ncca November 2014

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

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Photograph ©Timorous Beasties Collectionby Brintons, Noir Butterfly

Wood floor finishing

Features:

Success this year

03

06

09

10

12

13

14

16

18

20

21

22

24

From the Editor

Natural fibre flooring - then and now

Carpet resoiling

A guide to customer complaints (part 10)

One in four businesses think their

marketing isn’t performing

Press releases -another part of

your marketing plan

Rugs... what lies within

Skin health in the cleaning industry

The ‘Do’s’ and ‘don’ts’ of advertising

Wood floor finishing - drying conditions

Should I stay or walk away?

What would you have done?

Regulatory offending - a

changing environment

Published monthly by:The National Carpet Cleaners Association,62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH.Tel: 0116 271 9550E-mail: admin@ncca.co.ukWebsite: www.ncca.co.uk

Nicky Law

Keith Robertson

Nikki Law

Paul Pearce

Nigel Lay

Glyn Charnock

Martin Johns

Keith Robertson

Allan Simmons

Billy Russell

Denise Pitt

Editor

Editor in Chief

Design Editor

CEO/Technical Director

Vice President/Admin Director

Company Secretary/2nd Vice President/Training Director

Membership Director

Marketing Director

Corporate Director

Events Director

Co-opted Franchise Director

www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCarewww.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_

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Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage.

©Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.

Contents

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From the Editor - success this year

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Nicky LawNewslink Editor

e've had an extremely busy year with W NCCA staff and Directors working very

hard to make further improvements to the

Association.

Much has been accomplished over the last

twelve months and we would like to thank all of

you for your help and support, which has been

fundamental to these achievements.

Here are some of the more notable successes of

2014…

TrustMark is a government endorsed consumer

confidence referral scheme for tradesmen,

operating a framework under which 26 Scheme

Operators work in the RMI (repair, maintenance

and improvement) sector.

Earlier this year the NCCA was awarded

TrustMark Scheme Operator status and the 'Carpet

and Upholstery Cleaners' category was launched

on the TrustMark website. TrustMark membership

within the Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners

category is ONLY available to NCCA members and,

since its launch in April this year, this listing has

been searched over 27,000 times. Put simply,

that's over 27,000 times NCCA members' company

details have been searched by consumers looking

for a tradesman on the TrustMark website!

TrustMark

To apply to become a TrustMark member please

ring the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550 or email:

admin@ncca.co.uk (to see joining criteria, go to

'Benefits and Schemes' in the Members' Area of

the NCCA website).

ISO 9001:2008

Social Media Marketing

Meetings regarding ISO

9001:2008 have taken place and

we are on target to achieve this

within the next 1 - 2 months.

Achieving ISO certification

(within a twelve-month period)

was a condition of our being awarded TrustMark

Scheme Operator status earlier this year.

ISO 9001:2008 is a standard of requirements

against which our Quality Management System

can be evaluated. By demonstrating and verifying

our compliance to the requirements of ISO we are

actively advertising the Association's commitment

to quality, traceability and continual improvement.

Social Media Marketing (SMM) provides the ideal

opportunity to generate exposure for the

Association with no cost involved.

Our industry-facing Facebook site, launched in

2011, has proved an excellent additional tool for

communicating news, views and events with our

members and others within the cleaning industry.

In respect of this, earlier this year we made the

decision to 'spread our wings' and have now

added a consumer-facing site and closed Group

Area to our Social Media marketing.

Consumer-facing site - Aimed predominantly at

homeowners, together with buildings facilities

managers, the purpose of the consumer-facing

site is to educate the end user about the services

Continued on next page

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NCCA members offer and the flooring and soft

furnishing cleaning industry as a whole.

The NCCA consumer-facing site can be found at:

https://www.facebook.com/NCCAcarpetcleaning

Closed Group Area - An area within the existing

industry-related site exclusively for NCCA

members - a place where 'members only' are able

to share ideas, advice, opinions and daily stories.

If you would like to join the closed Group Area

for members only, simply log on to our industry-

facing site at:

https://www.facebook.com/nicky.law.315 and

send us a request to join the Group. If you are a

member of the NCCA, we will add you on.

Both of these new additions have proved an

enormous success. Since their launch our number

of 'Likes', 'Shares' and 'Reaches' have increased

considerably, with several posts on the Consumer

site reaching in excess of 1000 people. Posts are

also frequently being shared by both member and

non-member companies, with one post being

shared forty one times!

In September this year we held our fourth annual

Carpet Cleaners Carnival at Wicksteed Park in

Kettering, Northamptonshire.

This year’s Carnival was undoubtedly the best

yet, with a bigger exhibition than in previous years

and an unprecedented number of visitors through

the door.

This year we also introduced a programme of

seminars - a huge attraction for visitors - which

The Carpet Cleaners Carnival 2014

Continued from previous page ran alongside the exhibition throughout the day.

Since the event we have received a lot of

positive feedback from both the visitors and

exhibitors, many of whom have already expressed

interest in attending again next year.

Member referral report

Since publishing a referral statistics report in the June issue of Newslink there have been

101 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 56 referrals from the NCCA office, 43 potential customers contacting members

direct through the website and 2 referrals to members without an email address, which

have been tracked by the office.

New NCCA Members

Servicemaster CleanTorquay, Devon

RE-JOINEDPennywise Cleaners Ltd

Sheffield, South Yorkshire

NCCA Shop

Are you making the most of your membership? Have you got an NCCA tie, badge, leaflets, survey

forms or van stickers?

To see all the NCCA items for sale, log on to the Members' Area of the NCCA website at:

www.ncca.co.uk

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Keith RobertsonNatural fibre flooring - then and now

f we were living five

hundred years ago we

certainly wouldn't have Ibeen able to make a living

from carpet cleaning or, for

that matter, the cleaning of

ANY type of floor. In fact, if we

were to have found ourselves

cleaning floors, it is most likely

that it would have been in the

capacity of our being a

servant.

That being the case, it might

even have been in a property

similar to Little Moreton Hall

(pictured) - a unique timber

framed building set in a

beautiful and tranquil part of Cheshire.

Little Moreton Hall (now looked after by the

National Trust) is one of the most famous Tudor

country houses in the United Kingdom, but it had a

much more lowly start in the early 1500's as little

more than a single roomed property. The

remainder was constructed in stages by successive

generations of the Moreton family, until about

1610 when it became the property that we see

today.

The original building (which became the great

hall) has a fine flagstone floor, but even that will

not have been an original feature. In its early days,

there would have been an earthen floor. If there

was some accessible lime nearby it may well have

been mixed into the soil to help bind and provide

a reasonably solid surface.

