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THE CLEAN SHEET
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM NCCA
4 OUR NEW HOME AT THE MUSEUM OF CARPET, KIDDERMINSTER
25 NCCA BECOMES MEMBER OF THE CPD CERTIFICATION SERVICE
35 EXTREME COLD WEATHER A GUIDE TO SAFEGUARDING YOUR BUSINESS
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National Carpet Cleaners Association Museum of Carpet, Stour Vale Mill, Green Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1AZ
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dave Wheadon
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul Pearce David Weaver (Company Secretary)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Allan Simmons Nigel Lay Martin Johns
OFFICE TEAM Lauren Willis
Tel: 0116 271 9550 Email: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk Twitter: @NCCA__ Facebook public page: /NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation Facebook members-only: /groups/nccamembers/ Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or its 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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CEO SUMMARY
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How can I possibly sum up 2020? It has been challenging year for everyone.
The first lockdown devastated the entire world’s economy, and our Members unfortunately were not excluded. With revenues either significantly reduced or non-existent, it was a period of worry and uncertainty making it extremely difficult or impossible to plan. However, I believe out of every negative situation there are positives to be drawn. The cleaning industry is entering 2021 being significantly more valued, with consumers aware of the need to deep clean and sanitise their properties and furnishings more frequently than before. During the pandemic we were asked the Association’s advice around whether you could or could not work. We obviously advised that you must follow the current local Government guidelines. The Association ultimately cannot make the call on if you should work or not. We all have different opinions, and classification of risk, and the decision must be made by the respective Member. What we should not do is judge anyone who decides to continue to work as we are all on different journeys. Our advice is simple: comply with your local Government’s guidelines.
Members have reacted with great positivity and have adapted their businesses where appropriate. Many have reported that revenue streams have recovered, which is fantastic news. With the imminent vaccine roll out, hopefully we will be back to some sort of normality soon.
I am extremely proud to be the CEO of the NCCA and of the changes we have made to the Association so far. This is a role I thoroughly enjoy. I would like to say a big thank you to all the Directors - Allan, Paul, Nigel, David and Martin, these guys give up their time as volunteers, on most occasions at their costs, a detail that I believe is sometimes forgotten. I would also like to give special thanks to Lauren, who works tirelessly behind the scenes and extremely hard trying to streamline all our processes. Lastly, a massive thank you to you, the Members, for making the NCCA a fantastic Association.
I REALLY HOPE YOU ENJOY THE MAGAZINE, A BIG THANKS TO ALL THE CONTRIBUTORS. 2021 IS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR! Dave Wheadon, CEO
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OUR NEW HOME AT THE MUSEUM OF CARPET, KIDDERMINSTER
Our own training space fulfils one of our long-term objectives of the development of the Association.
The NCCA are excited to announce that after 50 years based in Leicester, we have moved to the Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster. We had been looking at alternative premises that would be suitable for our office and enough space for housing our training courses. Unsurprisingly, there was a real shortage of availability of these types of premises. A renewal of our existing office lease was looking likely, until a golden opportunity emerged. We were due to move in March, but due to the pandemic, this obviously had to be suspended until safe to do so.
The Museum of Carpet creates a much better working space for our team, and a learning environment for our students. We also believe our relocation will provide a greater market awareness, with regular interaction with visitors to the Museum from both carpet manufacturers and retailers. A major advantage being based at the Museum is being able to offer unique demonstrations of Axminster and Wilton working looms during our courses. We also have access to the Museum archives which is one of the largest collections of material on carpets and the manufacturing processes.
If you are ever in the area or would like to visit, we would love to see you and show you around. Just give us a shout!
Kidderminster is one of the homes of carpet manufacturing, dating back to 1735. As an Association we owe a debt of gratitude to the town as our industry would cease to exist without towns like this. The NCCA is a natural fit for the Museum of Carpet. Within our lease is additional office space that we have converted into a training room. This has enabled the NCCA to store Corporate Member’s equipment & products, allowing us to demonstrate all the latest machinery, giving our students a much more informed, well-rounded and unbiased introduction to the industry. www.ncca.co.uk
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APPROVAL FOR CLEANING AND SANITISING SYSTEMS The demand for carpet and upholstery cleaning continues throughout these difficult times. Deep cleaning, in both the commercial and residential markets is still paramount. The demand for carpet and upholstery cleaning continues throughout these difficult times. Deep cleaning, in both the commercial and residential markets is still paramount. With more of us working from home, our residential carpets have taken a battering and require a clean and commercially, even though offices, restaurants and public buildings have seen a decrease in footfall recently, cleaning companies have used this time effectively, to implement a rigorous cleaning regime. Whatever the environment, our trade which is currently in great demand. Many clients have also been requesting that their carpets and fabrics, once cleaned, are sanitised against viruses and, thanks to the extra work Prochem Europe have carried out, either can be treated, and effectively sanitised, by an application of Prochem’s D500 Microsan® and B125 Clensan®. Both products are approved to EN14476. Prochem decided to enhance these two products, by having them approved by The Woolsafe Organisation, which ensures that they can be used safely on wool carpets and rugs.
Prochem Micro-Mist in use.
D500 Microsan® is a multi-surface, biocidal cleaner. It is currently being used in many schools, healthcare and hotels, as well as in residential properties. The highlight is its’ proven effectiveness against Coronavirus , as well as other viruses and bacteria such as Ebola, HIV, E-Coli and MRSA. B125 Clensan® is a multi-surface biocidal sanitiser that is helping to tackle Lenveloped viruses such as Coronavirus and Norovirus. It is deemed ideal for use on fabrics due to it’s neutral pH and is currently being used in large volumes in high-street furniture showrooms, for example. WoolSafe approval has certainly helped raise these products’ profiles, as they may now be sprayed onto carpets and fabrics and left to dry, without the need to rinse-extract although this is still advisable. Application of these products has never been easier by the use of the 15Ltr REB-15 misting system. Being battery-operated, it allows cleaning operators to move freely around, to mist sanitisers onto all regular touch-points, such as door handles, banisters, gym equipment, as well as school tables and chairs or any other surface. With a run time of over 6 hours at 1-Bar, it recharges in only 80 minutes. This has been an ideal (and cost effective) alternative to fogging and by simply changing the spray tip, it can become a excellent pre-spray applicator for large areas ! For larger institutional use, Prochem have introduced the larger Micro-Mist. Based on the successful Galaxy carpet cleaning system, the Micro-Mist has a 15Lt capacity and a powerful 250 psi pump, capable of misting Microsan® or Clensan® onto all touch-point surfaces with ease. The operator can extend the reach to over 30m away from the unit, which has proven to be an effective system in schools, cinemas, care homes, supermarkets and even in football stadiums.
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SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS I thought I would write about a few issues that have popped up recently on some social media posts. First one that struck me was cleaning rugs onsite. Many times, the client wants you to clean it onsite and thinks a quick freshen up will do it. This isn’t because they don’t trust you taking it away just that it will be easier for you and cheaper for them. Mind you there are those that think when their rug leaves it will come back in an envelope or all the colours will run.
Obviously, the best way is to take it off site, so that it can be beaten, cleaned and dried fully. If you don’t have the space, then make friends with a friendly rug cleaner.
What can go wrong onsite? The main problem is where do you clean the rug, it may be that the rug sits on a laminate floor or even on a fitted carpet. Both can be as bad as one another. When cleaning a rug on a laminate floor you really need to make sure there is no way moisture can get in underneath it. Forget about the overspray at least you can see that and wipe it up immediately. You might think that because moisture wicks up it won’t allow the back to get damp. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. If air can’t get through the rug, then it will definitely take a lot longer to dry and the dampness affects the flooring below which could cause it to cup or worse still soften the surface to point of replacement. What about cleaning a rug on a fitted carpet? The same problem can occur with reducing the opportunity to dry the back fully and could cause mould & mildew issues. I’m not saying don’t clean a rug onsite just find a better place for it to dry fully away from the items that can get damaged.
