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ncca
Features:
Stone Polishing Customer Complaints ŠPure by Brintons Carpets
March 2014
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Contents
Published monthly by:
03 From the Editor: Excellent NCCA training courses coming soon 04 Don’t lose your customers at the first hurdle 06 New NCCA consumer leaflet 08 Polishing stone floors 10 Turkoman rugs (part two) 12 A guide to customer complaints (part two) 14 NCCA tour of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio and Felbrigg Hall 15 Your pull-out-and-keep guide to the Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2014 20 True grit 22 NCCA member raises money for Gaza’s children 24 Men are from Earth... (part two) 26 PPE and LEV requirements for working in flood damaged properties 27 Common sense health and safety for the carpet and upholstery cleaner 28 Knowledge is power: working with asbestos Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage. ©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.
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The National Carpet Cleaners Association, 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH. Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk
Editor Nicky Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law CEO/Technical Director Paul Pearce Vice President/Admin Director Nigel Lay Company Secretary/2nd Vice President/Training Director Glyn Charnock Membership Director Martin Johns Marketing Director Keith Robertson Corporate Director Allan Simmons Events Director Billy Russell Co-opted Franchise Director Denise Pitt www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_
Excellent NCCA training courses coming soon book your places now!
M
ore carpet cleaners than ever are
We have also scheduled our
facing stiff competition when
excellent Hard Floor Cleaning
gaining work. 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
course to run again on 24th and Nicky Law Newslink Editor
25th April. The course programme includes
some practical hands-on training and covers the cleaning and care of resilient, wood, ceramic and natural stone. Each delegate will be provided with
that the NCCA offer excellent training courses to
an accompanying reference manual, which is
help you learn further skills.
theirs to take home once the course is over.
One of these courses is the popular Leather Identification & Cleaning course, which we are running again on 20th March. Leather is an extremely complex product and
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
cleaning it is at least as involved as cleaning
committed affiliate of the National Carpet
fabrics, possibly sometimes more so. On the
Cleaners Association, Keith is a member of the
course you will learn about the tanning process,
British Institute of Cleaning Science and writes
how to identify different types of leather from
regularly for the trade press.
Aniline through to Bicast and Faux leathers, how to determine when it is cleanable (or in need of restoring or replacing), how to identify different finishes and how to clean leather upholstery (with demonstrations). The course instructor is long-standing NCCA member and past-president, Pawlo Woloszyn, a
Both courses are to be held at the NSPCC Training Centre in Leicester. Places will be booked on a first-come, firstserved basis so early booking is advisable. For further information, or to book your place, contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 or log on to: www.ncca.co.uk/training.php
leather cleaning expert with twenty years'
to download a booking form.
experience running a successful carpet and
(for a full list of training courses and events please
upholstery cleaning company.
go to page 13).
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Don’t lose your customers at the first hurdle
Paul Pearce
R
ecently I had to call a couple of carpet cleaning companies (not all of them NCCA members) and one thing that struck me was that very few of these people answered the phone with their name or company name. Because of this, on several occasions I wasn't even sure I had the right number. In one instance the telephone was answered by a five year old which was OK in itself but I was told that daddy was in the loo and wouldn't be long. I decided in this case to politely say thank you and that I would call back later. Incidentally, when I did, daddy answered the phone with his company name. I know we all have busy lives and most of us run a business from home so it is inevitable that sometimes the phone will be answered by family, especially if you only have the one phone line, but have you ever stopped to think about how you are viewed by prospective customers when they phone you for the first time? Clients often have a sense of urgency and only a limited amount of time and patience when making their initial enquiry, so what can you do to ensure that you don't lose them at the first hurdle? Well, have you ever thought about engaging the services of a business answering service? I don't use one myself these days, but it is definitely worth considering if you are growing your business and in the process of acquiring new clients. You would be amazed how reasonable these services are. Alternatively you could, of course, divert calls to your mobile, but this only works if you are not too busy to answer in a fluster and there are some
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clients who don't like you answering calls during the time you are supposed to be working for them. It is also perfectly acceptable for family members to answer the phone, providing this is done in a proper manner. All family members should be thoroughly versed on what to say when they pick up a call and how to quickly and efficiently relay any messages to you. Your other option is to divert your phone/s to answer machine. If you do this though, you must make sure that your message is upbeat, efficient, professional and friendly and sufficiently reassures the caller that you will return their call in a timely manner. You must also extract your messages regularly and get back to your caller at your earliest possible convenience. If they are a potential new client making an initial enquiry, leaving it too long to get back to them will mean it is highly likely that they will move on to the next cleaner on their list.
So, how should you answer your phone when it rings? Well, here are the rules I like to stick to: ŸIf there is a door to the telephone area shut it to filter out any background noise. ŸAnswer promptly, within three rings where possible. ŸAnswer with your name and company name. ŸHave pen and paper to hand. ŸAsk for their name so you can address them properly. ŸSmile when you talk. ŸUse a good clear voice (and I don't mean put on a posh voice, just be yourself but without the slang). ŸAsk questions and be interested in what they have to say. ŸListen carefully, be attentive, and don't interrupt. ŸExplain clearly the services you offer. You are in a selling situation so make it easy for the customer to buy your products. ŸExplain clearly your charges if you are pricing over the phone. ŸBe friendly, polite and courteous at all times. ŸKeep a positive attitude throughout. ŸAsk them how they found you. Things which are off-putting to a potential client on an initial call are: ŸCrying, shouting or screaming in the background. Radio or TV playing loudly. Ÿ Two people in the background having an Ÿ argument. ŸDogs barking. ŸLoud domestic noises such as someone clattering pots and pans.
