July 2010

newslink

ncca

Features:

Protection Problems ‘Indicator’ Behaviour ©Double Decade - Maxitex in Granary Gold by Cavalier Carpets

July 2010

The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association

Contents

Published monthly by:

03 Note from the editor

The National Carpet Cleaners Association

03 Free gold nuggets 05 Colour movement 06 Stoneman’s corner 08 ‘Protecting’ my business 10 Pile distortion in walk areas 12 New Directors on the NCCA Board 14 Removal of lily pollen 15 NCCA leather technical day 16 NCCA technical roadshow in Warrington 19 Re: Buying new equipment 20 Five keys to good sales 22 Indicator behaviour of certain dyestuffs 23 How to hold on to your customers 23 National Flood School secures BDMA Licensed Training Centre Status 24 A day at the rocks 26 Microbiology revisited - growth of Microorganisms 28 “I’m afraid there is no money”

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 Editor Nicola Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nicola Law CEO/Finance and Admin Director Nick Johnston Company Secretary/ Technical Director Paul Pearce Training Director Pawlo Woloszyn Marketing Director Keith Robertson Director Glyn Charnock 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.

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.

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Note from the editor

I

am pleased to announce that we have made significant progression with the display of our web-based version of Newslink, which is situated in the members’ area of our website.

We have begun using a site called ISSUU, enabling us to publish a more visually professional online journal.

For those that haven’t already seen it, last month’s edition has already been displayed in this new format.

Have a look on the website and see what you think.

The publication is no longer split into two halves and displays the inside pages as a double-page spread. All you need do is click on the thumbnails of each page, positioned near the bottom of the screen, and a larger version will appear above, or use the left and right arrows down the sides to turn the pages.

The Newslink is displayed at a higher resolution than previously, enabling greater clarity in the text, facilitating more user-friendly online reading. It even creates the illusion of actual magazine pages turning

Free gold nuggets

I

when flicking from one double-page spread to the next!

On to a different subject entirely, we would like to inform members that as Nicola Law from next year we will no longer provide the facility to pay your subscription fee by credit aggreement.

At the end of March we received a letter from Premium Credit stating that following a review of their facilities they had made changes to their qualifying criteria such as amount of business processed, volume of clients and fee value. Unfortunately the NCCA did not meet the new criteria and they withdrew the facility.

For anyone who has an agreement for this year it will continue to run until all outstanding balances have been paid.

After research and careful consideration the NCCA Board of Directors have decided not to replace this facility at the moment.

Nick Johnston

f members were asked what their biggest challenge was, especially in the early years of trading, they would probably reply that finding sufficient clients to do business with is the main difficulty.

If the above answer is correct, I need your help to understand why referrals aren't always treated like little pieces of gold - I'll explain: I visit the Association office in Oadby once a month.

It gives me a chance to sit down with the office team and discuss a range of issues which affect their daily workload. As I arrived last week and set up my laptop, Katie asked me to speak with a phone caller who had a problem with a red wine spill. After chastising her for wasting good red wine, I asked what steps she had already taken to deal with the problem. The consumer explained that she had trawled around the internet and found differing and conflicting solutions including pouring white wine on the spill and dousing with salt.

In the end, she used a well known brand of spot and

stain remover to tackle the problem. The stain wouldn't shift and she finally called the NCCA for advice.

I delivered the news (nicely) that she could have made the problem worse and the only sensible solution is to have the spill thoroughly flushed out and appropriate action taken on any remaining stain.

Before being passed back to Katie to receive the contact details of three members local to her, the consumer gave an audible sigh of relief and thanked me for the advice. Until she had found the NCCA website and picked up the phone, she didn't know whose advice to believe.

During the team meeting which immediately followed the phone call, Lewis updated me on the action that is being taken to improve the website search facilities for consumers (and staff). The current system allows a search by county and town, but does Cont’d on next page

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Cont’d from previous page

not provide the ability to select a member by postcode. This counts against members who may live just across a county border. A new postcode search system has just been implemented by our website supplier. Please see the announcement below for details.

The postcode search discussion led me to think about the lady with the red wine stain. Wouldn't it be good if, rather than the consumer being given the contact details of three local members, he or she is given the option for those members to return her call? Not only is this excellent customer service, but it provides the member with a record of each and every phone referral. Although the Association is not a referral organisation, and this facility is not available at the moment, we are working hard to raise its profile and generate more interest from consumers.

One thing that concerned me during the discussion of this idea is that the office do receive complaints

New website search facility

I

am pleased to announce that a new search engine has been introduced on the website, which incorporates GoogleMaps technology to provide visitors with a clear representation of the members in their area and which are the closest to them. The new system features options to search by town, county and postcode along with a filter to select members by service and also a general search for company names and other criteria. We feel this is a big step in the right direction for efficiency when providing referrals and the office will also be using the new system to ensure details of the most relevant members are passed on to interested parties calling in.

Another new benefit this system allows us to provide, is the ability to contact members to inform them that their details have been given out. We sometimes receive comments from members who insist that they have never received a referral from the NCCA office. Although referrals are not one of the main services provided by the Association, it is unlikely that any member, during their registration

from customers saying that their calls were not returned from members whose details had been supplied.

Now, before you turn off your World Cup viewing and start penning me a response, I know that most members are highly professional in their business dealings and this is what separates members from those who cannot join a professional association.

Incidences of this type are thankfully not common.

But it does prevent us from introducing a more customer-focussed system unless we can rely on a high level of compliance from members. So, for the time being at least, members' contact details will be given to consumers and the initiative will be left for the consumer to make the next call.

I'm genuinely interested to receive feedback on this item, as your answers may help to determine improvements to our systems. Please let me know in which circumstances (if any) you would not return a call from an interested consumer.

Lewis Scroby with the NCCA, would not be recommended by the office or through the website. Providing you have an email address, the new system will ensure that you are informed each and every time your company is recommended. We will also be tracking members referals through the site and will be able to provide a more accurate hits report in Newslink each month.

Although the front end of the search engine has been updated, the details held in the background are the same. Each member still has a full and detailed entry with contact information and services, which customers will need to access in order to make an enquiry. If you have advanced your listing you will also still have a website link, logo and extra company information.

We are working hard to raise the profile of the Association and generate more interest from consumers. The website is our most effective marketing tool and we hope to continue improvements and add further benefits for members. Look out for more announcements in the near future.

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Colour movement

Derek Bolton

I

love a challenge! I went to clean a three piece suite the other day and during the pre-clean inspection I discovered a few bleach marks on one of the cushions, which I duly pointed out to the client and then recorded the details onto a survey form. The client, who had 'forgotten to tell me'

©Photographs: Derek Bolton

Internal layers of fabric holding the piping

than not the fibres used will be Viscose Rayon which doesn't hold colour too well. ! Moisture levels used are going to be crucial, as the sections where the braiding occurs will be thicker than other areas of the upholstery fabric and will therefore retain moisture! ! The fabric used in the fringes or braiding are going to release dye 'more easily' if alkaline chemicals are used during the cleaning process. In respect of this you would think that neutralisation would be the answer wouldn't you? Well, this is OK if you leave the fabric at a pH of 7, but leaving the fabric in a more acidic condition may lead to discoloration if the fabric dyes are pH sensitive.

Remember though, that pH sensitive dyes are only used on natural fibres which include Cotton, Viscose Rayon and Wool.

Dye bleed into body of fabric

about the bleach marks, also advised me at this point that she had washed the cover of one of the scatter cushions and the red piping had bled dye out into the edges of the fabric. Also several red stripes were visible where the piping had come into contact with the main body of the cushion.