Another issue has been that of really soiled carpets and upholstery and clients expecting their items to be cleaned to perfection. Well wouldn’t we all? The problem from where I see it is that we are all spending a lot more time in our homes these days (well at least our clients) children have been home schooling, folk are working from home, we can’t go away for a weekend or a holiday. Spring cleaning has gone out the window. The daily maintenance seems to have been reduced because of all the other things that are going on in their lives. The pandemic has caused them to delay having items cleaned because they worry about who is coming to their home, is it safe and so on. Of course, it’s for us to reassure them that it is safe and in fact the items are cleaned the better and obviously we are in the best place to offer that reassurance. Even the cat’s and dogs that were there before the pandemic are wondering what’s going on as their favourite haunts are being taken up by humans. The more time our clients spend on their soft furnishings the more the soil is compressed and because they are there all the time at the moment, they don’t see what we see. These items suffer greatly not just with soil but with wear and tear. It is up to us to explain this as we survey the work to be cleaned, we perhaps have to be a little more vigilant in checking and writing what we can and can’t do. Managing our client’s expectations has never been more apt that it is today.
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THE CLEAN SHEET Final one at the moment is that of some carpets that seem to stay wet longer than you thought they would with clients phoning 2 or 3 days after the clean to say that their carpet smells musty or worse still mouldy. The carpets in question are usually a polypropylene face fibre and tufted construction. Remember polypropylene fibres don’t absorb moisture so whatever is not captured by extraction will travel very quickly to the base of the fibre. The moisture will then get as far as the subfloor and can’t get out very easily, this causes the longevity of the drying cycle and therefore the musty smell and sometimes mould growth. Why do we use so much moisture on this type of carpet? Probably because of the soil type and trying to break the bond from the fibre. Polypropylene is a fibre that comes as a by-product of oil it therefore attracts oily soils which for some surfactants it will be difficult to break down quickly. We need to first of all use a suitable cleaning agent for this type of fibre & soil. We need to observe our cleaning pie to ensure that that we use the right combination. Remember that we can adjust the pie to suit, perhaps with this fibre dwell time is not the answer so therefore we need to up the chemical type. Heat and agitation will also play a big part in this. So, in effect we are still using the whole pie but not equal amounts of everything. There are cleaning solutions prepared specifically for this scenario. Drying the carpet is an essential tool as well, we need to make sure that there is ventilation to change the air in the room of course this can be done with air movers. We also need to extract well but I guess the most important thing is to know the type of fibre we are cleaning. Not all synthetics are a problem because most will absorb moisture therefore allowing the break down of soils rather than it goes directly to the backing. Grab a fibre from the edge of the room put it in a glass of water and push it a few times and see if it falls to the bottom of the glass. If after wetting it in this way, it still floats to the top? Well, you know then you have a polypropylene fibre.
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What if you have the problem of a call back because the carpet has a musty odour? Well, the last thing to do is apply more moisture even the use of a micro-biocide can add to the issue. The best way is to assist the drying/speed it up by placing a turbo dryer or Dri-pods onsite. Make sure there is good ventilation also so there is a change of air. Even better is to lift the carpet in the corner of the room and get air underneath it through the back of the carpet and out. Obviously, the underlay is going to be damp in this situation and if you can’t move air through there then it’s not going to get out and dry. There are some instances that the carpet has to be taken up to dry the underlay or even replace it. Hopefully not too many. Once the carpet is dry if you wanted to add a micro-biocide then fine. Some might say apply the micro-biocide and then set up the drying program, which is absolutely fine, but you must get the air moving underneath otherwise the problem will just get worse and then it’s a new carpet.
Have a happy and safe Xmas everyone and I look forward to seeing you all in the not-too-distant future. Paul Pearce, NCCA Technical & Training Director
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IS YOUR INSURANCE DUE FOR RENEWAL?
Gleaming Insurance are specialist insurance brokers to the carpet and upholstery cleaning industry and can provide your business with the level of specialist protection it needs. We are recognised and approved by trade associations as specialists in the sector.
Our market leading policy can include cover for:
Damage to Property Worked On This covers you if you are accused of damaging whatever you are cleaning whether that be a carpet, sofa or soft furnishings. This is a specialist cover not usually provided by insurers but we can include it for you.
Treatment Risks If you use solutions or chemicals during the cleaning process then you probably know it is common for damage to be caused by such products. Such damage is covered under the Treatment Risks extension. This is a specialist cover not usually provided by insurers but we can include it for you.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
A Gleaming Insurance policy can help give you peace of mind and help protect your business from claims made against it. You can get a quotation in minutes at www.gleaminginsurance.co.uk We offer 0% interest instalments as a method of payment and provide all your certificates and documents immediately for you, online 24/7.
Thanks to TopMark Cleaning for sharing!
PRODUCT: WETSOLVE BY TEXATHERM “A little boy’s grandparents bought him a book which had paints at the side, to follow the story and paint a picture. Instead he painted his feet then decorated his room.” Just look at the results! Share your favourite product success stories to be featured, email social@ncca.co.uk
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SEBO BS 360/460
PERFORMANCE YOU CAN RELY ON! The updated SEBO BS360 and 460 upright vacuum cleaners have been designed for the professional cleaner. They offer unrivalled reliability, durability and excellent performance. To give low pushing effort, the BS 360 and 460 roll on 3 smooth-gliding wheels. With comfortable handle grips and low handle weight they are easy to move and they minimise operator fatigue during extended use. All-round cleaning versatility is a given with the ability to clean flat-to-the floor and the telescopic hose and wand system. Featuring an electronic traffic light system, they indicate whether the brush height needs adjusting, so it is easy to get the best cleaning results. The system will even advise if the brush strip needs changing. The brush strips themselves are simple to replace, as they just slide out. The BS 360 and 460 are built using modular construction where key parts are logically and simply laid out. Parts are reasonably priced and readily available, making them very easy and economical to maintain. A specially designed motor protection system helps prevent blockages damaging the vacuum cleaner. The Health and Safety Executive recommends never to assume any dust is safe. All uncontrolled dusts should be regarded as potentially hazardous. The SEBO BS 360 and 460 use 3-layer, high filtration, sealable bags which provide a safe and convenient way of emptying the vacuum cleaner when it is full. They also keep the inside of the vacuum cleaner dust-free, reducing the need to clean it and minimising dust exposure. www.ncca.co.uk
To prevent hazardous dust entering the indoor environment during use, these models are fitted as standard with a HEPA-type exhaust filter, giving the BS 360 and 460 ‘A’ rated filtration performance. Independent tests have proven that they will remove 99.996% of 0.3micron particles from the air stream. The BS 360 has a 14” wide cleaning head, ideal for general vacuuming, whilst the BS 460 has an 18” cleaning head for greater efficiency on larger areas. Email: commercial@sebo.co.uk Telephone: 01494 465533 www.sebo.co.uk
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GetBookedUp Helps cleaners and restorers build a profitable growing business. Developed to build and run their own multi van cleaning business, now hundreds of other owner operators and multi-van businesses owners trust GetBookedUp to run their administration and marketing systems too.
Supplying all the top cleaning manufacture brands on the current market and offer some great deals.
This business management tool will streamline your admin and keep you GDPR data protection compliant.