There has been much discussion as to what was

historically used to cover earth floors. When I

visited Moreton Hall my guide took the view that

the floor would have been covered by layers of

straw or rushes, which were added to throughout

the year until there was a considerable depth. It is

suggested that this was known as thresh and was

contained or restrained at the front door by a

piece of wood or stone, which became known as

the threshold.

There is an alternative view that the fresh rushes

were gathered and, instead of them being loosely

spread on the floor, they were woven into mats

Little Moreton Hall

newslinkpage 7

which were then laid on the earth floor.

I don't know if either or both of these are, in

fact, true or not. However, I would have thought

that a deep pile of rushes on the floor would have

proved awkward for the women of the house to

walk through wearing the long clothing that

would have been fashionable at the time.

Certainly, across the country in Derbyshire (in

Hardwick Hall) some of the

rooms are carpeted with

professionally woven rush mats

made by a company that will

make them for your home. It's

not a particularly cheap option

as a made-to-measure, hand-

plaited, interwoven with herbs,

hand-sewn with jute mat, will

cost you £165.00 + VAT per

square metre. No doubt if we

had been alive five hundred years ago some of us

might have learnt this skill and been able to make

our own.

There are many people today who like to use

natural fibre flooring and, although they may not

be able to afford rush matting, they are able to

find a wide range of attractive products to furnish

their homes.

This is obviously of interest to us as carpet

cleaners, as we are well aware that ALL carpets

require professional care and cleaning.

The problem with some of these natural fibre

carpets is that they need special care, so perhaps

some of us shy away from them. Whereas soiled

pure wool carpets react best to warm water

cleaning and extraction, others such as Seagrass,

Coir, Jute and Sisal do not respond as favourably

and require a method that is specifically

designed to suit them.

The reason for this is that these natural fibre

carpets are hygroscopic, so depending on the

relative humidity they can either absorb or give

off moisture. Although this is quite natural and

acceptable, the saturation of

the fibres that can be caused

by many cleaning methods is

undesirable, causing water

marking, colour loss or

dimensional change. That

obviously rules out wet

shampooing or using any

method that involves water

saturation.

There are a few carpet

cleaners that have found that by using the

minimum moisture setting on a portable carpet

cleaning machine, and by using a careful

continuous application of the cleaning solution

while ensuring they steadily move the wand to

prevent excess moisture in any spot, they can

successfully clean these natural fibres.

They understand that complete moisture

extraction is not possible, as the course structure

of the fibres absorbs air and reduces the

effectiveness of vacuuming, and that any uneven

application is almost guaranteed to leave visible

watermarks after the carpet has dried.

This is not for the faint hearted. You do not get

Continued on next page

Rush matting

newslink page 8

a second chance and it can still go wrong if, for

example, the carpet has been glued down with a

water soluble adhesive or if too little adhesive

has been used.

There are some people who have found other

low moisture methods of cleaning, some of which

may use a rotary machine and pad or bonnet

mop. Those who use this method still have to

guard against an overly wet pad being laid on the

fibres and take into consideration potential

damage to loose fibres by using a rotary or orbital

cleaning machine.

Personally, although I have used and

experimented with a number of different

cleaning methods, I prefer to use the dry

extraction carpet cleaning system where millions

of tiny natural, soft, absorbent, organic, pre-

moistened sponges are applied and brushed

through the carpet.

There are a number of dry compound cleaning

agents available on the market and, believe me,

they are not all equal. I advise you to test and not

be put off by a product that costs more in favour

of one that costs less unless you have proved it

works as effectively.

It is the case that the better products do include

a unique emulsion of water, detergent,

deodorant and safe-to-use solvent charged with

cleaning agents which, when mechanically

brushed through the pile, have the ability to

dissolve both water soluble and solvent soluble

soils and then to absorb and hold these soils until

they are removed by vacuuming. Although this

Continued from previous page may sound like a glib piece of marketing it is, in

fact, true.

The complaint is that quality dry compound

cleaners cost too much ‘per square metre cleaned’

when compared to other cleaning products. It is

true that they do cost more, but the simple

answer to that is to charge more.

If you have decided to add the cleaning of

natural fibre carpets to your business, do so as a

'specialist' and not as a 'general practitioner'.

Clients who purchase special fibres need specialist

care from a ‘specialist’ who charges specialist

prices.

If you are not prepared, or unable, to charge

realistically for the service you offer then take my

advice and keep well away from natural fibre

carpets. On the other hand, with the right

products and the right equipment this can be a

lucrative little niche.

That said, this is a niche where you must be

prepared to precondition your customers so that

they fully understand exactly what is achievable.

They must be made to understand that if they

have ‘messed up’ badly they will have to live with

some of the consequences. There is a lot that you

can do and some of these may well seem to be

miracles, however, despite your professionalism

you have yet to learn how to walk on water. And

anyway too much water is bad for their natural

fibre carpets.

The 16th century might have been an interesting

time to have lived in but I think you will agree, for

most of us, we are much better off than we would

likely to have been back then.

newslinkpage 9

Ken WainwrightCarpet resoiling

f you have your carpet cleaned, does it get I dirty quicker afterwards?

This is a question asked by prospects and

customers all the time. Well, this could actually be

true, but not for the reasons you may imagine.

When cleaning a carpet, it's almost certain that

it has been exposed to foot traffic and other

means of soiling, wear and tear. The carpet is now,

therefore, part worn. Let's say ten percent of the

face yarn has worn away. This means that there is

now ten percent less pile to absorb and hide soil,

so the freshly cleaned carpet will look dirty

quicker than from new because there are fewer

soil hiding fibres. This is no fault of the cleaning

process, just normal wear and tear.

We must also consider the fact that, with all the

best will in the world, we cannot remove one

hundred percent of soil from a carpet. If we were

to leave, for example, five percent behind, then

the carpet would be five percent soiled towards

the next cleaning cycle. This is a limitation of our

on-site cleaning processes but, again, the cleaning

process itself has not accelerated the soiling

process.

So, what about detergent residues? Certainly

with the earlier generations of carpet cleaning

solutions, sticky, residual shampoos promoted

rapid resoiling. Modern day cleaning solutions are

formulated differently. Any residues are typically

hard and crystalline. When dry, they do not attract

soil. But this is dependent upon the correct

product being used for the purpose and the

manufacturer's instructions being followed. All

too often we come across cases whereby a

technician has incorrectly used an aggressive,

inappropriate and possibly high pH rinse agent

“because it's effective and works quickly”.

Problems frequently come to light in a typically

short time when accelerated resoiling occurs.

A customer who has experienced rapid resoiling

may never return to the offending company. By

following industry accepted best practice and

using high quality cleaning solutions in the way

recommended by the manufacturer, rapid

resoiling caused by poor cleaning practices will

become a thing of the past.