Decision time here folks! Take on the work or walk away? I wouldn't blame anyone for walking away from a situation like this, but personally I can't resist a challenge, it makes life so much more interesting.

First one has to STOP, engage the brain and take a few moments to work out how to minimise or remove any potential risk. In this case the risk cannot be totally removed so the question is how to minimise it.

Let's put things into perspective….. ! There is no British Standard for the piping or braiding used in the upholstery process for soft furnishing, which means that anything that is cheap and cheerful may be utilised. More often

Taking all the above into consideration I decided on a process that I felt was safe to use on this fabric in spite of the piping's tendency to release dye. I am pleased to say that I was able to clean the fabric satisfactorily - in fact it came up very well - plus I was able to remove much of the dye transfer from the scatter cushion.

I'll finish up by saying “always think things through before you start”. I believe it distinguishes the men from the boys. page 5

Keith Robertson

Stoneman’s Corner Protection Problems

T

ile and grout cleaning is an excellent add-on to your existing services. Many of you who branch out into this area will at some point move onto natural stone cleaning as well. When you do you will almost certainly be aware of the necessity of protecting porous surfaces.

Impregnating, rather than surface coating, products are usually used for this process. The purpose of the impregnating protector is to penetrate porous surfaces and fill the tiny capillaries that are in stone, grout and some of the more porous tiles. This type of protection will prevent liquids, whether water or oil based, penetrating and staining the stone. Although it is worth remembering that not all impregnators are designed to protect against oils, as silicon based

products may only protect against water.

Should you inadvertently apply too much of the product and all of it doesn't penetrate, it is possible to wind up with a milky haze on top of the surface.

That is why some products do come with instructions to wipe-off any excess product.

It can be quite tricky deciding how much, or how many coats, of seal are required particularly when dealing with natural stone. As you would expect, a porous material like sandstone will normally absorb a considerable amount of product whereas you might have a problem getting some granites to absorb any. As a point of reference some manufacturers specifically make a different product for granite.

The key is to test beforehand, as no two jobs are page 6

the same. In the case of porcelain tiled floors, which only require the grout lines sealed, it is sensible to test by dripping some water onto a discreet area of flooring. Use a small medicine bottle, as this looks more professional than pouring some out of a cup or dipping your hand into a bucket and sprinkling the water. If the grout immediately absorbs the water then you know instantly that, not only does the grout require sealing, but that it needs to be generously filled and may require more than one coat.

Epoxy grouts do not require sealing as they are already waterproof but they are generally only used when the tiler is required to use them as they are harder to work with. That said many cementious based grouts also contain epoxy, latex or polymers which are non porous materials and will affect the amount of seal required. In fact it is possible that they will not accept water based seals and only allow solvent based products to penetrate. So if you have deduced that the grout requires sealing, but then the seal dries leaving a surface film you will know what the problem is. Remember, there is always a reason why a product will not penetrate.

Stone also requires testing as there can be variations in the porosity not only between different types of stone but sometimes within a single stone tile. There are also materials which are reconstituted and use epoxy to glue the particles of stone together. It might be that these stones will prove less porous than the completely natural alternative.

It is also possible that the stone may have previously been impregnated. If that is the case, much of the product inside the stone will still be present and, it might well be that very little additional product is required to compensate for wear at the surface.

If you are using a solvent based product it is vital

to ensure that the stone or grout is completely dry.

Failure to do so will also result in a white discolouration wherever the impregnator comes in contact with the damp sub-structure. Should that happen it will be necessary to strip the stone or tile and allow it to completely dry before continuing.

We recently encountered a problem with newly laid hard Caithness sandstone floor. The technicians cleaned and allowed the floor to dry overnight. They used a solvent based impregnator on the following day to coat the stone. On the next day they applied a second coat. So far so good, until the following morning when I received a phone call from the building contractor to inform me that the floor had not dried. On inspection I concluded that the stone had accepted all the impregnator that was required and the surplus was simply sitting as a sticky residue on the surface. In this case the error was one of presumption. The team leader presumed that the sandstone would require at least three coats and so did not wipe off the excess product as he had expected it all to be absorbed.

The same thing could happen on a tile and grout job where only the grout is being sealed. It is important to remember that no two grout lines are the same; one grout is more porous than another grout.

If you are already working with tile and grout or stone perhaps you should review what procedures you follow to be sure that you don't become complacent and fall into the trap of not testing.

It is logical to extend your range of services, particularly as hard surfaces are becoming increasingly popular. Simply adding the care and maintenance of your existing customers' floors to your business could double your income.

If you haven't yet started, do consider undertaking some training and then start with tile or grout cleaning, but only after you have practiced on your own floors first. page 7

‘Protecting’ my business

T

he greatest weakness in my business skills is sales. If someone approaches me to request my cleaning services, I am pretty good, but to go out and sell to them cold, I have been useless. Speaking to colleagues over the years, it would appear that I'm not alone.

This year, in view of the economic climate, I took the bold decision not to increase my carpet cleaning prices. But how could I maintain, or even improve, my profitability? The most obvious avenue to me was by 'up selling', which means in reality to sell protector. The thought of trying to sell a prospect something they hadn't asked for terrified me. I needn't have worried though. It has proven to be 'oh so easy' with prospects from all income sectors eager to buy. Here's how I've made it work for me.

First off, I feel it is very important to have confidence in your protector. I use a premium brand from an NCCA Associate Member which claims to be more durable than most with a life

Ken Wainwright expectancy of up to five years. All of my own carpets are treated and I am able to relate real life experiences to my prospects and customers.

Now for the 'Big Sell' (and the trick here is I don't actually 'sell'). The 'sale' will work best with a site visit rather than estimating a price over the telephone. I give the prospect my business card, NCCA leaflet and protector leaflet upon arrival.

When costing the individual rooms/areas, I will enter a price on my audit sheet for, let's say, the Lounge at £60.00. In the column next to it I will enter the price for protection at £30.00. When discussing my charges for cleaning with the prospect I will tell them that the lounge will cost £60.00 and protector will be just half that price at £30.00. The same will apply to every area I've

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Orders/Advice - call Keith now on 0800 024 24 42. www.chemspecdirect.co.uk (independent distribution)

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quoted for. The conversation will naturally develop from this point onwards.

I have been absolutely amazed at how easy it has been to 'up sell' my services with this product. Even when I inform my prospect that application will be inconvenient to them - as it is essential to keep off the carpet for at least four hours and to be very careful for twenty four hours - they seem undeterred. They want the benefits of the protector and are prepared to make suitable arrangements to allow the product time to do its job. A customer, whose whole house I shall be cleaning in the very near future, has even arranged a break in their touring caravan to coincide with my visit!

I have sold more protector in the last three months than I have in the preceding four years!

Even protection in a typical semi-detached house, a small lounge - @ £2 per sqM - will net me an extra £25.00 as the only extra overhead is the material cost.

If, like me, you have been wary of 'up selling' your services, you've absolutely nothing to fear, or lose, by giving something like this a try. You won't make a 'sale' every time and most protectors are not suitable for polypropylene fibres, but the benefits to both your customers and your business are significant.

HITS Every day we receive calls from the general public requesting details of members in their area. Since the last issue of Newslink details of 135 members have been provided to interested parties.

The standard procedure for giving out member’s details fairly is to select three member companies nearest to the enquirer, it is then up to the enquirer to define their appropriate choice.

Diary Dates 2010 NCCA COURSES Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning 3rd - 4th September 29th - 30th October Hard Floor Cleaning 14th - 15th October Leather Identification and Cleaning Course 2nd September Leather Technical Day 8th September (British School of Leather Technology, Northampton) Spot and Stain Removal (To be held in Leicester. Venue to be arranged) 22nd October NCCA courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise Stated.