NCCA SURVEY FORMS USING NCCA SURVEY FORMS WILL: ❚ Allow you to record vital information including any previous damage or inherent problems. ❚ Provide you with an evidence trail in the possible event of a later problem or dispute. ❚ NCCA survey forms are available for members to purchase and come in pads of 100 with a carbonated sheet. Visit the NCCA website to access the online shop in the members area.
25% OFF Pureforce floor cleaning chemicals
20% OFF Prochem chemicals and machines
Call 01279 730684 for more information or visit www.avanceltd.com
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CITATION SERVICES FOR NCCA MEMBERS As a corporate member of NCCA, Citation provide a large range of compliance and quality assurance services to the sector.
Operating across the UK since 1995, over 40,000 businesses currently use Citation to ensure their businesses remain compliant and on the right side of the law. This gives them the peace of mind and time back to focus on their own business activities. The main services Citation can offer NCCA members include managing day to day Health & Safety and Employment Law/HR compliance, ISO certification and SMAS/SSIP certification. We can also assist clients with all their mandatory fire and electrical testing needs, fire risk assessments, legionella testing as well as Rospa/CPD accredited e-learning and market leading employee assistance programmes. Having an external company in place to assist with these areas demonstrates that as a business you are committed to these areas and being able to show this to your customer base will be a genuine benefit. Our ISO services are becoming more popular due to more and more commercial organisations wanting their suppliers to have one or more certifications such as 9001, 14001 or 45001. Likewise, having the SMAS H&S certification allows you to demonstrate best practice and elevate yourself over and above your competition, whilst placing the business on the supplier list of a number of national construction companies. These certification services are designed to help open up new markets and business contracts by making you a more commercially attractive option. www.ncca.co.uk
The day to day H&S and HR/Employment law services provide all your required legal documentation such as contracts of employment, employee handbooks, risk assessment templates, induction documentation, COSHH templates, and much more. This is combined with 24/7 access to our telephone helplines, live web support and our all encompassing software system ATLAS. This provides holiday planning software, risk assessment creation tools, an online library of templates and factsheets, unlimited use e-learning modules and an employee lifecycle management system. It is designed to work with you and provide all the information or support you need quickly and efficiently. As part of this subscription service, we will audit your premises once a year to ensure H&S compliance, as well as provide our advice support guarantee that will cover you for H&S prosecutions and pay the costs and awards of employment tribunals too. In light of the current Covid scenario, we can also offer clients help and support with regards to covid secure risk assessments and inspections, as well as H&S and HR onsite consultancy days to help with areas such as employee issues, redundancies, TUPE, new business tenders, safe working environments, etc. too. As an NCCA member, you are eligible for numerous discounts on our services but there are also some resources you can access at no cost thanks to your membership. Citation manage the NCCA helpline and you can contact this for help and support on any day to day questions you may have on HR or H&S, there are a number of free guides, factsheets and support material available on the NCCA website or via the national office, and we regularly run free NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation
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THE CLEAN SHEET legal update webinars that you are able to attend so you can get up to date advice and information on a number of topics. These webinars vary in length from bitesize ones through to longer more in depth content and again, you can get times and dates from the NCCA website and office, or from our website www.citation.co.uk/events Finally, if you would like to take advantage of a bespoke 1-2-1 meeting with Citation to discuss any of the above, these are totally without cost or obligation and provide a great opportunity to benchmark yourselves as a business or compare any existing provision you may have. If you would like to discuss anything in more detail you can contact Citations National Partnerships Manager Nigel Lea on 07717 227450 or nigellea@citation.co.uk
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MEMBER STATS Since publishing a referral statistics report in the last issue of The Clean Sheet there have been 452 recommendations for members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of referrals from the NCCA office and potential customers contacting members directly through the website.
MEMBER REVIEWS Congratulations to all our Members who have received reviews on the website. We have published 671 reviews this year.
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WE ARE PROUD OF THE CLEANING PROFESSION This year has been a challenging one, for all of us, but over the last 9 months we have seen first hand how resilient this industry can be. We are very proud to be involved with the cleaning profession, individuals who put themselves at great risk working on the front line to keep the Nation clean, sanitised and safe. We would like to say thank you, to each and every one of you for your hard work, perseverance and dedication. Lockdown saw a shaky start for Alltec, having to close our workshops and furlough staff. Our premises are not designed for social distancing! We have become involved in several charitable projects this year, helping to supply free sanitiser to various organisations around the country and will continue to do this for as long as it is needed. With the help of our customers, we have also donated ÂŁ1500 to charity this month, instead of buying chocolates and wine to send out with orders we wanted to help those less fortunate. We are very humbled by how this industry rallies together and are willing to offer help and support to those in need.
We would also like to pay tribute to the wonderful Peter Miller - a well known member of the industry and very close friend of Alltec, sadly taken by the virus in March. He was very much loved by everyone who knew him and is missed greatly. We know he would be so proud that his family have continued his legacy with a new generation of carpet cleaners.
We hope you all have a very happy and healthy Christmas - look after each other and stay safe. Here’s to a hopeful 2021. Best wishes, The Alltec Team.
ENVIROSAFE & ENVIROSAFE SF
MULTI SURFACE CLEANERS & SANITISERS This year has given us an amazing opportunity to promote our Envirosafe Multi Surface Sanitiser, a product we have always manufactured but which has never really quite received the recognition it deserves! We undertook further lab testing to EN standards which proved Envirosafe to be effective against Coronavirus, and we have been manufacturing it almost daily since. We are very grateful to all those who have advocated the benefits of our product, thank you.
We are very proud to supply a British made, laboratory proven, sanitising product to the UK cleaning industry. www.ncca.co.uk
Envirosafe & Envirosafe SF Multi Surface Cleaners & Sanitisers. Tested to EN14476 standard against viruses - effective against SARS-COV-2
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WATER DAMAGE AWARNESS FOR PROFESSIONAL CARPET CLEANERS Adam Jankowski (BICSC MISSE Tech IoSH) In general, professional carpet cleaning may be regarded as a low-risk activity especially if you compare it to, for example, the construction industry, health care or aviation. Of course, most of us know that we need to observe health and safety law in any business. In the carpet cleaning community, COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2002 could very well be the health and safety law that springs to mind first as the one that is the most relevant to us. Without taking anything away from other important health and safety legislation which may also apply, it probably is, but not for all the reasons you may think. COSHH is not just about chemicals. As a professional carpet cleaner, if you have not already been asked to, you will, at some point, be called to address issues with carpets that are related to water ingress or escapes of water in either residential or commercial buildings or both. These may include washing machine or dishwasher leaks, radiator leaks, bathroom and toilet overflows, leaks from the plumbing through ceiling voids etc. etc. The solution for many is to “suck up the water” with their “powerful” extraction machine and use some nice deodouriser products in their pre-sprays, rinses or trigger sprays to deal with the odour. Unfortunately, this approach is most likely to be inadequate and, setting aside the probability of having to deal with customer call backs, you may have done more harm than good, be liable for the poor practice and worked in contravention of COSHH. You need to consider the amount of water that has affected the area, all the materials that have been penetrated, areas where the water has flowed without having been detected, the duration articles have been wet and the biological contamination that has been introduced or developed like mould, for example. www.ncca.co.uk
“Mould” in a building is a symptom of excess water (which includes excessive humidity) and under the more scientific term, “fungi”, is covered under COSHH Regulations as are bodily fluids, sewage, bacteria and viruses. It is therefore important for a carpet cleaner to know when the water they are dealing with is deemed sufficiently contaminated as to warrant appropriate controls to avoid spreading biological agents and causing harm to themselves and others. It is also important to know that unless materials (not just the carpet) are dried properly (as judged with the use of appropriate instruments) “mould” growth is probable or inevitable regardless of the products you use to “sanitise” the area or “kill” it. A typical starter course for water damage restoration specialists would be three days but would be supplemented with many more days training over time. In January (Monday 18th), the NCCA has a one- day Water Damage Awareness day specifically designed to help carpet cleaners learn to do the right thing, stay out of trouble and how to increase revenue potential all at the same time. If you haven’t already done some water damage training of some kind, be there!!