A guide to customer complaints (part ten)Lewis Scroby (NCCA Standards and Fair Trading)

newslink page 10

In the final article in this series, NCCA

Standards and Fair Trading Officer, Lewis

Scroby, provides a summary of advice

featured throughout this year's articles on

dealing with complaints.

Have a written complaints procedure that you Ÿ

and others can follow to ensure matters are

properly dealt with every time.

Minimise the risk of complaints by following Ÿ

standard procedures on every job. Adhere to PAS

86.

Talk to your customers. Ensure they are aware of Ÿ

what you're doing and what can be expected and

take the opportunity to raise any concerns you

may have yourself.

Listen to your customers. Take in what they tell Ÿ

you. What are they most focused on in terms of

results? Have they said anything that worries

you?

Don't be afraid to turn down a job if you have a Ÿ

concern about a customer or the items that need

cleaning.

Schedule your day to avoid running out of time. Ÿ

Add extra time for jobs you know may be more

difficult.

Arrive when you agreed to or inform the Ÿ

customer if you may be late.

Survey. Every time. Identify the carpet, look for Ÿ

damage and deterioration, check for fitting issues,

test colours, record everything in writing.

Qualify. Ensure you're customers are made aware Ÿ

of your survey results and anything that may

affect the way the items will be cleaned or the

potential results.

Make the customer fully aware of any risks the Ÿ

cleaning process may present. Consider a liability

waiver if there is the potential for any damage to

arise. Verbal agreements are inadvisable.

Clearly bring your terms and conditions to the Ÿ

attention of the customer before starting any

work. Make sure they are informed of anything

you need them to be aware of and get them to

sign an acknowledgement if required.

Implement a continuing education system. Stay Ÿ

up to date with developments in the industry.

Regularly review Health and Safety regulations Ÿ

and your own H&S procedures.

Keep your equipment and vehicle clean and in Ÿ

good working order.

Don't smoke on site.Ÿ

Follow any and all recommended processes when Ÿ

cleaning. Especially if you list procedures in your

advertising.

Don't over-sell yourself. Under-promise and over-Ÿ

deliver.

Avoid guarantees. It is very rare you can be sure Ÿ

of every detail.

If you aren't getting many repeat bookings, look Ÿ

into reasons why customers would not want you

back. It may be they were happy with the cleaning

but something else has put them off.

Undercharging. If you can't spare the time to deal Ÿ

with a problem or refunding the price of your

Diary Dates 2014/15

NCCA COURSES

Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning

23rd - 24th January 2015

20th - 21st March 2015

22nd - 23rd May 2015

10th - 11th July 2015

18th - 19th September 2015

20th - 21st November 2015

Advanced Spot & Stain Removal

20th February 2015

26th June 2015

9th October 2015

Health & Safety for the Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner

19th February 2015

8th October 2015

All above courses held at NSPCC Training Centre,

Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit:

www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further

details.

IICRC COURSES (HERTFORDSHIRE)

Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with

Paul Pearce

2nd - 3rd December 2014

Held at Alltec Network, Royston,

Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222

IICRC COURSES (SURREY)

Carpet Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski

24th - 25th March 2015

10th - 11th September 2015

Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician with

Adam Jankowski

31st March - 1st April 2015

25th - 26th November 2015

Held at National Flood School,

Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185

Visit: www.iicrc.org for further details on all

IICRC Training Courses.

cleaning will not cover the cost of rectifying a

simple mistake, you need to review your pricing

structure.

When responding to complaints, always deal with Ÿ

facts rather than opinions or assumptions.

Remain calm, even if your customer is not. Try to Ÿ

diffuse, rather than escalate, a dispute.

Never argue. Listen to the customer. Allow them to Ÿ

speak without interrupting (even if you don't

agree) and wait for your opportunity to respond.

Ask for information in writing to assist your Ÿ

understanding. This is also useful if a customer is

confrontational in discussion or face-to-face.

Don't ignore complaints or complainers. They will Ÿ

never go away and it will only make matters worse.

The NCCA Code of Practice includes guidelines and Ÿ

timescales for dealing with complaints.

You can be assuring without committing to meeting Ÿ

the demands of a complaining customer. Focus on

your process for dealing with the matter rather

than what the outcome will be.

Keep the customer informed, especially if there will Ÿ

be delays in responding.

A free legal helpline is provided for members (0117 Ÿ

934 2600) if a customer threatens action via a

higher authority.

The NCCA is always available to assist when a

complaint arises. You can contact us for advice or

simply discuss a scenario to help your understanding

and options for dealing with the matter. Our

arbitration service can be offered to customers, but

always try to resolve a situation yourself. By following

the above advice you should be in a good position to

properly respond and address any complaint and

hopefully avoid many arising in the first place.

newslink page 12

One in four businesses think their marketingisn’t performing

lmost a quarter (24%) of UK based

businesses believe that their

marketing isn't performing as it Ashould be, with a third of these (33%)

complaining that the difficulty of making an

impact with the advertising they do, is the

biggest barrier to success.

The report was put together from the

results of studies into the corporate

marketing strategies of 300 UK

organisations. Respondents to the study

were drawn from a diverse mix of

businesses, both B2B and B2C, which

spanned multiple industry sectors.

Ian Simpson, Managing Director of

Catalogues 4 Business (C4B), which carried

out the study,

comments: "Marketing

plays a huge part in

developing a successful

business. Without an

effective marketing

plan, that's properly

implemented, the

chances of success are severely hampered. The

fact that one in four businesses are concerned

about the value of their marketing is an eye-

opener."

“What's particularly interesting is the amount of

businesses that believe advertising is ineffective,

yet still use it as a marketing tool. Surely they

should consider a different approach if this is

the case? There are many different forms of

marketing out there which businesses can

undertake."

Despite some businesses expressing

concern about the success of their

advertising, it was still regarded as the second

most successful deliverer of sales, with 19% of

businesses attributing their sales specifically to the

medium, placing it second only to 'networking' at

24%.

Ian says: “It's interesting to note that despite

advertising not working for a lot of businesses, it

page 13 newslink

still provides a real sales boost to others. It just

goes to show that businesses need to adapt their

marketing to suit their offering. Some forms of

marketing work much better than others but its all

dependent on the type of business that you run.

Who is your target demographic? How are you

most likely to reach them? For some that could be

social media, for others it could be using field

sales, and for yet more it could be via a brochure

or a catalogue. It all changes depending on the

product that you're looking to sell."

In addition to firms continuing to use

advertising, despite a perceived inefficiency, this

method of marketing was the third most popular.

When it came to prospect marketing, 9% of the

businesses questioned say they planned to start

using advertising over the next 12 months. Only

'social media' (10%) and 'Search Engine

Optimisation' (also 10%) appeared higher in the

list.

