November 2010

newslink

ncca

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Features:

Dust Mite Allergies Raking and Vacuuming ŠPhotograph: Stripes by Brintons

November 2010

Contents

Published monthly by:

03 Continued improvements to member

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

search system 03 NCCA member referral results 03 Moving ahead with marketing 04 Mesh sanding screens - a craftsman’s tool

62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH Tel: 0116 271 9550 Fax: 0116 271 9588 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk

06 Chem-Dry business set to take on new heights for charity 06 Director’s husband ‘rises’ to the challenge 08 The importance of raking and vaccuming 10 An industry expert’s view of trade Associations 12 New chemical regulations 14 Move ahead with the three A’s 16 Dust mite allergies - can you help?

19 Up the wall 20 Terracotta restoration in Ethiopia 23 The Cleaning Show 2011 - don’t miss it!

24 The properties of water 28 Equality Act 2010

Editor Nikki Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law CEO/Finance and Admin Director Nick Johnston Company Secretary/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Training Director Pawlo Woloszyn Marketing Director Keith Robertson Member Liaison Director Glyn Charnock Associate Liaison Director Denise Pitt

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.

Events Director Nigel Lay

©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association).

No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

page 2

From the editor Continued improvements to member search system During recent months our member search and referral system has come along in leaps and bounds. The 'Find a member' option on the NCCA website now features additional search facilities, including the option to list all members within a specified area of a particular postcode. The improved system also allows the NCCA office to inform members when their details have been given out.

We have now added a further feature where members with an advanced website listing are distinguished by two asterisks next to their details

in the 'map search' drop-down area. In addition to this, the balloon which pinpoints the Nikki Law company location on the map is now highlighted in pink.

The advanced website listing is available to all members for a small one-off fee. It includes benefits such as a direct link to your website, further copy space for promotional information, inclusion of your company logo or a promotional video. If you are interested, please telephone the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

NCCA member referral results Since publishing a referral statistics report in last month's Newslink there have been 143 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 63 referrals from the NCCA office, 70 potential customers contacting members direct through the website and 10

referrals to members without an email address, which we have tracked using the office database.

If you have not yet supplied us with an email address, but would like to receive notification when your details have been given out, please contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.

Moving ahead with marketing As usual the NCCA has been busy in its marketing endeavours. During the last month we have had articles published in CFR and Cleaning Matters and have issued further editorial to CHT and Tomorrow's Cleaning.

Additionally we recently produced articles for the consumer press, including a profile on member Sandi Burnett, from Aquadry in Glamorgan scheduled to appear in Good Housekeeping - and specialist tips and specific features, which will appear in future issues of Your Home magazine.

Negotiations are also underway with other consumer magazines, including Selfbuild & Design and Woman's Weekly.

To further raise our profile, we have recently been looking for NCCA members - who have cleaned any prestigious building within the last six months - to

participate in our new consumer press campaign, which involves the creation of competitions for regional publications.

We are pleased to say that we now have a member on board and can move forward with the concept, but we are still looking for more people to take part.

A prestigious building can include National Heritage buildings, National Trust Properties, celebrities' houses or anything similar.

If you think you fit the bill, please contact Nicky at the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550, or email: nicky@ncca.co.uk To read about other advancements within the NCCA turn to page 11 and read the Editorial Comment following Doyle Bloss’s article on Trade Associations. page 3

Mesh sanding screens - a craftsmen’s tool

Keith Robertson

O

ne of the great things about mesh sanding screens is that they take up so little space; they are only as thick as a piece of thin cardboard. Screens are made in a variety of diameters so there should be no problem finding the right size for your standard speed single disc rotary machine.

There are a number of instances where you will find a sanding screen useful, but no more so than when working with wood floors, and in particular engineered timber boards.

Pre-finished engineered wood flooring usually has a factory finished, resilient top coat. However, over time this top coat can deteriorate in a number of ways, including becoming difficult to clean, susceptible to stains, generally unsightly and in some cases the surface may be partially or completely destroyed.

The manufacturers of pre-finished flooring - to give their products a competitive advantage over traditional wood floors finished on site are now incorporating wear-resistant particles into the factory applied finishes. These wearresistant particles may come in many different forms, such as aluminium oxide, diamond dust, reinforced polymers, carborundum, quartz, silica, glass particles, beads or spheres, plastic grits, silicon carbide or hard plastics.

Although these additives have allowed manufacturers, in some cases, to increase the wear-

resistance of their product, day to day problems such as scuffing and scratching still occur.

A good regular cleaning regime will help to minimise the visual deterioration of the floor but from time to time they will benefit from being re-coated. For the new top coat to adhere correctly, the existing surface needs to be prepared to allow the top coat to bite, or stick, to the existing one.

This is where the sanding screen can be a useful tool.

In some cases a proprietary preparation product can be used to abrade the surface followed by a prepared two-part sealant.

Alternatively, it may be possible to use a single disc rotary machine with a suitable mesh screen to lightly roughen the surface of the existing sealant.

This works as long as the floor is level, but if the floor has high spots they are likely to become overpage 4

sanded and the low spots either missed or insufficiently sanded.

In the case of some pre-finished wear-resistant floor surfaces the particles embedded in the finish can quite quickly damage the screens. This is something that should be kept in mind when estimating for this sort of work. However, this could well change in the future; work is underway on products which, although applied as a liquid, will have the capability of abrading the surface of the existing sealant when scrubbed using a rotary machine and pad.

Mesh sanding screens are made in differing grits from 60 to 220, although not all manufacturers make all grades. Good quality screens are usually 100% silicon carbide grain bonded to an interwoven polyester knit backing. Screens that are fully resin bonded, grip on to the silicon carbide and give greater durability and longer life. This is particularly useful if working on a wear-resistant coating.

Mesh sanding screens are also used during conventional floor sanding, as a final step to blend sanding marks left by edging sanders or the belt sander, as well as abrading finishes between coats.

Once placed on top of a floor pad they are extremely flexible. They are also used to remove scuff marks, wax coatings and other old finishes.

Their ability to completely remove the factory finish is limited as normally a much lower grade of grit would be required than that provided by the roughest of the screen grits.