THE RESTORATION ACADEMY UK LIMITED Adam has been involved in the cleaning and restoration industry since 1993, has served on the board of the NCCA (2001 to 2005), holds a National General Certificate in Safety and Health from NEBOSH and is currently an IICRC instructor in eight subjects which include Carpet Cleaning (CCT), Water Damage Restoration (WRT), Applied Structural Drying (ASD), Applied Microbial Remediation (AMRT) and Odour Control (OCT). Adam is also a WoolSafe Registered Carpet Inspector and The Restoration Academy UK Limited is an NCCA Corporate member.
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KEEPING YOUR CUSTOMERS INFORMED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
The importance of Social Media for business is no secret. It’s how we interact with new and existing customers and it’s also incredibly important for brand awareness and promoting your website. Now more than ever customers are looking at social media for updates about how services and schedules are changing due to the pandemic. As a company that physically enters businesses and homes regularly, Carpet Cleaners can benefit greatly from using social media as a tool to show customers that your services can still be carried out safely and effectively in the current climate. Whether it be a photo of the latest PPE, new office hours or, a change in cleaning products, your customers will receive this information gladly in a time where knowledge about how businesses operate is essential. This reassurance that you are doing all you can to keep up to date on the latest guidelines as well as providing company information will reassure customers that you can be relied upon for great communication during difficult times.
specific times of days to post, everything is done in advance at a time that is convenient for you! You can plan days, weeks, or even months ahead and schedule the post to go live for the exact date and time you need it to.
Staying in people’s minds is guaranteed by keeping Newsfeeds, Get yourself in touchontotheir learn more! and relevant, interesting content is a must if If you are interested in learning more you want convert into sales! about to Social Medialikes Dashboards and how they can be used for your Social Media Management, SiteWizard have a custombuilt platform that is easy to use across a wide range of Social Media Platforms.
We are aware however that social media and content creation can have its challenges. It can be time-consuming and for those running a business, difficult to fit into your busy diary. Creating regular content that is engaging, informative and converts can also require skill. Using a Social Media Dashboard coupled with a Social Media Calendar can really help here. A Social Media Dashboard enables you to plan and co-ordinate your posts across multiple platforms ahead of time, all in one place. This saves you time as you don’t need to log into multiple platforms to post your content or set aside THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
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HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR
TRUSTED LOCAL CLEANERS LISTING?
All Members can be found on the NCCA’s website directory, Trusted Local Cleaners. Please check your contact information, cleaning services and cleaning methods are all correct and up-to-date – this helps customers find the right person for the job. Company name, cleaning services and methods can only be changed by the office, however Members can also edit their directory listing: ❚ Add link to your website ❚ Add links to your social media profiles ❚ Add your company logo ❚ Add photos ❚ Add videos ❚ Add a company description ❚ Add training information ❚ Add other accreditations (TrustMark, IICRC, WoolSafe etc.)
3 TOP TIPS FOR UPDATING YOUR LISTING 1 When writing a company description, be sure to use keywords to help with SEO (search engine optimisation). You should aim to write around 150 words (minimum). Your description should provide value to the customer, to result in them clicking on your profile. 2 Encourage customers to leave you a review on your listing – add your personalised URL (https://trustedlocalcleaners.ncca.co.uk/listing/your-company-name). 3 Add NCCA email addresses as a safe sender on your mailing provider – this ensures if a customer sends an enquiry, you don’t miss out.
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NCCA
SENIOR MEMBER
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Name: Oliver Campbell Company: Rothwell’s Cleaning Services Ltd Location: Cambridgeshire
What made you get into this business? “To be honest I needed the money. I had lost my job as the bar I worked in was closing. After years of travelling I had never had much more than a job for now, little qualifications and was at the stage I needed to think about what to do carer wise. My father was in the business but only part time so I borrowed his equipment, brought some leaflets and managed to drum up some work. Starting out was hard as I had no money to invest and I was juggling money between my business and my personal account every time I got a bill to pay. But work was coming in and I liked being self employed and the control that gave me over my life so I continued.”
What’s the best thing about our industry? “Carpet cleaning is a surprisingly friendly industry, if your happy to give advice to others then they will normally give advice to you. There’s lots of us in the industry and because we are all spread out we can give advice freely as we are not competing for the same clients and we have all been there before.”
Tell us the most unusual / funny /random request you’ve ever had to deal with?
many a time, cleaned up blood, and faeces from old customers after having accidents or falls and I’ve given customers a hug when talking about their dead partner a few times too. You see a lot of people in this business.”
What is your great achievement? “In the 11 years I have been doing this seriously, we have gone from two very small part time one man bands struggling to buy basic equipment to a business with 8 staff, 4 vans and large buildings and that makes us all proud but it’s our excellent local reputation that is the biggest achievement. Not everyone is going to want to build a business and in this industry you can choose the path that’s right for you but weather staying a one person operation or building something with staff your nothing without a good reputation, it’s your most valuable asset.”
Is there anything you would’ve done differently? “Of course there is, anyone that say’s otherwise needs to look at their business more closely. Most of those things come down to implementing plans earlier – ‘the why haven’t we been doing this all the time’moments hit you more often than you wish, especially at the beginning.”
Best advice to someone starting out?
“Not sure about funny requests but you do see a lot in this industry. One of my technicians recently had a customer get undress in front of them, not as sexy as it sounds. I’ve chased after customers dogs after accidently letting them out, changed light bulbs
“Train, train, train… and ask for advice from people in the industry. Start with one thing and make sure you can do that really well before offering other services. Don’t let yourself become to confused chasing the next job ticket, put your procedures in place and follow them, it will work in the end. And keep your standards and prices high, if you cut one its just a race to the bottom.”
www.ncca.co.uk
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NEW
M-POWER+ CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANER WITH VIRUS CONTROL
Original M-Power has always been hugely popular when used for cleaning carpets and upholstery, now with M-Power+ you can clean knowing it also kills enveloped viruses like the current SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes the illness COVID-19). Tested and approved to EN14476 with a dilution of 1:50, it’s the most economical virus sanitiser and fabric cleaner available! As well as saving you money being a true all in one product, it’s also a great marketing advantage. You can also download and print off our free M-Power+ cleaning certificate to give to your customers on the product page. The original M-Power is still available to use at the great 1:120 dilution rate. If you want the same cleaning ability but with added benefit of virus protection, choose M-Power+ with a different formulation and 1:50 dilution rate. www.worldofclean.co.uk/m-power
THE EASY WAY TO MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY!
NEW YOUR OWN COMPANY LABEL SPOTTERS AND AIR FRESHENERS Imagine helping and impressing your customers whilst keeping your company details in their hands.