Ian concludes: "Advertising still looks set to be a

popular inclusion in the marketing mix over the

next year. However it is interesting that relatively

modern marketing techniques have surged to the

fore. Social media is a comparatively new medium

as is search engine optimisation. The results of the

study suggest that tech savvy firms are looking to

keep up with modern trends and exploit modern

practises in order to stay ahead of their

competitors and to progress.”

To see the full report go to:

Article reproduced with kind permission of Cleanzine

www.catalogues4business.co.uk/report.php

Press releases - another part of your marketing plan (NCCA Library)

Do you publicise your business and activity by sending Press Releases to your local newspaper?

There are a number of articles, which have been written especially for you to use for this purpose, in the members' section of the NCCA website. You can simply copy and adapt them for your company and post, email or fax them to the publications you have chosen to target.

On the other hand you may prefer to write your own copy, but for it to be successful there are a number of basics which are necessary.

Fortunately, Heather Fuller, Editorial Director of eReleases decided to produce a list of what she believes are the necessary factors of a professional Press Release. The list contains 10 essential tips that should be checked carefully before you actually send out your Press Release.

10 essential tips for a successful Press Release:

1. Is the topic newsworthy?2. Does the headline need a tune-up?3. Is the first paragraph strong, essentially summarising the release and containing the 5Ws (who, what, when, where and why)?4. Is it too short or too lengthy?5. Does it follow AP (Associated Press) style and is it grammatically sound?6. Does it set an appropriate tone, avoiding over-description, exaggeration, editorialisation (too much of one's own opinion) and ad copy?7. Is it fact-based and adequately documented?8. Is the contact information complete, including a person's name, telephone number and email address?9 Does the message match your target audience?10. Is it media-friendly (not link heavy or unorthodox)?

Rugs... what lies withinDerek Bolton (Honorary Member)

have seen some strange things over the years

in relation to rugs. Manufacturers are

extremely clever at making rugs that are very Ipleasing to the eye, which is why we buy them, but

if you are cleaning these items you must be very

careful… what you see is not always what you get!

It is up to you, as the cleaning technician, to look

carefully and identify what a rug is made of, how it

is put together and to assess what may have been

done to it during the manufacturing

process; this is especially important

when dealing with Oriental rugs.

It is well known that in the early

years of their life many of these rugs

will suffer quite dramatic colour fade

until they reach a point where they

tend to stabilise.

Sometimes Oriental rugs undergo

some weird and wonderful

procedures during the manufacturing

process. Chinese rugs are often

washed in a Chlorine bleach solution

which dissolves parts of the Wool fibres to make the

rug more appealing; this process will smooth the

Wool fibres, enabling increased light reflection and

enhancing the rugs overall appearance. We are all

taught, on the various training courses we attend,

that Chlorine bleach will dissolve Wool fibres so, as

you can imagine, a procedure such as this has to be

carried out under very strict guidelines.

I remember, many years ago, visiting a rug

processing plant where rugs were being given an

antique appearance, a process that prematurely

faded them. The rugs I saw were Afghan which are

usually a deep red, almost burgundy, colour. During

the antiquing process the deep red colour on these

rugs went through various shades of paler red until,

in the end, some were almost pink whilst others

ended up an antique yellowy colour. The actual feel

of the antiqued rugs, due to the process they had

been subjected to, was vastly different to their

original texture; they felt quite limp in comparison.

Interestingly, when I asked the question “could this

process take years off the life of a rug?” I was

answered indistinctly with “we are giving the

customer what they want” and “what's a few years

off the life of a quality rug which, with care, could

last over a hundred years?”

So, as you can see, it really it is important that

you check out every rug thoroughly prior to

cleaning. You should always test with your cleaning

chemicals for a possible reaction, especially if the

A)

AB

RA

SH

Photograph©Derek Bolton

B)

STR

AN

GE

MA

RK

ING

S

rug’s fibres have been previously chemically

treated.

Tease open the tufts to see the true colour in the

base of the fibres, this can indicate just how much

colour has been lost over the years one way or

another. Turn the rug over and check out the

colours on the back, there may be a significant

difference between the colours there to those on

the surface fibres due to sun fade. Look also for

imperfections such as Abrash, the coloured stripes

across the width of a rug that will indicate the use

of colour from different dye batches. This can be

clearly seen on the small picture above (A).

Sometimes, just as with carpet, damage can occur

to a rug once it has been installed in your

customer's home. Take a look at the odd shaped

light marks clearly evident on the small picture

above (B). I suspect that those marks were caused

deliberately during a marriage spilt up; it was only

whilst talking to the client that this possibility

emerged. There were nine similar rugs to be

cleaned all with identical discolouration; the rugs

had been in storage for some time whilst the

marital conflict was resolved.

Of course the pre-clean inspection should also

pick up any other existing damage too, so make

sure this is undertaken thoroughly.

Oriental Rugs can be very expensive to replace,

so make sure your insurance cover is sufficient to

cover these expensive items.

A)

AB

RA

SH

Photograph©Derek Bolton

B)

STR

AN

GE

MA

RK

ING

S

newslink page 16

kin health is a major issue for

many people. There has not

been much evolutionary change Sin skin structure, except with regard to

hair distribution, since Neolithic times.

Had we had evolutionary changes to the

skin to match the chemical and physical

insults heaped upon it on a daily basis,

then many of us would have had to

acquire an outer layer (dermis) akin to

the back of a crocodile to provide us

with the necessary protection.

In the cleaning industry the skin is

frequently

exposed to

chemicals and

water, allowed to

evaporate to

dryness, abraded

with fine sharp

powders and

rubbed against

hard surfaces. Just

imagine a fabric designer's dilemma if asked to

design a material to cope with this type of use…

that'll give you some idea of what your skin really

goes through in a day!

Unlike a fabric, of course, the skin is a self-

regenerating body coating. The deep layers are

continuously producing new cells to replace the

outer layer as this dies off - a constant and (in

healthy people) unnoticed process. However,

frequent wetting and drying will cause

the loss of the skin's outer protective oily

coating, leaving it dry and undefended

against irritants.

If you fail to protect your hands when

cleaning, your skin may be affected in

two ways:

1) Direct reaction to a known irritant, for

example a caustic chemical.

2) Allergic reaction to a chemical you are using

(often not immediate, but can develop from

continual use over a period of time).

A skin allergy may initially seem less problematic

than a direct chemical injury, but it is worth

bearing in mind that an allergy can produce a

complex reaction within the body which is often

re-stimulated, with merely a trace exposure to the

chemical, long after the initial allergy has

Skin health in the cleaning industry NCCA Library

Dermatitis can be extremelypainful and very hard to treat

Cotton liners underneathyour main gloves can help protect your skin

page 17 newslink

quietened down. This can result in a long-term

problem which is sometimes very hard to treat.

