible to avoid issues that give reason for customers to complain. Much of the work carried out by carpet and
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upholstery cleaning technicians is judged on expectation, as much as results, and due to overexpectant customers it may be difficult to meet the standards anticipated. One common factor in a lot of complaints that are reported to the Association is that technicians do not 'qualify' with their customers. We believe over 75% of complaints reported to the office could be avoided by a simple qualification process before beginning work. The process is very simple and should be followed every time, regardless of the circumstances. There are three important steps: The survey, the conversation and the report. In simple terms, you inspect the items to be cleaned, discuss your inspection with the client and confirm the details in writing. Doing these three things will leave little doubt in regard to what you are cleaning, how it should be cleaned and the expected results (from your own AND the customer's perspective). By carrying out a proper survey and qualifying your findings with the customer both verbally and in writing, the following reasons for complaint can, in almost all cases, be eliminated: ŸPre-existing staining/damage has 'arisen' following cleaning ŸThe item doesn't look 'like new' ŸThe item hasn't dried quickly enough ŸA certain stain hasn't been removed ŸThe colour isn't the same as before On top of this, a thorough survey will reveal any potential problems before they have an opportunity to arise, allowing the technician to
take measures to ensure that they don't. Common complaints that are reported to the Association, which a proper survey would uncover and make avoidable, are: 타Shrinkage 타Dye bleeding 타Damage arising from prior excessive wear 타Problems arising due to use of an incorrect cleaning method It is essential that the above are identified during a survey. These are fundamental issues that may arise during cleaning and can be avoided. If you are unsure you know how to recognise the potential for any of them to become an issue, we would recommend attending a refresher course. Ongoing training, in general, is highly recommended by the Association and all professional organisations in most industries. It is important for the success of any company to keep up to date with the latest developments within their chosen trade. NCCA tutors continually update their course programmes and teaching methods to ensure the latest methods, equipment, regulations and other developments are covered. We believe all members, whether they have two years or twenty years' experience, should take advantage of this and ensure they are versed on the very latest industry advancements. It is accepted that even the most experienced cleaning technicians can forget some fundamentals and fall in to bad habits in their process. Regular attendance of courses can ensure that this is kept to a minimum. Achieving qualifications throughout your career can also be an excellent marketing tool. Presenting clients with evidence of your knowledge and
experience, along with the fact that you are continually updating your education, will certainly give you the advantage when they are considering employing a professional cleaner. Next month Lewis will continue the series with guidance on implementing procedures and how to deal with complaints.
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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NCCA tour of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio and Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk Glyn Charnock
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fter a very enjoyable and informative day out with some NCCA members and their partners last year, I have organised a second exclusive tour of the Conservation Studio on Friday 9th May 2014. The tour will take place in the afternoon and is scheduled to last an Restoration at hour, although last the Studio year it was so interesting for both them and us that we were there for three hours! To make more of a day of it we have again organised a visit to a National Trust House, this time Felbrigg Hall, in the morning. This is a very special one-off tour when the Hall will be closed to the general public. The Hall, normally closed on Fridays, will be opened exclusively for NCCA members. There is a maximum of twelve persons per tour; the first will start at 10.00am Felbrigg Hall and the second, if required, will start at 11.00am. On the Conservation Studio tour, the cleaning room (not usually included on the tour) will be accessible to NCCA members. The Studio, managed by Ksynia Marko, is the only in-house treatment facility for the conservation of textiles in the UK. They take in some of the 100,000 items that belong to the National Trust each year for conservation. These include items such as tapestries, costumes, state beds, carpets and many other textiles. As a