Own label Air Fresheners and spotters are perfect for giving away or selling to your customers, each one comes in a 500ml trigger spray bottle with your company logo and contact details on the label. They cost you around £2 each to buy and are easy to sell for £9.99, we even do the first label design for free. www.worldofclean.co.uk/own-label-spotters-30 From all of us at World of clean we wish you a very merry Christmas and a safe new year, if you need any help or fancy a chat, feel free to join us on our dedicated support forum
www.cleantalk.co.uk THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
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How far would you get on £89.35? If you became too ill to work, you’d soon find out. You might be surprised to find that Statutory Sick Pay is only £89.351 a week. Enough to fill up the car maybe, but how far through the week would you get? It could pay to get all the facts on what the state might provide: ❚ Statutory Sick Pay is only £89.351 a week and is only paid for up to 28 weeks – although your employer may pay you more than this. ❚ With Employment and Support Allowance you’ll get up to £73.101 a week – not a lot when you consider the average household family spend is £528.90 2 a week. ❚ And it increases up to £109.651 a week from the fourteenth week – just over a fifth of the average weekly outgoings.
A little income protection could help keep your engine running. To find the best way to protect you and your family, talk to us today. Call Geza Hajgato on 02922 400004 geza@movoinsurance.com
Sources: 1 www.direct.gov.uk, July 2017, 2 Office for National Statistics, February 2017. Please note that State benefits are changing, depending on where you live in the UK you may be entitled to different benefits – visit www.direct.gov.uk for more information.
All your carpet cleaning and fire and flood restoration products in one place
Legend Brands • Chemspec • Prochem • Alltec • Craftex • Tilemaster • Pro Restore • Dual Pumps • Bonnet Pro NSL Restormate Unit 58A South Nelson Industrial Estate, Cramlington Northumberland NE23 1WF Tel:01670 590099 www.restormate.co.uk THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
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THE CLEAN SHEET
NEVER MISS ANOTHER NEW CLEANING ENQUIRY!
Having invested in your vehicle, equipment, advertising and marketing activities, how frustrating is it when you miss out on a new business enquiry? Here is why David Weaver and Weaver Cleaning Ltd is one of the top performers in the industry and continues to describe Factotum as a ‘major part of his success!’
“There are many reasons for not being able to answer the phone promptly during a busy working day. Either the phone rings at a critical moment in my cleaning process, or when I’m driving, or when I’m talking to a client at a critical phase of a quotation. Sometimes I simply don’t hear it ringing! Of those calls, many don’t leave a message and when I ring back it’s too late as they have already found another carpet cleaner and booked them. Even if I ring back within seconds – it’s too late – their line is engaged speaking to my competitors. I estimate that I lost about four new enquiries per month. Multiply this by my average job price and I can put a price on my lost business opportunity, so I have taken corrective action, through Factotum.
“Factotum staff are fast, friendly and efficient. They also know about my business and the type of services I offer – so they talk with authority and reassurance. Thank you Factotum for helping me grow my business.” David Weaver I am pleased to say Factotum now answers all the calls that I fail to answer during the day. They talk to the customer, take contact details, advise that I am in the middle of a job and will call them back as soon as I’m free. Callers actually appreciate that I am busy, it is a good sign. Potential customers are happy that they have not had to hang up or record a message, instead they have spoken to someone who has listened to their needs and offered my services. The details of the call are sent to me within a few seconds both by text, and email. I respond to the customer and book an appointment.” For further details of NCCA members telephone answering service visit www.ukfactotum.com/ncca or call 01638 576408 and join the dozens of fellow NCCA members using Factotum’s telephone answering services.
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NCCA BECOMES MEMBER OF THE CPD CERTIFICATION SERVICE We are pleased to announce we have been approved to offer CPD qualification points on our courses. What is CPD? CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. It enables learning to become conscious and proactive, rather than passive and reactive. CPD combines different methodologies to learning, such as training workshops, conferences and events, e-learning programs, best practice techniques and ideas sharing, all focused for an individual to improve and have effective professional development. There are over 1000 institutes & professional bodies across the UK, a number that is forecast to increase. Accompanied by such growth is the acceptance that academic qualifications must offer more vocational and skills-based or ‘practical’ learning. A structured, practical and methodical approach to learning helps employers across industries to keep key staff and develop the skills & knowledge in their organisations to maintain a sustainable and competitive advantage. Engaging in Continuing Professional Development ensures that both academic and practical qualifications do not become out-dated or obsolete, allowing individuals to continually ‘up skill’ or ‘re-skill’ themselves, regardless of occupation, age or educational level.
“Why is it important to have a third party accreditation such as CPD? First of all your clients can see that you have invested your time in improving your knowledge and staying abreast of the competition. It gives our industry credibility and more importantly as the program is through the NCCA it helps to protect you as a member and assists in public awareness. It can also enable us to bring other professions such as insurance companies whose staff are looking to update their industry knowledge and gain CPD credits in the process. In my opinion this is the next stage in public awareness.” Paul Pearce (NCCA Technical & Training Director)
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THE CLEAN SHEET
Proud to be associated with
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CIS-KD-160
Visit us: www.coversure-kidderminster.co.uk
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ZIP-IT - OUR BEST SELLING SPOT AND STAIN REMOVER
Our Featured product Zip-It spot and stain remover will dissolve the toughest stains and marks caused by accident and spillages on carpet and upholstery. Zip-It spot and stain remover can effortlessly dissolve heavy oil and grease, ground in dirt blood, various inks, tar, ketchup, shoe polish, tea, coffee, food and beverage residues, and more! Formulated with all natural ingredients Zip-it will leave carpet and upholstery soft and fresh. Zip-It does NOT contain any detergent, soap or shampoo, enzymes, oxidising or reducing agents, bleaching agents or optical colour brighteners.
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Amtech UK supply a wide range carpet care and hard floor cleaning products, machines and accessories. We have a large showroom, trade counter and training facilities in Burgess Hill RH15 9TY. We offer advice, training, web sales, phone orders and next day shipping. You can shop online and find us on Facebook. Our employees are experienced, knowledgeable and willing to help, please contact us for more information:
Tel: 01444 232211 sales@amtechuk.co.uk www.amtechuk.co.uk
Our best selling spot and stain remover Zip-It is now available in 900ml, 5L and 10L bottles.
TLC REVIEWS EMBEDDED CODES
Following member feedback, we have created a ‘TLC Reviews Embed Code’. This will enable you to display your TLC listing reviews on your own website and provide a direct backlink to your TLC profile.
To get your widget, visit the link below. Choose your company by typing the name in the ‘Find your
company’ search box. Please allow a few moments to load.
Copy and paste the code that appears below into the text editor on your website.
Please note if you do not have any reviews, your widget will appear blank.
https://ncca.co.uk/tlc-reviews-embed-code/
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CARPET FIBRES
The textile industry makes use of a wide variety of textile fibres. However, not all fibres available are used, or indeed useful, in the production of carpets and textile floorcoverings.
Until the advent of manufacturing techniques such as tufting and bonding etc. carpets were manufactured by the various weaving processes and fibre usage in the carpet industry consisted mainly of wool for pile yarns and cotton and jute and other bast fibres for the backing yarns. It is now possible to produce fibres from non-textile long chain polymers and to synthesise fibreproducing polymers from a wide range of chemical monomers. A variety of man-made fibres with different characteristics can therefore be produced.
IN ESSENCE A CARPET CAN BE CONSIDERED IN TWO SECTIONS: î Ž
The pile
î Ž
The backing
The requirements of the fibre for each part of the carpet are different and it is therefore convenient to consider the properties of the fibre for each part of the construction. Natural fibre supply sources, e.g. sheep for the production of wool, are reasonably stable, however seasonal climate influences can cause short-term price stability. The basic raw material of most synthetic fibres is oil, which has an uncertain future regarding future availability and price.