Avoiding skin issues in the first place is always

better than trying to cure the problem once it has

occurred. Here's what you can do:

Ensure you know what you are handling and Ÿ

what the consequences of misuse may be.

Study the safe handling advice data sheets and Ÿ

do what they say.

Never take short cuts even if exposure is likely Ÿ

to be brief and occasional.

Always use protective impervious gloves when Ÿ

placing your hands in water and when in direct

contact with chemicals. Remember, however,

that the skin does need to breathe (not true

respiration, but a process of cooling allowing

moisture evaporation) and the continuous use

of impervious gloves on their own will stop this

happening and may even make matters worse.

A way round this is to wear cheap cotton liners,

changed, washed and dried frequently,

underneath your main gloves.

If a chemical comes into contact with skin wash Ÿ

the exposed area thoroughly at your soonest

possible opportunity.

Some skin irritations can be very slow to heal and

quite disabling; after all, there are few jobs

where your hands are not needed. If this advice

has come too late for some, then specific

treatment from a doctor will be required with

avoidance of exposure (where possible) until fully

recovered. When recovery is achieved, rigid

attention to skin protection should be applied at

all times.

Email addresses

The NCCA are increasingly contacting members

via email to circulate relevant Association

information. As such, it is MORE IMPORTANT

THAN EVER that we have your current email

address logged on our database.

If you change your email address at any point

could we ask that you please notify us

immediately so we are able to update your

details. This will ensure that you do not miss any

important information circulated by us.

To inform us of any changes, please email:

admin@ncca.co.uk or phone the NCCA office

on: 0116 271 9550.

NCCA membership ID cards

Have you got an NCCA membership

Identification card? This card will enable you to

introduce yourself to clients, and is a

considerable asset, particularly when calling at

secure premises such as banks, stores, etc.

It is FREE to NCCA members and their

technicians and should be renewed annually.

If you would like to order an ID card you must

supply a photograph, with a forward facing

head-and-shoulders shot (we can crop out any

background if necessary), either by post or

electronically. You must clearly indicate the

name to be displayed on each card requested.

To order your ID card send your request,

together with photograph, to:

admin@ncca.co.uk or by post to the NCCA

office.

advertisement is utterly forgettable, so is your

company.

DO have a strong headline featuring a key selling Ÿ

point. It's the part of the advert that customers

look at first, so make it count.

DO keep copy or text concise and to the point. Ÿ

Reinforce the statement

made in the headline

and use facts to back it

up.

DO make sure your Ÿ

advert really says

something - you've paid

for it so use it to the full.

DO use a tag line or Ÿ

catchphrase that sums

up your company and

services.

DO remember that Ÿ

presentation is

extremely important.

Make your

advertisement crisp and

clear. If you are using visuals, be economical with

the wording to avoid the feeling of clutter.

DO give your potential customers a sense of Ÿ

confidence in your service. Doing this within

your advertisement will make your final sale to

the customer a lot easier.

And finally…

DO spend your money wisely. One good Ÿ

advertisement will do more to sell your services

than ten bad ones.

The ‘do’s’ and ‘don't’s of advertising NCCA Library

newslink page 18

obody has an unlimited budget to spend

on advertising, so it is extremely

important that the adverts you do have Nare in the right place and get the right message

across to the right people in the right way. Here

are some hints and tips to help you in creating

your advertisements:

DON'T create advertisements that are Ÿ

overstated. Think about what you, personally,

would pay attention to and what you

would dismiss as over-indulgent,

over-confident or a con.

Others will have the

same values.

DON'T alienate, Ÿ

insult,

patronise or

bore the

audience - keep them

hooked.

DON'T fill your advert with jargon. Use Ÿ

minimal technical detail so everyone can

understand the point you are making - the

detailing can be communicated when the advert

is followed up.

DON'T stop your advertising because it is evident Ÿ

it has been successful. If you stop your

advertisements then the product (your service)

has to work without support. You don't have to

increase budgets, just keep them fixed.

DO be original and striking. You're competing for Ÿ

the same customers as the rest of the adverts

surrounding yours, so be memorable - if your

newslink page 20

Wood floor finishing - drying conditionsTerry Guilford (The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.)

ne of the least

understood of all the

issues surrounding Owood floor finishing is the

importance of drying conditions

when applying finish products

to the newly sanded floor. There

is loads of information out there

about how to sand a floor

(some of it is even accurate!),

there are also YouTube clips

showing 'experienced

contractors' applying finish

using rollers, 'T' bars Eazee

Ways, 'lambies' etc., etc., but if

the drying conditions are wrong all the hard work

put into the floor can be wasted.

The easiest factor to understand when discussing

drying and curing times is that of film thickness.

We all know that to achieve maximum durability

any product has an optimum film thickness and, in

order to reach that thickness, up to four coats of

product are going to be applied. Each layer of

finish dries from the top down, meaning that a film

is being formed right at the top and the wet finish

beneath that has to dry through this film. It also

means that, as subsequent coats are added, the

first coat has to finish its curing through these later

coats (which is why it is important not to apply

more than three coats in one day!)

The second factor to consider is the importance

of air temperature. We all know that if we paint

something in very low temperatures the paint

remains wet for longer as the solvents 'flash off'

much slower in low temperatures and cold air has

less capacity to carry vapour. Likewise, if the air in

the room is already very moist, it doesn't matter

what the temperature is it will have less capacity

to absorb more moisture (imagine trying to get a

lacquered board to dry in a steam room!). This is

known as Relative Humidity.

However, increased capacity to carry vapour is

only useful if the moist air can be removed from

the area and so we reach what is considered to be

the most important factor in successful finishing,

air movement. Manufacturers often give figures

for temperature and Relative Humidity (normally

around 18 -24 degrees centigrade and 35% - 65%

RH) that can be checked on site, but as airflow is

page 21 newslink

not easily quantifiable it is often forgotten about

and sometimes with disastrous consequences. In

most cases it is sufficient to open a door and a

window to allow warm air within the building to

flow gently across the floor and out of the

window (don't do this immediately, allow the

finish to level out for 10 - 20 minutes with no air

flow first).

So what are the disastrous consequences of

insufficient airflow? Quite simply, the molecules

in the product will not end up in their rightful

place and therefore will not bond correctly; this

will result in a soft finish that will mark very easily

and is often wrongly attributed to poor quality

product, whereas in reality it is more a reflection

on the contractor.

So what should you look out for when quoting

and carrying out the work? First off, will the

temperature range be achievable when you do

the work (in other words if it is winter, is the

heating working?) Secondly, is there any reason

why humidity should be high (recent plastering

work for example)? Thirdly, can you create

reasonable airflow to get the moisture laden air

away from the finished area? Finally, how much

time do you need to allow each coat to dry

sufficiently before applying subsequent coats?