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conservation studio they conserve items as they are now, so if an item has been repaired in the past then they consider this to be part of the history of the item and it is left, unless the repair is causing damage. In February this year they will be collecting the 19th Century Templetons chenille carpet from Cragside House in Northumberland, as featured on TV in October on the 'Inside the National Trust' programme. Acid dyes used in its manufacture are now causing damage and Paul Pearce and I have been invited to visit the studio to discuss possible ways of cleaning it safely prior to its conservation. This carpet will be under conservation when our tour takes place, so you will have a one-off opportunity to see the work being undertaken on this unique and historic carpet. The Conservation Studio has a maximum of 25 visitors to a tour, so early booking is advisable! Felbrigg Hall Felbrigg Hall, built in the 17th Century, has Jacobean architecture and a Georgian interior, walled gardens with orchards and an orangery and also houses the National Colchicums (Crocus) Collection. The estate covers 1,760 acres including 520 acres of Woodland. Following our tour/s of Felbrigg we will meet for a pub lunch and time to chat with other members,
Diary Dates 2014 NCCA COURSES
before heading to the Conservation Studio at Oulton in the afternoon. If you fancy mixing a bit of work with pleasure, why not do as some members did last year and make a weekend of it? Blickling Hall, which we toured last year, is another National Trust property in the area and well worth a visit. Or why not take a picnic and a walk in Sherringham Park and view the coast from the look-out tower. For train enthusiasts there is the North Norfolk Poppy Line, running along the coast from Sherringham via Weybourne to Holt. Close by is the seaside town of Wells which has a railway to Walsingham, England's Nazareth, with the Slipper Chapel, the Roman Catholic Shrine of Our Lady. Driving the coast road you can stop off at the specially built Cley Marsh Bird Reserve for lunch, the cafĂŠ/shop has lovely views over the protected marsh. Blakeney harbour is very pretty and Bishops Boats have trips out to see the seals at Blakeney point. If you like a city break, Norwich is well worth a visit with one of the top ten UK shopping malls and the oldest outdoor market in the country. There is also a very fine Norman Castle and the Cathedral is well worth a visit. Norfolk is also well known for the Broads National Park, so if you like sailing, shops, pubs and restaurants all in easy walking distance, stop off in Wroxham. Prices for the day are yet to be confirmed as we hope to include lunch, but have yet to finalise the venue for this. We anticipate the total price to be around ÂŁ35 plus VAT per person, including lunch and both tours, so if you would like to take part in a completely unique exclusive event, reserve your place now with the office. We look forward to seeing you there.
Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 21st - 22nd March 23rd - 24th May 4th - 5th July 12th - 13th September 21st - 22nd November Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 21st February 20th June 10th October Leather Identification & Cleaning 20th March 11th 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.
Turkoman rugs (part one) Peter Collins (Honorary Member) This article is the first in a series covering the history, weaving techniques, design and production of the very beautiful and muchloved Turkoman rugs.
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urkoman rugs are handmade in Northwestern Iran, parts of Turkey, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Syria and some areas of the former Soviet Union. They are usually of similar appearance and very distinguishable from Persian rugs. Typically they will display all-over geometric patterns with the main colour being a rich burgundy, a design exclusive to the Turkomans; often prayer rugs are made in these regions with the same colour scheme. These beautiful rugs are sometimes referred to as Caucasian carpets and are frequently used to add exotic flavour to a room. The history of Turkoman rugs goes back a long way. Many ancient regions of Iran including Ardabil, Bakhshaish, Gharadjeh, Goravan, Heriz, Mehriban, Sarab and Shahsavan are renowned for rug weaving. Here, almost all men and women have the talent and skill to weave high quality carpets by hand, with no use of modern technology whatsoever. In some cases, rug weaving is a family's main source of income.
Their weaving style originates partly from the Mongols, who invaded Iran in the 13th century and settled in the northwest, and usually incorporates the symmetrical Turkish double-knotting style, which tends to be dense and tightly packed down. However, the asymmetrical Persian knot can also be seen in the rugs produced in cities, such as Ardabil.
Turkoman rugs are normally coloured with natural vegetable and root dyes and the pile is mainly constructed of thick lustrous wool, handspun from local sheep. Cotton is a material of choice for the foundation because it is very strong. Goat hair can also be seen in some Turkish tribal carpets and in a few regions, such as Ardabil, silk is blended in with the wool pile.
Iran, some parts of Turkey and Uzbekistan have been very significant in the forming of the present day carpet industry. Carpet weaving has long been a custom of theirs and they still use the brilliant weaving techniques that were used thousands of years ago to produce sturdy, hardwearing and very beautiful rugs. More next month on Turkoman rugs.
Men are from Earth...