John Hopkins
Absorbency of water vapour promotes relative freedom from static electric problems. Synthetic fibres because of their molecular structure usually give rise to more problems with static electricity, however even natural fibres can be prone to static problems if the relative humidity falls as a result of excessive heating and drying. As regards cleanliness natural fibres, such as wool, need scouring to remove grease and other impurities whereas synthetic fibres are normally clean and white. The cross-sectional shape of fibres can influence a number of parameters including lustre, soil-hiding and fibre resilience. A jagged cross-section for example can lead to rapid soiling and difficulty in cleaning. With modern dyes and dyeing technology most fibres can be dyed to a reasonably wide colour range and with good fastness properties to light and other agencies such as water and shampoo. Some fibres are also proof against a wide range of chemicals including bleach. As far as synthetic fibres are concerned the use of fibre engineering can be used to impart soil hiding properties and anti-static properties.
One of the main factors for an ideal carpet pile fibre is good resiliency, which is essential for providing good appearance retention properties and aesthetic appeal. Wool is excellent in his respect and in recent years improvements have been made to the synthetics. In general polypropylene and cellulosic fibres e.g. cotton have poor resiliency properties. www.ncca.co.uk
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THE CLEAN SHEET THE MAIN FIBRES USED FOR THE PILE OF A CARPET ARE:Wool Wool has long been a major carpet fibre and has many well-known merits. Research is, however constantly being directed towards enabling wool to meet the threat from synthetic fibres. A wide range of woollen yarn types is now used to make available an extensive variety of products.
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JOHN HOPKINS BIOGRAPHY I left high school at the age of 17 and joined British Nylon Spinners, a fibre manufacturing Company, as a test assistant eventually being promoted to Technical Officer. During my time I worked in all aspects of textiles including Weaving, Knitting, dyeing and finishing and testing. During this time I studied physics and textiles and gained professional qualifications
Polyamides These fibres are more commonly referred to as nylons. They have high abrasion resistance, ease of dyeing and non-flammable properties. By means of fibre engineering the lustre, dye affinity and bulking properties can be modified. Nylons are prone to problems with static electricity unless anti-static agents are incorporated.
Polypropylene These fibres have good durability, high resistance to staining and generally do not give rise to problems with static electricity. The resiliency and crush resistance is poor. Because polypropylene does not absorb water it is a difficult fibre to dye consequently most polypropylene fibres are solution dyed, i.e. the colour is added during the extrusion process. The fibre is also used for the production of backing fabrics for tufted carpets.
THE MAIN FIBRES USED IN THE BACKING OF A CARPET ARE:Cotton Cotton is a cellulosic fibre and because of its poor resiliency is not an ideal pile fibre. It has high strength and low elasticity making it ideal for backing yarns.
in both disciplines. After almost fifteen years I joined the Federation of British Carpet Manufactures as Technical Officer. During the time I worked with over 25 carpet manufacturing companies throughout the UK and was responsible for writing the regular technical bulletin. In 1971 I joined the Kidderminster College as a lecturer in physics and textile technology. In 1985 I left the college and in conjunction with Reg Burnett the President of RBI International of Dalton Georgia USA formed RBI (Europe) Ltd based in Kidderminster . The company set up a specialist carpet testing laboratory and opened the first carpet installation school in the UK. During this period I acted as a consultant to the UN and the World bank and travelled extensively through Europe and the Far East including several long sessions in India. Because of changes with the American company RBI (Europe) Ltd closed down in 2008 and a new Company O2H2 Ltd was formed offering many of the services previously offered by RBI. I have published a number of technical and marketing articles in both the UK and USA textile journals. In addition I wrote the definitive manual on Carpet Installation for the NICF. Over the years I have lectured at RBI Seminars in the USA, Kennesaw State University in Georgia
Bast Fibre The main bast fibre used in carpets is jute and like cotton is a cellulosic fibre it has poor resiliency but like cotton has high strength and low elasticity. It has however been widely used in the manufacture of rugs.
and Tifcon. Committee membership has included Chairman of the Textile Institute floor coverings Committee (Tifcon) Terms and definitions committee, Various BSI committees and a past president of the NICF.
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THE UK’S LEADING
RUG CLEANING SPECIALIST The Rug Laundry has been offering our rug cleaning service for a number of years.
This is at a trade discount prices to our colleagues in the carpet cleaning industry. We can tailor our service to your requirements, whether you want to deal direct, making a margin on our charge, or pass on your client’s details, allowing the Rug Laundry to deal with your consumer, with you being paid a pre-arranged referral fee. We no longer offer a carpet and upholstery cleaning service and concentrate solely on rug cleaning. In doing this, we stay focused on doing the best possible job we can on every rug, every time, and our colleagues in the trade feel completely at ease referring us to their clients, without any potential fear of losing their customers to us for other cleaning services.
Here is how it works ❚ Your client wishes to have a rug cleaned. ❚ You explain that you work with a specialist company who takes care of your clients’ rugs. ❚ Ask permission to pass on their details to us so we may contact them direct. ❚ We will contact them and take care of everything from start to finish, quote, collect, clean and return. ❚ At the end of the month, we total up all invoices and pay a percentage of every invoice to you for the referral.
If you are interested in making regular riskfree money from rug cleaning please get in touch with Troy at The Rug Laundry:
Tel: 01269 842497 troy@theruglaundry.co.uk
We offer the service right across the UK. www.ncca.co.uk
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WOOLSAFE AND NCCA
UNITED WE STAND
Working in harmony with the NCCA for many years now, our organisations are closely aligned in what we are focussed on achieving. We strive to lift up the whole industry, raising the standards not only through the cleaning skills of operators, via our training Academies, but also through our code of practice guidelines to which our members must adhere. The majority of WoolSafe Approved Service Providers, in the UK at least, are also NCCA members.
£30 TRAINING DISCOUNT
We see WoolSafe not as a competitor to the NCCA but as a complimentary organisation for experienced professional operators to join and take their business to the next level when they are ready. If you are looking for introductions to high-end carpet and rug owners, then WoolSafe is definitely for you. The qualifying criteria of joining the two organisations are slightly different. WoolSafe requires that applicants have the tripartite of experience (5 years), WoolSafe Fibre Care Specialist training and use of WoolSafe Approved solutions. These are the promises we give to the carpet manufacturers and retailers, that recommend our Approved Service Providers, and to the carpet owners themselves. If you would like to learn more about the unique WoolSafe training courses, member benefits or anything else, please don’t hesitate to contact us on office@woolsafe.org
WoolSafe would like to offer an exclusive £30 training discount to NCCA members who enrol on the WoolSafe Fibre Care Specialist course between now and the end of March 2021. The course is stand-alone and sits on top of what you have already learnt when qualifying for the NCCA. It can be done anytime; you certainly shouldn’t wait 5 years to learn about the special properties and cleaning requirements of wool! Once the training is completed and the exam passed, you will be invited to join WoolSafe and, if all criteria are met, you can enjoy all the benefits of membership. To access the training visit www.woolsafeacademy.org and select either the online Fibre Care Specialist (worldwide) and use coupon code: NCCA2021 or enrol on the livestream class set for 24th March 2021 and choose the NCCA member option to receive your discount.
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INTRODUCTION TO DRYING
When dealing with an escape of water as a specialist restorer it is vital that you know before you commence precisely what you are trying to achieve, what your goals are and do these match your clients and other stakeholders. Statistically two thirds of all escape of water incidents affect 1 or 2 rooms and 2 or 3 surfaces but contractors insist on installing large and noisy dehumidifiers and air movers drying the whole of the affected rooms, without considering that only a small proportion of the areas are damaged. We all know that water exists in three states (solid, liquid and as a gas), fortunately it behaves in a constant manner. This holds huge significance importance to the drying restoration specialist as this enables us to design a drying regime that maximises the dying potential, so reducing drying times, amount of equipment required, minimising energy consumption and client inconvenience. Choosing to partner with a specialist equipment supplier can be a huge advantage in the development of a restoration business in order to obtain the best support, training and high performing, reliable and affective equipment.
Corroventa have been operating in the UK for over 20 years and have been creating and manufacturing industry leading equipment for the water damage restoration industry throughout Europe for over 35 years. We work in partnership to the damage restoration industry offering specialist training and support both on and off site and we are a leading company in the industry. www.ncca.co.uk
A1 desiccant dehumidifier This year (2020), we launched a brand-new desiccant dehumidifier A1, which has been specifically designed and manufactured in Sweden to deal with the small escape of water claims, were your drying efforts can be focused as shown in the schematic image below, the unit is extremely lightweight (only 8.5Kg), minimal size (310 x 253 x 287mm), achieving 140m3 of air movement, using only 600 watts and as low noise as 42 dB(A), all covered by our 2-year warranty.
SPECIAL OFFER
As a special offer to NCCA members we are offering a £50 discount on the purchase of the A1 desiccant dehumidifier until 31st January 2021, limited to 2 items per company and payment required prior to dispatch. T&C’s apply. Normal sales price £845.00 +vat. For further information please contact us directly on 0161 244 9523 or mail@corroventa.com
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TLC SPECIAL RECOGNITION To say this year has been challenging would be an understatement. Since March, our Members, along with millions of other businesses, saw a significant amount (if not all) of their work disappear overnight. Once Government guidelines deemed it safe to do so, their work could resume, and cleaning operatives played and continue to play, a key role during this pandemic.
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THE WINNERS ARE: ❚ C2 Carpet Care ❚ Fitz2Kleen ❚ Armthorpe Carpet Cleaners ❚ ProCarpet Clean ❚ In Depth Cleaning Specialist
Congratulations to all!
For our last #TLCofthemonth award of the year, we wanted to recognise Trusted Local Cleaners who have received above and beyond reviews, based on the challenging circumstances we’ve found ourselves in this year.
REMEMBERING
PETER MILLER In March, The NCCA was deeply saddened by the news that long-standing member, Peter Miller had passed away. Peter, thank you for the memories and all the support you gave us all. You will never be forgotten.
Paul Pearce
“Peter was a master of his craft, a good friend and brother. He loved pulling your leg yet took his work seriously. Always went the extra mile to help anyone he could yet always keen to learn new things. He will be sorely missed. Thoughts and prayers to his family.”
Peter Collins
“I’ve known Pete many years through the NCCA and it will be a sadder world without him in it. Pete was a Professional, a Gentleman and had a wonderful sense of humour. RIP Pete Also love has no expiry date; I will remember Pete fondly.”
Craig Tee
“I’m honoured to have spent time with him putting the world to rights. A truly humble guy. RIP.”
Dave Wheadon
“Peter was such a great and loyal supporter of the Association, a genuine gentleman, who had time for everyone, a great sense of humour, he will be missed RIP Peter.”
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TRAINING COURSES Water Damage Restoration Awareness 18th January (Limited spaces)
Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 19th-21st January 26th-28th January 23rd-25th February 16th-18th March
TOP 5 STRATEGIES TO
BOOST YOUR
JANUARY DIARY
(1)
Reward Loyal Customers
Commercial Cleaning 9th-10th February
Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 16th February
(3)
Take Advantage Of New Year Resolutions
Fine Fabrics 17th February Book Advanced Spot & Stain Removal and Fine Fabrics together for additional discount (automatically applied). Members can benefit from the ‘members price’ AND a further discount if booking two or more delegates on the same course. Discount is automatically applied at the checkout.
(5)
(2)
Introduce New Deals And Offers
(4)
‘Coming Soon This Year’ New Service Or Product
Fine Tune Social Media And Online Platforms
All courses will be held at our training facility at our offices the Museum of Carpet, Kidderminster. We’ll be operating under strict and careful social distancing measures, and we’ll also be limiting numbers of students to adhere to Government guidelines.
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EXTREME COLD WEATHER A GUIDE TO SAFEGUARDING YOUR BUSINESS
Cold mornings, frost and the possibility of snow are becoming increasingly familiar weather conditions during UK winters. Over the past few years extreme weather has forced parts of the UK to come to a complete standstill, causing chaos for businesses throughout the UK.
HEALTH & SAFETY IN THE COLD – MINIMISING RISK Businesses can minimise potential injury from slips on snow and ice by taking the following steps: Identify the external areas of your premises where slippery conditions are most likely to occur for both vehicles and pedestrians, e.g. on pathways, car parks, access roads, steps, sloped surfaces and unofficial routes regularly used as short-cuts. Monitor local weather forecasts and be aware of local conditions so that poor weather conditions can be anticipated. Keep a stock of gritting material for your premises and suitable equipment to carry out the gritting process. Where staff work outdoors, make sure they have suitable footwear to reduce the risk of slipping.
Ensure that adequate steps are taken to protect vulnerable groups, e.g. disabled persons, new and expectant mothers. Where practicable, prevent access to non-essential areas where there is a higher risk of slipping and designate safer alternative routes for vehicles and pedestrians, e.g. use of barriers, cones and signs. Enforce low speed limits to reduce the risk of vehicles skidding. Provide adequate segregation between vehicles and pedestrians to reduce the risk from vehicles skidding and colliding with pedestrians.
REMEMBER It’s important to clear areas of snow and ice leading from external fire exit doors and stairs for people to use safely in an emergency.
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MUSEUM OF CARPETS
HISTORICAL FACTS
THE EARLY DAYS OF CARPET MAKING
❚ This increased further when the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal was built in 1772, connecting the River Trent to the Severn.
❚ John Broom then went to look for another alternative. He brought a weaver back fromBrussels to Kidderminster. In 1749, he introduced the ‘Brussels’ weave which was moretraditional with a looped pile and a woven backing. The pattern could have up to five colours. Broom was not able to monopolize this weaving style for long before it was being woven all over Kidderminster and rapidly became the predominant product, to the detriment of Kidderminster weave.
❚ Compared to the Masters, weavers had very bad living and working conditions. During the 1800s, there was a lot of unrest. The longest strike was in 1828 and lasted for 21 weeks before the weavers gave in.
❚ In the mid-1700s, Wilton weaving was introduced and, in 1755, Axminster hand-knotted weaving began.
❚ By the mid-1800s, Britain was in the middle of the Industrial Revolution. However, the masters were happy with their current situation. ❚ At the Great Exhibition 1851, the first power carpet loom was displayed. Kidderminster was eventually forced to move to power looms to keep up with the competition.
❚ By the 1800s, Kidderminster was a carpet town. There was a huge increase in population.
❚ Power looms required mills, factories and steam engines. Therefore, there was a major reconstruction of the town.
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KEY CARPET KNOWLEDGE ❚ The furthest record of carpet being woven is in the Orient, thousands of years ago, when nomadic tribes in Asia would weave grasses into mats to use in their tents. They developed techniques of spinning yarn from animal hair, dyeing using extracts from plants and insects, and weaving simple patterned cloth. ❚ There was also beautiful weaving done in Persia and Turkey. They made hand-knotted carpets on vertical frames. ❚ Textile crafts spread across Europe in the 8th century. By the 15th century, crusaders and the French and Dutch merchants sold these expensive fabrics to English nobility. ❚ The textile industry in England was heavily influenced by the Huguenot weavers. Huguenot weavers were employed in France but had to flee when Catholic King Louis 14th persecuted them for being Protestants in 1685. Some came to England and were integrated in the established cloth weaving industry.
KIDDERMINSTER – THE LOCAL TRADE ❚ I n the 15-1600s, the factories were small and most of the cloth looms were in upper rooms of the houses in towns. Whole families were involved in the weaving. The men weaved on wooden handlooms in the upper rooms . The women spun the yarn and helped with bobbin winding. Children worked at the loom from when they were 10 and they were called drawboys/ girls. The owners were called Masters and they lived at their factory near the river.
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light-weighted twilled/corded material from silk and worsted yarns, which was sold to Catholic Priests in Spain and Portugal for their cassocks . ❚ There are only three Bombazine cottages left from the late 1700s and they are in Horsefair. ❚ K idderminster was also noted for a heavy-weight wool-based patterned cloth known asKidderminster Stuff. It was used for bed clothing, curtains, outer garments, and furniture coverings. It was also used a lot as floor mats and was known as ‘Fote Cloth.’ ❚ K idderminster’s carpet industry was said to have started in 1735 when John Pearsall and John Broom first wove Kidderminster Carpet. Although Kidderminster Stuff was an effective floor mat, Pearsall and Broom knew that iJ was too thin. Therefore they created Kidderminster Carpet. ❚ The difference between Kidderminster Stuff and Kidderminster Carpet is basically that Kidderminster Carpet is Kidderminster Stuff woven together so it is twice as thick. Therefore the looms weaving Kidderminster carpet have twice the amount of wool on the warp. As Kidderminster Carpet was essentially two pieces of Stuff together, they could have different patterns on each side, making them reversible. This technique was an instant success and soon all Stuff looms were converted.
❚ K idderminster was known for a variety of cloths: Linsey Woolseys, Cheneys, Damasks (table), Prunellas, Freizes, Tammies (underskirts) , Ratteens (coat), Wollen Camlets, Glossanetts and more. It was also known for making Bombazine, a THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
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CORPORATE MEMBERS
The NCCA is fortunate to have the support from many leading suppliers in the industry. Please find their company details below.
T.0116 271 9550 / E.admin@ncca.co.uk Cleansmart Ltd www.cleansmartsupplies.co.uk
Amtech UK www.amtechuk.co.uk
Cleantec Innovation Ltd www.cleantecinnovation.com
AMUSF www.upholsterers.co.uk
Corroventa Ltd wwww.corroventa.com
Ashbys Cleaning Equipment www.ashbys-uk.com
Coversure Insurance Services (Kidderminster) www.coversure.co.uk/ kidderminster
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Alltec Network Ltd www.alltec.co.uk
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Avance International Supplies Ltd www.avanceltd.com
Digitool www.godigitool.com
Bio Productions Ltd inc. Stapro www.bio-productions.com
Dry Fusion UK Ltd www.dryfusion.com
Camberford Law Plc www.camberfordlaw.com/ cleaning
Factotum Ltd www.factotum.com
ChemDry Franchising Ltd www.chemdry.co.uk
Get Booked Up Software www.getbookedup.com
Cleanerswarehouse Ltd www.cleanerswarehouse. co.uk
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Citation Ltd www.citation.co.uk
www.ncca.co.uk
WANT TO BECOME A CORPORATE MEMBER? APPLY TODAY!
Gleaming Insurance www.gleaminginsurance.co.uk
Hi-Tec Cleaning Group www.hitteccleaning.co.uk
NationalCarpetCleanersAssociation
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THE CLEAN SHEET
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Integrated Damage Solutions
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Restorers Limited www.leatherrepaircompany.com
Revolution Cleaning Systems www.revolutioncleaning systems.co.uk
Legend Brands Europe Ltd www.legendbrandseurope.com
Safeclean www.safeclean.co.uk
LTT Leathercare Ltd www.lttleathercare.co.uk
Sebo UK Ltd www.sebo.co.uk
Minster Cleaning www.minstercleaning.co.uk
ServiceMaster Ltd www.servicemaster.co.uk
Modular Training Solutions www.modulartraining solutions.com
Site Wizard Ltd www.sitewizard.co.uk
Movo Insurance Brokers www.movoinsurance.com/ ncca-members
Solution Cornwall Ltd www.worldofclean.co.uk
NSL Restormate www.restormate.co.uk
Texatherm Systems Ltd www.texatherm.com
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Kendry www.kendry.co.uk
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The Restoration Academy UK www.therestoration academy.co.uk
Prochem Europe Ltd www.prochem.co.uk
The Rug Laundry www.theruglaundry.co.uk W ER NEMB E M
Quartix Ltd www.quartix.net
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Planet Leasing Cardiff www.planetleasing.co.uk
The WoolSafe Organisation www.woolsafe.org
Rainbow International www.rainbow-int.co.uk
Tile Master Global Ltd www.tilemaster.co.uk
Restoration Express www.restoration-express.co.uk
ZeroDryTime Franchising www.zerodrytime.com
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL CARPET CLEANERS ASSOCIATION WINTER 2020
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THE CLEAN SHEET
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
TMCPS Essex
Carpet Pro Kent
Champion Services Group Essex
WJH Group Ltd Lincolnshire
BSB Alfombras Contemporaneas, S.L. Barcelona
Desis Services Limited t/a Finesse Cleaning Greater London
Cleaning Express Services Ltd London
Total Care Cambridge Cambridgeshire
Cleaner Carpets Manchester Greater Manchester
Poseidon Cleaning UK Carmarthenshire
A Class Carpets Ltd Hampshire
Galaxy ProClean Ltd Merseyside
Storm Professional Carpet Cleaning & Floorcare Hampshire
Vaxinol Ltd Merseyside
Worth A Clean Ltd Hampshire
MJD Cleaning Services Norfolk
Alton Services Ltd t/a Cleaning Project Company Hampshire
ServiceMaster North Norfolk Norfolk
Citation Ltd Cheshire Clean Supreme Ltd T/A Aqua-Dry Co Dublin Newlook Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Ltd Co Galway Dirtmaster Cornwall Cornwall St Austell Carpet Care Cornwall Ace Repair Services Cumbria Wet or Dry Carpet Cleaning Denbighshire
SAS Deep Cleaning Ltd Hertfordshire The Fresh Cleaning Co Hertfordshire
Devon Dazzle Devon
Complete Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Hinckley
UKCS - UK Clean Solutions Dorset
Carpet Cleaning London Pro Kent
Mrs Carpet Kleen Essex
Teco Interiors Ltd Kent
Come Shine With Me Cleaning Ltd Essex
Green Daisy Cleaning Services Limited Kent
Devon Carpet Cleaners Ltd Devon
Vita Aura London Alium Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning London
Premier Carpet Care Neath
Smart Cleaning Group Limited North Yorkshire Expert Carpet Cleaning Services Northamptonshire L&J Total Clean LTD Scottish Borders ProClean Group Shropshire Citrussteam Shropshire Kingdom Kleen Somerset AGN Fleet Ltd T/A Planet Leasing Cardiff South Glamorgan Attentive Cleaning Services Staffordshire Asclean Carpet & Upholstery Services Staffordshire Crystal Clean Norfolk Suffolk DNR Clean Surrey ServiceMaster Brighton/Lewes Surrey ServiceMaster Clean Tyne & Wear and Northumberland Tyne and Wear R.L.C. Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners Tyne and Wear Cleaner By Nature West Glamorgan Revitalise Cleaning Ltd West Yorkshire DAB Cleaning West Yorkshire The Carpet and Oven Wizard Wirral
Telephone: 0116 271 9550 Email: admin@ncca.co.uk
www.ncca.co.uk
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