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

IICRC COURSES (SURREY) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Adam Jankowski 7th - 8th July Course above held at National Flood School, Farnham, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 IICRC COURSES (BUCKS) Fire and Smoke Restoration Technician with Gary Loiben 8th - 9th July Courses above held at Dri-Eaz Products Ltd, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Tel: 0800 542 9609 IICRC COURSES (HERTS) Carpet Cleaning Technician with Paul Pearce 12th -13th July Courses above held at Alltec Network, Royston, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222

Visit: www.iicrc.co.uk for further details on IICRC Training Courses

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Pile distortion in walk areas

Paul Pearce

I

receive many calls from baffled consumers and carpet cleaners with regards to dark areas in the carpet which are resolutely present during, and even after, cleaning. Consumers say “I have just had my carpet cleaned and it's still dirty”. The carpet cleaner calls me to say “I have been working on this area now for thirty minutes and it's still not coming clean”.

You may assume that these dark areas are due to stubborn soiling, but very often they're not. You see, when we remove the soil from the surface of a carpet we are often confronted with further issues such as distortion to the pile or fibres. This is often the case when a client is dissatisfied with a clean. They think there is remaining soil in the carpet, when the real reason it looks dark is the distorted pile. Of course it really doesn't help when the ill-informed ©Brintons Carpets carpet retailer or clients friend says “well, they didn't do a good job of removing the soil, it still looks dirty, especially in ! Shading - a change in light reflection as fibres front of the settee”. We need to better educate our comprising the pile of carpet are bent or reoriented clients if we want to avoid this scenario. Explain to over time. them that carpets can deteriorate rapidly in some ! Abrading - which results from the abrasive action areas and certainly never guarantee to get a carpet of particle soils rubbing against the fibres, causing 'looking like new'. them to dull and reflect, deflect or absorb light Walkway areas in particular can change differently from less trafficked areas. substantially in appearance, due to distortion, in a ! Fading - the gradual colour loss resulting from relatively short time and this may not be noticed by exposure of carpet dyes to light (especially the client until after you have cleaned the carpet. It sunlight) over time, and to a lesser extent, to acid is inevitable that all 'traffic' areas will show signs of soils, or to atmospheric gases or fumes. wear and tear over time, but some people think ! Wear - a loss of fibre density resulting from that the degraded appearance is simply down to normal traffic, maintenance and general use. soiling.

Obviously, poor pile density and minimum yarn This kind of distortion is progressive, and can start twist also results in distortion in traffic areas. immediately after the carpet is laid. It can be the ! Pile reversal - which can appear generally result of several things: throughout the carpet but mainly wherever traffic page 10

is experienced, usually immediately after installation or within a few months and looks like a water stain.

No one really knows what causes pile reversal or how to prevent it. It even extends across seams from one section of carpet to another; I have also seen it on carpet tiles.

There are reported to be one or two people out there using a steaming method to reverse the distorted pile, but even that is only temporary. It is not a manufacturing fault, although there have been instances where a carpet has been replaced by the manufacturer. However, I suspect this was more a gesture of goodwill than ownership of the problem.

Because it occurs in carpet and rugs of all fibre types (wool, nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene, coir, silk, etc.), all construction types (woven, tufted, fusion bonded, modular, etc.), in all methods of installation, under virtually every imaginable combination of circumstances, the conclusion that pile reversal is not related to any of these factors is well supported.

The visibility of various types of shading, including pile reversal, is minimized if the carpet is: ! a loop pile: it occurs almost invariably in cut-pile styles, loop-pile styles are a virtual guarantee against this problem. ! displaying a busy pattern: the more busily and boldly patterned a carpet is, the better it will disguise shading and pile reversal. ! a pale colour: lighter carpets sometimes tend to show less contrast between darker and lighter shaded areas, whereas darker colours often tend to exaggerate these differences. ! constructed of fibres with less lustre: fibres with less 'sheen' create less contrast between dark and light areas.

The above is an attempt to explain some of the issues surrounding pile changes in carpet.

Just bear in mind that pile distortion will not be the explanation for every single dark patch of carpet. It might actually be that it does need a bit more cleaning.

New Directors on the NCCA Board

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t the recent AGM we were pleased to welcome aboard three new Directors, who we are confident will complement the existing Board and prove a great asset to the Association as a whole.

Each of these new Directors has kindly contributed a profile to Newslink this month, which communicates to the reader who they are, their background and what they feel they can bring to the Association. Please see below: Glyn Charnock from Chameleon Cleaning in Norwich, Norfolk As one of the Associations three new directors, I thought it would be a good idea to let you, the members, know a bit more about me and why I have agreed to become a director.

Since leaving Business College I have always owned my own businesses, and now consider myself unemployable - no one else would have me!

I started a carpet cleaning business almost ten years ago, under the guidance of a long standing friend who I will always be grateful to for introducing me to a fascinating industry.

My wife Maureen suggested the NCCA might be a good route to improve my business credibility.

When I went on my first training course it was a bit of an eye opener and ever since I attend as many training events as I can to improve my skills and keep up with industry developments. Leather repairs and restoration are my favourite work and I receive referrals from several other cleaning businesses for the more technical leather jobs.

I was very pleased to be asked to become a

director of the Association because I believe the NCCA is the best platform for promoting our industry both to consumers and to the commercial sector. It is also best placed to raise standards within the industry through training for its members. As a Director, I hope I can help the Association improve in these areas for the good of the industry as a whole.

Of the three new Directors, I am the only independent owner operator, the other two being members of national franchises, and as such I sort of see myself as the new voice of the independents. Don't get me wrong, it is very good for the association that the national franchises are represented on the board, as they are a very important part of our industry and have a lot to offer the Association, but with the support of their networks, their needs from the Association are potentially very different to mine and those of other independent operators, and it is those needs I hope to represent on the board So, please feel free to contact me via the office if you have views or ideas on how your Association can better serve your needs and I look forward to helping drive the Association forwards with your support.

Nigel Lay from Cleaning Doctor Northampton in Northamptonshire I spent my formative years in a sales and sales training background.

Working within major fast moving consumer Blue Chip companies, I have been responsible for sales budgets running into millions of pounds. I first entered the cleaning industry as a Franchise page 12

Development Manager for the top UK automotive cleaning company Autosmart. This role gave me an insight into the cleaning industry and also in the concept of franchising.

I started with Cleaning Doctor eight years ago as a franchisee and also as UK Support Manager where I help train new franchisees. My aim is to become the recognised cleaning expert in Northamptonshire. Training has always played a large part in my working life and I firmly believe in continuing education for both self benefit and raising the profile of my chosen career sector.

Accreditations since joining the carpet cleaning industry are: ! NCCA member and now Director ! IICRC Certified Firm - Certified Technician in Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning & Fire and Flood Restoration ! Woolsafe Approved Operator ! Woolsafe Registered Carpet Inspector.

My goal is to promote and therefore grow the cleaning industry to a much wider audience, creating more opportunities for those currently trading and also encourage prospective entrants into the cleaning industry. I firmly believe that Trade Associations are invaluable to ethical businessmen and should represent all members' interests in developing their own business and raising industry standards. I hope to make a positive contribution on your behalf as part of the dynamic team of directors.

Denise Pitt from ChemDry Hereford and Worcester in Malvern, Worcestershire When I left school, I went to college to study vocational art and design and left to work for an exhibition design company for two years. I then spent over fourteen years in retail and management, as a departmental manageress and divisional trainer.