In addition to silicon carbide screens it is now possible to purchase mesh screens where the cutting grain is ceramic alumina. The manufacturers of these screens claim they are extremely sharp and fast, leave a much finer scratch pattern and last two to three times longer than silicon carbide.

There are other uses that you can put your mesh floor screens to. For example, as an alternative to aggressive sanding of old previously sealed or varnished old wood floors you could develop your own much more passive technique. If the floor sealant is in a good condition it may be possible to simply screen and re-seal, but if on the other hand

it is in a poor condition it may still be possible to restore it without heavy sanding.

It might be necessary to first clean the floor with a neutral detergent to remove any built-up soil, then once it has dried apply a non-flammable liquid wood stripper and when the finish has softened use your single disc rotary with a sanding screen to remove the old finish.

It is best to work in areas of no more than two metres by two metres. Once you have completed a section put a cloth under a pad and clean off any excess stripper, or wipe it up by hand. If any stripper has worked its way into the joints between boards, apply an appropriate neutraliser and, with a brush on your rotary machine, gently scrub the floor and wet-vacuum away the residues.

There may also be occasions when a floor sanding screen might prove useful in removing excess seal from a vinyl or linoleum floor. However, it's sensible to bear in mind that although a sanding screen has the ability to remove all the floor finish, it could also damage the floor if you are overzealous, so it would be sensible not to use a screen rougher than 120-grit.

When dry sanding off the finish on vinyl or linoleum, you should ideally use a single disc machine that is fitted with a vacuum or dust extractor.

It is better to clean the floor before you start to sand and once you have finished make sure you have removed any remaining dust and you are ready to re-seal the surface.

Remember all the usual rules and make use of the appropriate PPE including eye, hearing and respiratory protection and don't forget your knee pads or a kneeling mat.

A few final thoughts - make sure the screen is carefully centred so that even pressure is exerted on it and don't ever leave it on the machine when it's not in use as the weight of the machine may compress the nylon pad above the screen and distort the mesh, which could lead to uneven sanding. Also be sure that you are wearing shoes which have non-marking soles. page 5

Chem-Dry business set to take on new heights for charity

©Image: Chem-Dry UK

C

arpet cleaning specialists Chem-Dry are setting their sights high as they prepare to take on the Mount Kilimanjaro Challenge next March to help raise a significant amount of cash for their Charity of the Year, Asthma UK. The team of sixteen, made up of Chem-Dry franchisees, employees and individuals from Private Equity Company LDC, will climb 5,895 metres over six gruelling days and will battle against extreme weather conditions and dangerously high altitudes in an attempt to reach the summit of the world's tallest freestanding mountain.

Andrew Lloyd-Jones, Managing Director for Chem-Dry and Kilimanjaro Challenge Trekker, said: “This is the biggest charity challenge Chem-Dry has ever undertaken; there's no doubt the trek will test us

Director’s husband ‘rises’ to the challenge Ian Pitt, representing Chem-Dry Hereford and Worcester, and husband of NCCA Associate Director, Denise Pitt, has recently dug out his walking boots in preparation to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next March, in aid of Chem-Dry's Charity of the Year 2010/11, Asthma UK. Ian said: “When Chem-Dry UK decided to undertake the Kilimanjaro challenge I just had to get involved.

My wife and youngest daughter suffer badly from asthma and when you take into account that one in eleven children suffer from asthma it really makes you think. I am delighted to be representing ChemDry Hereford and Worcester and I know that the Chem-Dry Kili team will be a great support unit for one another. I have never undertaken a challenge of this magnitude before and I'm sure it will test me to the limit. It will be a huge relief to see the summit!

It's such a big difference from the Malvern Hills!!!”

To donate please see above, or send a cheque made out to Chem-Dry UK Ltd - Kilimanjaro, and send to Ian Pitt at: 55 Langland Avenue, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 2EG. Many Thanks.

to our limits both physically and mentally. The benefit of raising a substantial amount of money for Asthma UK will spur us on to reach the summit.”

Chem-Dry and Asthma UK will continue their partnership through 2011 on the basis of the synergy between the associated health benefits of ChemDry's cleaning processes and Asthma UK's aims and objectives to help support those affected by asthma.

The Chem-Dry business gratefully welcomes donations. On behalf of Asthma UK, thank you in advance.

To donate online visit the dedicated Chem-Dry Kilimanjaro website: http://kilimanjaro.chemdry.co.uk Cheques are to be made payable to Chem-Dry UK Ltd - Kilimanjaro and sent to: Sarah Brown, Chem-Dry UK Ltd, Colonial House, Belprin Road, Beverley HU17 0LS. All queries to be directed to: sarah.brown@chemdry.co.uk.

Mount Kilimanjaro Facts Highest mountain in Africa and 4th highest of the Seven Summits. Considered the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, rising 15,100 feet (4,600 meters) from base to summit.

Kilimanjaro was first climbed on October 5, 1889 by German geologist Hans Meyer, Marangu scout Yoanas Kinyala Lauwo, and Austrian Ludwig Purtscheller.

Kilimanjaro has five common routes to its highest summit: Marangu Route; Machame Route; Rongai Route; Lemosho Route; and Mweka Route. Machame and Lemosho routes are popular and scenic.

The biggest challenge and danger is the high altitude. Climbers die from improper acclimatization and altitude sickness rather than due to falls.

page 6

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The importance of raking and vacuuming Matt Barber (Chem-Dry Technical Trainer)

I

t's the simple, most obvious things in life that are often overlooked or forgotten about, and in the world of carpet cleaning this tends to be the process of raking and vacuuming. It's a simple job but can really make a difference to the overall cleaning results.

I was at a customer's home a little while ago to clean and re-protect a couple of carpets when the customer commented on how good the dining room carpet looked. A little embarrassed, I replied “Yes, it will look even better when I have finished cleaning it.� All I had done was use my carpet rake to loosen the dry particulate matter (insoluble

soils), lift the pile and give it a good vacuuming in two directions. Yes, it did look good, well, a lot better, just by doing those two simple steps, and it served as a good reminder of why we should rake and vacuum before we use our cleaning solutions.

As I raked the carpet you could see small bits and pieces of soiling jumping up and lying on the top of the carpet pile as I worked my way from the furthest point of the room back to the doorway.