One last thing, very often hairdressing salons

provide very close to 'the perfect storm' in terms

of poor conditions for site finishing. Ok, the

temperature is always within the range, but

obviously the air can be quite moist and it is often

impossible to create decent airflow as windows

don't open at the back and the door cannot be

left open at the front. You have been warned!

Should I stay or walk away?NCCA Library

There will come a time when you will have to decide whether to stay and clean a carpet, or item of furniture, or simply swallow your pride and walk away. Trying to be a hero to please a very nice customer can sometimes go horribly wrong and that 'nice customer' can suddenly become your worst nightmare.

So, when should you consider walking away?

1. When you are faced with furniture fabrics that you do not feel confident in tackling or that you are unsure of. There are two choices here, A) You can walk away or B) You can delay any decision until you have sought advice (i.e., by ringing the NCCA office and asking for technical help if you are an NCCA member).

2. When the item you have been asked to clean shows obvious severe damage and you feel that any cleaning process would incur even further damage.

3. When items are so heavily soiled that even a 'resurrection' clean is unlikely to satisfy the customer.

4. When pre-inspection tests indicate that there is a defect within the fabric or fibres that could become visually evident through the cleaning process.

5. When items have been damaged from a previous clean.

6. When you have a distinct 'gut feeling' that something isn't quite right and that maybe the customer is leading you up a very prickly garden path. If they have asked you several searching questions as to whether you are fully insured… BE DOUBLY AWARE!

Just remember, there is nothing wrong with walking away from a job providing you deal with the customer in a polite and diplomatic way.

newslink page 22

What would you have done? David Coker

recently received an enquiry from a couple in

a fairly affluent area who wanted their carpets I cleaned. I had cleaned the carpets at the

husband's parents' house just the week before

and, when he’d gone to visit them, he'd been

amazed by the results he’d seen. His parents’

carpets were synthetic and had been down for

about twenty eight years but when we'd finished

cleaning them they looked as though they were

new. After we’d finished the job we had left them

with a voucher (for a free trial area of carpet to be

cleaned), for them to pass on to friends or family

so they could see 'risk free' what we could also do

for them. In response to this, AND because of the

results he had seen, the man had then decided to

call me and ask if I could quote for cleaning his

carpets too.

There's nothing better than a recommendation

like this of course, as not only has your cleaning

business been recommended by an obviously

satisfied customer but also (importantly) the price

is known too - hence there's no risk of 'sticker

shock'. So, unless they really don't like you, a

booking should be a foregone conclusion.

We always make an initial visit to measure up

and quote, as well as qualify what stains may not

be removed, so this was done and a price was left

with them - nearly £400. The couple said they

would talk it over and phone soon. The wife, in

particular, kept saying how well her in-laws carpets

had been cleaned and how badly her own carpets

needed cleaning.

A few days later a message was left on our

answerphone at the office... “We're pleased to

accept your quote if you can take 10% off the

invoice. If you wish to go ahead please phone me.”

Now, what would you have done? After all, this

was not a small job. It would still have amounted

to about £350!

Well, here's what we did.... I phoned back and

said that he already had one of the rooms covered

by the free trial offer and that this was actually

worth more than the 10% discount he wanted, so I

couldn't reduce the price any more. With that, he

simply said that he would look elsewhere for

someone to clean his carpets.

Many cleaners would think me foolish for

turning down a job that would still bring in about

£350 for the sake of quibbling over £40 or so, but

here's my reasons for doing it.

In Larry Steinmetz's book 'How to Sell at Prices

Higher Than Your Competitors' he makes the point

that there are consequences to dealing with

people who try to knock you down on price.

Included are:

ŸThey will brag to their friends how they beat you

down on price so any referrals will do the same.

ŸPeople who want discounted prices are the most

likely to complain about every little thing. In the

end you may wish you'd never taken them on.

ŸPeople who want you to lower your prices for no

reason are the most difficult to deal with generally

and don't appreciate what you do.

ŸThey are typically disloyal and will switch to

another company whose price is lower.

ŸWhen they want more work doing, they already

+ Allied Insurance Services Ltd:

+ Alltec Network:

+ Amtech UK:

+ Ashby's Cleaning Equipment:

+ Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd:

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro):

+ Camberford Law (insurance brokers):

+ Chemdry Franchising Ltd:

+ Chemspec Europe Ltd:

+ Cleanerswarehouse Ltd:

+ Cleaning Systems UK:

+ Cleansmart Ltd:

+ Cleantec Innovation Ltd:

+ Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd:

+ Crisp & Brite:

+ Dri-Eaz Products Ltd:

+ Dry Fusion UK Ltd:

+ Furniture Clinic Ltd:

+ Get Booked Up Software:

+ Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers):

+ Hi-Tec Cleaning Group:

+ Host Von Schrader Ltd:

+ Hydro Dynamix:

+ LTT Leathercare:

+ Mailboxes Etc:

+ McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers):

+ NSL Restormate: 01670 590099:

+ Nu Life Stone Care Ltd:

+ Oates Laboratories (Europe):

+ Prochem Europe Ltd:

+ Rainbow International:

+ Restoration Express:

+ Robert Saunders Marketing Mentor:

+ Sebo UK Ltd:

+ ServiceMaster Ltd:

+ Stainshield Ltd:

+ Textile Cleaning Solutions:

+ The Big Clean:

+ The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.:

+ The WoolSafe Organisation:

+ Vaclensa:

+ Worldwide Cleaning Support:

0844 8156211 (I)

01763 208222 (C/M/F/T)

01444 232211 (C/M)

01795 436999 (C/M/E)

01254 584404 (FI)

01444 244000 (C)

0208 315 5000 (I)

01482 872770 (C/M/Fr)

01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F)

01772 434333 (T/C/R/M)

01334 656787 (C/M/T/F)

0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K)

0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M)

01772 426527 (M)

01509 881137 (C/M)

01908 611211 (C/M/T)

01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr)

01207 279964 (C/Tr)

01405 813665

0845 4740068 (I)

02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T)

0151 347 1900 (M/C)

01622 664993 (Fr/T)

01423 881027 (T/Tr)

01628 633336

0121 706 0616 (I)

(M/C/Tr)

0161 480 7284 (M/C)

01772 433711 (C)

0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T)

01623 422488 (M/C/Fr)

01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)

08450 537129 (K)

01494 465533 (M)

0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr)

01372 841467 ©

01934 521155 (M/C)

0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K)

00353 91846488 (M/C/Fr)

01943 850817

0161 728 1800 (M)

01279 422220 (C/M)

C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr - Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E - Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance / Tr - Training.