I left work to have a family, of which I now have four daughters, Hannah fifteen, Aimee twelve, Caitlin nine and Chloe six. My husband, Ian and I decided to start our own business when our first

daughter was six months old, and became a Chem-Dry franchisee - Chem-Dry Hereford and Worcester. We have been part of Chem-Dry for the past fourteen years and in that time we have been awarded Regional Franchise of the Year 2000, Franchise of the Year 2000 and Technical Excellence Award 2007.

We have been involved in the recent accolade of obtaining ISO14001 for the Chem-Dry network on environmental issues within the business.

We have attended many training sessions and progressed by adding new elements to our business, I am now a qualified mould remediation specialist and leather restoration specialist. We are also members of the Senior Franchise group within Chem-Dry, who meet up throughout the year to discuss ideas to progress the business etc.

I have always strived to do well in anything I have put my hand too and truly believe that everyone must take on board new ideas and constantly update, train and improve wherever possible. I always advocate to my excellent staff this ideology and push them to do the best that they can. Knowledge is paramount to success.

We have excellent customer service records and reputation, which is so important in business and we are always looking for new ways to improve, and adopt the attitude that you are never too old to learn new things.

I am very honoured to have been asked to join as a director and I do hope that during the time that I work with the NCCA, I can promote the Association to its best and help develop and push forward for the future. page 13

Picture: Lily pollen close up

Removal of Lily pollen

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Pawlo Woloszyn

ily pollen is one of those problems that will stop me in my tracks. Why is it that such a beautiful flower with a lovely heady scent can cause so many headaches? These popular flowers will frequently shed pollen onto the carpet and cause a terrible mess. If the vase has been knocked over and the pollen has been flooded with the water from the vase it's even worse.

Well, here's a little insight into this lovely, but infuriating flower; the heady scent of the lily is there to attract passing insects to drop in - an invitation of

a free meal. The pollen is coated in an oily or waxy coating so that it adheres to the hungry inquisitive insect.

When the insect is tempted by the next flower head it flies past, he deposits and mixes the pollens allowing the flower to pollinate and continue the chain.

Many people like to display these beautiful flowers in their homes. Some, who are wise, pinch the stamen out when the blooms open, but unfortunately most people don't.

If we're lucky the client will not have touched the pollen (we wish), which will enable us to use sticky page 14

tape to remove the majority of it, by lightly applying the tape to the contaminated area and peeling it off.

This process needs to be repeated several times with fresh tape so that nothing is spread to clean areas. I know that many of you will prefer to remove pollen with the nozzle of the vacuum and that's fine as long as you do not agitate the area and rub the mess into the fibres. A dry solvent or a citrus gel will then need to be applied to the area as this will

break any oil/waxy bond of trapped pollen. Finally, blot the area and then rinse.

Unfortunately when you arrive to remove the stain you will usually find that the client has already attempted removal themselves and consequently forced the pollen into the fibres. I find that solvent gels work best in these situations; they seem to be able to emulsify the oils/waxes allowing them to be blotted up and then flushed out with an acid rinse. I have also had some success using Paint Oil and Grease removers, followed by flushing with an acid rinse. In fact I have used both of these methods to remove a couple of vase spills on light coloured carpets with excellent results.

Just remember, as with any stain, do not promise or guarantee complete removal. This type of guarantee can leave you very vulnerable should the client be displeased with the results.

NCCA leather technical day Glyn Charnock

T

he planning for the NCCA Leather Technical Day at the British School of Leather Technology at Northampton University is well under way. Pawlo and I visited the School on Friday 18th June, to view the facilities, finalise course details, and assess how the School and the NCCA might work together in the future.

The School has a small scale working tannery on site. The facilities are excellent and the day will include a full tour and demonstration of the process of turning hide into leather. Included in the tour will be the testing facilities, which will show how leather is tested to ensure it meets British and European standards.

We are providing the school with some samples of refinished leather, using the products commonly used by leather repair technicians, so we will be able to see how well our members' repairs REALLY perform.

We saw a huge variety of leather finishes produced by the school, from leaf imprints to dayglo green, crocodile patterns to gold dusted nubucks. The array of finishes is literally unlimited.

And one day you may be asked to clean something like this!

The course has been designed to appeal to all levels of knowledge, so if you have never cleaned a leather suite before, it will be a great introduction to the wonders of leather, and even if you think you know all there is to know then come along anyway because I am sure you will learn something new.

The event takes place on Wednesday 8th September and the cost is ÂŁ99.88 + VAT, which includes lunch and refreshments. I would recommend you book now to make sure you don't miss out (a booking form is enclosed). page 15

NCCA technical roadshow in Warrington

Joe Hatton

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n Wednesday 9th June the NCCA held history and development of stone production, another of their Technical Roadshows. This explaining how the cutting and finishing has time it was held in Warrington, at the developed over hundreds of years. He showed the north tip of Cheshire, at the Tetley Walker Club attendees some modern day grinding discs that are (which is an excellent venue). The event attracted available in the marketplace - including the very members from as far as Bedford, York and Cumbria latest developments. He then discussed the use of as well as those living closer by. powdered products, as an alternative to grinding After coffee and a 'get to know you' chit chat, the stone. Apparently there are two basic types of Keith Robertson, NCCA Marketing Director and powder for honing or polishing, resulting in either a 'renowned hard floor guru' from Edinburgh, low-level shine or, if required, a bright shine. welcomed everyone and outlined the programme to follow.

It was Keith himself that 'kicked off' the proceedings, stating that the NCCA is now getting more involved in hard floor cleaning. He followed with a lively talk entitled 'The Ways to Make Stone Shine' and it soon became obvious to everyone that this is Keith's passion when he said “I love the beauty of stone”.

Keith Robertson (NCCA) Stone has become more affordable for the average Keith finished off with some words of warning for person in recent years and has become the perfect the inexperienced. He said “don't practice in 'add-on' to existing services. Keith informed us that peoples homes”, and “make sure you charge the introduction of hard floor maintenance to our enough so you can afford to own the piece you business also allows us the opportunity to become (may) ruin”! craftsmen rather than just cleaners, offering a The second speaker of the day was Shaun restoration - rather than, solely, a cleaning - service.

Bradbury of Dry Fusion. Shaun pointed out that Dry However, he added that one must not simply 'jump Fusion is a system - a branded system using tested, in' and set up as a hard floor consultant quality products, and he then invited us to meet immediately without training and, at least, a little 'the team'. There was only Shaun and a colleague in practice (preferably in your own home!). You must attendance, so I was a little puzzled at first by what be comfortable with whatever you do and not set he meant by 'meet the team'. Well, it materialized yourself up as something you are not. Mistakes can that 'the team' was, in fact, the whole range of be very costly. quality products that Dry Fusion market, ranging We were then provided with a brief outline of the page 16

The ‘Skittles’ in W

from the actual Dry Fusion machine through to the latest Crystal Fusion machine - more of that later.

Shaun went on to say that the most important piece of equipment a professional carpet cleaner has in his van is the vacuum cleaner, because 86% of soil in a carpet is loose and needs to be removed prior to any low moisture or high moisture cleaning.

A professional carpet cleaner would not be using a vacuum cleaner that the client themselves may have, so Shaun pointed out the value of an upright cleaner with an electrically driven 'beater bar', or rotating brush. Also a professional carpet cleaner would vacuum not only north-south, but also east-

The ‘Skittles’ in Warrington town centre

west, to ensure as much of the loose soil as possible is removed. Good point Shaun!

Following vacuuming, other important stages ensue - prespraying, followed by agitation and then dwell time, which will provide enough time for the prespray to penetrate down the fibre so it can release the sticky soiling. For agitation the Dry Fusion system uses either the standard pad, the restoration pad or restoration brush, depending on soiling levels. The Dry Fusion cleaning fluids, Activator, Restore, Pure Fusion and Bactoshield can then be used to clean the carpet with a pad.