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
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Main Photograph, plus ‘100% Acrylic’ and ‘Jute/Polyester’ images ©Derek Bolton
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omen are from a different planet somewhere in the Galaxy! That statement is going to get me into real trouble… let me explain my reasoning. It all started with a Christmas shopping expedition, not a man's favourite pastime at the best of times, but something that the female of the species seem to crave and revel in. Say no more! The cunning plan I have adopted is to quietly disappear and visit some establishment far more interesting than clothes shops, such as a nice quiet coffee shop or maybe a soft furnishings outlet. So, just before Christmas this is exactly what transpired and I found myself in the local John Lewis store, specifically the soft furnishings section, which just happened to be right next to their coffee shop… BLISS. During the next hour or so I meandered around looking at carpets, rugs and soft furnishing fabrics not, I hasten to add, with any thoughts of buying her ladyship a rug for Christmas. Perish the thought I should actually 'choose' something myself without the due prolonged consultation process…. ring any bells fellas? I do thoroughly recommend that all carpet
cleaners browse the retail outlets from time to time; it is amazing what you can find of interest. Looking around John Lewis's extensive selection of carpeting, Oriental and Oriental-style rugs I found some really exciting cleaning challenges for us to make ourselves aware of, a few of which I will share with you here. Firstly, I was surprised at many of the cleaning instructions on the informative labels attached to rugs; many of their wool-rich rugs recommended ‘dry clean only’… there was a 100% Acrylic pile rug with the same instruction. This is a very clear indication that we must ALWAYS test and NOT simply rely on labelling. There were also many rugs
that, on the face of it, looked to be wet-cleanable but on checking the label I was surprised at the fibre content. Remember, the manufacturers are very good at providing just what the consumer wants in terms of design, texture and price; they have to in an effort to survive in today's very competitive market place. As Paul Pearce mentioned in his recent article, it is important to watch out for Viscose face fibres in rugs and carpets. It is becoming
Viscose
increasingly common and dare I say 'popular', although obviously not with the professional carpet cleaner. Reviews on such rugs read very well with customers delighting in their rich colours and soft feel. What I haven’t seen yet, however, is any comments on what happens when someone has a spillage on one of these carpets/rugs or attempts a D.I.Y clean or gets in an unsuspecting professional. Don't forget that with Viscose you may well be dealing with fibres that have been dyed using the pH sensitive Direct dye. One of the samples I acquired certainly has, and it costs the princely sum of £450 per square metre! Not something you
Jute and Polyester (unusual combo)
want to ruin when attempting a clean, so don't forget to test. I personally love all these changes as it 100% Acrylic provides ‘Dry Clean Only’ additional interest for the professional cleaning technician. It can get quite boring just cleaning the same old Polypropylene or 80% Wool/20% Nylon pile carpets day in and day out. We need something to keep the old grey matter functioning, plus it's always a good excuse to get out of shopping with 'The Governor'. It's a 'win win' situation, providing of course you retain possession of the credit card! (Note from the Editor - I prefer our planet, the toilet seats are always down and there are more shoe shops). (Note from Paul P - What about handbags?)
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Wood floor cleaning and maintenance Terry Guilford (The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.)