With my trusty commercial grade vacuum cleaner I removed all the loosened soiling. The pinging and rattling of debris against the inside of the vacuum always serves as a satisfying reminder that prepage 8

clean raking and vacuuming is a worthwhile exercise.

Because this excercise removes excess sand, grit, fluff, lint and hair, no muddy sludge is left behind when cleaning solutions are applied, which would require excessive washing, rinsing and extraction.

Benefits of pre-raking and vacuuming: ! less solution usage = cost cutting. ! faster drying times for the customer. ! Less gritty sludge in the bottom of your waste tank to clean out!

If you are still unconvinced, try this little experiment:

Diary Dates 2010 NCCA COURSES Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning 21st - 22nd January 25th - 26th March 17th - 18th June 16th - 17th September 25th - 26th November Hard Floor Cleaning Leather Cleaning and Restoration Spot and Stain Removal 2011 dates and venues to be announced NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise Stated.

Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details.

ŠChem-Dry UK

IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 24th - 25th November

1. Rake a two metre squared piece of carpet that needs a clean.

2. Unclip the vacuum hose that goes into the dust bag and place a piece of cloth or filter in the opening and refit the hose.

3. Vacuum the previously raked two metre squared carpet two ways.

4. Pull out the vacuum hose and look at what the cloth/filter has collected. Why try washing and wet extracting all of that out of a carpet when you can dry vacuum it out?

I usually change my vacuum bags when they are approximately two thirds to three quarters full and regularly de-fluff the rotating brush bristles on the drum.

Hopefully I'm preaching to the converted, but if not, go on, give it a try!

Applied Structural Drying Technician with Adam Jankowski 7th - 10th December Course above held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 IICRC COURSES (BUCKS) Water Restoration Technician with Gary Loiben 15th - 17th November Courses above held at Dri-Eaz Products Ltd, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Tel: 0800 542 9609 IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 16th - 17th November Upholstery and Fabric Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 23rd - 24th November Courses above held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222 Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses

page 9

©Photograph: Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions

An industry expert’s view of trade associations R. Doyle Bloss (the Vice President of Education and Technical Services for Bridgepoint Systems)

S

ome people say that the day of the trade association has passed within our industry, but this is a view I certainly do not share.

Trade associations have introduced me to some of my very best friends, my most admired mentors, my fiercest - yet friendly - competitors, and way too many banquets with cold, bad prime rib. To this day, I think trade associations undersell and market their most important benefit - camaraderie.

Some of my greatest memories are of association events; visiting different places throughout the country with friends, meeting industry stalwarts, falling off the stage during a speech at a convention and getting a 'ten' for my landing from some new pony-tailed marketing whiz kid named Joe Polish, being awakened by countless fire alarms at different shows and meeting my colleagues in the parking lot, all in our pyjamas, or worse.

The support of trade associations was one of my father's greatest passions. In fact, Ralph Bloss

received thirteen top awards during his career, for his support of their greatest activities. A few months prior to his passing, he and I were asked to sit down and brainstorm with some industry friends about the future of associations. Some of you may remember a line my father was most often quoted for - “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.” That was the theme of our discussion that day.

Trade associations within our industry have not always done a very good job of adjusting to some of the changes they've had to face. For instance, they helped launch the growth of technical training, an activity that later was mostly taken over by suppliers. A few people spent (and some still do) a large amount of time trying to 'regulate' suppliers away from the education business instead of taking time out to look at new opportunities.

In that last meeting with my father, we decided to identify areas that trade associations could focus page 10

their future on - to look at new purposes and goals, and corresponding activities to support those purposes and goals. I still have the meeting notes and even though the ideas we came up with are over seven years old now - and put together before the social marketing and networking craze that certainly should be part of a trade associations activities today - I still think they have some merit.

My notes are pages and pages long, but I will try to summarise here: ! Camaraderie and networking. ! Insurance buying groups. ! Management training and advice (perhaps even Certification programs). ! Marketing cooperatives - we make the same wheels over and over again in this industry. ! Everybody needs the basics before they can learn the advanced. ! Road shows - borrow someone's big RV and have a roving, rolling party. ! Support of a national trade show that eventually spurs local mini activities in different areas. ! Information sharing - compile balance sheets and income statements to get industry averages, hiring and firing policies and programs, etc‌ ! Evening workshops. ! Focus on education and training events that do not involve a lot of product (the suppliers do not have a profit incentive to have these kinds of training events).

Not everyone needs a trade association. Some certainly do not want their social events to inevitably turn to a discussion about cat urine removal. Some are so fiercely independent that they only go to a group gathering to constantly convince themselves and everyone there that they do not need a group.

Industry bulletin boards have certainly become an on-line community and most of the information and advice is free. But I can't help but feel that trade associations still have an important role in the development of this great industry.

R. Doyle Bloss is the Vice President of Education and Technical Services for Bridgepoint Systems. He is a well-known speaker and trainer in our industry

with a specific emphasis upon real world management topics that affect cleaning and restoration businesses.

Editors Comment We would like to thank Mr Bloss for his contribution. It was very interesting to read a view on trade associations from a different perspective.

Also interesting is how many of the ideas listed from the meeting have been implemented, or are being considered by the NCCA. Certainly the introduction of Roadshows and Technical Workshops - along with the sponsorship of Carpex are some of the most significant undertakings for the Association over the last few years. And, following on from the members’ survey, we are working on a number of others areas to raise the profile of the Association, increase courses and educational services and expand member benefits.

When the composition of the Board changed this year it was agreed that one of the new Directors, Nigel Lay, would take on the role of co-ordinating events. He is keen to take roadshows into a number of areas throughout the UK each year. We introduced another training course in 2010 and now that Pawlo has taken over as Training Director he is also looking at further training programmes both in the 'how to do it' category and business management. Paul Pearce has prepared an important new course which will be introduced in 2011. Lewis, in the office, has been working hard behind the scenes and plans to launch an online technical resource library accessible to all members by the end of the year. Nick Johnston has spent time talking to insurers, but currently we are not large enough to attract a special buying arrangement that would be attractive to members.

We are working hard to achieve as much as possible in developing and improving the NCCA. Please remember though that the Directors are all also running their own businesses and can only put so much time and effort in to the Association.