Shaun introduced to us a new spotter called 'Unbelievable'. Extolling its virtues he told us the

results when using this product were just… well, 'unbelievable'.

'Crystal Fusion' is a new cleaning system for Dry Fusion customers, particularly aimed at upholstery cleaning. Not many cleaners I know enjoy upholstery cleaning, but maybe they could change their minds if they used this system. As with carpet cleaning, Shaun stressed the importance of thoroughly vacuuming the item to be cleaned and also checking, whenever possible, inside the cushions for marker pen ink used at the manufacturing stage, as this can wreak havoc when wet.

Shaun Bradbury (Dry Fusion)

The Crystal Fusion system, which uses a dry foam, can be regulated to control the amount of foam and also speed of rotation of the head. The foam stays on the surface of the upholstery encapsulating the soil. It is then vacuumed back to a collecting tank.

For safety, the rotating foam generator head is 12v DC. One benefit of the Crystal Fusion system is that the upholstery can be dry again within a short period of time.

Our third and final speaker for the day, Karl Nilchibar from Amtech UK, highlighted the benefits of 'high moisture cleaning', commonly referred to as 'water extraction'.

Cont’d on next page

page 17

Karl Nilchibar (Amtech UK)

Cont’d from previous page

Karl talked to us, in general terms, about the huge number of people in the UK who suffer from allergies and how carpets play an important part in their lives. He went on to say that carpet hygiene is of utmost importance and that carpets act like big filters 'catching' airborne nasties and trapping them.

Of course, filters need cleaning regularly for them to be effective and it's the same with carpets.

He then went on to discuss carpet in high-use traffic areas and how this never looks as clean as other less used areas. The reason for this is fibre damage. No matter how much traffic lane areas get cleaned, the light will reflect differently to other areas, making the traffic lane look dirtier (always good to explain this to clients before you start to clean).

We then discussed the different stages of the 'water extraction' cleaning process. We were reminded that chemicals (I prefer to call them cleaning fluids) all need some dwell time, albeit some longer or shorter than others, and to always check manufacturers' instructions. Karl then used a washing machine as an example to illustrate the

function, and importance, of dwell time and 'agitation'. In its cleaning process a washing machine allows dwell time when the chemical (powder or liquid) can be absorbed and break down the ingrained soiling within the clothing. This is followed by a period of tumbling where agitation will occur. The final stage in this process is, of course, the rinse cycle - a constant flushing to eradicate the released soil and residue of the chemical. In carpet and upholstery terms, this is the 'wanding' action where the final rinse extraction takes place.

Karl then demonstrated the benefits of their CFR (constant flow recycling) machine and associated tools. As an example, their CFR 500 Eco machine can recycle water up to seven times. This speeds up the job, as less manual water changing is needed.

The CFR 500 Eco delivers up to five litres of water per minute to give a high flush rate which, together with a machine filtration system and cleverly designed tools, assists the whole process. Karl did a demonstration using the infamous Wonderwand and the well engineered CFR hand tools, 3”, 5” and a 7” for stair and large upholstery areas.

I must say the end of the day came all too quickly.

For those in attendance, on their behalf I would like to thank Keith Robertson, Shaun Bradbury and Karl Nilchibar, together with their able assistants, for coming along to Warrington and imparting their wealth of knowledge and experience. I would also like to thank the staff in the NCCA office for their hard work in making this happen.

I think it would be excellent if these Roadshows could be held more frequently. I would like to encourage members to get involved with setting up these events, like I did with this one. All you need to do is approach the NCCA head office and let them know you can find a suitable venue in your area. If it gets the approval, you set up the contacts and away it goes.

On behalf of the NCCA, the delegates and the speakers we would like to thank Joe for assisting in the organisation of an excellent event (editor).

Page 18

Re: Buying new equipment

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must say, I loved Ken Wainwright's article on buying new equipment in last month’s Newslink.

Oh, if only life were so simple!

We all know that manufacturers choose which 'performance criteria' they use in their advertising to try and influence our purchasing decisions. PSI or flow rates for pumps, series or parallel for vacuum motor configurations, 1, 2 or 3 stage motors, CFM, LFM or CMH airflow, inches or centimetres (or even millimetres if they want really big numbers in the ad!) of water lift. Heating capability in kW, maximum water temp in celcius or fahrenheit, max temp in tank or at jet, temperature at carpet level. Hose length capabilities, hose diameters, the list goes on and on. So how do we decide which machine is the best? Well, there just isn't a 'BEST'.

If we try to standardise the criteria by which machines of this type are judged, we will alienate manufacturers (because someone else's machine has bigger numbers), reduce the range of machines available (why build it if someone else's is better?), and ultimately reduce choice in the market place.

There are so many ways of measuring the performance of an extraction machine, and it is all totally irrelevant.

How good a job the customer receives is all we, as professional cleaners, should be concerned about. A wedding photographer once said to me; “Do the bride and groom worry about how long the lens is on my camera, and how many pixels there are in their photographs? No! They just want the best pictures ever taken at a wedding!”

All our customers want is the best carpet clean they can get for the money they are spending. This is not a result of how powerful a machine is used, whatever standards we choose to measure this by, but rather a combination of factors which may include; machine performance, operator proficiency, type of carpet, level of soiling, products selected, and many other factors. You can spend fifty grand on the

Glyn Charnock

latest truck mounted behemoth, but does it make you a better cleaner? No! I would like to suggest that the best way to decide on what equipment you should buy should be based on three simple principles that have absolutely nothing to do with machine performance.

1) Useablilty - take it out and try it, but take it to a bad job so you know it can handle what you need it to!

2) Affordability - don't buy it if it will take you half of every working week to pay for it, you will wish you hadn't bought it by the end of the first month!

3) Likeability - if you can't get along with the manufacturer or dealer selling it, then servicing will be a nightmare!

It doesn't matter if you use a 90 psi putzi with a single vac motor, or a 3000psi truckmount and 800ft of two inch hose, if your customer is happy, you have done a good job!

Like so many things in life, choose in haste, repent at your leisure!

LEATHER IDENIFICATION AND CLEANING COURSE THURSDAY 2nd September At the NSPCC training Centre, Leicester Tutor: Pawlo Woloszyn You will learn: ! About the tanning process. ! How to identify different types of leather from aniline through to bicast and faux leathers. ! How to determine when it is cleanable, or in need of restoring or replacing. ! How to identify different finishes. ! How to clean leather upholstery (with demonstrations).

You will be supplied with course notes and a set of leather samples. To book your space please use the enclosed form or call the office on: 0116 271 9550.

Cost is £115 + VAT (members), £155 + VAT (non-members)

page 19

Five keys to good sales

Brian Philbin

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any carpet cleaners I have spoken to tell me that they feel uncomfortable in the selling role.

That's OK, it's natural to feel uncomfortable when you are dealing with something that you don't really understand completely. There's no need to worry, though, because sales is not some magical gift reserved for only a few.

Salesmanship is a step by step skill that can be learned and duplicated by anyone.

The key to successful, consistent sales lies in these five crucial elements 1) A good rapport and an enthusiastic attitude Your attitude is probably 80% of the reason a sale succeeds or fails.

Attitude is everything!

Have you ever had a little boy or girl tell you about something they really, really want? They talk so fast that they barely get the words out. They'll be bubbling over with so much excitement that it naturally draws you in.

When you're listening to them, you can't help but get excited, too. Their attitude is infectious.