NCCA Corporate Members

know that they can get you to lower your prices

simply by asking.

Incidentally, we never heard from the couple

again and don't expect to. Yes, I've lost £350 in the

short term but probably a lot of needless hassle in

the long term.

The most important thing is that a good service

business is built largely on quality repeat and

referral work.

20% off RESEARCH and CITRUSproducts for all NCCA members at

Cleaners Warehouse!Go to www.cleanerswarehouse.co.uk

(A registration page has been set up onthe site for NCCA members)

NCCA Member Benefits

Adelante Merchant Services: 01628 820500

BeValued - Home Options (specialist claimsmanagement - insurance work): Call Shaun

Mulvey on 01323 418432

Control Account PLC: 01527 882901

Hibu (previously Yell): ask for CorporateAdvertising Department: 0808 100 7890

HMCA (free legal & counselling helpline): 0117 934 2600

HMCA (medical health cover): 01423 866985

Payatrader: 01296 660177

SiteWizard (website creation): 08450 608860

Thompson Local: ask forCorporateAdvertsing Department: 01252 390385

TrustMark (NCCA Office): 0116 271 9550

Corporate Member Benefits

newslink page 24

Simon Winterburn (Eversheds LLP)

Regulatory offending - a changing environment

egulatory (i.e. health and safety and R environmental offences) are heard within the

criminal Court system. Often, a Court that has been

dealing with more 'typical' criminal offences then

has to consider the appropriate fine for a company

that has committed regulatory breaches.

The potential fine is often unlimited and may

even include custodial sentences, for individual

offending. Unlike more 'typical' crimes such as theft

or burglary, there is very little guidance available to

the Court when it has to determine an appropriate

sentence. Whilst previous fines for similar offences

may be of assistance, they cannot be binding.

Helpfully, in respect of environmental offences,

guidance has now been issued by the Sentencing

Guidelines Council ('the Guidelines')¹. The

Guidelines were published at the end of February

2014 and apply to all those sentenced for

environmental offences on or after 1 July 2014,

regardless of when the offence occurred. We are

now seeing the Guidelines come to fruition and be

used in Court and that has an impact on those in

the cleaning industry.

The Guidelines are split between 'corporate' and

'individual offenders'. For the purposes of this

article we shall focus on the regime for corporate

offenders, which is based on a twelve-step

approach. The two most novel, and arguably

important, steps are considered below.

The level of fine has to bear some resemblance to

the seriousness of the offence. The Guidelines

require the Court to consider two variables in order

Step 3 - Determining the offence category

to determine the

offence category:

the culpability

of the offender -

from deliberate or

reckless offending

down to

negligence or no

culpability at all;

and

the harm

caused, or the

potential for harm

- from major adverse effects down to a risk of

minor harm.

The Court has some flexibility as to how to

determine levels of culpability and harm as not all

offences will fit squarely between brackets.

However, the Guidelines should allow an element

of consistency, with different levels of offending

being capable of rudimentary comparison by the

Courts.

The relevance of categorising offences becomes

evident during Step 4, however, Step 3 may be one

of the most contentious for dutyholders, who will

want to ensure offending is accurately represented

to the Court. For anyone suspected of committing

an environmental offence, it will be important that

they properly understand the alleged harm, where

expert evidence may be required, and the alleged

culpability. Regulators considering the alleged

culpability will likely be interested in company

documents and records, such as meeting minutes,

Ÿ

Ÿ

page 25 newslink

risk assessments and safe working procedures.

Rather than rely wholly on the discretion of the

Court, Step 4 incorporates a more scientific

approach to the fining process. The 'culpability' and

'harm' ratings are cross-referred to one of four

tables within the Guidelines in order to determine

two figures:

the starting point for the fine; and

the range of the fine (i.e. the lowest and highest

fines).

The figures are tabulated, for ease of reference,

and vary depending on the size of the organisation

being sentenced (on the premise that fines are

intended to send a message to the shareholders,

and are therefore likely to be larger for

organisations with greater wealth).

The four tables are separated according to the

wealth of the offender.

For the majority of organisations reading this

publication, the proposed fines for 'micro'

companies will be of most interest. A 'micro'

company will have a turnover of less than £2

million.

For 'micro' companies at the most serious level of

offending (i.e. deliberate high risk offending), the

starting point for a fine is £50,000, with a range

between £9,000 and £95,000.

For low risk and low culpability offences, the

starting point (£200) and range (£100 to £700) are

drastically lower.

Once the mathematical element is complete, the

Court is still afforded discretion to adjust the fines

depending on a number of factors, including:

relevant mitigating and aggravating factors;

Step 4 - Starting point and category range

Additional steps

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

Ÿ

a prompt 'guilty' plea, which often attracts a one-

third discount on any fine;

the overall proportionality of the fine; and

imposing such a fine that it removes any

economic benefit derived from the offending.

The above discretion may compromise the

consistency that the Guidelines aim for, but it is

right that the Court is given some freedom so that

fines can properly satisfy the purposes of

sentencing.

The Guidelines, as they apply to individuals, operate

in a similar fashion to those that apply to

organisations, detailed above. It is still necessary to

consider the culpability and risk of harm involved;

however, the need to consider turnover and the size

of the offender is removed.

The priority for those reading this magazine is to

avoid ever having to attend Court. The examples of

poor performance and bad behaviour set out in the

Guidelines should act as signposts of 'what to avoid'

for those seeking to improve their own compliance.

Those facing environmental offences, such as the

illegal disposal of waste, should benefit from

greater consistency when being fined by the Court.

However, the 'trade-off' is that fines are likely to be

consistently higher.

If the Guidelines work, and are well received by

the Court, there is the possibility that they are

adopted for health and safety offences, with similar

results.

¹ The new guidelines can be found at:

http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/docs/Final

_Environmental_Offences_Definitive_Guideline_(w

eb).pdf

Application to individuals

Conclusion

Items for sale

newslink page 26

BUSINESS FOR SALESmall, long-established, reputable 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.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEProchem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount - £150.00. Chemspec hose reel for truck mount

plastic - £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £250.00. Contact

aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact Andy on: 07970 544806.

BUSINESS FOR SALESmall long-established reputable NCCA registered working business, specialising carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning. Northumberland based

owner/operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Sign written 55 plate Iveco Daily van

with fitted Prochem Blazer Truck Mount. High pressure and extraction hose reels complete with

hoses, including wands, hard floor surface spinner 3 turbo dryers fans, 4 dehumidifiers, MMs Plus, Sebo

vac and duo, Rotary scrubber, plus lots of other equipment and chemicals. Plus a fully SEO website. Genuine interested parties only please. Call 01670

787185.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEAshbys Sensei Carpet cleaning machine with dry cleaning facility, comes with dry clean hose and curtain hand tool and hose bag - £800.00. Dry

fusion rotary machine with drive board - £600.00. Power flite 500psi twin vac carpet cleaning

machine, only used as back up, two years old - £1400.00. Esprit Von Schrader upholstery machine still under warranty only used 5 times - £2500.00.