ŸPeople answering the phone with just “Hello”. ŸGruff, downbeat, miserable, impolite, negative
or abrupt conversation. There are many questions you will be asked on an initial call. The most common one is “How much do you charge?” Sometimes they ask this because they really don't know what else to say. My response to this is always “I can help you with that, but may I ask you a few questions first?” I then ask a series of questions such as “Have I cleaned for you before?” or “Have you previously employed anyone else to do similar work?” or even “Have you ever had a bad experience with a cleaning technician?” I also ask them what type of carpet it is, whether it is plain or patterned, how old it is, whether it is fitted or lose, how many people live in the property, and so on… My aim at this stage, apart from fact gathering for my own benefit, is to build a rapport with my client and reach a point where they are interested in my services and a site visit can be arranged. If you are using a business answering service to take your calls it is a good idea to list down a series of questions for them to ask on your behalf. Some call answering companies are simply message takers, so ask them if they are able to do this for you before engaging their services. Remember, a call is much more likely to come to fruition if sufficient interest is taken initially. Many of you, however, will be taking your calls at home. Remember that your telephone is your lifeline whether it is for receiving or making calls, sending and receiving texts/emails, data storage or photographing results. Use it carefully and always keep its data backed up.
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New NCCA consumer leaflet - order yours now! We now are now stocking our newly redesigned consumer leaflet, available for members to purchase.
customer will have your particulars readily available should they want their carpets and upholstery cleaned again in the future.
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.
The leaflets retail at 11p each if you order under 100 and 9.5p each if you order 500 or over. Phone the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550 to order yours now!
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
GENERAL MANAGER REQUIRED An exciting new position is being created with a long established industry leader. A General Manager with a proven knowledge of textile cleaning and a passion for service quality is now required. Performance driven individual who can work with and manage an efficient team to deliver excellence in our field of operations. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate past successes and formulate future goals within a high end business. Experience of curtain cleaning, carpet and upholstery cleaning are vital to this role. Ability to motivate and manage staff to fulfil targets is essential. The successful candidate will have a proven track record in driving sales and commitment to quality service. ******** Please apply, including C.V. to: G.W.D. Selection,15 Bonser Road, Twickenham, TW1 4RQ.
Polishing stone floors
O
Keith Robertson
ver the last few years there have been a considerable number of carpet cleaners who have realised that there is potential for additional profit by also working on hard floor surfaces and, in particular, stone. Rather than easing into this area of business and starting by working on stones that can simply be cleaned, or surfaces that require stripping and sealing, many appear to have jumped straight into Marble in President Yanukovych’s mansion stone polishing. It may simply be that they followed a colleague's recommendation, or an At the time of your survey do you ask if the client advert, and attended a practical course that has a spare stone or tile that you can borrow? showed them a method of making stone shine Most people do and are willing to let you take it and from that they enthusiastically added another away. Now you can determine whether the way string to their bow. you work on stone will work on this sample and As we know there are many carpet cleaners out also what might be the most appropriate method there who don't clean very well, perhaps have or product to protect it. never attended any more than a half-day What if there is more than one stone. Will the manufacturer's course and yet, somehow, get system you are using be appropriate for both? away with it. This can be true with stone as well. You can never learn too much about stone. That said, there are many more things that can Which ones should be polished or not? Does a go wrong when you work on natural stone heavier or faster revolving machine produce a surfaces unless you are careful and keep learning. superior result and which type of diamond pad The saying that 'practice makes perfect' is both gives the correct finish? Can the required effect be applicable and important when it comes to stone. achieved simply by using different grades of
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powders? Will a diamond impregnated pad be useful or will a better end result be achieved with a diamond impregnated brush? There are so many permutations when it comes to polishing stone. The fact is that there is no one system that will achieve everything that is required. It does seem that we are moving gradually in that direction but if you are serious about stone you should be willing to open your mind and examine as many of the options as possible. Have you encountered the unrealistic customer with young children and large dogs who contacts you because the newly laid polished stone hasn't retained its original gloss? Do you promise them the same finish, or do you offer them advice as to the type of finish that might be more appropriate for their lifestyle? Of course if you personally love high gloss, or believe you should never question a customer, do you simply carry on and restore the original shine? Have you ever had a customer then phone you three months later because they are unhappy that their floor has once more deteriorated? Funny how now it's your fault. Be careful how you qualify the results you can achieve and make sure you put these warnings into writing. Similarly, should we presume that all stone that can be polished must be brought to a glass-like finish? In the aftermath of the troubles in the Ukraine, access was gained to the 'then' President Yanukovych's mansion and details of the lavishness of the property were reported in the press. Peter York wrote in the Independent newspaper, “The floors are marble - the shiny new hotel kind of course. Marble that looks like fake marble, with
elaborate inlays of other exuberant marbles.� Stop and read the quotation again and then ask yourself whether you are producing a finish suitable to the floor or the shiny new hotel kind of finish. It may be the case that both you and your customer are happy with that look and if that is the case so be it. It is a personal whim of mine that stone looks better when the shine is between muted and sharp - depending on the stone and circumstances - and definitely not what I would term as false or gaudy. Certainly, if you are involved in vitrifying floors, do take care that the final result doesn't look like plastic. Be aware that, even under normal circumstances, in domestic situations some stones deteriorate quicker than others and, in some cases, this can be seen between stones within the same floor. One of the reasons for this is that the stones are of variable quality. This can be for a number of reasons. For instance, some large suppliers make up their own names for the stones they sell and this allows them flexibility when it comes to purchasing. In one recent job I identified three similar, but different, Limestones that came from separate quarries. Not only can there be subtle differences between stones but the finishing can also vary from one to another, so by the time they come through the chain to the retailer the result is that some may wear better than others. Once again the customer must be advised that no matter what you do you cannot regulate the difference between how one slab of stone will wear against another in the future.