Board positions are voluntary, but that does not mean that a member needs to be a Director to contribute. If you feel you would like to offer assistance then please come forward. page 11

New chemical regulations

T

his article is a timely reminder that on the 1st December 2010 chemical cleaning products will have to comply with the Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulations (CLP), which is a new directive from the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals (REACH).

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on products will, as usual, be provided by manufacturers to retailers and end users showing any hazard(s) for COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) purposes. Further to this, the MSDS will show new labelling containing information on safety and, for some items, packaging.

These new regulations have arisen from discussions in 2007, confirming the need for end users and businesses to be issued with current

Peter Collins MSDS on all chemical products they purchased and supplied. The CLP Regulations should pave the way for a Globally Harmonised System (GHS) within the EU for labelling chemical cleaning products.

In compliance with the new regulations the familiar orange and black hazard warning symbols will be phased out and replaced by red, black and white symbols. The manufacturers, and any companies that supply cleaning solutions, will be allowed time to assess their products under the Chemical Hazard Information and Packaging (CHIP) Regulations, which will be replaced by CLP. This means that any product of a single substance will be allowed to be classified and labelled under the current CHIP Regulations (known as CHIP 4) until 1st December 2010. However after that date page 12

they must comply with CLP Regulations. Products which have been sold by manufactures to retailers or companies, and are out on the shelves and available to purchase by the end user before 1st December 2010, will be allowed to be sold without re-labelling or re-packaging before 1st December 2012.

For mixtures, the new regulations do not apply until 1st June 2015, but after this period they too will come under the CLP Regulations. Any of these products already on the shelves by 1st June 2015 can be sold to the end user, without being repackaged or re-labelled, until 1st June 2017.

Compliance for the CLP Regulations lies directly at the manufactures door, even if the products are imported from outside the EU. However, any retailers or businesses that are in the supply chain must be alerted to the change in labelling and packaging. One important fact for everyone in the

cleaning industry, whether manufacturer, supplier or end user, is that MSDS supplied for cleaning products must conform to the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals (REACH) 2007.

Manufacturers have incurred a cost to be CLP compliant, so don't be surprised to find that products you regularly purchase become more expensive. It is not their fault, but more to do with covering the costs to bring them in line with all the relevant regulations. You may have already seen price increases over recent months, and with the VAT increase on 1st January 2011 it makes economic sense to purchase the products you will be needing before the end of this year. Remember also that, as the end user, you must carry a full set of MSDS in your van for all chemicals that are stored there, and keep a separate copy of each one in your office files.

page 13

Move ahead with the three A’s

I

was recently talking to Roger Peach, aka The Carpet Doctor of Stockport, about a small problem with a customer's marble floor. If you've met Roger you will have noticed that he is always bright, breezy and interested in whatever you say. This may come naturally to Roger, but I wonder if there are times when he has to push himself to be like that, I certainly have to.

In the course of the conversation he explained that business was good and at the end of the week he had a high earning commercial job to do.

When I asked him how he did so well he thought for a moment before saying that a customer had commented that, in his view, Roger possessed the three A's. So, “what are the

Keith Robertson

three A's?” I hear you say. Well, they stand for Affability, Availability and Ability.

Ability is obviously important as you will never be successful without the ability to do the job; however, this attribute on its own won't guarantee work. You are much more likely to succeed when looking for work if you are affable.

Your success will also increase if you make yourself available.

This doesn't simply mean having some free spaces left during the day when you've no work booked in and, believe me, you'll have plenty of those if you fail to be affable and able. Availability in this sense refers to being accessible to your customers and putting yourself out to assist. page 14

Think about it, the story of the Good Samaritan is still remembered two thousand years after the tale was first told. He was a disliked and distrusted foreigner willing to put himself out to assist an injured man where fellow countrymen, of supposed repute, were happy to walk round him rather than offer to help. If we are willing to offer advice or assistance, even when we are lacking in energy or inclination, we will be remembered by our clients for all the right reasons. Whether we are naturally ebullient or of a sombre disposition it is entirely possible to develop these talents.

Roger also told me that another thing he considered important was to be at the right place at the right time and display optimism. How often have you said to yourself that the successful multimillionaire, so popular in the media, could have been you if only you had been fortunate enough to have been in the right place at the right time?

We've all said this to ourselves and very often we'll

be saying it as we're sat on the couch, clutching the TV remote and wondering why the phone hasn't rung.

It is likely that the successful multi-millionaire stepped out of his comfort zone and put himself out considerably to end up in 'the right place at the right time'.

Entrepreneur Joe Polish is now a frequent visitor to Necker, Richard Branson's island, often taking with him fellow entrepreneur's to share time in Branson's presence. This would never have happened if Joe hadn't made a concerted effort to attend and contribute to one of Branson's charity events and maintain contact afterwards.

How ready are we to do something positive and adopt the three A's? Don't forget them Affability, Availability and Ability.

Follow Walt Disney's advice, "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.�

page 15

Dust mite allergies - can you help?

M

ost people have heard of Dust Mites, and they get blamed for a wide range of health problems including all sorts of skin and respiratory ailments. As professional cleaners, you will probably, at some point, be asked for advice on how to control or remove them. So, what CAN you do to help?

The European Dust Mite, Dermatophagoides Pteronyssinus, can probably be found in 60% of homes in this country. It is part of the arachnid family, which includes spiders and scorpions, and is a microscopic organism up to 0.3mm in length. The females lay between forty and eighty eggs, which

Glyn Charnock

hatch in to a six legged larva, followed by two eight legged nymph stages, before an eight legged adult emerges after approximately a month. Adults can live from up to four months.

Dust mites feed on skin cells and scales, hence its scientific name, derived from Derma ‘skin’ and Phago ‘to eat’. Skin shed from humans and pets such as cats and dogs can constitute up to 80% of airborne house dust, so there is plenty for them to eat!

Dust mites themselves are harmless. It is their faeces and the skins (or ‘casts’) which they shed when moulting which can trigger allergic reactions in some people. There is a particular class of protein page 16

found in the waste the mites produce which can trigger allergic reactions in people who are sensitive.