A
lot of the articles I have written so far have concentrated on wood floor sanding and finishing which is not something all of you may be interested in getting involved in. However, there is a way that you can all make money from wooden floors without the expense of floor sanding equipment and training and that is in its cleaning and maintenance. So, at this point, you may be thinking “don't a lot of people just mop the floors themselves?� Well the answer is yes, but then they can also mop tiles and vinyl themselves. However, luckily for us, some people do prefer to have their hard floors cleaned professionally. So, what do you need to do before embarking on any kind of maintenance on a wooden floor? Well, the first thing to do is decide what type of finish the wood is treated with, is it a penetrating finish like oil hard wax oil or is a surface type finish (a lacquer or varnish)? Most people know how to spot the latter as the product 'sits' on top of the wood
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and has a certain depth and sheen to it, but they are less sure about the oiled or hard wax oiled floors. Well, to identify these, first ask the client. Because oiling floors is relatively specialist the clients will often know that this is what they have. Secondly, look to see if there is surface build or if it appears that there is nothing on the surface. Thirdly, floors that have an oil finish will sometimes have a more worn appearance and evidence of penetration by water or other spills. Hard waxes are the most difficult to spot to the untrained eye as they may well have some surface build and are chemically very
resistant. However, for these reasons it is not so bad if you do get it wrong (whilst it wouldn't be technically correct to clean these floors like a lacquered one and then coat with an emulsion, it would be unlikely to damage them). The next step is to assess the level of damage done to the floor. An oiled floor (or any of the derivatives) can be cleaned providing there is some oil left on the floor and while this can be done with a neutral pH cleaner and a mop, it doesn't really impress the client. Much better is to use a refresher product designed for this type of finish which will both clean the floor and top up the oil in one go. If the oil is quite worn and you are feeling adventurous, it is well within the capabilities of all of you to 'top up' the existing oil by cleaning the old finish and applying fresh oil using a rotary machine and a proprietary pad. Even better, why not offer the client one of the new (much tougher) catalysed oils. The latter two options would need some training, especially in the case of hard wax oils, but they are very 'do-able' and profitable. With a lacquered floor it is possible to clean the floor with a rotary machine and a red pad by spraying a ready-mixed solution on to a small area of floor at a time and using the pad as both the cleaning and soil extraction tool. Very dirty floors such as ballrooms, bars etc. are better cleaned using the red pad just as a way to break down the soil and then a wet vacuum to remove it. With this method you will still use a neutral cleaner but this time it is better to put it in the tank of your rotary and apply it over an area of no more than 10 -15 square metres, then scrub the area and extract quickly. Remember, water is the enemy of wooden
flooring. Clean a small area and extract as quickly as possible. So, what if your lacquered wooden floor looks dull and lifeless after cleaning? What about using a professional emulsion just like you would on some other surfaces? Wood floor emulsions come in basic form and also in a non-slip variety and are applied pretty much in the same way as for any other surface, thinly with each coat applied at 90 degrees to its predecessor and avoiding too much build up at the edges. It is estimated that there are ten thousand square metres of wood flooring fitted in the UK every week, do you really want to miss out on the opportunity of maintaining it?
New NCCA Members FAB Carpet Cleaning Exeter, Devon Prestige Carpets & Cleaning St Albans, Hertfordshire UK Carpet Care Ltd Ipswich, Suffolk Evan Smith Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Chelmsford, Essex Smart Services Inc Hereford, Herefordshire
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Some customers...
S
Ken Wainwright
ometimes customers can be so stubborn that it's hard to understand their logic. I had an ongoing saga, beginning last October (over now… I hope), which made me want to laugh. Or perhaps cry? The original call from my customer was about some staining on her room-sized rug. Her story was that her cleaner had spilt some beeswax polish that had left some yellow stains on the rug. All DIY attempts at removal had failed and had also created some new pile and colour damage. My customer was absolutely convinced it was all the fault of the cleaner as “she'd spilt the wax”. The cleaner denied having caused the stain. Looking at the rug, I suspected a different source for the stain. I tested the aerosol beeswax formula and it produced a clear patch on the test-towel, not yellow. I then test treated part of the stain with a tea and coffee stain removing product… with a positive result! Not perfect, as the stain had been abused by DIY treatments, which I suspect included the bleaching type product I saw in the cleaning cupboard, and I was reluctant to use a professional bleaching product as the whiter colours on the type of rug she had can be easily damaged. I was, and still am, convinced that this was a beverage stain, especially as it was at the side of a coffee table. Now the good bit. My customer told me that her cleaner didn't drink tea. Or coffee. Or hot chocolate! In fact she said that her cleaner ONLY drank cold water. But she did, at this point at least,
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agree with me that the spillage did look more like tea or coffee than anything else. I began to think that the customer, or one of her many visitors, had caused the original stain, but unfortunately she remained convinced that the cleaner had done it and wanted her to pay for a new rug! Having cleaned the rug, and achieved the safest result possible, I thought that was the end of it all. Then I received a phone call in November asking me what else the cleaner could have done to cause this damage. Then again on Christmas Eve! All the evidence presented to me suggested that the cleaner was not responsible and that it was my customer, or a visitor, who was at fault. It's not in my nature to point the big lottery finger at a customer and say “It could be you” but on this occasion I came close, very close to doing this. But happily I didn't, especially as I was recommended by a retired director from a major carpet mill in Kidderminster. I haven't heard anything further since the phone call I received on Christmas Eve, so I am hoping the saga is all over now. However, I am wondering if the cleaner is still being blamed for the stain and if she's caved under the pressure and agreed to pay for a new rug.
ion
tit mpe
co
win a place on our training course!