That is the kind of enthusiasm that makes mediocre salesman good, and a good salesman the best! There is a direct relationship that exists between your attitude and rapport with your customer and your end result. ! Bad attitude - bad results. ! Good attitude - good results. ! Enthusiastic attitude - exceptional results!

The legendary insurance sales tycoon W. Clement Stone once said, "It is not the attitude of the prospect that matters it is the attitude of the salesman!�

So forget the customers' attitude.

Their attitude means very little.

Successful results almost completely hinge on the exceptional, enthusiastic attitude of the salesman.

2) A professional appearance There's no doubt about it, your clients make strong judgements about who you are by the way you look. Right or wrong, that's the way it is. When you first meet a new page 20

client, the only thing they have to judge you by is your appearance. Your appearance has to convey the impression that you are trustworthy and professional. It's very hard to convince someone to buy something from you, when they don't have any trust in you.

Imagine a chap walking into your home with a five day growth on his face, straggly hair, and a shirt with stains on it from yesterday's jobs! What would you think? Wouldn't you feel a little uncomfortable… just a little? You'd probably be trying to devise an excuse to get him out of your house.

So, go to the other extreme and travel the extra yard. Invest in a uniform, ID badge, and professional work trousers. The way you look, has a drastic impact on the amount of work your client would like you to do.

3) Goals Determine in advance what you would like to achieve at this customer's home. Do you want to add her sofas to the cleaning too? Maybe you want to sell her protection for her lounge or even the full house. Or perhaps you'd like to obtain at least five referrals from this customer.

Whatever it is you would like to achieve, put that goal in your mind, and resolve to yourself that nothing is going to stop you!

4) Expectations When you're making an offer to your client, offer it in a way that shows your client that you expect that they'll want to have it and you'd almost be shocked if they didn't.

There is a wrong way and a right way to make your delivery.

You could say, "Err, the protection will work really well for you ... do you want it?" Or use a delivery that shows you expect your customer to buy, "Mrs. Smith, as you

can see, our protection is an outstanding value, it'll save you money, it'll keep your carpet cleaner longer, and you have nothing to lose because we guarantee it in writing. Would you like me to apply it throughout the house or just in the living room, dining room, and hallway?” Don't forget you can apply protection to just the traffic areas or even just in front of the settee! See the difference?

5) A demonstration system The most successful carpet cleaners have mastered the art of the 'demo'. If you want to persuade your customer, that you can make her carpet as clean as new? Give them a demo. Want to persuade your customer to buy protection? Show them how it works. If you're selling your customer a deodoriser let her smell it.

A dramatic demonstration is probably the most powerful convincing tool that you can ever pull out on a customer. You've heard the saying “seeing is believing”. Well that is the reason demos are so powerful. Seeing something performed is inarguable, incontestable proof that it works.

Door to door vacuum salesmen have used the 'demonstration' method for years. I once had a vacuum salesman come to my home (my carpet cleaning background got the better of me) and try to sell me, a £1500.00 vacuum!

Well, I didn't buy one, but the numerous eyeopening demonstrations on the virtues of this 'cleaning machine' almost got me. It was just the demonstration that made this vacuum so appealing.

This chap couldn't even quote a price until he gave all of his forty five minute demonstration. The demonstration was the marketing 'backbone' of his business. Without it, he was some poor sole with an overpriced piece of equipment.

Demonstrations are truly powerful. Use them as often as you can. page 21

‘Indicator’ behaviour of certain dyestuffs

2. Chemical changes (Changes caused by pH-either acid or alkaline) pH is used as a convenient measure of acidity or alkalinity. The scale is from 1 to 14. pH1 indicating strong acidity, pH7 the neutral point and pH14 maximum alkalinity. It is a measure of strength NOT concentration, hence some well known soft drinks having a pH of 1-2, are safe to drink.

Without delving too deeply into colour chemistry it can be generalised that the majority of modern dyes (Direct dyes, Reactive dyes) used to colour cellulosic fibres (Cotton, Viscose Rayon, Linen) contain sulphuric acid groups, these so called acid groups provide the required water solubility to the dyestuff.

Unfortunately, these same groups also impart an ionic charge to the molecule and this charge is influenced by the pH, which can in turn lead to a shade change.

Generally speaking the red and blue dyes are the most affected tending to go greener (yellower) in acid conditions and bluer (redder) in alkaline conditions.

These effects are reversible.

All water based fluorocarbon emulsions (and in fact most emulsions) are not stable under alkaline conditions and are supplied with acidic pH values. Any attempt to move this value to a neutral point would create potential instability and shelf life problems.

In conclusion therefore, these shade changes are well documented and understood to be caused by the required structure of the dyestuff. ŠPalindrome6996

I

t is a frequently observed phenomenon that fabrics can change shade when treated with water-based chemicals. What causes this effect and what, if anything, can be done?

There are two possible reasons for these changes of shade: 1. Physical change Certain cotton or viscose (Rayon) furnishing fabrics such as curtains and mattress ticking are sometimes given a glaze effect, which is achieved by means of applying high pressure in a so called Calendaring machine. The effect achieved depends on moisture content, pressure, and temperature.

However, without additional chemical modification this effect is only temporary, and will disappear when the fabric is next exposed to water or even high humidity. The water causes the fibre to swell and regain its natural structure, thus the fabric changes from having a high reflectance to a dull surface which in turn causes an apparent deepening of the shade. This change is unfortunately permanent.

Moisture content can also have a marked influence on the shade of cellulosic fibres and the true shade is generally accepted to occur only at 65% relative humidity, and an ambient temperature of 20oc. It can take over forty-eight hours for fabrics to revert to this stable state after any wet treatment.

Derek Bolton

page 22

How to hold on to your customers

D

id you know that most companies lose 50% of their customers every five years?

It's estimated that fewer than 10% of UK companies are properly equipped to deal with customer enquiries and complaints. Also when the average customer has a complaint they tell nine other people, and it costs six times as much to replace a customer as it does to keep an existing one.

So what should you be doing to retain your clients? You know that you're good at cleaning carpets and so does your client, but is that enough to help them remember your company next time they want a job doing? The fact is that unless you help your clients to remember you, most will have forgotten you a year later. Some people only think about having their soft furnishings cleaned for an event or after an accident, so they don't always think to keep your number to hand.

The best way to keep your client's interest is to make sure you don't rush off straight after the clean. Instead take time out to explain further the benefits of keeping their soft furnishings cleaned on a regular basis. Talk about the indoor air quality of their homes, why they would need their carpets, mattresses, headboards and upholstery cleaned on a regular basis. Ensure you leave your company information with them. A professional leaflet containing useful information and your contact details is ideal. The NCCA produce an excellent leaflet, displaying information on the removal of common stains and spills, with a space provided for each member to place their own contact information (contact the NCCA office for details).

Once you have left the premises don't just ignore your client. Follow up a day or two later with a 'thank you' card. Send them postcard reminders throughout the year telling them about special offers. Produce a monthly, or quarterly, newsletter for all your clients, including items you feel would be of interest. These don't necessarily have to be

Paul Pearce

about cleaning. You can include jokes (clean!), recipes, anything you like.

Another good idea is to offer awards for referrals?

Perhaps you could offer a money-off voucher to be used on your next clean.

There are many ways to 'woo' a client, but if you don't do any of the above you cannot expect your clients to automatically call you next time.

National Flood School secures BDMA Licensed Training Centre status The National Flood School has been appointed a Licensed Training Centre by the British Damage Management Association (BDMA).

This accreditation sees the National Flood School (NFS) now offer regular courses under the BDMA Licensed Core Damage Management Training programme.