The symptoms are primarily respiratory based and can include; hay fever, watering eyes, runny nose, sneezing, asthma, nasal congestion, itching to the nose, roof of the mouth or throat, cough, facial pressure or pain, swollen blue coloured skin under the eyes, eczema, headaches, fatigue and even depression. Itching and skin rashes are oddly not normally the result of this type of allergic reaction.

Any of these symptoms can, however, can be caused by many other types of allergic reactions or other kinds of medical problems. The only way to tell if someone is allergic to dust mite allergens is to undergo skin or

blood tests which can be performed by a doctor. If a client claims to have a dust mite allergy and wants you to help deal with the problem for them, check they have been diagnosed by a health professional, or you may well be wasting your time, and their money, by trying to deal with something which isn't actually the problem at all. If you give advice which the client follows, perform lots of cleaning and treatments, and it makes no difference to the client's symptoms, they are unlikely to use you again.

If your client is sensitive to dust mite allergens, what can you do to help?

Well, it is virtually impossible to eradicate dust mites from a building, so what you need to do is give the client good advice on how to control mite numbers and deal with the waste they produce, to minimize the effect Continued on next page

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page 17

Continued from previous page they have on the sufferer. Luckily enough, this will require you revisiting at least annually to assist the client with their cleaning regime.

Dust mites thrive in a warm, damp environment, so reducing the indoor temperature to below 21째C and reducing relative humidity to below 50% will help control the numbers of mites. Without expensive climate control equipment this can be difficult, but plenty of ventilation will help significantly. Throw the doors and windows open whenever possible.

Dusting of hard surfaces in the home should be done daily with a damp duster to prevent releasing dust back in to suspension in the air.

Mattresses, pillows and bedding are ideal habitats for mites because of the plentiful food supply (our skin) warmth from our body heat, and moisture from our perspiration. Also, we are in close proximity to the mites with our faces when in bed, meaning that we are breathing in more of the mites waste, making a reaction more likely, so treating bedding is a must. A two year old pillow could have up to 10% of its weight made up of dust

mites, their casts and their faeces, and infested mattresses will typically contain between 100,000 and 10,000,000 mites!

Bedding, including pillows, should be washed weekly at temperatures above 55째C to kill mites and remove faeces. If this isn't possible, place the bedding in a plastic bag and put in the freezer for

forty eight hours to kill the mites before washing at a lower temperature.

Mattresses should be steam cleaned, thoroughly dried and then encased in an airtight plastic cover to prevent re-infestation, which should be damp-dusted whenever the bedding is changed. Dust mite proof covers are readily available for mattresses and pillows.

Carpets, upholstery fabric, curtains and other soft furnishings are all possible habitats for dust mites.

These items should be thoroughly vacuum cleaned

twice weekly using a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter and/or S Class filtration bags. Bagless vacuums are not suitable, as they can not be emptied without releasing allergens back in to the air.

Hot water extraction cleaning at a high temperature (>55째C if possible) should be performed at least annually. If these items are not suitable for high temperature cleaning, UV light will kill mites, so UV lamp treatment annually will also help keep mite numbers down.

Of course the easiest option is probably treatment of carpets and fabrics with one of the commercially available products designed to kill mites and prevent re-infestation. Some of these also contain fluorocarbon based protectors, so you could be solving two problems for your client with a single treatment, but don't forget, a thorough extraction clean will always be necessary to remove the allergens which have built up between visits.

So there we have it, you can help control a potentially serious health issue and gain loyal, grateful clients in to the bargain. page 18

ŠPhotographs: Derek Bolton

Polyester - Cotton

Paul Pearce

Up the wall

I

Derek Bolton

nitially it seemed like just another job, surveying and pricing for the cleaning of a customer's three piece suite and a few carpets, but on the way out of the house my arm brushed gently against the 'wallpaper' and to my surprise it felt soft and slightly malleable.

My customer smiled and told me that all the walls and ceilings within the property were covered in different fabrics. It was only when I looked a bit Sunroom - Polyester top, silk below closer I could actually see it - not something you come across every day!

My client had previously run a business that specialised in fitting fabrics to walls and ceilings for designers and high-end domestic and commercial customers. More to the point it wasn't just glued onto the walls but the walls were in fact, 'upholstered'. I confess I haven't seen anything like this before.

I was informed that the fabric installation involved fitting a lightweight metal frame to the walls and backfilling the gaps with a Polyester interlining in the

same way as a piece of furniture. Seams were sewn from the back to be almost invisible whilst other 'butt' seams were fixed to part of the framework, all in all the effect was remarkable.

Thankfully, part of my job wasn't to clean the walls or ceilings, which would have taken a great deal of thought and head scratching. My customer said that just vacuuming the fabric is sufficient to keep them fresh, but what if a deeper clean was required?

Ceiling - 100% cotton I had to make sure there was as much ventilation as possible during the cleaning process, so I used strategically placed air movers. It was necessary to do this as the fabrics would have absorbed moisture from the atmosphere during the cleaning process making the possibility of shrinkage pretty high.

Needless to say everything went without a hitch; although it could have proved rather expensive if I hadn't brushed against the wall during the pre-clean survey and realised the walls were just a bit different than normal‌ another item to add to the checklist! page 19

Terracotta restoration in Ethiopia Pierre De Wet - Art of Clean (m1918) In the June issue of Newslink we published an article from Pierre de Wet of Art of Clean in Cambridge, who had been asked to clean a terracotta floor in Addis Ababa.

The work has now been completed and Pierre has written to us again. Read on to see how it went.

“Cleaning tile and stone is a truly rewarding experience. It offers you the opportunity to see a real transformation, not only on the items you clean, but also your client's face when they see the difference.

It is also not every day that someone gets the opportunity to travel abroad for cleaning work.

Well this was just what we did. I have recently returned from a trip overseas where I undertook a job cleaning a terracotta floor in the Italian restaurant of a high class hotel in Ethiopia.

Here are some extracts from my diary: Monday 13th September We are flying out this evening from Heathrow. It's a seven hour trip to Ethiopia - I guess it will be a smooth journey as our client paid for our flights and booked us in to Business Class.

Tuesday 14th September We arrived at the airport and got our Visas. Strange how they still write all travel documents out by hand. We were picked up from the airport by shuttle.