For your chance to win a FREE place on our floor sanding training course just log on to our website and sign up for our monthly newsletter. To be sure we know who you are please put NCCA after your name. www.ultimate-floorcare.com The winner of our last competition was Steve Wilkins from Ideal Upholstery Cleaning in Cheshire. “Congratulations Steve we look forward to seeing you on our course soon!�
WINNER!
Expanding your business - is it the best way to go?
O
ver the past twenty nine years of running a carpet cleaning business, I've had a one, two and a three truck operation. I've had a workshop with an office and I've also had just a home office. I also ventured into fire and flood restoration for a number of years as well as concentrating solely on cleaning carpets and upholstery. It seems to me that success is often measured by how many trucks you have. Or how large the business is. Now that I'm once again an owner/operator working from a home office, I've come to realize that residential carpet cleaning is a great opportunity for a good lifestyle. There are so many benefits in this industry to remaining small. In no particular order, here they are: No employees equals less stress Ask any business owner their number one headache and it will usually involve employees that need 'parenting'. That seems to be particularly the case with carpet and upholstery cleaning. Good employees are hard to find and it's very hard to find employees who know how to deal with people and can present themselves to high-end homeowners. After all, we work in peoples' bedrooms! Customers have to feel very comfortable with whoever is going to do that and really need to trust them.
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David Coker
Each job is unique. There are probably dozens of different decisions to be made on each job. Employees don't care as much as you do. My last employee moved a table with a very expensive Tiffany lamp balancing on one end‌and it fell off. The employee thinks about your cost of replacement - you think about what the customer will tell others about you! I've just booked in an old customer who hasn't used us for a number of years. He responded because I sent him an irresistible offer. He finally told me that he kept hesitating to use us again because the last time the carpets were cleaned the skirting boards had been damaged with the wand. Yet, he'd never mentioned it on the Report Card. People don't like to complain‌they'll just go somewhere else! No employees also means that you don't have to worry about terminating employment and being taken to an industrial tribunal. I've had staff try to take me to a tribunal (fortunately I took advantage of the NCCA free legal helpline) and I've known a colleague who sacked an employee for theft only to have to pay compensation for 'not following correct procedure'. No employees equals loyal, happier customers Who would you prefer to perform a service in your home? The owner, or one of his employees?
Customers prefer to have YOU, and quality minded consumers will pay a premium to have the owner. And, unlike a large firm, they know who will turn up to do the work. As I write this, I've just had a new driveway on the front of my house. The owner of the business brought a new member of staff to do some of the 'grunt' work of cutting the bricks for the edging while he presumably managed another job. He's now been back twice to replace many of the bricks that the employee fitted. Am I happy? Yes. Would I use him again? Not unless he's doing the work himself. No employees equals lower expenses No employees means no office required, no Employee Liability Insurance, no Employers National Insurance Contributions (currently 13.8%!), no sick pay, no holiday pay, no P60's to prepare at year-end and no extra equipment required. There's also considerable savings on training staff perhaps to have them leave after a month with no explanation (as I have experienced), or to have them leave to start their own cleaning business (as I have also unfortunately experienced). And here's one of the myths of owning a larger business, 'if there's sufficient Gross, there must be significant Net in there somewhere'. This is not necessarily true. Big numbers do not always result in more take-home pay for the owner. In fact, in my experience, the opposite is true, in that the lower investment costs and lower overheads of being an owner/operator translates into a much higher profit margin!
Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 96 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 47 referrals from the NCCA office and 49 potential customers contacting members directly through the website.
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Mould - what is all the fuss about?