Courses run throughout the year. More details can be found at www.nationalfloodschool.co.uk or by calling the course information team on 01252 821185.

The training runs alongside a comprehensive range of courses from the National Flood School, designed for the flood and fire restoration sectors.

Chris Netherton, managing director of the National Flood School, said: “As a British Damage Management Association Licensed Training Centre, we now deliver levels 1 and 2 of the BDMA Core Damage Management Training Course.”

“This complements both our time-proven and new range of courses for damage restoration professionals.” page 23

A day at the rocks

Keith Robertson

ŠPictures: Keith Robertson

I

only recently learned about the Brimham Rocks in Yorkshire, a location which contains perhaps the most amazing collection of weird and wonderful rock formations in the UK. I was immediately intrigued and decided that I would visit as soon as I had the opportunity.

When next in Yorkshire I explained to Angela (my wife) that she would be given a special treat. As it turned out we were to be in Yorkshire sooner than we expected. Tragically, Andy Alcock, a gentle and gifted musician who also happened to be the UK's leather cleaning and restoration expert, died and we were fortunate to have the opportunity of joining Andy’s wife Judy, their lovely daughter and family members to celebrate his life.

It was a typical June day when I took my wife to visit Brimham Rocks, sat three hundred metres up at the edge of Brimham moor, a National Trust property, which is ten miles North West of Harrogate. As we got out of the car the rain started and our umbrellas were quickly raised.

Nevertheless we soon forgot the inclement conditions, as within a few metres we walked out on to a large slab and in front of us were the first of many amazing sights.

Nature-sculpted pillars, some up to ten metres high, were dotted around

the hillside. Astonishing craggy shapes sometimes capped with large lumps of stone or with natural holes, looking like outlook windows, surrounded us.

Fortunately, the National Trust had laid out a series of interconnecting pathways to allow easy movement around the main part of the site. Right in the centre was an interesting Georgian building, once a hunting lodge and now the National Trust shop and gallery. Unusually some of the outhouses were almost interwoven into the natural rock using it as part of the structures. An added feature were the amazing views from the terrace in front of the house.

The fantastically shaped outcrops of Millstone Grit, a type of sandstone, spread over fifty acres, has been used for centuries for grazing page 24

piece of rock. The general toughness of the stone, animals by the monks from Fountains abbey. Many however, was also quite evident because on closer of the individual formations have been given names inspection sparkling quartz was quite easy to see. such as the Dancing Bear, the Druid's Writing Desk, On some sections, where the rock formed part of the Eagle, the Sphinx and the Idol. There are also the path, wear and tear had exposed quite large caves, holes and tunnels. If any single rock stands pieces of quartz. out amongst the rest, it would have to be the one Millstone Grit, a material found in a number of known as the idol, which is a two hundred ton lump areas, particularly in north of England, takes its on a tiny twelve inch plinth, almost like a golf ball name from one of the principal uses of the coarse set on a tee. sandstone which proved to be an ideal material to In 1754 one writer recorded that the stone shape into millstones. The name Millstone Grit is features were constructed by the druids. Various applied to a number of different sandstones that theories suggest that the unusual features were share its properties of containing coarse angular produced to enable ceremonies and forms of grains of material. It was quarried in various areas worship. For a time ideas like these were generally for around five hundred years, possibly starting in accepted and there were some even more fanciful the 14th Century and carrying on to the early 19th theories, some including the devil. It wasn't until Century, and the stone was used not only for the mid 1800's that it had become alright to accept millstones and other agricultural uses, such as that these were in fact natural features. animal troughs, but also for building stone and for These unusual gritstone rock formations are tors, flagstones and roofing panels. or small rock peaks, which have been exposed by Brimham rocks are also popular with climbers and the weathering of surrounding rock. there are now six hundred and eighty nine Geologists tell us that in the north of Yorkshire recorded climbs ranging from straightforward to millions of years ago there were was a very technical. Schools and colleges send students mountainous range, of Himalayan proportions, and in to teach them the fundamentals of climbing. that from this an enormous river brought down This is a place where all the sand, grit, pebbles of quartz family regardless of age can and feldspar into a vast delta have fun. It is described by covering perhaps half of what the National Trust as a is now Yorkshire. It was then natural theme park where deposited in layers which children can run wild. Other solidified into tough than paying to park your car sandstone. Successive eras of there is no further charge to changing weather patterns visit the rocks. including wind, water, Was my wife disappointed temperature variation and the with her special treat? Of last ice-age have all taken a course not, despite the toll on this material and the weather she liked it enough softer sections have been to buy me a silk collage eroded and scoured away produced by local artist Jane leaving the remaining exposed Carlisle. Now both of us can sections of the sandstone.

Brimham Rocks - The Idol by local remember a truly wonderful The marks from natures artist Jane Carlisle visit to Yorkshire. wear was quite clear on each page 25

Microbiology revisited - growth of microorganisms Peter Collins

I

n an ever increasingly technical world, those of you that want to stay ahead of the curve and have a thirst for extra knowledge might find this article an interesting insight in to a subject beyond the boundaries of normal fire and flood restoration.

Estimation Methods There are two methods used for estimating the growth of microorganisms in any particular sample. The first type is the total count method, which estimates the growth based on all cells whether alive or dead. The second type is the total viable count, by which only the growth of live cells under experimental conditions is estimated.

Total count A drop of the sample is placed on a haemocytometer slide and the cover slip is carefully lowered into position. The numbers of cells present in several squares are counted and the average value of the count is obtained. Each haemocytometer is marked, giving the area of the particular squares ruled on it and the volume of sample contained on the slide. Thus the number of cells per ml of the original sample can be calculated.

Turbidity Method The culture is grown under controlled conditions.

Samples are removed and their extinction value read on an absorptiometer against a suitable standard (often water). Readings can sometimes be made directly but with others of dark colour this is not possible. In such cases the sample is centrifuged and the cells are washed and suspended in a set volume of a buffer, or saline solution, and extinction values obtained on this suspension. It may be necessary to dilute the sample before the extinction value can be read. These are then compared with a calibration curve and are thus translated into figures representing growth.

Calibration Curves The organism is grown under the experimental conditions and extinction values are read during a series of dilutions of the culture. These are then plotted against cell numbers, dry weight and cell Nitrogen. Cell number is obtained by the direct count method and the other two are calculated as follows. A set of five samples of the densest suspension, with equal volume to the original, are pipetted in to the absorptiometer then put in tared centrifuge tubes. The cells are spun down, then washed and, for dry weight determinations, dried at 105째C until constant weight is obtained. To determine cell Nitrogen the cells are suspended in an equal amount of water and the nitrogen is estimated, the centrifuge tubes need not be tared during this test. As dry weight and total Nitrogen are estimated on the highest concentration of cells, the average of the five samples is used and the individual readings should be in good agreement.

The estimates for dry weight and total Nitrogen, at page 26

the dilution values used for determining extinction estimates, are then obtained by calculation from the figure obtained of the most concentrated suspension. These are then plotted against the extinction readings and a calibration curve is drawn.

Dry Weight Dry weight can be used directly as a measure of growth. The cells are centrifuged down in a tared tube, washed and dried at 105째C, until a constant weight is obtained. This is a method used more for fungi than other microorganisms, because of the growth form of many fungi, which does not allow uniform suspensions to be made and thus introduces much error into the methods previously described. Fungi which grow as mats in liquid media are taken as a whole and dried at 105째C to a constant weight.

Area Increase This method is generally used for fungi growing on solid media. Single spores are inoculated on to the centre of a Petri plate and the area of Mycelium is measured at set time intervals. It is usual to measure across several diameters so as to compensate for any irregularity in the growth form.