Ashbys power brush - £300.00. Ashbys spotting machine with hose and hand tool - £300.00. Ashbys V2 steam attachment only used twice - £300.00. All

Items plus VAT. If interested please call Peter on 07866 905 424, or 0208 850 2085, or Email:

peterscarpetcare@aol.co.ukBuyer collects from south east London.

TRUCKMOUNTBanclene truckmount complete with base unit,

stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feet of vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline

heater and misc parts etc. The van has been sold separately. Selling due to retirement and will

consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976

218304 or email: derek@aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk

COMMERCIAL VACUUM CLEANERSebo BS 36 Comfort commercial vacuum cleaner

for sale. Excellent condition apart from a few scratches - hardly used. Includes three

attachments: dusting brush, upholstery tool & crevice tool - hardly used. Also 9 new waste bags and instructions. Excellent buy for £175.00 ono.

Collection only. Contact Andrew on 07730 203008.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - IDEAL FOR NEW BUSINESS

Everything you need to start carpet cleaning, including: Ashbys Ninja adjustable up to 400psi with Dry Cleaning Functionality built in, 2 x25m vacuum hoses, 1 x silencer hose, 1 x wand, 1 x

upholstery tool, 1 x dry cleaning solvent tool. Sebo Duo agitator. Sebo Vacuum BS36. 1.5hp blower dryer. Truvox high speed buffer. Prochem Stain Removal kit. 2 x 6 litres pressure sprayers. 1 x 1

litre upholstery/spot sprayer. 1 x vinyl mat for Ninja and 1 terrapaulin sheet. Huge array of chemicals

including: Prochem Power Burst, Defoamer, Prochem Pre Spray Gold, Prochem Natural Carpet Cleaner, Ashby's supreme Anti Grease, Prochem Browning prescription, Prochem Fabric and Fibre Rinse, Ashby's Extra Fresh, Prochem Odour Fresh. Box of other bits including: shoe covers, brushes, polystyrene pads, measuring jugs, dry compound.

All in excellent condition. Selling as my second business is consuming all of my time. Selling for

£1950. Contact Richard on 07903 841534.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885 804560.

Items for sale

newslinkpage 27

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEAirflex Storm 800psi, Solution hose 25ft(high

pressure), 25ft x 1.5" vacuum hose with 1.5" cuff fitted at each end, Westpak 4" stainless steel

hand/detailer tool with splash guard, 6" stair tool, Upholstery Pro Sapphire Hand Tool, HOST Reliant

agitator, Sebo BS36 upright vacuum cleaner, Dri-Eaz Air Mover Sahara E 3 speed, Magma heater 1313, Assorted horse hair brushes, Furniture Foam Snap Blocks x 360, Orion 6L Sprayer with nozzle set, 10 Litre Bucket x 2, Carpet Sliders x 8, pH Test Paper, Corner guard, Hose hook, Pumptec Powersprayer

BOM, Mesh hose bag. Assorted cleaning chemicals - some opened. Bereavement forces sale. Cost:

£4500 ONO (Bought as new in 2013 for £7500). All items used a maximum of 5 times so in 'as new'

condition. Please contact Jamie Edmonds at: Jledmunds@hotmail.co.uk. Tel: 07795 546037.

Items located in North Cornwall.

VAN & TRUCK MOUNT + EQUIPMENTVAN: Fiat Ducato 35 Multijet LWB / Only 3,200 Miles

/ Taxed April 2015 / Ply Lined / Linex Coated / Shelving. TRUCK MOUNT: Phoenix 570i / Only 91 Hours / LPG Gas Conversion / All Tanks Hoses &

Reels / Water Softener/Filter. EQUIPMENT: Evolution Wand / Pre Sprayer / Carpet Rack / Stair

Tool / Upholstery Tool / Ramp / Von Schrader Esprit Dry Cleaner. Genuine enquiries only please. Mobile:

07775 507227. Email: re_nulife@btinternet.com

VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYExperienced full time Carpet and Floor Care

Technician required. Own van and equipment an advantage but not essential. Good business

incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com

(with full CV, etc.) or telephone: 01672 871882 or mobile: 07831 172743.

MACHINERY FOR SALE CFR Paramount 1000 PSI machine - delivering 1000

pressure per square inch. 95 litre recycling tank, great for commercial and domestic work £600.00

o.n.o. Contact davidkendall40@aol.com for further information or phone David on 07768 667824 or

01277 824546.

TOOL AND CHEMICALS FOR SALEOne 5.4kg tub of host powder (unopened). Retails at

around £29 - only £12. Also Kleenrite curtain cleaning tool - £25.00. Contact Lester Gale

(oxfordshire) 07949 207777.

FREE CLEANFAX MAGAZINESAndrew Hoyland, of carpet cleaning company

Freshclean in Cheshire, is offering 75 FREE Cleanfax magazines (ranging from 1998 up to 2005) to

anyone who can come and pick them up. They are a few years old but still full of very useful information

for carpet cleaners. He lives in Lowton near Warrington. If interested please call Andrew on:

07973 399903 or email: hoylandandrew@hotmail.co.uk

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEVictor Sprite 12" Rotory Machine. Used once. Was

£855 - Accept £450. Collect from Coventry. Tel 02476 620444.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALEHOST freestyle (dry carpet cleaning system) VGC -

£1800... NO OFFERS. ASHBY'S NINJA 2X3 VAC 130psi (water heater needs fixing). Also included: 2 jet

wands, separate v2 steam kit, 2x hoses, 2x bags, 2x carpet rakes, Kleenrite upholstery tool, Prochem

power brush, 2x stair tools, 1x curtain tool. Excellent back-up machine, all can be used again after

servicing - £950 o.n.o. TURBO air mover Sahara Pro - £85 o.n.o. Dowding & Plummer contrator400

carpet/floor scrubber/polisher (slow speed - 105 rpm approx.) including buckets with stand and mops

and pads (also including a wet/dry vac). All can be used again after servicing - £450. Call Jon on 07736

512527 up to 8pm. Based in West Midlands.

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.

Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: Website:info@chemspec-europe.com www.chemspec-europe.com

Going Going - Gone!

Dye Gone offers a unique new package and application device to remove the severest of dye stains including: coffee, tea, wine, hair dyes, paints, candle colours etc.

*pre-test carefully and rinseout after stain is removedwith cold water.

No need to mix - just spray - wait and the stain is gone.*

BEFORE AFTER

Say

goodbye

to stains!