M
ould can potentially grow in any building, whether occupied or unoccupied. It cannot normally be seen with the human eye, but it can be seen when it grows into large colonies. The spores are all around us, but normally they are not present in high numbers and therefore should not affect us. Many people have not been aware of the health effects of mould exposure, but this is now changing. Guidance Mould growth in a building is not good for human health and the Healthy Homes Safety Rating Systems (HHSRS), the Environmental Regulations for rented properties, consider that mould in a building is a Class One health hazard similar to exposure to asbestos. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also considers it a human health hazard. There are many health and safety laws stating that hazardous biological substances must be contained and controlled. These laws must be complied with; this is an: absolute statutory requirement. Mould growth When a mould spore settles and becomes damp these spores can germinate. This germination will often lead to the growth of a fruiting body and on the fruiting body more mould spores will grow. Each fruiting body can release thousands of invisible spores into the air. Therefore mould spore replication can be rapid in the right
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Steve Scotter
conditions and this will accelerate with time. Mould digests the surface it settles on and can feed on many substances. It often prefers dark places for growth and does not like rapid air movement. Controlling mould growth We cannot control normal amounts of mould spores entering buildings. However, we can prevent the growth of mould by the control of moisture (on which it feeds). Human health effects of mould exposure Many of us have good immune system resistance to mould spore exposure but some people do not and they can easily be affected. Human exposure, the facts: ŸThe more exposure a person receives to mould growth the more likely it is that it will affect their health. So it is very important that mould growth must be controlled in buildings. ŸMould exposure can cause our immune systems to become suppressed and this can lead to other illnesses. ŸMould exposure can be pathogenic, toxigenic and carcinogenic, but all mould exposure can be allergenic. ŸSome mould can grow in human lung tissue. There are also some moulds that can pierce human skin. ŸPeople can be affected by the chemical substances from mould exposure, leading to chemical sensitivity. ŸMould growth in a building can give off Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds (MVOC's); sometimes you may be able to smell these MVOC's when
entering a building. Exposure to MVOC's can change a person's DNA and this can cause many health problems.
ŸSome moulds will release toxins (Mycotoxins)
when under threat from other moulds or when treated with chemicals; these toxins have been used in chemical warfare. ŸMany dust mites require mould to be present for their replication and feeding processes. Common health problems caused by mould exposure There are many common complaints caused by mould exposure. These include: depression, eye irritation, lethargy, fatigue, wheezing, brain fog, dizziness, runny nose, anxiety, skin irritation, lack of concentration and allergic reactions. More serious health problems caused by mould exposure Sometimes mould exposure can cause more serious health complaints. Some of these are listed below: ŸAsthma attacks - mild to life threatening. ŸChest infections - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients are particularly susceptible. ŸCancer. ŸMould growing in, or on, human tissue -
particularly in the lungs, requiring long term medication. Flood damage restoration Only fully (up-to-date) trained, competent technicians should undertake this work. On completion of this work, clearance tests for mould are required and these should be carried out by an independent specialist. Drying works should start in a flood damaged building within hours. A building that has been flood damaged for three days or more is in a biologically unacceptable condition for human occupation. Extensive strip out will be required for the decontamination process to be successful; this will result in much higher costs for building repair. Removal of mould To simply wipe down mould would result in the release into the air of many thousands of mould spores which could result in further contaminating the building. Mould removal must only be carried out by trained competent technicians, and on completion of this work the decontamination needs to be clearance tested by an independent company to prove the work has been carried out correctly. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) All technicians must wear appropriate PPE when undertaking flood restoration and mould remediation. 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.