Total Viable Count Samples or dilutions are inoculated into tubes of melted sterile medium, cooled to 50째C, mixed well by rotation of the tubes and poured on to Petri plates and incubated. The resulting number of colonies growing on the plates is counted and an average value obtained. This method assumes that each colony results from a single cell in the sample and if the sample size is known, a viable count can be calculated.

Growth Curves Growth curves are obtained by plotting the amount of cells measured in a stated manner against time.

These follow the same general pattern, which is a slow period (the lag phase), followed by a period of rapid growth (the log phase), then a static time called the stationary phase and finally a period of deceleration, where the curve starts to fall.

If curves are drawn for total counts and total viable counts, then it is clearly seen that the total count is greater than the total viable count. In general it is not often found necessary to use the viable count.

Calculation of Generation Time The calculation of the generation time is particularly important in continuous culture processes. It is often necessary to establish this before such processes can be operated, because in some types of continuous system, the flow rates of medium input and culture output must be controlled to coincide with the reproduction of the culture. The following examples may explain more fully.

P = Number of organisms at the start of the experiment Q = Number of organisms at the end of the experiment N = Number of generations G = Generation time Q = P x 2 at the end of the first generation Q = P x 2N at the end of the Nth generation LogQ = LogP + 2LogN G = Time/N (This assumes organism divides into two) Estimation of Numbers of Virus Particles The numbers of bacteriophage particles are estimated by adding the phage to an inoculated bacterial plate, the number of plaques (clear areas) forming on the plate on incubation are then counted. Each plaque is considered to have arisen from a single bacteriophage particle and, as the volume of the phage solution is known, the number of particles per millilitre of solution can be calculated.

Next in this series: Enzyme activity, products, substrates and other substances. page 27

“I’m afraid there is no money” “Dear Chief Secretary, I'm afraid there is no money”. minous words from Liam Byrne for the incoming Treasury Chief Secretary and a message the coalition Government is keen to highlight - that in the record budget deficit they have inherited a mountain to climb.

In a recent Forum of Private Business survey, 77% of respondents stated that the Government's first priority should be paying off the national debt, which is expected to swell to £178 billion. The new administration appears to agree.

In his first speech as Prime Minister, David Cameron stated that the coalition's aims would be "Getting the deficit down and keeping it down….to restrain inflationary pressures, allow interest rates to remain lower for longer and create the space for private sector investment".

Despite the inevitable pain that will come with reducing the gaping hole in the public finances, most small business leaders recognise that economic stability is central to their future prosperity. They just don't want to be made to suffer unfairly in the name of fiscal responsibility.

A major issue for SMEs under the previous government, over-taxation continues to fire entrepreneurs' passions despite tax reductions that have been announced recently.

Bigger businesses often use their size to engage in what amounts to tax-avoidance and can easily afford to keep on top of tax administration.

In addition, the Chancellor intends to reverse

O

Phil McCabe (FPB)

most of Labour's planned increase in employers' National Insurance contributions, which had been scheduled to take place in 2011. This is a welcome move, but is it enough to reassure anxious small business owners? At least part of the 'tax on employment' remains, even if it will not apply to most workers in the majority of small businesses.

The Forum has long insisted that it is essential the excessive tax burden on small businesses is eased to allow them to compete more effectively with their larger counterparts.

Further, under the last government, excessive red tape proved to be one of the costliest headaches faced by entrepreneurs, particularly smaller employers.

Last year, according to the Forum's 'cost of compliance' survey, the organisation found that complying with regulations costs smaller employers £9.3 billion per year. On average, small businesses spend thirty seven hours each month on bureaucratic administration.

For larger companies, red tape is not such a major problem. They are able to set aside entire departments to deal with new business laws.

However, for small businesses, even those with directors and just a handful of employees, the administrative responsibilities often rest entirely with the business owner.

In a speech to the CASS Business School the new Business Secretary, Vince Cable, set out an action page 28

plan to remove excessive red tape and hopefully stimulate further growth for small businesses.

The changes include creating a star chamber to oversee the reduction of regulation with the specific aim of helping SMEs to comply. He also announced an immediate review of all laws in the pipeline, including those inherited from the previous government, and the introduction of a 'one in one out' approach to lawmaking.

On the same subject, the vast majority of small business owners, many of whom have suffered from

Items for sale MACHINERY AND CHEMICALS FOR SALE 2 carpet machines Rhino 500 PSI, heater and twin vacs, complete with hoses and wands. 1 carpet machine Rhino 300PSI, heater and twin vacs, complete with hose and wand. Host dry cleaning machine and powder. Various chemicals. For further details and prices, please call Lee Cooper on 07770 226454.

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 £30,000 O.N.O. Contact : Tel: 0141 941 2510. E-Mail: spotless@ntlworld.com

BUSINESS FOR SALE

depleted confidence recently, were given a timely boost by the announcement that the hated process of 'gold plating' European legislation will also be tackled.

Finally, Mr Cable set out his aim to improve the flow of liquidity from publicly subsidised banks to SMEs, a serious problem for those struggling to access affordable finance to ease cash-flow worries or invest in their businesses.

Small businesses are the drivers of economic prosperity. SMEs provide almost 60% of private sector employment in the UK and 99.9% of businesses in the UK are classified as 'small'.

Clearly, smaller firms are the backbone of British industry and are integral to sustained and effective recovery from the financial crisis. Going forward, in order to nurture the fragile recovery we have seen recently, the new government must provide clear and strong leadership, coupled with bold policies, in addressing these key issues over the coming months.

Small, long-established, reputable NCCA Registered, working carpet, upholstery & soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE & Dry Cleaning System. Domestic & Commercial Clients.

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

TRUCKMOUNT FOR SALE Thinking of moving up to the big time and bigger contracts but can't risk £20,000+ investment in new large commercial machine - here's your chance to go for it without the big outlay. Steam Genie Sizzler machine complete with suction and water hoses on large easy to use reel with the power to support two operatives working at same time, a real money spinner. Less than 3000 hours on clock and has never failed to deliver. Only £2250 - 10% of outlay for 100% of return!

Contact j.murphycarpetcare@sky.com or Tel 07880 728301 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

New NCCA Members FULL MEMBERS Steampro Coulsdon, Surrey

NCCA Associate Members + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 0845 130 4755 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01322 227806 (C/M/E)

NCCA Shop

+ Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C)

There are a number of items available 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.

+ Camberford Law: 0208 315 5000 (I)

+ PAS86 Code of Practice £40.00 each

+ Cleaning Support Ltd: 0844 8482371 (C/M/W)

+ 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 + Promotional Leaflet 10p each (under 500), 8.5p each (500 and over) + NCCA Tie £12.93 each All prices include VAT and Postage and packaging.

A receipt invoice will be sent by the office. Please allow 21 days for delivery. Goods cannot be sent until payment is received.

+ 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 Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Dri-Eaz: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Drizone Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Forum of Private Business: 01565 634467 + Giles Insurance Brokers Ltd: 0141 285 3300 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Homeserve at Home: 0870 320 3333 + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr) + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + 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)

NCCA Member Benefits

+ Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A)

+ Amicus Legal Ltd (free legal helpline): 01206 366500

+ ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr)

+ SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860

+ Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 (C)

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

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

+ Brian James (Marketing Consultant): 08450 608860

+ The Leather Training & Tech. Dept: 01423 881027 (T)

+ Thompson Local (Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department) 01252 390385 + Yellow Pages (Ask for Corporate Advertising Department) 0808 100 7890

+ 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

HERE AT CHEMSPEC EUROPE WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT TRAFFIC LANE CLEANERS! For details on the choice available ask for our July newsletter or look on our website Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com