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Turkoman rugs (part two)
Peter Collins (Honorary Member)
T
hrough the mists of time there have been misunderstandings which have arisen in the interpretation of rug styles, descriptions and weaving. Even today the experts still have differences of opinion on this vast subject, so when you read this article keep an open mind and just enjoy, as I do, the wonderful world of rug weaving and all its vagaries. Rugs in all their different styles and colours are a joy to behold. From the Caspian Sea to the Chinese frontier and from the Sea of Aral to Afghanistan and Persia stretches an immense territory, comprising thousands on thousands of square miles inhabited by numerous rug making tribes. In the deserts and sand hills of Turkestan, both east and west of Oxus, and among the foot hills of the Hissar and Turkestan mountains, the Turkomans make rugs which follow quite closely a
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general type and which have attained a high degree of popularity. They are strong, wellmade and serviceable and are created from good quality wool. Lower grades of wool are made into heavy cloaks, tent coverings and thick felts, all which play a part in the wild outdoor life led by these central Asian tribes. In considering these Turkoman weavings we encounter again the misunderstandings which have arisen in the case of so many rugs. The great
majority of Turkoman rugs are accredited to the city of Bokhara and Bokhara is the name by which they are widely known in Europe and America. My research, however, has found that what are called Bokharas in America and Europe are not actually Bokharas and no one in Asia, except perhaps the most experienced rug vendors, understand what we mean by Bokhara rugs. It appears that the name was originally adopted for a rug called the Turkoman Tekke, as tribesmen always used to take these rugs to Bokhara for sale. The name was also later applied to the unworthy successors of the Tekke and the name is now so ingrained in our minds that it is unlikely to change. Ironically the rugs actually made in, and around, Bokhara itself are not what we would call Bokharas. The rugs made here are the coarse forms of the Turkoman design, which we sometimes know as Afghans and Khivas. 'Bokhara' rugs are noted for their unique design and silk-like texture and typically display a broad border and a centre field decorated with an overall geometric patterning. Bokhara designs such as the Tekke 'gul' motif, as well as the elephant foot, are favourites among collectors who proudly display these as either wall hangings or in areas that have less traffic to preserve their beauty. The 'gul' design is basically a stylized octagonal flower. In all Bokhara rugs, the 'guls' are arranged in uniform columns and rows in the field. These motifs are usually slightly oblong and shapely, while still adhering to their basic geometric form. Two opposing quadrants in the 'gul' will be light while the other two will be dark. Madder root, from which red dye is made, is readily available in
this region, and red is considered the colour of joy and happiness, so shades of red and red-brown are often seen in these rugs. It is probably impossible for anyone to fix the right name and place of manufacture for the many weaving styles in Turkestan, unless you are a native intimately acquainted with all the strolling companies scattered over that huge boundless territory. They differ in style but the fundamental parts of the design, as well as the general colour scheme, do not vary that much. There are designs which very nearly approach the so-called Bokhara and there are others which, whilst following the colour scheme and general arrangement, have eliminated some of the features. What are known as Khiva Bokhara rugs, are indeed identical to Bokhara in knot, colour and finish and so nearly resemble them in pattern that at first glance can easily be mistaken for a Bokhara rug. There are points of difference however. The Khiva-Bokharas are inferior in fineness. 'True' Bokharas have as many as two hundred knots, or even more, to the square inch. The best of the Khiva Bokharas have not more than a hundred. The exported 'Bokhara pattern', whether large or small is more popular than any other Turkoman piece, however with many of them lately the colours are not so good. In an effort to make some rugs look 'antique', sometimes the red dye is washed and reduced to the palest pink. Having said that, fortunately there are still some very fine specimens continuing to be made. More next month on Turkoman rugs
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A guide to customer complaints (part two) Lewis Scroby (NCCA Standards and Fair Trading) NCCA Standards and Fair Trading Officer, Lewis Scroby, continues his series on dealing with customer complaints. This month features implementing procedures and communication.
T
he priority in any line of business is always to try to avoid complaints arising. All of the guidance in the previous article can greatly assist in this area. However, even the most vigilant and professional technicians can't guarantee a customer will not complain. The key, when they do arise, is efficiency. If a client reports a complaint, respond as quickly as possible, react appropriately and quickly, listen to them, make an effort to understand and assure them that you will deal with the matter. Complaints will almost always end up in you losing something, whether it's your time or money (or patience!). This needs to be accepted, it needs to be part of your service. Time and effort spent dealing with complaints is just as important as time and effort spent working, quoting, marketing or any other activity supporting your business. Understand that the customer has also lost these things and one thing you can save is your reputation. Customers are much more likely to spread word about a bad experience than a good one. Bear this in mind. Although a bad situation resolved is also a good story for them to tell. Putting procedures in place to ensure complaints are properly dealt with is essential practice for any professional company and also ensures that you, and your employees, are prepared to deal with complaints when they do arise. Procedures should
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include advice on the manner and attitude of the person communicating with the complainant, instructions on exactly what information to collect during the initial reporting of the complaint and guidance on what to tell the customer to ensure that they understand their complaint will be properly investigated. If you are the one who will be responsible for dealing with the complaint, provide your name and contact details. If not, ensure that whoever will be responsible is furnished with all the facts and communicates with the customer as soon as possible. Having a direct line of contact and being assured that the complaint will be properly dealt will put them at ease and almost always make them easier to deal with. Once in the process of investigating a complaint, keep the customer informed. This will reinforce their faith in you and your intention to properly resolve the matter. If there are going to be delays, tell them. They may not like it, but it's far better than them calling you further down the line because they feel ignored. When talking to a customer who is making a complaint, allow them to speak even if they are shouting. Listen, understand and do not interrupt. You will be surprised how remaining calm and not rising to the potentially high emotional level of the customer can quickly diffuse them and assist in you both understanding the situation much better. Ask for information in writing, especially if the conversation isn't clear enough. Telephone calls with regard to complaints are often difficult, a
Diary Dates 2014
customer can be angry, emotional, not thinking straight and this may lead to them not putting themselves across properly or fully explaining the extent of the problem or their view of the situation. Assure them that you have procedures for dealing with complaints and politely ask if they would mind providing you with a written report so you can fully understand their position. If you are unsure about anything after having the conversation and reading the report, offer to visit the premises and check for yourself. Be honest with your customers but do not admit complete responsibility until you aware of all the facts. Although it is likely the customer will want you admit liability you should not directly do so. Although while avoiding this you should make it very clear to the customer that you will fully deal with their complaint. Avoid using negative words like can't, won't, fault and problem. Rather than explaining what you disagree with and what you can't or won't do, mention what you do understand, offer what you can do. Arguing with your customer will not help the situation at all. Of course you may not agree with anything that they say, you may even feel that they are the ones at fault, but responding in that way will only make things worse. Even if it is clear that their complaint is not justified or valid, remain calm and professional. Whether the customer has a point or not, it is always easier to deal with a matter when discussions aren't heated. We understand some customers can be very difficult to deal with and this will be covered later in the series. Next month Lewis continues with complaints procedures and terms and conditions.
NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 21st - 22nd March 23rd - 24th May 4th - 5th July 12th - 13th September 21st - 22nd November Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 20th June 10th October Health & Safety for the Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner 19th June Leather Identification & Cleaning 20th March 11th September An Introduction to Hard Floor Cleaning 24th - 25th April Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician (IICRC COURSE, HOSTED BY NCCA - with Paul Pearce) 10th - 11th June All above courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details. CARPET CLEANERS CARNIVAL 20th September at Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire IICRC COURSES (HERTFORDSHIRE) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 11th - 12th March 20th - 21st May 16th - 17th September Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 18th - 19th March 3rd - 4th June 23rd - 24th September Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician with Paul Pearce 30th Sept - 1st Oct Held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222 IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 3rd - 4th June Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 12th - 13th March 15th - 16th April 23rd - 24th July Held at National Flood School, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Visit: www.iicrc.org for further details on all IICRC Training Courses.
NCCA tour of the National Trust Textile Conservation Studio and Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk
F
ollowing the success of the event last year, we 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 hour. On the Conservation Studio tour, the cleaning room (not usually included on the tour) will be accessible to NCCA members. The Studio 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 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. This carpet will be under conservation when our tour takes place, so you will have a oneoff 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! 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.
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(See: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/felbrigg-hall for more information). There is a maximum of twelve persons per tour; the first will start at 10.00am and the second, if required, will start at 11.00am. In between our tour/s of Felbrigg Hall in the morning and the Conservation Studio in the afternoon, we will meet for a fish and chip lunch at the Aylsham Lodge Hotel. The lunch, which is included in the price for the day, is Scampi or one of a choice of three different fish, freshly prepared in breadcrumbs, plus a dessert from that day's selection. Prices for the day are £28 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. Why not make it a mini-break 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? There are some wonderful places to visit in the area. Aylsham Lodge Hotel, where we will be having lunch, has rooms available at the following rates: ŸTwin room single occupant £55 ŸTwin room double occupancy £80 ŸDouble room single occupancy £65 ŸDouble room double occupancy £80 (All including full breakfast)
NCCA Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2014 Wicksteed Park, Kettering Your pull-out-and-keep four-page guide to CCC 2014
Fun da y out for all the family !
Ÿ Fun family day out Ÿ Networking opportunities Ÿ Big name exhibitors
Join us at our event this year On 20th September, following the overwhelming success of our previous events, we will again be holding the Carpet Cleaners Carnival (CCC). Whether you are new to the industry, or an old hand, the Carpet Cleaners Carnival is for you. So why not come along and join the fun. (Further information overleaf)
Ÿ Demonstrations Ÿ Seminars Ÿ Centrally located
venue
Wicksteed Park is the ideal setting for a great day out! Put the date in your diary now
Septem be 20th a r t Wicks teed
Wicksteed Park Barton Road, Kettering Northamptonshire NN15 6NJ
The carpet cleaning event of the year CCC - September 20th 2014 - put the date in your diary now! We have a date for your brand new 2014 diaries! On 20th September, following the overwhelming success of our previous events, we will again be holding our Carpet Cleaners Carnival (CCC), at Wicksteed Park in Kettering, and would like to invite you to come along and join the fun. The event brings together participants of the UK's flooring and soft furnishing cleaning industry and is open to both members and non-members, along with their friends and families. So, whether you are a business owner, technician, or a friend or family member with a vested interest, the Carpet Cleaners Carnival is for you. The CCC provides an excellent networking opportunity and includes an exhibition populated by top industry manufacturers, suppliers and advisors from within and outside the Association, providing you with the chance to compare equipment and to see, first hand, all types of machinery in action. The 2014 exhibition is set to feature some of the biggest names in the industry and we already have some excellent companies signed up to exhibit this year, including: Dry Fusion, Cleaners Warehouse, Columbus Cleaning machines, Alltec, GetBookedUp, Woolsafe and Chemspec Ltd. And that's just the start, there will be many more signing up over the next few months… so watch this space! This year we will also be holding a number of seminars to help you in your business. The topics arranged so far include: The Use of Bleaches in Carpet Cleaning (including demonstrations of oxidising and reducing bleaches), Marketing, General Equipment Maintenance and Carpet Repair. Further information on seminars will be included in a future Newslink, so keep an eye out for this. As well as being a trade fair, the CCC is also a great day out for all the family where fun and festivities are successfully combined with business. Wicksteed Park is an excellent location for a fun event and, along with the exhibition and seminars, the Carnival will feature women's interest and entertainment areas, providing attractions and activities for everyone in attendance. If you are thinking about attending the Carpet Cleaners Carnival this year, hang on to this centre-page pullout. On the back page there is a voucher for FREE ENTRY TO A £100 PRIZE DRAW which will take place at the Carnival. All you need to do is keep hold of the voucher and collect your tokens from future issues of Newslink (we have provided the first two to get you started). Once your voucher is full, you will be eligible for FREE ENTRY and the chance to win £100! Don't forget to bring your voucher with you on the day.