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A quick health check - are your first-aid arrangements up-to-date
T
he provision of first aid to employees is a basic obligation enshrined within the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. HSE guidance on this duty reminds us that “An employer should make an assessment of first-aid needs appropriate to the circumstances (hazards and risks) of each workplace.” ¹ Employers, particularly in the cleaning industry where there are often lone workers and employees on third party premises, should assess what first-aid provision is adequate. The fact that many employees are likely to be using chemicals and machinery makes such provision even more important. The HSE guidance provides a checklist for employers and deals specifically with a number of common industry issues: Ÿwhere employees travel a lot, work remotely or work alone - the guidance advises employers to consider issuing personal first-aid kits and mobile phones (to summon assistance); and Ÿwhere employees work at a site occupied by other employers - the guidance suggests that an
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Sophie Tompkins (Eversheds LLP)
employer should make arrangements with other site occupiers to ensure the adequate provision of first-aid. A written agreement between employers is strongly recommended. Employers do not need formal health and safety policies covering the issue of first-aid provision, but there does need to be some thought given to the issue. As a minimum, the HSE advise the following: Ÿa suitably stocked first-aid kit; Ÿan appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements; and Ÿinformation for all employees giving details of first-aid arrangements.² Where there are a number of individuals working within one location, there should at least be one person appointed to coordinate a response (such as calling the emergency services) in the event that first-aid needs to be administered. Thought should be given to whether that individual is always available during working hours and who will fill that role in their absence. Where there are commonly
changes in the workforce, employers need to review the position on a regular basis. Where arrangements have been established, employers should make sure that employees are aware of them. In the event of an incident where first-aid is administered, you should ensure that those arrangements worked as expected. Serious cases of injury in the workplace are often aggravated by poor first-aid and emergency response. In the event first-aid kits are provided, they should be regularly checked and, if necessary, refreshed just as would happen with other PPE and work equipment. Where employees are given first-aid training, employers should take note that training requirements have recently changed. Until October 2013, any health and safety training qualification had to be approved by the HSE. As from 1 October 2013, such approval became no longer necessary and employers now have the freedom to select appropriate training providers. The HSE has also provided guidance on how to select a suitable provider and this can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis3.pdf * The changes to training requirements allow businesses a greater degree of flexibility and independence and an enhanced ability to tailor courses to the specific needs and demands within their particular workforce. The HSE will only become involved in cases where there is a significant risk, a disregard for established standards or persistent poor compliance with the law.
When an incident has been dealt with and first-aid administered, thought should then be given to completing the relevant accident book and, for more serious incidents, whether a report to the HSE is necessary under the provisions of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (“RIDDOR”). Failure to report an injury as required could lead to prosecution and the issuing of a fine; one which may be substantial and damaging for a small company. By way of example, a company has been fined £3,500 for not reporting the injuries sustained by two employees whilst using machinery and a heat-sealing mechanism. As well as the changes to first-aid training, there have also been changes to the RIDDOR provisions. The main changes relate to the classification of those injuries considered 'major injuries'; the list of 'major injuries' has been replaced with a list of 'non-fatal injuries to workers'. In addition, there has been a reduction in the types of 'dangerous occurrences' that need to be reported. Whilst employers will still need to investigate nonreportable accidents and make any changes needed to prevent a recurrence, an awareness of these recent changes will assist those tasked with completing RIDDOR reports should the time come. * The NCCA has devised an excellent health and safety training course which is aimed specifically at the carpet and upholstery cleaner. For more information phone the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550). ¹ L74 3rd Edition: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l74.pdf ² www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/what-employers-need-to-do.htm
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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. CLEANING AND RESTORATION MACHINERY EQUIPMENT - ACCESSORIES Dri-Eaz Dehumidifier 1200 as New Boxed £450.00. DriEaz Sahara Pro TurboDryer - New Boxed £150.00. DriEaz 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: restorationdirect@btinternet.com 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 £99 (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. 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.
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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 - IDEAL FOR NEW BUSINESS Everything you need to start carpet cleaning, including: Ashbys Ninja adjustable up to 400psi with Dry Cleaning Functionality built in, 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. 1 x 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. Selling for £1950. Contact Richard on 07903 841534. 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. 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 MACHINERY FOR SALE CFR Paramount 1000 PSI machine - delivering 1000 pressure per square inch. 95 litre recycling tank, great for commercial and domestic work £600.00 o.n.o.Contact davidkendall40@aol.com for further information or phone David on 07768 667824 or 01277 824546.
NCCA Corporate Members 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. 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. 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.
+ 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)
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.
+ 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) + 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.
Going Going - Gone! BEFORE
AFTER
Dye Gone offers a unique new package and application device to remove the severest of dye stains including: coffee, tea, wine, hair dyes, paints, candle colours etc. No need to mix - just spray - wait and the stain is gone.*
Say e dby goo ains! t to s
*pre-test carefully and rinse out after stain is removed with cold water.
Ask Chemspec about their new winter/spring training programme for 2014
Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com