Our rooms, which are situated above the restaurant, are great. We've settled in and will start cleaning tomorrow. We’ve managed to have a peep at the floor we will be cleaning. Up until now we've only seen pictures. Well let me say this... there's lot of dirt to remove! It's not been cleaned in twelve years and is quite dirty. page 20

©Photographs: Art of Clean

Before the clean

Wednesday 15th September Let's get to work! Our plan is to get our products and equipment - which were shipped over six months ago - ready to do the job. We will do several tests on the floor and identify what cleaning product and cleaning method works best.

Thursday 16th - Saturday 18th September There is so much dirt and oil on the floor that we've had to scrub it three times with heavy duty cleaner just to get the red of the terracotta to show through. We've had to clean many areas of the floor by hand with a steel brush.

We've managed to clean about twenty square metres so far and we need to clean a total of one hundred and twenty square metres. The clean areas are really matt but we are expecting some shine and more of the red colour to appear once we apply the sealer. We plan on sealing next week.

Sunday 19th September Wow! I did not realise the cleaning would make us

so tired. I've just got up and it is already noon. It's time to go and try out the swimming pool and make the most of my day off.

Monday 20th - Tuesday 21st September Everything is going to plan, although the job is requiring a lot of cleaning solution and we've had to find creative ways to stretch it so we have enough to finish the work.

The application of sealer to the areas cleaned last week is starting to look really good. The Hotel management is over the moon with the work so far.

Wednesday 22nd September Mmmmm‌ Sometimes things are not what they seem. We have discovered some old sealer on parts of the floor and it is extremely hard to remove. We have to work with what we've got to remove the sealer. We're keeping up morale by rotating our staff so each spends only a short period at a time scrubbing the affected areas, Continued on next page

After the clean page 21

Continued from previous page which we are doing with a steel brush.

Thursday 23rd - Friday 24th September We are touching up some areas that need more cleaning and we are continuing to apply sealer. We are aiming for twelve coats of sealer on the floor due to the high volume of traffic it gets exposed to.

We have also started training the housekeeping department on how to properly clean and maintain the floor.

Saturday 25th September We walked into the restaurant at 8:00am and discovered some shiny patches on the floor that shouldn't have been there. Rubbing them off was not possible as it could have left white marks. This is something that sometimes occurs when sealing terracotta. The only solution was to apply another thin coat of seal. With terracotta tile it can be difficult to get a perfect finish every time but

luckily it is always possible to fix. We brought in some air movers to rapid-dry our final coat of sealer, so that housekeeping could bring the tables back in at 12:00noon.

Saturday afternoon: Now we've finished the work we are looking forward to a night out on the town to experience the local flavour. We will be going with Brouke (or Broukie as he is known) and Woderson (Wondy), who were our helpers over the past two weeks.

Saturday evening: We had an excellent night out, with great company, and we very much enjoyed sampling the local food and drink which was delicious.

Sunday 26th September I've just woken up from a nice long lie-in and its midday again!

We're going to have a lazy day today and get ready for tomorrow when we'll be heading back to the UK….. Can't wait! Mmmm….. Yes.”

page 22

The Cleaning Show 2011 - don’t miss it!

©Photographs: Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions

T

he organisers of The Cleaning Show 2011, being staged at Birmingham's NEC on 1-3 March 2011, are looking forward to the most feature-packed event ever.

Martin Scott, exhibition sales director, said: “The Cleaning Show is the UK's only major event where companies can market, sell and promote their products and services to an international audience and the 2011 event will have more to offer than ever before. Each year the show gets bigger and better, attracting thousands of visitors keen to see all that's new in the cleaning sector. 2011 will see a strong continuation of this trend.”

The Cleaning Show is organised every two years on behalf of the cleaning industry by BCCE Ltd, a company jointly owned by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Publishing & Exhibitions Ltd, publisher of C&M. Feature-packed The Cleaning Show Innovation Awards have continued to grow in stature, taking a further step forward in 2009 with a new judging process undertaken by industry experts. This year the organisers are further developing and improving the scheme. Neil Nixon, chair of the judging panel, said: “One of the limiting factors previously for the Innovation Awards was the small number of categories. To better reflect the diversity of products within the cleaning sector, we will be doubling the number of categories in 2011 - whilst maintaining our commitment to judge all the finalists on site during the first day of the Cleaning Show. The judging panel - which comprises recognised experts from all sectors of the cleaning industry - will be expanded to manage the anticipated increase in applications.”

Visitors to the Cleaning Show are increasingly looking for environmentally friendly products and this year the organisers are seeking to help them in their search by creating the Green Zone. The Green Zone will comprise a number of products from different companies, all developed to promote environmentally sensitive cleaning practices. Each exhibit will also be featured in an adjacent, free-to-enter, seminar programme. The previous event's exit survey highlighted 'green' products as a major area of interest for visitors, the Green Zone has been designed to meet the requirements of modern product and equipment specifiers, purchasers and users.”

Exhibitor appeal The Cleaning Show is only five months away and in excess of one hundred and fifty companies have already confirmed their attendance as exhibitors. The last two months have seen a sudden surge in bookings, but there are still a few spaces left. Don't miss out on the cleaning industry's unmissable event contact Martin Scott to secure your place.

Visitor passes The most efficient way to guarantee your attendance at The Cleaning Show 2011 is to register in advance for your free exhibition pass.

This can be done online at www.cleaningshow.co.uk simply by clicking the 'register now' button and completing your details.

Your badge will be prepared in advance to avoid queuing at the event.

For further details on The Cleaning Show 2011 please contact Martin Scott on: 01895 454438 Email: martinscott@quartzltd.com www.cleaningshow.co.uk page 23

The properties of water

W

riting this article about water has not only provided me with some answers, it has also posed some new questions. Water is something we all take for granted, but it's actually essential for sustaining our lives on this planet and is a hugely complex subject.

There are vast amounts of water on our beautiful blue planet, approximately 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 (326 million trillion) gallons of it. This water is in a constant cycle. Put simplistically, it evaporates from the seas and oceans, travels through the air, turns to rain which falls down on the land and then eventually flows back into the seas and oceans. If you thought that

Peter Collins recycling was a modern 'invention' then you would be wrong, mother-nature has been doing it since time began.