Pull-out-and-keep guide
Wicksteed Park Wicksteed is a very popular day out destination for families. It was one of the first Leisure Parks in the UK and is also an English Heritage Grade II Listed Park and Garden. Within the grounds and gardens of Wicksteed Park there is something for everybody to enjoy, including: an arboretum, lakeside area, a railway, beautiful memorial gardens, a fairground and one of the largest children's playgrounds in Europe.
Places to eat There are various food outlets situated conveniently throughout the park, so refreshments are always nearby. All food is freshly prepared on-site and ranges from Bistro dining to fast food and snacks. But if none of that takes your fancy, you could always bring your own picnic or barbeque food.
For the kids (and the kids at heart!) Wicksteed Park boasts one of the biggest and best free playgrounds in Europe, a fairground aimed at families with young children (up to the age of fourteen years old), racing cars, a lakeside area featuring water chute, nautical jets and boats and the UK's busiest narrow gauge railway.
Parking There will be FREE PARKING for all Carnival attendees.
Camping at Wicksteed Park If you're tired following the day's events and you don't fancy the drive back home, there's no need to spend a fortune on accommodation because Wicksteed offers an fully-equipped on-site camping area where you can pitch your tent or park your caravan/motorhome.
Exhibiting at the CCC If you would like to exhibit at this year’s event, please call NCCA Corporate Director, Allan Simmons, on: 01405 813665 or email: allanjnr@getbookedup.com If you are exhibiting this year you can advertise your company for FREE within future pull-out-andkeep guides in Newslink. To take advantage of this excellent opportunity, email Nicky at: nicky@ncca.co.uk for more information. Exhibitor Richard Sudall, of Chemspec Europe, said of last year’s event “What an excellent day! The atmosphere in the hall was friendly and informal with a continuous hum of activity. From the moment the visitors starting pouring in I was busy all day. In fact there was barely time to stop for refreshments! It was great to shake hands with so many old and new friends and I am really pleased with the new contacts I have made. A well-deserved 'thanks' to all at the NCCA for organising such a great event.” SEE OVERLEAF FOR MAP OF WICKSTEED AND VOUCHER FOR FREE ENTRY TO PRIZE DRAW.
Your guide to CCC 2014
CATERING FACILITIES AT WICKSTEED PARK A The Sandcastle Drinks, ices, snacks B Rollover Diner Hotdogs, baguettes, ices, snacks, drinks Burgers, chips, pies, ices, drinks C The Hexagon D The Park view Bistro Traditional bar meals, beverages E Charlie’s Sweet Shop Fudge and Pick ‘n’ Mix Hot dogs, jacket pots, ices, donuts F Food Precinct Baguettes, sandwiches, ices, drinks G The Snack Shack Fish & chips, pies, ices, snacks, drinks H The Oaktree Arcade Refreshments Hotdogs, burgers, ices, drinks I Available for private hire J Function Suite
CARAVAN & CAMPING
Ticket Office
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WHERE CCC IS HELD
FAIRGROUND Ticket Office
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Your voucher for collecting tokens for FREE ENTRY TO THE PRIZE DRAW:
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True grit
Terry Guilford (The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.)
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n some respects at least, the 'old days' were easier. Sure, driving back from a job with a few half used cans of Acid Cat lacquer knocking around in the back of the van were guaranteed to have you driving like an alcoholic after a spectacularly successful night out with George Best, but to balance that out (of course balancing anything after using Acid Catalyst was practically impossible), the sanding part at least was easy. So, assuming that my years of using high VOC (Very 'Orrible Commodities)* haven't damaged my brain permanently, what the hell am I talking about? When I started sanding it could be done by a blind village idiot after a night out with the genial northern Irish sportsman. All it required was some kind of drum sander (only posh companies had belt sanders) an edger and plenty of stamina. The only time you heard about random orbitals, rotaries, planetarys and extractors was on an episode of Star Trek! What started the change was, in fairness, a drive by some to RAISE the quality of the sanding and LOWER the amount of dust, but the real catalyst was the new VOC regulations. Let me elaborate. As I have said on several occasions, water-based and oil or wax oil products are much less forgiving when it comes to scratches prior to application, particularly scratches across the grain. Although I am not particularly proud to
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admit it now, my initial attempts at floor sanding involved sanding up to (probably‌ it isn't etched on my memory) 100 or 120 grit on both the drum and edge sander and then whacking on the finish. We got away with this because the types of finish we were using didn't highlight the scratch, but boy did we get a shock when starting to make the switch to the VOC compliant products! At least at this point in my floor sanding career I had had the good fortune to meet up with an old timer and the day I spent in his company was the most valuable day ever (sorry dear, I mean in floor sanding terms). I now knew, thanks to Noel, that a higher standard of sanding COULD be achieved but it just hadn't been necessary up to this point. So now we started rigorously applying the techniques that I had learned. First off, don't skip grits on your big machine, so if you start at 40 grit you must then go through 60 and 80 if you intend to stop at 100 grit.