Our seas and oceans are huge, and the average depth is several thousand feet. In fact most of our planet's water is actually salt water. Only about 2% is fresh and 1.6% of this is locked up in the polar ice caps and glaciers. Another 0.36% is found underground in aquifers and wells. Only about 0.040% of our planets total water supply is found in lakes and rivers. That's still thousands of trillions of gallons but comparatively a very small amount.

Water surrounds us every day; our own bodies are made up of 65% water, so if you weigh 150 lbs your water content weighs 97.5 Ibs. A human brain page 24

has a water content of 73%, which probably explains why mine doesn't work most of the time (according to my wife).

To understand how water was created we have to go back in time, long before great empires were built and myths and legends were born, before life on earth started. In fact, you have to go back into the darkness of time itself, to about 300,000 years after the 'Big Bang’ when the first molecules were formed.

A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that stick together. Molecules are so small that you cannot see them (without using an electron microscope). Virtually everything on earth and other planets is made of molecules, plus some of the dust in space.

The first molecules formed were of the smallest

kind, two hydrogen atoms joined together. As time went on supernovas (luminous expanding gases following the death of a star) shot out different kinds of atoms and other molecules were formed.

Because most of the atoms in space were hydrogen atoms, many of these molecules combined hydrogen with another kind of atom. So hydrogen combined with oxygen to make water molecules, hydrogen combined with carbon to make hydrocarbons (the building blocks of all living things) etc. Even before there were any planets, water and hydrocarbons were floating around in space on their own. Still out in space, some hydrocarbons went on to form larger molecules called amino acids. Other molecules were made of heavier atoms, such as silicon and gold.

Continued on next page

Supernova

page 25

Continued from previous page bonds between individual water molecules are All molecules need some way to hold their atoms formed and then exist within a temperature range of together, the two main ways are (1) covalent 0 - 100° Celsius. This range allows bonded water bonding (the sharing of pairs of electrons between molecules to exist as a liquid in most places on our atoms); this is a stronger kind, such as carbon planet. If Earth were in the same solar positions as dioxide and water, or (2) ionic bonding (a bond Pluto or Mercury then all our water would be ice or formed by the attraction between two oppositely vapour, and therefore not be 'wet'. charged ions); this is a weaker kind as in most rocks.

Believe it, or not, water could actually be The first molecules of water were formed in space accurately described as sticky! All fluids have what is from the nebulae after an early star exploded in a called surface tension, a tendency to stick to things, supernova. There were a great deal of hydrogen and even itself. You have probably noticed how small oxygen atoms floating around in these nebulae and objects can become stuck to the surface of the when they stuck together water water and not sink, for example certain molecules were created. insects walk on water utilising this Hydrogen and oxygen atoms stuck phenomena. When you get water on together because hydrogen atoms yourself it usually sticks to you, you were able to share their electrons can't shake it off; you have to wipe it with oxygen atoms and oxygen atoms away, or leave it to evaporate. wanted two more electrons than they Try this at home water molecule had (covalent bond). When two You can float a paper clip on the hydrogen atoms share their electrons with an surface of a glass of water. Before you try this you oxygen atom, it makes a molecule that is stronger should know that it helps if the paper clip is a little than any of the atoms are on their own. As greasy so the water doesn't stick to it (rub it on your hydrogen and oxygen are both very common atoms, nose or forehead.) Place the paper clip on a fork and they formed a large number of water molecules. lower it slowly into the water. The paper clip is Water can be found in comets, on the moon, supported by the surface-tension skin of the water.

Mercury, Mars and Neptune; however it is in the Next month we will be looking at a common liquid form of ice. Planet Earth is the only known place in that contains 90% water…. Beer. the solar system known to contain liquid water, although we have discovered, through space exploration, that there is also a possibility of it being New NCCA Members on Mars.

How or when water, hydrocarbons and amino FULL MEMBERS acids arrived on our planet is not known; however, Bright N Beautiful (Ashford, Middlesex) when they did arrive the amino acids came together to make more and more complicated molecules, Toogood Cleaning maybe first ribonucleic acids then proteins. The (Bristol, Avon) largest organic molecule today is DNA. Each Poppyland Carpet Cleaning molecule of DNA contains more than two billion (Norwich, Norfolk) carbon atoms, plus many other kinds of atom.

Fibres Carpet Care An interesting question often asked is ‘why is water (Hexham, Northumberland) wet?’ Well 'wet' is simply a word we have created to explain the sensation experienced when in contact with a liquid substance. Water becomes fluid when page 26

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Obituary

Rogue traders on BBC Watchdog

It is with great regret that we inform you of the recent and sudden death of 19 year old Kirsty Bryden - daughter of NCCA member John Bryden.

Several months ago we were contacted by researchers for BBC Watchdog, who were investigating a cleaning network called Enterprise Cleaning Services UK Ltd. We readily cooperated and provided the material they required, which included technical knowledge and an outline of how a carpet cleaning company should operate. We also supplied them with a PAS86.

The company in question had been using dubious 'bait and switch' methods, involving advertising their carpet cleaning at £8.99 and then once inside a property stating that the quoted price is only for the most basic of cleans, adding further charges for a more thorough clean.

The Watchdog episode was aired on BBC1 on Thursday 4th November. The owner Andrew Byars, whose office is based in Winbourne in Dorset, was apparently 'unavailable for comment', so instead it featured Dean Grant, a manager for the Dorset branch. The programme focused heavily on legal aspects of the case To view the programme, go to BBC iPlayer and type in Watchdog.

Kirsty attended the NCCA training course with John and was Business Manager for his company, Bryden Enterprises Carpet Fresh, based in the Highlands.

When she wasn't working, Kirsty devoted much of her time to a charity called 'Over the Wall', where she spent ten weeks a year caring for orphans and terminally ill children in deprived areas of countries such as Mozambique.

Kirsty's memorial service was held on 12th October. In respect of her devotion to her chosen charity, her family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations were made to ‘Over the Wall’.

If you feel you would like to donate to this charity please visit the website: www.justgiving.com

page 27

Equality Act 2010

W

Phil McCabe (FPB)

ith the new Equality Act's guidance document covering more than three hundred pages, many business owners will understandably be confused about what it will mean for them.