If you can imagine that each piece of grit on a belt will leave a scratch on the wood, which in cross section resembles a mountain and a valley (albeit slightly smaller than the real geographical features). When you use the correct higher grit to go over that scratch you will remove it entirely and replace it with a slightly smaller ‘mountain’. However, if you skip a grit you don't remove the high point of the original scratch, you just create a small ‘valley’ in the top of it. So DON'T SKIP GRITS ON YOUR MAIN MACHINE. The next point is that it is OK to skip grits with your Edger, but IT IS NOT OK any longer to finish with your Edger. An Edger generally has a metal or hard rubber plate to which the sanding disc attaches; this means that it is very unforgiving and aggressive, which is of course what it needs to be to remove old finish, dirt and scratches from the surface of the floor. Combined with the fact that its motion is entirely rotary (there is no planetary or random element) it means the surface it leaves isn't good enough for modern finishes. Enter the Random Orbital Sander (or ROS for short). I first became aware of these machines during my short career selling tools to the motor trade and I'm guessing that's where they started out. The best of these have Velcro backing pads, of differing hardness, which means you can vary the amount of flex beneath the abrasive depending on the material you are sanding. The real benefit is,
however, in the ‘random’ element of the machines title. You see, an Edger just spins whereas a ROS actually spins and has some lateral movement at the same time, which means it isn't just grinding away at the same spot with every revolution. This random action gives a much smoother and scratch free finish to the wood and matches the scratch patterns left by the rotary or planetary machines that are going to be used in the ‘field’ area of the floor. So, now moving on to the central area of the floor or the ‘field’ as it is often referred to. Most people believe that you always have to sand wood in the direction of the grain, which is true when using the lower grits, but for a really good finish you need to cut across the grain using fine grits to remove all those ‘mountains’ and ‘valleys’. This can be done with either a rotary machine using screens (a kind of fine mesh with fine grit on the strands of the mesh) or better again Multi pads (a unique pad which gives a better finish and doesn't shed like the screens). Alternatively a planetary machine, usually with three heads, can be used with fine paper. These machines generally sand at one grit higher than the number on the paper (i.e. an 80 grit disc on a planetary machine will give the equivalent finish to a 100 grit on a nonplanetary) and generally have dust extraction built in to the machine. Planetarys, as well as giving you Continued on next page
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a more random action, also provide for a flatter floor since they don't ride into ‘valleys’ but try to flatten the ‘mountains’. However this is a doubleedged sword, especially on old floors that are impossible to flatten out but where the ‘valleys’ still need smoothing before the finish is applied.
I hope this stroll through the sand (paper) has been useful, although I suspect it might be more inclined to drive you the local hostelry. If you bump into a sportsman with too much cash and too little to occupy his time, be careful. * Volatile Organic Compounds, but I'm sure you knew that.
NCCA member raises money for Gaza’s children
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n its sixth year the Gaza Winter Walk has seen thousands of people from across the country come together (wrapped up warm with maps and refreshments in hand) take on the five miles of chilly terrain ahead of them to raise funds for the children of Gaza. The success has been amazing. Last year hundreds of Winter Walkers braved the freezing temperatures at London's Hyde Park and Manchester's Heaton Park and raised over a staggering £117,000 to help Gaza's children. This winter, due to increased interest, Winter Walk 2014 took place in an additional two cities including Birmingham and Leicester, as well as the usual locations of London and Manchester. The money raised will help make it possible for Gaza's children to receive psychosocial care and medical check-ups in a part of the world where there is not enough help available. Since 2008, thousands of children in Gaza have been trying to recover from wartime experiences, but it has been a difficult journey. Psychological scars from the harsh imagery of war combined with malnutrition and a multitude of health disorders
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has continued to hold these children back from reaching their true potential. Over the years Winter Walkers have raised thousands of pounds to ensure that over 130,000 children in Gaza are able to attend a specialist medical facility for free. The monies raised have helped to build the urgently needed Gastroenterology, Cardiology, Respiratory and Emergency Departments as well as an onsite pharmacy for Al Durrah Paedeatric Hospital in Gaza. The support from Winter Walkers has also been vital in helping to run a mobile medical clinic and a psychosocial centre to support the young traumatised victims of war. NCCA member company, Aquaris Carpet Solutions from Birmingham, organised a fund raiser at a local primary school which raised a fantastic sum of £233.55 in just forty five minutes by selling handmade cupcakes, brownies and cookies selling them to parents, pupils and teachers at the school. You can find more information on the Just Giving Charity Page at www.justgiving.com/AquarisCS or to donate via text at ACSO66 £5, or £10 to 70070.
Win a place on a training course! Win a FREE place on a floor sanding training course at The Ultimate Floor Sanding Company. Just log on to their website and sign up for their monthly newsletter. To be sure they know who you are please put NCCA after your name. Log on to: www.ultimate-floorcare.com The winner of their last competition was Steve Wilkins from Ideal Upholstery Cleaning in Cheshire. Our congratulations to Steve; Terry at The Ultimate Floor Sanding Company is looking forward to seeing you on his course soon.
New NCCA Members RGB Cleaning (Lidlington, Bedfordshire) Fresh Floors (Brighton, East Sussex) Milltown Carpet Cleaning Ltd (Dublin, Ireland) Sanchez-Garcia Cleaning Services Ltd (York, North Yorkshire) Mop till You Drop (Weybridge, Surrey) PQ Carpet Cleaning (Godalming, Surrey) Cleaning Doctor, East Lancashire (Colne, Lancashire) Clean-a-Carpet Ltd (Portsmouth, Hampshire)
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
Applegreen Carpet Clean (Monmouthshire, Wales) Goddess SOS Cleaning Services Ltd (Seham, Co Durham) Carpet Fresh (Ottery St Mary, Devon) REJOINING J L W Cleaning Services (Stowmarket, Suffolk)
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 Payatrader: 01296 660177 SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860 Thompson Local - ask forCorporate Advertsing Department: 01252 390385 TrustMark (Diversity): 0115 9673767
Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 77 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 42 referrals from the NCCA office, 34 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 1 referral to a member without an email address.
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Men are from Earth... (part two)
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
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100% Polyester
Polypropylene fibres do tend to abrade and therefore may not reflect light so much in those areas. Because of this, the customer could be left with the impression that it's still dirty. Stripes seem to be in vogue at the moment comprising of part flatweave and part pile fabric; the pile may well be either Viscose Rayon/Polyester or 100% Polyester. A wet test will quickly clarify the difference between the two. As I have said, many times before, don't rely on the labels that you may find on items of furniture, make your own diagnosis based on your
PhotographsŠDerek Bolton
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ast month I wrote about my pre-Yuletide walkabout in John Lewis and the wonderful display of carpets and rugs I found there. During my wander around I also diverted into the upholstery section (still close to the coffee shop I might add) and I was surprised to see, once again, subtle changes in the fibre blends within the different fabrics. Let me remind you of the fabric 100% Wool manufacturers continuing practice of making something 'look like what it ain't'. The two fabrics above are, on the face of it, almost identical although in reality they are poles apart. A simple burn test, however, will soon establish which fabric is which, providing of course the cleaning technician has access to a small sliver of fabric to test. Polypropylene is starting to be included in fibre blends in increased percentages, which isn't such a bad thing. After all, it's a durable fibre, the stain resist qualities will certainly not cause any problems. Just remember that the face of the
knowledge and test procedures. I saw that one manufacturer's products seemed to be devoid of any direct labelling at all, but a search for the relevant swatch showed me exactly what it contained‌ sadly the swatch doesn't go into a customer's home together with the suite. A significant number of that particular manufacturer's products contained high percentages of Viscose Rayon, Linen, Cotton and Viscose Rayon/Polyester
100% Polyester
some Polyester. Beautifully made products, expensive and very appealing but with a potential sting in the tail. I couldn't test the fabrics for sensitive dyes (I don't think the store staff would have appreciated me doing that) but it would obviously be foolish NOT to carry out such a test before commencing a clean. Wool seems to be emerging as a 'must have' fabric and I have to say that some of the designs are superb and this will ensure their popularity. Watch out for look-a-likes as mentioned earlier, I have come across Polyester equivalents. Linen is also becoming a more popular fibre, included within the better quality items; it's
appearing in guises different to its more traditional plain weave appearance‌ BEWARE... it is a vegetable fibre, prone to browning, the untreated Linen very much so. Also on display was a Damask style fabric where the leaf pattern was woven in a Satin weave. The picture (below) illustrates the weave on the arm of the sofa, this is where early signs of any degradation will appear. Satin Weave
Remember, when you are looking at these fabrics in the high street shops, that in twelve to eighteen months' time you will be cleaning them. So fellas, when you're nearest and dearest suggests a shopping trip (aka Retail therapy), it need not be all doom and gloom. Just take yourself off to a nearby furniture/carpet shop, one that has a suitable coffee shop, for an hour or two. 1. It will be appreciated by your partner. 2. You can gain valuable information. 3. The department stores usually do a really nice cup of coffee.
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PPE and LEV requirements for working in flood damaged properties Steve Scotter
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arpet cleaners will often be asked to clean a flood damaged building. If the flood water is contaminated or the property has been wet for more than twenty four hours biological substances will be rapidly growing in the property. You should always carry out a COSHH Risk Assessment for hazardous substances present and then implement the controls required to protect people. There are legal requirements to protect employees and others from your work actions and it is illegal to aerosol hazardous substances during your work tasks. When we clean or extract floor or carpets that have been flood affected, harmful substances can be aerosoled from the exhaust of the portable extraction machine. It is therefore important to place the extraction machine outside the property well away from doors or windows. Air Filtration Devices (AFD's) Should your company carry out building drying and you need to control the internal air movement you, and others present, will be required to wear PPE consisting of a full face respirator (standard dust masks do not protect from biological substances). PPE is the last form of defence and the Health and Safety Executive Regulations state: if PPE is required the other controls must be used such as an LEV (Localised Exhaust Ventilation).
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LEV's are air filtering devices There are two main types of AFD's (known in UK health and safety law as LEV's). 1. High Efficiency Particular Air Machines (HEPA) these have an efficiency of up to 99.7. 2. Specialist filtered turbo dyers. If you need to move air in a flood damaged building it must be filtered; HEPA filters must be vented to the outside of the building. There are many ways that hazardous substances can enter the human body, inhalation is the easiest route. PPE and air filtration devices must be used in flood damaged houses; this is a legal requirement under COSHH and PPE regulations (and many other regulations); if you do not comply you will be working illegally and can you could be prosecuted. Many technicians have told to me that insurers will not pay for air filtration devices. However, these devices are required by Law so insurers cannot refuse to pay for safety equipment and safe systems of work (nevertheless you should always be diplomatic in your approach to loss adjusters on this subject).
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.
Common sense health and safety for the carpet and upholstery cleaner NCCA Library
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f you are a business owner/operator, it is your responsibility to keep your equipment maintained and create a safe working environment for yourself and anyone else within the building you are working in. It is important that you: 1. Always work within safe methods, as short cuts may cause accidents. 2. Keep work areas tidy at all times, making sure that all walkway areas are kept clear. 3. Are aware of any unsafe or dangerous conditions and report them immediately to your customer. Your equipment: 1. Make sure that all your electrical equipment has been PAT tested. 2. Never use defective equipment or machinery that you think may be unsafe. 3. Only use equipment to do the job it was designed for. 4. Make sure you use the correct PPE for the equipment being used.
Working with hazardous Substances: 1. Always read the label; if you require reading glasses ensure you have them with you. 2. Use the correct PPE. 3. Allow adequate ventilation. 4. Only use chemicals for the correct purpose. 5. Keep chemicals and hazardous substances away from children, pets and other householders. 6. If chemicals come in contact with your eyes through splashing, wash with running water immediately and seek medical advice. First Aid and Eye Wash Kits are of no use in the van when you need them. Always carry them on site with you. 7. If chemicals are swallowed seek medical advice, taking the product container with you where possible. 8. Keep flammable substances away from sources of ignition. 9. Always have Safety Data Sheets with you for all chemicals carried and a copy filed back at your office.
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Knowledge is power: working with asbestos Sophie Tompkins (Eversheds LLP)
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he risk of exposure to asbestos is something that nearly everyone is aware of in theory, having read the news reports and heard the horror stories, but may not be aware of in practice. It may seem an issue that is more prevalent in the construction industry, for example, but anyone working in old properties (it was not banned until 1999) should be aware of the risks, how to spot them, and what to do in the event that asbestos is discovered. Asbestos is responsible for approximately 4000 deaths every year. The longer the exposure the greater the risks, and the effect is cumulative so knowledge of how to protect yourself is essential. Exposure Asbestos can be found in every day, and sometimes surprising, places: ŸAsbestos floor tiles may sometimes be found hidden under carpets; ŸOld fire blankets and heat resistant gloves can be made out of asbestos textiles; ŸAsbestos composites can be toilet cisterns and seats, window sills, and bath panels; ŸAsbestos paper was used for lining under tiles and inside metal cladding.
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This list is not exhaustive, and those working in old properties should be aware of how to spot asbestos. Training Any employees who are likely to be exposed to asbestos must be provided with information, instruction and training. The most relevant form of training to the cleaning industry is asbestos awareness training, and the training should be provided to those who are liable to disturb asbestos while carrying out their normal everyday work. The HSE lists the following topics to be included in awareness training¹: ŸThe properties of asbestos and its effect on health, including the increased risk of developing
lung cancer for asbestos workers who smoke; ŸThe types, uses and likely occurrence of asbestos
and asbestos materials in buildings and plant; ŸThe general procedures to deal with an
emergency, e.g. an uncontrolled release of asbestos dust in the workplace; and ŸHow to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos. Training is easy to come by - online learning is an increasingly popular method of receiving training, and is recognised by the HSE as a viable method. The UK Asbestos Training Association reviews and approves asbestos awareness training courses. Finding asbestos After training, it should be possible to identify asbestos in the properties in which you are working. Most work with higher risk asbestos containing materials must be carried out by licensed contractors. If you have any suspicions as to whether or not a certain material is asbestos, do not continue to work with or around the material. The HSE suggests the following 'do's and don'ts' when working with asbestos² DO: ŸStop and ask if you are suspicious something may be asbestos or if you think the work might need to be carried out by a licensed contractor. ŸUse protective equipment, including a suitable face mask, worn properly. ŸMake sure waste is double-bagged and is disposed of properly at a licensed tip. ŸWash before breaks and going home. ŸMake sure you have been properly trained. DON'T: ŸUse methods that create a lot of dust. ŸTake home overalls used for asbestos work.
ŸReuse disposable clothing or masks. ŸSmoke. ŸEat or drink the work area.
Non-domestic properties People responsible for maintenance of non-
domestic properties have a duty to manage the asbestos in them. They should be able to provide you with information on any asbestos in the building, and the condition it is in. If no such information is available and you suspect that you have found asbestos, or that asbestos may be present, the area should be surveyed and a representative sample of the suspicious material should be sent for analysis. Whilst the risks posed by asbestos are high, they are easily managed at a low cost - all it takes is knowledge. Further information, and frequently asked questions, can be found on the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/faq.htm ¹ www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/training.htm ² www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/protect.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. Dri-Eaz Dri X Airchanger Dehumidifier - new (boxed). Normal Price £1900.00. Our Price £500.00. Plus much more. For a complete list please telephone: 07580 182 325 or email: 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 Chris on: 02380 898 212 or 07970 040729 or email:mncrostance@googlemail.com 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. 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.
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CARPET CLEANING VAN/EQUIPMENT FOR SALE We are selling due to ill health (package includes everything you would need to start your own carpet & upholstery cleaning business):- VAUXHALL COMBO 1700 CDTI 16V (1.3) 55 Plate (Glacier white). Features include: sliding side door, bulkhead cage, ply board lining to floor space, central locking, two keys, new Sony radio, fob controlled immobiliser, brand new battery. Good condition with new MOT, only 58700 on the clock and an excellent runner. CARPET/UPHOLSTERY CLEANING KIT, including: Prochem steam pro plus portable carpet cleaning machine with new 120psi fitted pump, Prochem Heat & Run (hardly used), Prochem swan neck twin jet wand, Prochem hand tool for stairs & upholstery, 2 x 25ft high pressure vac pipe, Sebo upright vac, Sebo duo, 1 x large high pressure pump spray (for pre spray application), 1 x small high pressure pump spray (for fabric protector application), 2 x 10ltr buckets - red & white (clean & soiled water), grooming brush (pile brush), various Prochem carpet/upholstery cleaning chemicals (mixture of new & used), various white terry towel cloths for spotting/upholstery, floor protection sheet. Will sell for £5000 ono for a quick sale. Please contact Andrew on 07730203008 (Cardiff based) - only genuine enquires please. 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. 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. 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.
NCCA Corporate Members 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 separately. 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 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.
+ 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
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.
+ 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) + Get Booked Up Software: 01405 813665 + Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr)T) + Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + NSL Restormate: 01670 590099: (M/C/Tr) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C) + Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + 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)
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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+ 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) 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.
Water, Water Everywhere! Formula 429 and Formula 429PLUS are the answer to all your drying problems Sanitise and Deodorise Kill bacteria* Kill viruses* Kill mould and yeasts* Kill bio hazards* Chemspec have specialised in providing the best antimicrobials for over 40 years, plus drying equipment for serious restoration, so trust us to protect your customers and yourself if you have drying jobs. Next day delivery** *Includes Legionella Hepatitis B, Black Plague etc. Full details of these products are available by request. **On orders placed before 3pm. 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