While it acknowledges that the Act has been designed to consolidate existing anti-discrimination legislation, the Forum of Private Business legislation is concerned that it is often too difficult to understand and follow, even with the complex guidance drawn up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Indeed, much of the guide's content appears to be drafted with larger companies in mind. Many of the examples used are simply not relevant to the experiences of small firms.

Much of the wording is ambiguous, inconsistent and, at times, misleading.

Beleaguered business owners don't want to have to wade through pages and pages of text. What they do want is basic legal guidance and straightforward recommendations of best practice.

In seeking to go beyond this, the ensuing confusion created by the guidance could lead to further mounting costs as businesses either overcomply or fall short and end up bearing the cost at subsequent tribunals.

EHRC's aim is to ensure that legislative change translates into practical changes in the workplace, and that equality becomes a part of everyday business. The Forum believes that this is achievable for most small firms, and indeed could be beneficial

in ensuring that smaller employers are able to recruit the most able staff from the widest pool of talent possible. However, it will only be achieved when businesses are given clarity about their obligations and are freed from the burden of regulation.

The Act primarily brings together existing legislation on discrimination and equality - so the upside is that smaller employers' responsibilities will not change radically.

However, there are some new provisions that they should make themselves familiar with - including third party harassment, positive action provisions, pay secrecy and changes to disability discrimination.

The Act identifies nine 'protected characteristics'.

These are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, gender and sexual orientation.

It defines discrimination by reference to direct, associative (when someone is discriminated against because of their association with someone who has a protected characteristic), perceptive and indirect discrimination (when a company policy or practice, which applies to everyone, particularly disadvantages people with a protected characteristic), harassment, third party harassment (by people who are not employed by the company, for example contractors, suppliers or customers) and victimisation.

Key changes affecting employment law include the provision 'positive action', which allows business page 28

owners to proactively address a situation if it is believed that employees or job applicants with a protected characteristic suffer any disadvantage connected to that characteristic.

Another is in the area of pre-employment health questionnaires. Employers are still able to ask questions about a person's health before offering them a job but this is now limited.

Further, the Act allows a claim of direct pay discrimination with regards to sex, even if no similar employee of the opposite sex exists in the business, which was previously required.

The Act makes it unlawful to prevent employees from discussing pay differences related to protected characteristics.

In addition, the powers given to employment tribunals have been extended. Now, if a tribunal finds an employer guilty of discrimination, it will be able to make recommendations that they eliminate or reduce the effect of discrimination on employees other than the claimant.

The Forum has become a founder member of the United Kingdom Council for Access and Equality (UKCAE), a not-for-profit organisation founded by the private sector to help businesses in the area of equality at work.

As a driving force within the organisation, the Forum has been helping to produce a 'UKCAE Pathway' - a step-by-step guide to putting in place the necessary equalities processes and procedures that anyone can follow, from an individual to a large multinational company. This will show that they have embedded the principle of equality at work and are able to realise and measure the business benefits that will arise from doing so.

The pathway, which is easy to follow, will be delivered online and the results can be measured and are auditable. It will commence upon registration of UKCAE membership. Three steps have to be successfully completed before the awarding of the UKCAE Mark. Its inbuilt audit trail and requirement for publication ensures transparency and accountability - and it will all be delivered at a low cost via the Forum.

Items for sale BUSINESS FOR SALE Carpet and Upholstery cleaning services business for sale, established in 2001. Package includes Renault Master van (2006) with bespoke fittings for chemical storage.

Premium interactive website with online survey/quotation facility which can be viewed at www.spotlesscleaningservices.com The domain names www.spotlesscleaningproducts and also www.spotlessnetwork domain names included, and online shop facility.

Steempro 2000 with all extras, Sebo Vacuum cleaner, karcher hot water extraction stainbuster, orbis cyclical cleaner, chemicals, etc. Leather restoration kit. Regular customer base. Reason for sale: Allergy to chemical products. Sale price ÂŁ20,000 O.N.O. Tel: 0141 941 2510. Email: spotless@ntlworld.com

BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients.

Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details.

BUSINESS FOR SALE URGENT SALE! Due to the owners moving away!

Carpet, upholstery and stone floor cleaning company 50% OFF the valued price to the first person who offers the sale price of only ÂŁ75K. Fully Automated business system in place. Full training and consultation will be provided, if needed, for a limited time only. Contact Andrew Sacker on: 07711 454402 or email: andy@GoldenProdigy.com

LEATHER CLEANING AND RESTORATION EQUIPMENT AND CLEANING SOLUTIONS: 10 aniline leather dyes, each 250ml. Leather grain copier.

Oiled aniline leather protector. Several specialised leather cleaning and stain removal solutions. Instructions and applications supplied. (Phone/email for details of above) Airbrush propellant and spray gun.

All free preferably to someone who is experienced in leather cleaning and restoration. Just postage to pay.

Email: steve@121serviceclean.co.uk Phone: 01626 830121 or 0797 121 2720

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.

page 29

NCCA Associate Members NCCA Shop The NCCA has a number of items to order by members. Below are some of the more popular items purchased. For a full list of merchandise please visit the website on: www.ncca.co.uk.

Orders may be placed online, or you can contact the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550. + PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each + Carpet Care Survey Forms (Pad of 100) £19.50 each or £50 for 3 + NCCA Lapel Pin Badge £3.00 each + Large NCCA Van Sticker (21x7 inches approx) Pack of 2 for £17.63 + Small NCCA Van/Machine Sticker (12x3 inches approx) £2.50 each

+ Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law: 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry UK: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr)

+ Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over)

+ Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467

+ NCCA Tie £12.93 each

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T)

All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging. A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods will not be sent until payment is received.

+ Giles Insurance Brokers Ltd: 0141 285 3300 (I) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Homeserve at Home: 0870 320 3333 + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr) + LTT Leathercare: 01423 881027 (T) + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I)

NCCA Member Benefits + Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500 + SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860

+ Nilfisk Advance Ltd: 01284 763163 (M) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/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)

+ EMJ Management Ltd (workwear clothing and accessories): 02392 434650

+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M)

+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C)

+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385 + Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890 + Adalante Merchant Services 01628 820500

+ ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + Truvox International Ltd: 02380 702200 (M) + Woodbridge Comercial Ltd: 01279 422220 (C/M) C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds