ICS Cleaning Specialist November 2011

NOV EMBER 2 0 11 Cleaning Specialist For Fo F or Today’ Today’s y s Floor Care and Restoration Professional Proffession...

Author: Jeffrey Stouffer

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NOV EMBER 2 0 11

Cleaning Specialist For Fo F or Today’ Today’s y s Floor Care and Restoration Professional Proffessional

How to Get OPM

Executing Your Direct Mail Campaign Is It Time to Quit?

A Concrete Approach to W W W.I C S M A G .C O M

Cleaning Concrete Page 18

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2011

November Vol.50 No.11

Features & Columns 14

How to Get OPM

18

A Concrete Approach to Cleaning Concrete

24

Executing Your Direct Mail Campaign

28

New Carpet Odor – What’s the Real Issue?

32

Breaking Down the Business of Bio-recovery

38

Finding Your Golden Nugget: The Value of Events

40

Game Plan: The Cleaning Process

42

Is It Time to Quit?

52

18

By Steve Toburen

By Gordon Hanks

14

By John Braun

28

By Jeff Bishop

By Jeffrey Stouffer, editor

32

By Howard Partridge

Departments

By Noel Frank

By Dave DeBlander

Civil War Monument Feels the Benefit of Blasting By Darren George

To subscribe to ICS L!VE go to www.icsmag.com OR use your smartphone’s QR Reader and subscribe now!

6 8 10 11 12 44 49 50 54 55 56 57 58

Editorial Comment eRants & Raves eMedia In My Experience News, Views & Events New Products & Technologies Advertiser Index Buyers’ Marketplace CFI News PACR News CRA News SCRT News CRCII News

ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST (ISSN 1522-4708) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST, P.O. Box 2146, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

4

Cleaning Specialist | November 2011

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Editorial Comment By Jeffrey

Stouffer

In Clean We Trust

A

t the IICRC’s mid-October meeting last month, there were a few things that took place that shook up the usually staid meeting structure, not the least of which was a complete overhaul of the organization’s identity: say goodbye to the IICRC, and say hello to The Clean Trust. “Although the name is new, the focus on cleaning, restoration and inspection, the three core areas of expertise, will remain the same,” said immediate past Chairman Paul Pearce. “Everything The Clean Trust does – hard surface inspection, water damage restoration, carpet cleaning and more – ties back to its mission to identify and promote an international standard of care that establishes and maintains the health, safety and welfare of the built environment.”

As part of the restructuring, board members will now be elected on a rotating basis, with a three-year term. Additionally, the board will be limited to 15 members to create and sustain strategic governance and achieve organizational excellence. “In the strategic plan the organization adopted last April, we outlined the organization’s goals for governance moving forward. The new board structure is a result of The Clean Trust working to accomplish these goals,” said newly elected Chairman Darrell Paulson. New board members were elected to serve a one-, two- or three-year term to start the rotation of terms. In addition to his position as Chairman of The Clean Trust BOD, Paulson will also serve as Chairman of the executive committee. Additional executive committee officers include Craig Jasper, First Vice President; Pete Duncanson, Second Vice President; Tony Wheelwright, International Vice President and Chairman of the Certification Council; Lonnie McDonald, Treasurer; Dan Mabesoone, Secretary; and Paul Pearce, Immediate Past Chairman. Patrick Winters will continue to serve as The Clean Trust President and CEO. “The Clean Trust thanks all outgoing board members for their years of service and helping set the organization on a strong path forward. Without their input and decisions, we would not be in the position of strength that we are today,” Paulson said in a statement. “We look forward to their continued involvement in The Clean Trust as the passion for their work is unmatched.” For more information on The Clean Trust, go to www.iicrc.org/namechangefaq. shtml. 6


®

Publisher ] Evan Kessler Eastern Regional Manager ] Chris Dunham Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy Editor ] Jeffrey Stouffer Sr. Art Director ] Rick Arvidson Art Director ] Manda Chan Production Manager ] Amy Levin CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Jeff Bishop, John Braun, Dave DeBlander, Aaron Groseclose, Gordon Hanks, Stanley Quentin Hulin, Howard Partridge, Steve Toburen, Ruth Travis, Noel Frank

BNP Media Company, II, L.L.C. Publishing and Sales Office: 22801 Ventura Blvd., Suite 115 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Phone: (818) 224-8035, Fax: (818) 224-8042 E-mail: [email protected] Publisher ] Evan Kessler (303) 255-1263 Eastern Regional Manager ] Chris Dunham (410) 327-8919 Western Regional Manager ] Jim Roy (818) 224-8035, ext. 2215 Classified Sales Manager ] Sharon Ward (847) 405-4017 CORPORATE OFFICE: 2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 700 Troy, MI 48084 www.bnpmedia.com CORPORATE DIRECTORS Publishing ] John R. Schrei Corporate Strategy ] Rita M. Foumia Marketing ] Ariane Claire Production ] Vincent M. Miconi Finance ] Lisa L. Paulus Creative ] Michael T. Powell Directories ] Nikki Smith Human Resources ] Marlene J. Witthoft Information Technology: ] Scott Krywko Clear Seas Director ] Beth A. Surowiec AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience Development Coordinator ] Christina Gietzen Multimedia Specialist ] Alison Illes Audience Audit Coordinator ] Carolyn M. Alexander

BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information Single Copy Sales Ann Kalb Tel. (248) 244-6499 E-mail: [email protected] For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Tel. (847) 763-9534 or Fax (847) 763-9538 or Email [email protected] Web: www.icsmag.com List Rental Postal contact:

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ICS eRants & Raves Questions, Insights and Outbursts from ICSmag.com

A Sea Change in

Headache

I’ve Got a , and It’s Got Truckmount Written All Over It

Certifications,

During the wintertime or on rainy days when I need to keep my van closed up while my tm is running, it occasionally causes me to get a headache. The buildup of exhaust inside the van can cause a pretty bad headache while driving down the road. When I’m able to leave the doors open, the exhaust is usually aired out, but not on rainy days or really cold winter days when the doors need to stay closed. Has anyone else experienced this problem? I have a slide-in tm that burns kerosene for heat and it does burn pretty clean. I usually try to work so the wind can pass through the truck, or I’ll keep my back doors open and cover up things I don’t want to get wet. I think I may need get some high-temp duct pipe and divert the exhaust further away from my van. I know the electric tm owner will love this opportunity to chime in here.

–Tim H.

How Low Should You Go When It’s Slow? OK, here is what I would like to know. Things are slow for me right now, and should that make any difference in the way I bid jobs? I have a chance to bid on three Wendy’s, and each store is about 850 square feet. I know what they were paying before and it is below what I normally charge. They will be cleaned every 60 days and always at night. What would you bid? – Jesse L.

But Will It Really Matter? I am a proponent of education and certification. I go to as many certification classes as I can. I send my techs at considerable cost, because I want them to be educated so they can provide a high level of service to our customers, but it is a personal choice. I or anyone can operate in our industry wether or not we pass the test or even take the test. So the businesses that care are probably using the IICRC standards as a base line for their personal standards and are most likely operating at a much higher standard regardless of how easy the test is or where the classes are located. The businesses who don’t value training will continue to operate the way they always have no matter how high the bar is set. My point being, what is the need for re-vamping the format in an industry that requires no licensing or code enforcement? The ones who will, will, the ones who won’t, won’t.

– Ed P.

Calendar of Industry Events Let’s All Go to the Movies…For Real, Real Cheap A friend of mine forwarded this on to me. I was like WOW...and here I thought the big guys did jobs like this: “Needing Carpet Cleaners With Your Own Portable Machines To Clean Carpets At The AMC Movie Theaters between 12am till 6am Sunday Thru Thursday. Also To Clean Chairs In All The Cinemas. $10 per hour for carpet cleaning helpers & chair cleaners $13 per hour must have your own portable carpet cleaning machine max 200 psi. Must have your own transportation. Serious Inquiries Only!”

– Chad Ideas and inspiration for the industry, by the industry. For more go to the ICS and CFC Bulletin Boards at www.icsmag.com. 8


Conventions & Trade Shows

Jan. 17-19, 2012: International Disaster Conference and Expo, New Orleans. Go to www.internationaldisasterconference.com for more information.

Jan. 22-26: Insights 2012. Austin, Texas. Go to www.insightsconference.com for more information.

Feb. 16-17: Xactware User Conference 2012. Salt Lake City. Go to www.xactware.com for more information.


ICS eMedia An Offline Look at What’s Happening Online

Stay Vigilant as the War on

For more go to www.icsmag.com

Mold Matures

Those in the carpet cleaning and restoration industry a decade or more ago likely remember when mold concerns and litigation were sweeping the country. Many building owners were worried that it might become “the next asbestos” in terms of the volume of lawsuits and the staggering amounts of money awarded victims. Litigation increased in the mid-2000s, when entire buildings were closed because of mold. For instance, in 2006, the University of Colorado at Boulder closed a campus building because employees and building users began complaining about flu-like symptoms every time they entered the facility, symptoms later blamed on toxic mold. However, this and similar unfortunate cases had a positive result: it caused builders, property managers, and the carpet cleaning industry to take mold seriously, looking for ways to identify it and prevent its growth. And largely, their efforts have been successful. In recent years, the number of mold lawsuits has declined, as have the awards won in court cases. — From the Web Exclusive feature “Mold Awareness” by Mark Baxter

Got to Find a Way to Get the

Momentum Going Again

Many carpet cleaning/ restoration companies seem to grow to a certain size and then proceed to get stuck there for years and years. Why is that and what can be done about it? If you could move your business from $150,000 in yearly sales to $400,000, how would that change your life? What about $400,000 to a million? Perhaps you have been working for years and years and can’t seem to get ahead or have a lifestyle that allows you to do what you really want to do. Let’s face it; you may be stuck and wondering what this “Be your own boss” thing is all about. Here’s one thought that may encourage you somewhat; you are not alone! Millions of business owners are stuck, so the more important question is, “How does one get unstuck?”

— From the Web Exclusive feature “10 Ways to Get Unstuck” by Dave DeBlander

The ICSmag.com Web

Poll:

The biggest challenge I face when talking with clients is: 34% Getting them to understand the scope of the problem 6% Convincing them I understand the scope of the problem 28% Establishing and maintaining reasonable expectations

Racing Toward the Floor Finish Line Any floor care professional can tell tales of shortcuts used to expedite the floor finish process. From thin coating to missing corners and edges, the process can be laborious and painstaking, causing users to skip steps and make mistakes. However, improper application of finish diminishes the floor’s appearance, possibly leaving building occupants and visitors with a bad impression of the facility. It can also result in unnecessary product and labor costs associated with floor repair. New innovations in floor finish applicators are making the process easier and more effective. While some users prefer traditional mop-and-bucket methods, these new innovations have floor care professionals racing to the floor finish line to save time and money while improving worker productivity, increasing quality and limiting harmful impact on the environment.

32% Getting paid 10


— From the Web Exclusive feature “The Floor Finish Line” by Tom Boscher

In My Experience…

When a Trickle Becomes a Torrent By

W

e were working with a first-time client in Beverly Hills, It was a big job, a high-end two-story house, and the client contracted to have us do all the carpet, all the tile in the home; it was a nice job.

Gabriel Peretti

There were three or four of us all told. I started with the tile in the master bathroom, so I laid the hoses from the bathroom all the way through the master bedroom, down the hall, down the stairs

and into the truck. There I am, working away in the shower, when one of my helpers comes tearing into the room. “Gabriel! Gabriel! There’s water coming down through the ceiling in the living room!” Anyone who’s been in this business for any length of time knows exactly the feeling that hit me right then. I dropped everything, ran and turned the machine off…and I realized the bedroom carpet is a lake. What happened is, one of the quick connects developed a crack from metal fatigue. With the high pressure, that quick connect started leaking. I was in the shower working, so I didn’t see it start to happen, and everyone else was working downstairs. The point here is that it could be very smart to make your first section of hose – at least the pressure hose – 100 feet long before your first quick connect. That way, in most homes, you won’t have QCs inside the home; you’ll be outside before you need the first one. It can save you a big headache. The whole thing was extremely embarrassing, as you might imagine. I spent a week on that restoration, the ceiling, the carpet, the drywall, painting, etc. It was not a cheap apology. Had I had 100 feet of hose to start with, it would have saved me a lot of time and money. Luckily, in the end everything worked out as well as you could ask for. She was very understanding and is still a client to this day. We ended up on good terms, and she was very pleased with the work we did. That said, I haven’t had anything of that scope happen to me since, and here’s hoping it will never happen again.

Gabriel Peretti owned and operated Reseda, Calif.-based CleanCrafters for over 25 years. He recently joined forces with Zerorez, an advanced technology carpet and living surfaces care company. Gabriel is past president of the Carpet and Fabricare Institute, and holds numerous IICRC certfications, including CCT, CMT, RCT, WQRT, AMRT, MTC and ASD. You can reach him at [email protected].

November 2011 | www.icsmag.com

11

News, Views & Events

Crapo wins “Pumptec Challenge” During the 2011 Connections Convention and Trade Show, contestants were challenged to see how quickly they could assemble the Pumptec series 112v 200 PSI pump. On the final day of the show those with the top three times competed for a cash prize of $250. With an amazing time of 56 seconds, Jody Crapo of Utah rose as the victor. “None of the top three contestants had ever assembled the 112v pump head before the Connections Convention, which is a testament to the simplicity of its design,” said Pumptec, Inc. Sales Manager Shawn Glover. Pumptec.com

Powr-Flite Troubleshooter: The art of museum floor care Powr-Flite’s Troubleshooter identifies some specific challenges cleaning professionals may encounter when maintaining floors in museums or similar facilities: “When applying coats of finish, cleaning professionals often ask how to tell when the finish is dry so another coat can be applied,” says Huong Pham, product manager for Powr-Flite. “One way is to place a piece of tissue on the floor, step on it and twist it under your foot. If it does not tear, it is usually okay to apply another coat.” Powr-flite.com

More than 4,000 join Legend Brands loyalty program since 2009 Flood and fire restorers from across North America can’t find enough good to say about the Planning to Win symposium held April 18-22 in Las Vegas. A maximum-capacity, sold-out room enjoyed a dynamic week of information and tools vital to successful business marketing. Recognized for continuing education by both the IICRC and RIA, Planning to Win focuses on the everyday business needs of cleaning and restoration companies large and small. Participants depart with valuable and applicable information on marketing strategies, preferred vendor programs, six-step marketing process, adjustor negotiations, documentation, and hands-on executable marketing plans. Planning to Win is held three times a year. The next symposium will be held in Las Vegas, Nov. 7-9.

RSA launches new online training RSA Online will be offering courses on a variety of cleaning and restoration topics, including water and fire damage restoration, microbial remediation, carpet and upholstery care, legal issues and more. Over the next few months RSA will be adding many more topics, including full-length courses that qualify for RSA Certification. To launch the project, RSA is offering three sample courses for free. Visitors can view the courses, take a quiz at the end, and revisit the courses any time they wish. These modules can be completed at the user’s convenience from any Web-enabled computer. RSA Online courses are designed to be dynamic, interactive and visual by demonstrating and showing the practical applications of course content. ProsLearn.com

Subscribe now at

www.icsmag.com 12



To Your Success

By

Steve Toburen

Steve Toburen sold his carpet cleaning and restoration business and retired at the age of 38. He now serves as Director of Training for Jon-Don’s Strategies for Success program and created their Value Added Service for Technicians seminar. JonDon is the exclusive distributor for Steve’s “Winning on the Home Front” line of audio customer service programs. For more information call (800) 556-6366 or go to Jon-Don’s new information resource for all carpet cleaners at SFS.JonDon.com Steve welcomes your comments and/or questions at [email protected]

How to Get OPM “Three groups spend Other People’s Money: children, thieves, politicians. All three need supervision.” – Dick Armey

G

ordon Gekko made the acronym “OPM” famous in the movie Wall Street by going after “Other People’s Money.” But you need to focus on a different OPM: Other People Marketing… for you! All carpet cleaners have to get the word out on their services. Twenty years ago a carpet cleaner’s advertising dollar would usually be split between the newspaper and the Yellow Pages. Today, due to declining readership, these mass mediums are usually a complete disaster. Focus now on that word “mass.” When you advertise to a large population, you pay dearly for that huge exposure. The problem? You literally are looking for the needle in the haystack! Think about it: what are the odds of someone reading a newspaper ad and recognizing that their carpets need to be cleaned right now and actually writing down your number and giving you a call? Pretty slim, right? And yet you are paying for each and every person who is

14


exposed to your message including the 99.9999% who have no need of (or don’t want) your services at that point in time! In the past, the theory was that this “institutional advertising” would build your brand. And yes, it is a great goal to “emotionally brand” your company. But selling yourself only through massmarket advertising is a very slow and expensive process. The better alternative has always been the ever-elusive word-of-mouth advertising. After all, when a delighted past customer recommends you this referral confers the “Crown of Third Party Credibility” upon you! But getting your residential clients to consistently refer you is a tricky proposition, now more so than ever. Why? Because our increasingly mobile population has become more and more disconnected. Think about it: how often do you do more than just casually wave at your neighbors? (I’ll discuss ways to tap in to social networking referrals in an upcoming To Your Success column.)

Plus, it is tough to keep that coveted “Top of Mind Awareness” in even your most delighted customers. (Translation: people forget about you!) But now imagine having dozens, even hundreds, of business “hubs” out there referring your services and at little or no cost to you! You’ll develop these centers of influence among businesses that serve the same type of clients who already use your services. Marketing expert Bill Yeadon calls this strategy…

1

OPM is worth its weight in gold

2

Hub marketing fits with any industry

3

Build relationships, and you build your business.

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Find us on Facebook

To Your Success

Hub Marketing Your goal? To develop relationships with other small businesses that will consistently send their clients to your company. Let’s look at a few good hub marketing candidates and how to motivate them to refer your services:

Veterinarians. Dogs (and cats) really are a carpet cleaner’s best friends! So you should cultivate the professionals who serve this industry. So offer to clean vets offices one time for free to “strut your stuff.” Or give them a coupon good for a free cleaning

Circle 28 on the Free Information Page 16


(and deodorization) of their own living room, dining room and hall. Ditto on pet groomers, pet spas, pet boarding facilities and the big pet superstores. You should focus on the whole pet culture. Remember, pet owners spend over $50 billion per year on their loved ones. Just how attached are pets to their masters? Forty-two percent of all dogs sleep in their owner’s beds! Even better for you, many of these little furry balls of delight are merrily peeing away inside their owner’s homes! So how can you access this “income stream”? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) Remember that pet owners are a gregarious bunch who love to display and show off their animals. So look for pet walks, parades and shows and offer to be a sponsor. Many times your company can be on-site giving away free food, water or treats to the doggies and kitties and their owners! And be sure to support your Humane Society’s fund raising efforts. Note: Type “pet charity events” with the name of your city into Google and see how many great pet PR opportunities you have locally. Furniture and carpet stores. Most furniture and flooring stores have someone on staff who helps clients choose colors and interior textiles. Plus, retailers constantly have problems that you can help them with: spots or shipping damage on upholstered furniture, tracked up carpets due to idiot installers plus their own store needs the carpets maintained. Help them with these challenges and you will become their go-to-guy when they refer a cleaner to their clients. (In our next “To Your Success” I’ll share some great ideas on how to formalize and streamline a win-win referral relationship between you and a carpet retailer.) Interior designers. These people work in a very rarified atmosphere. They have close relationships with wealthy and very discriminating customers- exactly the sort of people you want to work for. So get to know designers; become a resource for them. Clean their showroom or home one time for free, then see where your new relationship leads. Or give interior designers bottles of your Lifetime Free carpet spotter (with your logo and contact info on it) to hand out for free to their clients. Appliance delivery services. These folks bring some very expensive appliances in to some very exclusive homes. In the process they get to know your high-end customer and/or track up their carpets! Either way they very likely may be a source of some very profitable work! (It is often worthwhile to discount your services when you fix a delivery service’s boo-boo just to build a future relationship with the homeowner.) Real estate agents. Real estate professionals are your contacts

own personal buying. Or ask your hub business if they have coupons they would like you to hand out to your clients that need their services. If you do be sure to write your name on it so when the coupon is redeemed you get the credit for the referral! Above all else, have your act together. If you screw up a client your hub has recto people new in town and/or who often need your services. So make yourself valuable to them. Hint: When you clean the vacant home include a free traffic lane cleaning the realtor can use later to touch up the carpets down the road. Those “Open House” showings can be tough on carpets! Note: Some carpet cleaners offer real estate agents a kick back (disguised as a “finder’s fee”) for referring them. However, this practice will offend many agents. Instead, help them with your free traffic lane cleaning touch-up offer and they’ll love your forever! All of these hub marketing referral areas will be huge resources for you. But remember- you only get one chance with any of these professionals. So a few essential reminders: Don’t expect immediate results. It usually takes time (and repeated visits) to break into the consciousness of your targeted hub business. So keep stopping by and working on the relationship. Hint: The pharmaceutical industry has learned that food is a great way to break down barriers to doctor’s medical practices. So bringing in high-end candy, donuts or other favorite foods is a neat route to the hearts of your hub’s employees, which reminds me… Don’t just focus on the owner or manager. Your goal is to build relationships with all of your hub’s employees. So on your first visit try and learn all the employee’s names. Write them down in your hub marketing route log where you track your visits, what you discussed and when to make your next visit. Do the old “quid pro quo.” Obviously, you will want to support those companies who support you. Do so with your

ommended, then it reflects poorly on them. So make sure you give these precious referrals the deluxe treatment. Even better, blow these referred clients away with your Value Added Service and they will become new homeowner Cheerleader hubs for your services! Remember, nothing beats Other People Marketing…for you!

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Circle 26 on the Free Information Page November 2011 | www.icsmag.com

17

The Gadget Man

By

Gordon Hanks

Bridgewater Corp. CEO Gordon Hanks got the nickname “Gadget Man” as a result of his brainchild that developed into one of the industry’s leading cleaning and restoration accessories. The Gadget man series is about making life easier and improving profitability. For more information call (800) 658-5314 or e-mail [email protected].

A Concrete Approach to Cleaning Concrete “Really, you can get that clean?” my customer asked skeptically as I explained my ability to clean his garage floor.

“Y

es,” I answered, “I think you’ll be amazed with what I can do.” I wouldn’t have been as confident 10 or 15 years ago. Allow me to explain: One of my first commercial carpet cleaning jobs involved the carpeted (yes, carpeted) showroom of a car dealership. This poor carpet had been literally driven over, spilled on, dripped on, and generally abused for years. My brother Rob and I worked for over 8 hours with our little squirt-and-suck machines to get this mess looking good, and it wasn’t a big showroom. This was in the early 70’s, just as truckmounts were coming to market and we didn’t have one yet, so this job just about killed us. As I look back at the good/bad old days of cleaning, it actually amazes and gratifies me to see how our success and proficiency at cleaning has progressed as our tools have improved. In fact, our tool selection now allows us to diversify

18


in areas we never thought possible years ago. But I digress. I ventured into the shop of this particular dealership and noted the heavily soiled and greasy concrete floor where they serviced vehicles. It never occurred to me to suggest to the management that I could clean that floor for them. Well, today I am going to encourage you to do just that: tell your customers that you can clean their concrete garage floors. Before I jump into an explanation of the tools and procedures for cleaning concrete, I feel like I should suggest another diversification that will supply you with more business and simply makes a lot of sense: tile and grout cleaning. I imagine that most of you are already involved in this lucrative cleaning opportunity. I bring it up because if you are involved in tile and grout cleaning, you generally have all the tools necessary for basic concrete cleaning.

1

Concrete is not the conundrum it once was

2

Talk about serious add-on sales potential

3

Nothing screams “sign me up” like a good demonstration of what you can do


The Gadget Man

I say “basic” because today I am going to describe simple concrete cleaning as you would do in your customer’s garage. We will leave for another day the tools and accessories needed for more technical work, such as densifying and polishing concrete. If you are in the business of tile and grout cleaning, your should have a rotary jet powered extraction tool, an edging tool, a grout brush, and various sprayers for applying solution. When taking on concrete, add to your tool box a stiff push broom and an all-plastic sprayer capable of handling acid-based products. Now let’s examine some of the other components to this equation.

The Customer Let’s not get ahead of ourselves without first talking about the customer and the sales process. If you are already set up in the house and cleaning carpet or even better, tile and grout, then it is a simple transformation to be ready to clean their garage floor. Chances are the customer will be so pleased with what you have done with their carpet or tile, a simple suggestion to them that you can also apply the same expertise to clean their garage floor, will get you the job.

The Price Generally, the customer will ask, “How much does that cost?” This is something for you to figure out. Practice cleaning your own garage, your neighbor’s or in-laws’. You will get an idea of what is required as far as time, chemicals and equipment. The garage (or other concrete surface) will generally be an add-on to the work you were originally hired to do, so you do not have the extra drive and set-up time I would suggest at a minimum you want to be grossing $100 per hour during the cleaning, then add sealing to the equation to really boost your profit.

The Demo and Prequalification A leading stone and tile trainer in the industry, Dane Gregory says that “whatever you tell your client before you begin the process is considered a professional opinion, whatever you tell Circle 24 on the Free Information Page 20


them after you have not met their expectations is an excuse.” So this is important when it comes to most concrete cleaning: under-promise and over-perform. I suggest you do a small test area for your customer to make sure they are OK with the results. You might say something like this in explaining your process: “Mrs. Jones, the nature of concrete is quite porous and with the different oils and fluids that drip from the car, they will actually penetrate beyond just the surface deeper into the core. Imagine the months and years this oil has to penetrate and you can see why it is a challenge

to get it out. The good news is we can be very effective at getting the greases and oil from the surface but there will most likely be some lingering stains from those penetrating oils. Even with that I expect you will be happy with the results. Would you like me to clean a small section to give you feel for what to expect?” Now with your customer’s approval and realistic expectations set, you are ready to clean. You should have a minimum of 800 PSI water pressure available, with 1,000–1,200 PSI preferable. You will use the rotary pressure tool to accomplish the

majority of the cleaning but your preparation of the surface is important. Generally, for oil-stained concrete, you will need a hard-hitting degreaser. I have experienced success on the heavy oil spots by misting a pure solvent citrus or pine booster on prior to applying the water-based solution. Some of the newer technology in water-based degreasers will include added peroxide to help lighten stains and brighten the concrete. The solution can be sprayed on, mopped on or, my favorite, mixed in a bucket and then poured on. Use plenty

Bane-Clene® Golden Anniversary Thanks for 50 grand years On February 4, 2012 we’ll celebrate fifty years in the cleaning business. It’s been a wonderful experience and we sincerely thank all of you from around the world who have favored us with your patronage. Many have asked how we’re going to celebrate our Golden Anniversary. We’ve decided on a different approach to honoring this landmark event in our company’s history. Instead of an expensive convention or a costly party, we’re going to spend all of that money on our customers. The on-going recession, inflation, high fuel prices and costly air fares have caused cash strapped business owners to forego travel which may create a void in their education. Until the money runs out that those celebrations would have cost, Bane-Clene Institute will be FREE. Starting right now, all fees for tuition and/or class materials will be reimbursed with Bane Bucks® that may be spent for any merchandise we stock. And lunch every day at Murphy’s Steak House is on us, too.

www.baneclene.com, or call 800 428 9512 for school dates © Bane-Clene Corporation, 2011

Seating is limited so pre-registration is required.


21

The Gadget Man

of solution and have a stiff push broom available to spread it while giving some agitation to break the surface tensions of the old oxidized oil. Important Note: let the solution dwell for 10 or 15 minutes but do not let it dry. You’re hoping to get as much of the chemistry to penetrate beyond the surface as possible. Begin to clean off the gunk using your rotary extraction tool. Use the brush attachment when working on concrete. If possible, have your customer inspect your process at the point where the floor is the dirtiest. When they can see the “before” right next to the “after,” their appreciation of your work will skyrocket. One other cleaning step you may consider. Concrete is made from cement containing limestone (a source of calcium) and other aggregates and ingredients that are broken down by acids. There are acid-based cleaning products that are designed to clean, react, and remove a thin layer of the concrete, creating a brighter and cleaner looking surface. Some of these products are also peroxide-based, so they have the added effect of brightening the surface further. You might consider using these products if the surface has more general soil than oil, or consider a follow-up to the initial alkaline-based cleaning with a mild acid/peroxide step to further brighten the concrete. If using this product, it should be rinsed well following the proper amount of dwell time. The final step is important for the customer and for your bottom line. Never leave the job without offering to seal the concrete. Generally a water-based penetrating sealer is preferred as the concrete does not have to be perfectly dry to apply it. A good penetrating sealer will not be visible when dry and will help to prevent future penetration of both oil- and waterbased contaminants. Industrial and decorative concrete is gaining popularity. Start with the basics and consider this lucrative add-on of garage floor cleaning for your residential customers. Circle 18 on the Free Information Page 22


Fall 2011

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Executing Your

Direct Mail Campaign

L

ast month we talked about ideas and benefits of using direct mail to target neighborhoods. This month we’ll talk a bit more on the actual execution of what it takes to get your targeted direct mail campaign mailed out to best effect. Here are some often asked questions about neighborhood mailings:

What Criteria Should I Use to Pick the Best Neighborhood? This depends on your community and your ideal target prospect. To target a high-end neighborhood, you will want to pick a list based on home value, household income and ZIP code. For instance, a criterion of “homes valued at over $250,000 with a household income of over $85,000 in the 33308 ZIP code” may do well for high-end homes in that particular zip code.

Where Can I Buy a Mailing List for a Neighborhood? A few well-known sources to purchase your neighborhood list are Infousa.com, database101.com, and melissadata.com.

Should I Send Via Bulk Mail or First Class? Typically first class mail will get the best response. Why? First class looks more like personal mail. Would Aunt Martha send you a letter via bulk mail? Of course not! So normally send letters via first class mail. And since first class

By

John Braun

John Braun owns Premium Carpet Care in Pensacola, Florida, and is the principal behind Hitman Advertising. To get a FREE advertising strategy guide for carpet cleaning companies plus a 19-minute audio on how to use these strategies, go to www.HitmanAdvertising.com or call toll free (888) 211-7702.

24


1

Getting the right lists is the best place to start

2

Bulk vs. First Class: Each has its place

3

Think differently; stand out from your peers


Executing Your Direct Mail Campaign

Continued

will get returned if the address is bad, you’ll be able to clean up your mailing list. For oversized postcards (of which I happen to be a fan), you can often save at least $.20 per mail piece by mailing bulk mail. With a postcard, you reveal your identity as soon as the prospect takes a glance at your mail piece. So bulk mail is typically fine to use with postcards. Also, realize that your mailing list must be correct, as bulk mail usually does not get returned to you.

What’s the Minimum Number of Pieces I Should Send?

How Do I Get a Bulk Mail Permit?

Send another mail piece to the same exact prospects! It takes repetition to get recognized. Now, perhaps you should re-evaluate your offer or the manner in which your mailing was sent. Learn from your mistakes and do it a little wiser the next time. The fact of the matter is you are testing. Find out what may have gone wrong and fix it.

Contact your local post office. In the United States, the cost is normally $150 for a yearly permit to send bulk mail at a discounted price. You will be required to mail at least 200 pieces at a time. On each mail piece, you’ll need to print your bulk mail permit number in place of a stamp or you can choose to place a bulk mail stamp on your mail piece. If you send more than 1,000 bulk mail pieces per year, it should be worth it.

What Goes On the Address Portion of the Envelope? Good question. This is a critical area of concern. Remember that your prospect is eager to throw away anything that looks like junk mail. One idea is to place your name, instead of your company name, in the return address. After all, the letter is coming from you as a representative of your company, right? In the “to” address, place their first and last name along with their address. Leave out the Mr. or Mrs. and surely leave out their middle initial. Personal letters don’t include such things. When sending postcards it is often acceptable to place “Or Current Resident” under the homeowner’s name. This will mean that your mailer will get delivered to whoever is living in the house. Without words like “Or Current Resident,” your letter will only get delivered if the recipient’s name is on the letter. You can use this phrase with letters too, but then you’d be giving a signal that junk mail is enclosed inside the envelope. It’s best to save this phrase for postcards or mailers with your identity exposed on the outside.

What’s a “Good” Response Rate? Mostly you’ll want to look at your return on investment. You should look for at least a 3-to-1 return. In other words, if you spend $200 on mailings, you want to see at least a $600 return in cleaning jobs. 26


You can send as many or as little as you want. However, you’ll want to test your list, offer and mail piece before starting a huge campaign. A good test would be 500-1,000 mail pieces.

I Just Sent Out a Mailing But Got No Response. Now What?

Should I Print My Postcards Myself, or Use a Professional Printer? Either will work, but I’ve found you can get a much more professional postcard by having it printed professionally. As well, professional printing is often less expensive as color printing on a personal printer is very costly. It’s also wise to consider the amount of time it takes for you or your office assistant to print and cut postcards. If you are printing more than 200 postcards at a time, a professional printer is likely your best choice.

What Other Ways Can I Stand Out With My Campaign? Last month, I insisted that you catch attention with your direct mail piece. This is perhaps the most important part of the entire campaign. If your mail piece doesn’t catch attention, it goes directly into the garbage. In addition to the ideas I gave last month, you can catch attention by bulking up your letter. Try adding a small trinket that goes along with your theme. When your prospect has your letter in her hand, she’ll feel that there’s something more in the envelope besides a letter. This arouses curiosity to get the envelope opened. For example, if your letter talks about how your company is the best in your city at spot removal, perhaps include a refrigerator magnet with emergency spot removal tips. Or perhaps include a small boomerang with a headline that says, “Your spots are guaranteed to never come back.” Sure it’s a little corny, but it makes the point memorable and gets your letter opened. Targeting specific neighborhoods with direct mail can be very profitable. Although it usually isn’t the cheapest form of advertising, it is the best way to hand pick clients in the best neighborhoods. To sum it all up: pick the homes you want to target, catch their attention with your mailer, give them an offer they can’t refuse, and repeat the process until you own the neighborhood.


Rx for Restoration

By

Jeff Bishop

This article is excerpted from Comprehensive Deodorization and Decontamination (rev. 2011), published by Clean Care Seminars, Inc. Jeff Bishop, international trainer and author, serves as Technical Advisor for the Society of Cleaning and Restoration Technicians, an international trade association. You can reach Jeff at www.cleancareseminars.com

New Carpet Odor – What’s the Real Issue? New carpet always has a distinct odor that’s all its own. Some like it and some dislike it – even fear it – intensely.

F

oremost you should understand that there is no natural latex used in carpet today. Therefore, carpet has none of the latex proteins that cause allergic reactions in sensitive people, as might be the case with latex gloves. Let’s all agree to participate in stifling that particular consumer myth about carpet, if nothing else. And no, there isn’t any formaldehyde in carpet! Hasn’t been for almost 50 years and even back then, it was used as a microbial inhibitor in amounts well below thresholds considered safe for humans to breathe. Back to new carpet odor… A by-product produced by combining styrene and butadiene monomers during the manufacture of styrene butadiene latex (SBL) is 4-phenylcyclohexene (4PC). This is the “new carpet odor” that consumers notice when carpet is first installed, but which usually disappears within 24-72 hours with proper venti-

28


lation. Its effect is minimized or eliminated by turning on the HVAC system and open windows as practical. 4-PC has generated much controversy for years and has been blamed for many adverse responses in animals and humans. In every case, other causative factors were also present. After extensive testing the U.S. EPA has stated that, “4PC is an unremarkable chemical . . .” and that “Regulatory authority was not warranted.” Regardless, carpet manufacturers have voluntarily taken steps to considerably reduce 4-PC emissions from new carpet. So why do some customers experience allergic reactions when new carpet is installed? The problem really isn’t with the new carpet. In reality it’s the old carpet that was improperly disengaged and removed by the installer that’s the culprit. So what can be done to prevent allergic reactions

when “new carpet” is installed? Foremost, carpet retailers should inform purchasers of new carpet about its distinct, albeit harmless odor, along with strategies for minimizing its impact (basically, ventilation). Carpet volatile organic compounds (VOCs; e.g., 4-PC) should be “aired out” before being transported to the job site, but in some cases,

1

There is no formaldehyde in carpet

2

Before being removed, existing carpet should be vacuumed

3

New furnishings, not carpet, may be the culprit

this may not be practical. Weather permitting, the installation area should be ventilated with forced airflow before and during installation, and after installation for 72 hours. But imagine trying to do this with outdoor temperature extremes. With moderate weather conditions, however, this is a highly practical way to prevent allergic reactions during carpet installation – whether real or imagined.

Existing carpet should be vacuumed thoroughly before it is disengaged and removed - but does an installer or customer ever do that? If possible, it is best to exhaust the vacuum outside the structure. In fact, this may even be a good service for a professional cleaner with a truckmounted plant to offer to customers. Rather than the installer grabbing a corner and running out the door, old carpet should be cut into 4-to-6-footwide strips and rolled in 3-to-4-mil plastic sheeting to contain dust and soil during removal. Similarly, cushion or under pad should be rolled carefully to trap fine particles of soil that sift through carpet over time and can be easily aerosolized during pad removal. Subfloors should be vacuumed (never swept) using equipment with high-efficiency filter bags that trap some 99% of particles at one micron. Vacuuming should be part of the subfloor preparation procedure anyway.

Finally, consumers should be advised to ventilate their structure during and for 48-72 hours after carpet installation. For the most part, this should solve the problem. When professionals hear consumers complain about “new carpet” causing allergic reactions, they should be asked to consider the fact that new carpet often comes with new fixtures and furniture. New furnishings, adhesives and finishes can off-gas a variety of chemicals, including formaldehyde, to which sensitive persons may react. This is the most likely cause of allergic reaction when new carpet is installed, but that doesn’t mean that the new carpet is the culprit. Typically, it’s something else.

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PARTICIPATING ASSOCIATIONS

R E T U R N I N G T O T H E T H E H I LT O N C L E A R WAT E R B E AC H R E S O R T

Emphasizing Interactive, Hands-On, Live Demonstrations ... Informative Educational Sessions ... Incredible Exhibits ... And A Whole Lotta Fun In The Sun! The 2012 CONNECTIONS Conference and Exhibition is returning to the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort on May 3, 4 & 5, 2012, and will again feature THE EXPERIENCE - the industry's best interactive, hands-on educational event! Don’t miss your chance to try out and learn about all of the latest and most advanced equipment, tools and procedures available in our industry today. You’ll discover new research, the most up-to-date information and useful tools to help distance your company from the competition and provide you with the education and opportunities you need to grow your business.

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Breaking Down the Business of

By

Bio-Recovery I

t’s hard to argue that of all the different niches in the cleaning and restoration industry, bio-recovery (better known as crime scene cleanup) gets the lion’s share of the spotlight. From the money (“It’s a gold mine!”) to the movies (Sunshine Cleaning; The Cleaner, anyone?) and everything in between, it’s also a good bet that no specialization is more misunderstood. To try and help clear up some of the unanswered questions, we asked Rich Ross, bio-recovery professional and president of the American Bio-Recovery Association, to break down the business and explain how it fits into the cleaning and restoration landscape. ICS Cleaning Specialist: The term “bio-recovery” covers a lot of ground. Briefly, what are we talking about? What’s the scope of work for a bio-recovery professional? Rich Ross: The term “bio-recovery” is fairly new to the industry. In the past, many just called it a crime or death scene cleanup. All but a few people wanted nothing to do with it. It was just too gruesome to many. Well, that is until T.V. shows and movies started depicting the light and easy way to make a fast buck. What they fail to show is the true picture of what a person would have to deal with. You see, you can’t smell any odor watching movies. You don’t get the feeling that something very bad happened or how people react when a loved one

32


commits suicide or is murdered in a very violent manner. You don’t experience the thoughts or effect it has on you as a person. A bio-recovery technician is not there to comfort the survivors nor are they detectives trying to piece together what happened or to see how much smarter they are than law enforcement. Many who get started try or think they understand more than they really do, just to find out they are not that clever. A bio-recovery technician’s job is to clean, decontaminate and make the scene safe for anyone that could come in contact with the area or surfaces that have become contaminated. It is not their job to rebuild or repair the scene while charging bio-recovery rates. Many feel that they can just jump in and clean up blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious material. Without proper training and understanding, they pose a great risk and potential danger for their own selves and those that come in contact with the contaminated surfaces. Many who are entering the service of bio-recovery cannot clean well, other than cleaning what is visible, if they even do that. ICS: The segment gets a lot of press, some good, some not so much. What’s the biggest misconception about the bio-recovery industry? RR: I watch training YouTube videos

Jeffrey Stouffer, editor

or see pictures of people trying to come off as a Bio-recovery expert especially when the news reporters do interviews or take pictures. I have to say many are not wearing proper (PPE) personal protective equipment and some, while wearing it, are not wearing it correctly. Many socalled experts have never gone through proper training. It’s really no different than carpet cleaners, janitors, mold, and

1

T.V. and film don’t paint the true picture

2

Improperly trained personnel are a real hazard

3

It’s as much about relating as it is about remediation and recovery


Breaking Down the Business of Bio-Recovery

water damage restoration professionals. You can spot a company or technician who has not or is not using proper equipment, chemicals, PPE or has proper training. You simply need training, and by instructors that understand and know what they are talking about. ICS: What’s the biggest challenge facing the industry today? RR: The biggest challenge facing our industry today is education and standards, which include several areas. What we did years ago cleaning up had better not be done today, as there are new tools, equipment and products to keep technicians safe and to protect the public. We need to get the best industry practices and standards that everyone providing the service must use. Thankfully ABRA and the IICRC, along with other individuals are working on an industry standard, IICRC S540. It’s so new that the proper name has not been determined. Many have seen the

Continued

need of such a standard and it should be in place within the next four years. ICS: Say someone is looking to enter the bio-recovery business. What’s the first thing you’d say to them? RR: Many are looking into entering this field, especially because so many are out of work these days. I receive phone calls and emails every day as the president of ABRA, and one of the three ABRA instructors. Many of the calls are just looking for work and they feel this is a getrich industry. True, the money is good, but the stress and liabilities are high. The first thing I ask a person is, “Why do you want to get into bio-recovery?” The No. 1 answer is, “I need the money.” The No. 2 answer is, “I think I can handle it.” Down toward the bottom are a very few people that say, “Because I want to help someone.” To me, personally, that should be the number one or two reason; the money will come, that is a given.



ICS: What are the three questions you’re most commonly asked about the industry? RR: When talking with people, three of the most-asked questions I get are, “What made you get into this work?” “Does it ever affect or bother you to do this work?” and “After going through a course, is that all I need to do to get started?” The answer to the first question has several answers, because I have been through this with many of my own family members both from my side of the family and of my wife’s side. Where family members were left to do the cleanup themselves; this is not only very hard to deal with but when left up to untrained people a health issue now has become involved.

The second answer is, yes, it affects me at different levels and on different scenes. Anyone that tells you it does not or never affects them is lying. It will affect you; the trouble is you never know when or where it will happen. I tell my students and those that inquire; it will come back and bite you at some time especially if you are not prepared.

The last answer is for anyone who thinks they can just jump into it without proper training. I see many professional carpet cleaners and other restoration professionals forced into doing this work just because they want to help their

clients when no one else is there to help. Many of these professionals have the equipment and supplies and know how to clean to a degree. Some training for them would fit right in and they could properly do the clean up. Where a large problem comes into play is when those who couldn’t clean anything in the first place want to jump in and start a business in bio-recovery. This is not the field where one should practice or experiment. We are talking about health and safety issues that they just have no clue or understanding of. Our contamination levels are things you can’t see with the naked eye such as bacteria, spores, and viruses. Not cleaning properly or disinfecting the contents and surfaces has a potential life-threatening consequence for the technician and innocent people. ICS: In your opinion, what’s the most important aspect of being a bio-recovery professional?

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Breaking Down the Business of Bio-Recovery

Continued

along with the equipment to deliver the needed decontamination process. Today the industry does things better, faster, and safer than in the past. The reason is new superbugs or bacteria or viruses and what not has entered the scene; what tomorrow will bring is anyone’s guess but to be sure, keeping up with the times is most critical for the bio-recovery

RR: In my opinion, the most important aspect of being a bio-recovery technician is detail. Everything boils down to the details. You must and foremost have to know your surroundings at all times. You could cause injuries not only to yourself but also to others. A detail most often overlooked is that of proper training and training that includes safe practices at all time. The bio-recovery technician must be in good health and know when their body is safe to perform the services without potential harm to themselves. ICS: Where do you see the business 5 years from now? Ten years? RR: Within the next five years we will see many entering this field then leaving as quickly as they came in. It’s the excitement for many. But when they learn there is more to it than just cleaning we will see a leveling off. As states and other government agencies become involved we will see requirements that many will not want to subject themselves with. More so when the IICRC S540 Standards are published, people and companies will be held accountable for their actions. Really it’s not that different than that of the asbestos and mold industry; we’ve seen huge numbers of people getting into it, then came the regulations and permits and people lost interest; so will it be with the bio-recovery business. And within the next five to ten years we will see bio-recovery technicians or companies entering a much higher level of training and disinfection services than now. There will be new methods and products

technicians and companies providing these services. For more information: Rich Ross is the president of the American Bio-Recovery Association and the owner of Trauma Scene Services in Norwalk, OH. You can email Rich at [email protected].

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!


Building a Phenomenally Successful Business

By

Howard Partridge

Howard Partridge started his cleaning business out of the trunk of his car and built it up to a consistent $2.5M per year. For FREE VIDEOS, TELE-SEMINARS and REPORTS that reveal the SECRETS of a PHENOMENAL Business, go to www.HowardPartridge.com or call 877-354-7960 today!

Finding Your Golden Nugget: The Value of Events The Golden Nugget: a nostalgic picture of the Las Vegas of times past.

R

ecently I was at Connections, and I brought my wife and two of my managers with me. I got a text from one of them: I just got my golden nugget. Have you heard that if you take away just one thing from an event, it’s made the entire trip worthwhile? I believe this, but only if you actually leverage that one thing and actually implement it. Remember that the No. 1 reason business owners don’t grow or do as well as they could is F.T.I. (Failure To Implement). You go to an event and get that “golden nugget” that really can make a difference in your business, but you fail to execute the plan. Now that doesn’t mean that the event was a total waste. “Failure is an event, not a person. Yesterday really did end last night” as my mentor Zig Ziglar likes to say. The fact is that a live industry event can deliver that one thing that can make a difference in your business. Of course,

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success isn’t about just one thing, but finally coming to a decision to do something (maybe even something you know you should be doing and aren’t) can have a huge impact. Maybe attending an event will be the final push you need to decide to begin up-selling consistently, or maintaining an e-mail newsletter, or to finally start mailing to your clients. Or perhaps you finally get over the fear of hiring your first employee because you had a breakthrough conversation with someone successful in that area. The idea here is “breakthrough.” The golden nugget is that small, but incredibly valuable, thing that appreciates over time if you implement it. Benefits of Attending Industry Events The aforementioned Golden Nugget. Recently I was elected to the Board of Directors of the World Floor Covering

1

Recognize that Golden Nugget moment

2

The value of networking cannot be overestimated.

3

Team building with your people can take you farther than you’d ever think possible

I remember sitting with my good friend Neil Atkinson listening to Michael Gerber speaking at Connections a few years ago. After the 90 minute presentation was over, Neil turned to me and said, “I get it!” Since then his business has continually improved. So attend as many live events as you can, and meet, speak with and listen to as many of your peers and industry leaders as possible. One of the biggest factors in my success has been learning from others who have already done what I want to do. Association, and CEO Chris Davis and I were chatting at the board meeting. It was there that he reminded me that you also learn the things “not to do” that could really bite you and cost you a lot of money. Work on the business. Most small-business owners don’t take the time to get out of the everyday pressure-cooker of life to work “on” the business. Going to an event is a perfect time to do that. I know, I know, it’s also a good time to party, but your business is the vehicle you have chosen to provide your ideal lifestyle, so take it seriously. Have fun, but make money too. Relationships. Speaking of working “on” the business, Connections was where I first met Michael Gerber. It’s where I also met Ellen Rohr, who has become one of my best buds in training. Recently I was at an event where I got to meet John C. Maxwell, the No. 1 leadership expert in the world. Now I am coaching with his organization. Industry events are great places to connect with industry leaders. I know many people who attend events because they just want to connect with old friends. I am very grateful for the relationships I have made in our industry Build community with staff. When I travel for events, I always like to take one of my staff members, coaches or colleagues with me because it gives us a great time to spend time together brain-storming and having fun. It builds a sense of community. I was grinding my coffee in the living room of my suite in Las Vegas and could overhear my two managers joking around and getting excited about what the ideas they were throwing around. It really warmed my heart. Some business owners resist investing money in training employees or sending them to events. I have found it to be one of the most powerful things for my business, because it gives them vision and makes them more valuable to your organization. “But what if they quit?” you might ask. Well, to quote ol’ Zig again, “Is it better to train them and lose them, or not train them and keep them?” Emotional experiences. Many people don’t attend events because they figure they can just read a manual, or pull up the “information” online. What they overlook is the biggest reason events have an impact. Learning in an upbeat, exciting environment heightens your emotional receptors. When you have an emotional experience, you are much more likely to accept the idea, more likely to remember it, and more likely to implement it. Why? Because it’s more than just information. You were touched.

One of my members, Ryan Drahota, attended a one-day workshop that had a session that included the Wheel of Life. He looked at the “Physical” spoke on the wheel and decided right then and there he was going to do something about it. The result? He lost 50 pounds and, by the time you read this, will have run a marathon! Yes, I would say that events have value. Plan to attend one today.

It’s tough out there.

You can graduate from the school of hard knocks if you don’t mind getting beat up. Or you can join SCRT and network with the cleaning and restoration industry’s leading experts in operations, management and marketing. One good idea from a seasoned veteran can change the course of your business or even your life. You don’t need to struggle alone. SCRT is here to help YOU. Learn more at

www.scrt.org or call 800-949-4728

It Pays P to Become a Member. Circle 17 on the Free Information Page November 2011 | www.icsmag.com

39

Coach’s Corner

By

Noel Frank

Noel Frank is Director of Education for Chemspec Inc., where he has been employed since 1992. In a prior life he was a high school math teacher as well as a football and basketball coach. You can reach him at [email protected].

Game Plan: The Cleaning Process Last month we discussed the concept of the cleaning technician as the actual cleaning machine.

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e as technicians must perform all the steps in the cleaning process, using available equipment to accomplish the goal of safely removing all the soil possible while maintaining the integrity of the fabric and dye systems. I really want to emphasize this concept of the technician as the machine, and then for each of us to characterize what kind of machine we are. Am I a Yugo or a Mercedes? Am I a lean, mean cleaning machine or what? When I think of the cleaner as machine I’m reminded of the late Jim Henry, a colleague and fellow IICRC instructor. One evening after teaching, we were relaxing and trading stories about our experiences in the industry. Jim related about getting into the industry by buy-

40


ing a carpet cleaning franchise. The method of cleaning the carpet at the time involved vacuuming the carpet, and then using trays of detergent and rinse water, applied to the carpet with sponges, with the cleaner on his hands and knees. That is the technician as the ultimate cleaning machine. Jim related that it was a very thorough method of soil removal, although more than a little labor intensive. Later Jim improved his methods while still remaining the machine. The point is, “we are the cleaning machines.” In the future we’ll focus on making the machine as effective as possible. Time Out Last month we discussed the situation

of “reappearing spots.” The law of gravity causes soil to penetrate as deeply as it can. What we as cleaners need to understand is that another law of physics causes soil to work its way back to the surface of the

1

Are you a Yugo or a Mercedes?

2

Back in the day, hands on was really “hands on”

3

Pick the low-hanging fruit, then shake the heck out of the tree

carpet after the carpet has been cleaned and all soil apparently removed. For many it may be a rhetorical question as to why it happens (see below). It is obvious that soil can reappear. What to do about it? There are a number of things that can be done. What cannot be done is to thoroughly rinse out the soil again and cause the spot or stain to reappear a second time. The basic principle involved is to confine the spot and stain removal to the top third of the carpet yarn. That is where the reappearing soil has accumulated after working its way up the surface of the fiber. Confining the soil removal method to the tips of the yarn will assure that the residual soil deep in the carpet will not be able to be re-suspended. Next month we’ll discuss some of the several surface soil removal methods. Note The law of physics involved in reappearing spots is “capillary action.” Google that and you will get over a million sites discussing it. Take your pick. Coaching Tip Pick the low hanging fruit; then shake the tree to get the rest of the fruit. In other words, “maximize every job.”

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8/16/10 3:48 PM

Is It Time To

I

s it? Having been in this industry for over twenty years and having coached business owners for the last five years, I would have to say there are situations in which taking down the sign and closing the doors is not a bad idea. The reason you went into business is to achieve your life goals and if that is not happening, you may want to take a good look at what you are doing. So, let’s do just that: let’s examine your business, your life and lifestyle and have an honest assessment of just where you are. Who knows; maybe working a regular job at Home Depot isn’t all that bad, or maybe just you need to be inspired and remem-

Quit?

ber why you got into this industry in the first place. The carpet cleaning and restoration business has so many fantastic qualities but perhaps the day to day grind has blinded your eyes to all the benefits. Let’s take a look.

Burnout Doesn’t Mean It’s Time to Quit We all get burned out at times. I can remember one time when I was ready to throw in the towel. I came home late from work and my wife was watching Donald Trump on “The Apprentice.” Just as I walked into the house, The Donald came

Dave DeBlander owns Pro Clean Restoration and Cleaning and Marblelife of Northwest Florida in Pensacola, Florida. He is the author of How to Get Off the Truck and on to the Beach, How to Develop a Turn-Key Business, How to Market a Water Damage Business and 40 Words (To Awaken the Entrepreneur Within). He can be reached at www.davedeblander.com; www.howtogetoffthetruck.com; www.UpsellVideo.com; www.40wordsbook.com and 850-637-SELL.

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By

Dave DeBlander

on and said, “Losers are quitters.” I knew that somehow that message was tailor made for me and I decided that I was going to change my attitude and start taking massive action. That was three years ago and since then my business has taken off and this year we are up thirty percent over last year.. I had no business thinking about quitting, I just needed a good kick in the rear to wake me up.

1

Remember why you got into this in the first place

2

A swift kick is often the best medicine

3

Examine your principles, not just your practices

This is a Tremendous Industry Every year on the first day of practice, Coach Vince Lombardi would tell his players, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” Obviously, those grown athletes knew it was a football, but he was reiterating the importance of the fundamentals. Let me do the same here with you. The benefits of the carpet cleaning/restoration business are mind blowing. You can have a profit margin of 20% to 50%; that is incredible. Go talk to all those other business owners who have a profit margin of 4% to 5% and see if they would like to change industries. You can train a technician in 30 days or less, and then charge $100 to $200 per hour for his services. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC contractors and others have to train their people for years to charge the same amount. We are not impacted very much by the recession, because while people may not buy new upholstery or carpet, they will clean it. Pipes burst whether the recession is on or not, and companies will always be needed to dry out structures. I could go on, but remember, you got into this industry because it had so many advantages. Don’t forget about them when things get a bit difficult.

Decide What You Want and Go After It

plenty of jobs but they are all priced too low or simply not enough work, etc. I have a solution for all of these situations:

Put Sound Business Principles in Place Many a carpet cleaning/restoration business owner runs their business by the seat of their pants and doesn’t have a clue as to what a good business looks like. Get help, read books, go to seminars, but mainly…

Make a Decision, and Nobody – Including You – Is Going to Stop You I truly believe that with the right attitude, all of your business problems can be overcome and that you can have the business of your dreams. I know that, in my case, when I am unhappy with my business, if I merely change my attitude and realize what a great business I have and what a great industry I am in, things take a turn for the better. In short, if you feel like quitting, make sure that you are not just plain old lazy and if you aren’t, work on changing your attitude. Additionally, get some outside help to straighten out the ship and get things going so that you can achieve your life goals.

If you love cleaning carpets and don’t mind being a one-truck wonder, then enjoy that fact and live with it. If you want to have a turn-key business, then start laying out the groundwork for that scenario today. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without careful planning and making good decisions.

If Every Day is a Nightmare (or Close To It), Then… Things have to change. This is no way to live, and you would be better off working a nine-to-five JOB (Just Over Broke). I have coached companies that have very little income and have had very little in sales for years, and in all honesty, the problem may be that you are just plain lazy and living in a dream world that tells you, “One day things are going to turn around.” I have news for you: if you are just plain lazy, things are not going to turn around and do yourself and your family a favor and get a real job. Being the successful owner of your own company is the domain of hard-working people. Lazy cannot be helped, so get a job where someone tells you what to do, and perhaps you’ll get somewhere. There could be other reasons besides laziness that you are living a nightmare, such as no time off, terrible employees, broken down equipment, fearing the days that payroll needs to be paid,


43

2

New Products & Technologies 3

5 6 1 4

5 Hydro-Force A better path to leather care and maintenance

1 Butler Corp. Butler introduces Maximum Truckmount Detergent A hot water extraction detergent “for use as a primary rinse or flushing agent in a Truckmount or portable extraction machine that is capable of using dissolved powdered detergents, Butler Maximum Powder Truckmount Detergent is an exclusive, concentrated formulation containing surfactants, emulsifiers, alkaline builders, foam-controlling agents, corrosion inhibitors and deodorants. Recommended for use on all types of colorfast carpet, including non-stain-resistant, wool and oriental carpet,” the company said. Circle 250 on the Reader Service Page.

3 Chemical Technologies Inc. Take the gray out of the equation “For the first time in our lifetime, you can eliminate traffic lane gray with Pro’s Choice Dinge Away. Do your best clean and then simply mist away the dinge. Amazing! Reflective enhancement restores the brilliance to abraded lack luster fibers. Available in 32 oz. bottles, ask for it at your local distributor,” the company said. Circle 248 on the Reader Service Page.

The care and cleaning of leather furniture, apparel, even hand bags no longer needs to make the upholstery cleaning technician break out in a cold sweat. Hydro-Force seeks to shine a light on leather maintenance by introducing its full color Leather Care and Maintenance Procedures Guide. The guide includes information on identifying various types of leather, perform a pre-inspection and then clean each type of leather. Protecting leather from future soils and stains plus revitalizing to keep leather feeling soft and supple are also included. Colorful illustrations, charts and helpful hints add to the technician’s confidence level when putting the concepts to use. Circle 246 on the Reader Service Page.

2 Bridgepoint Systems Bridgepoint gives pre-spray a fragrant boost

4 Extech

Bridgepoint Systems, is introducing the latest technology in a concentrated carpet pre-spray booster – Pine Boost. Created to improve the cleaning ability of just about any cleaning solution, Pine Boost will be used in solutions from carpet cleaning to wall washing. “We are very pleased to bring this unique and effective product to market,” said Scott Warrington, Director of Technical Support of Bridgepoint Systems. “This new addition now allows our customers a choice of using our product class leading Citrus Solv or a more economical version, Pine Boost with its customer pleasing pine fragrance.” Circle 249 on the Reader Service Page. 44


6 Airx Laboratories

Extech unveils new HD videoscope series

Airx Labs celebrates 30th, spotlights Airicide

Designed for use in practically any environment, Extech’s durable HDV600 high-definition borescope camera series features a 5.7” (145mm) color display for bright outdoor sites or poorly lit facilities. Optics include 4mm6mm LED-illuminated camera probes and SD memory stores 15,000 JPEGs or video -- plus audio annotations. Glove-friendly controller handsets with 320-degree articulated probes and wireless connectivity (10m range) simplify inspections. HDV600 videoscopes are designed for ruggedness, upgradeable versatility, and high-definition clarity. Circle 247 on the Reader Service Page.

Airx Laboratories is proud to announce its 30th anniversary.”Thirty years ago there was little scientific knowledge of how to control odors and pathogens. Airx was fortunate to have the foremost research in the world being done at leading universities close to our plant in the Philadelphia area,” the company said. “They led us to a complex we call Airicide that is much more than a “mask” and is part of every Airx formula.” Airx’s extensive product line is formulated to counteract the source of odors by cleaning, disinfecting or changing the odor molecules so they are no longer perceived as foul or distasteful. Circle 245 on the Reader Service Page.

LeadsByFone LeadsByFone announces partnership with Octi-Dry LeadsByFone LLC recently partnered with “one of the newest and most effective innovators for water restoration equipment” in an effort to better equip water removal professionals nationwide, becoming the sole distributor for Octi-Dry in the North American market. Octi-Dry currently offers two drying products, the Octi-Dry Wall Drying System and the Octi-Dry Floor Drying System. Used together, these products make for an efficient, effective, and affordable drying system designed to take care of water damage in a home or business. Circle 240 on the Reader Service Page.

7

8 Meyer Step up to a contractor-level blowing machine

7 Sapphire Scientific This HOSS roams far beyond the Ponderosa Sapphire Scientific’s new rotary cleaning tool, the HOSS 700, features a full 15-inch cleaning disc driven by a geared transmission mounted on sealed ball bearings. The disc is fitted with a patent pending staggered injector system that drives solution deep into carpet fibers, reducing heat loss and ensuring consistent, streak-free application. “We wanted to design and build a real stand-out product,” said Bob Kline, president of Sapphire Scientific. “We wanted a tool that would make carpet cleaning easier and more efficient. Based on what our field testers are telling us, I think the HOSS 700 is going to be a home run.” Circle 244 on the Reader Service Page.

The Meyer Model 500 is capable of blowing all types of loose fill materials such as cellulose, fiberglass and rockwool. Use it as a start-up machine, a backup or to expand your retro-fit business. The Model 500 is packed with many features including, but not limited to a 16HP air cooled engine, 3” hose outlet for optimal production, wireless remote option, and a manual slide gate for greatest control. It is backed with a comprehensive two-year warranty. “No other insulation blower provides this level of performance, reliability and versatility in an affordable, contractor level machine,” the company said. Circle 239 on the Reader Service Page.

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8 Mytee Mytee publishes new equipment guide Mytee has published a new equipment guide showcasing its full line of machines, tools and ancillary equipment. “Carpet. Upholstery. Drapes. Tile. Grout. We do it all. Our machines are made to tackle the toughest cleaning jobs you’ll face. Use them for deep periodic cleaning, or for day-to-day maintenance and spill cleanup,” the company said. “Our machines were designed with cleaning professionals in mind. From our smallest spotter, to our largest tile and grout cleaning unit, every Mytee product is designed and built with industry leading features that set them apart from the competition.” Circle 241 on the Reader Service Page.

ServiceMonster ServiceMonster launches Referral Rewards Program ServiceMonster’s new Referral Rewards Program offers subscribers the opportunity to get free service in exchange for referring their colleagues to ServiceMonster. “We created the program because we know that many of our subscribers already refer their friends to ServiceMonster regularly,” said ServiceMonster CEO Joe Kowalski. “We really appreciate their efforts, and we wanted to make sure that we’re recognizing their value.” Circle 242 on the Reader Service Page.

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45

New Products & Technologies

9 9 U.S. Products Half the weight, twice the performance U.S. Products introduces the new Evolution carpet wand—the first and only rotationally molded carpet wand on the market. The Evolution weighs only 6.5 pounds, about half the weight of conventional wands, making it easier to work with and helping to reduce worker fatigue. The glide receiver and vacuum tube are made of strong but light aircraft aluminum. And the hearty, stainless steel solution line and fittings can withstand up to 3,000 psi. Circle 243 on the Reader Service Page.

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requester Publications Only) Publication Detail 1 Publication Name 1 Publication Number 2 ISSN 3 Filing Date 4 Issue Frequency 5 Number of Issues Published Annually 6 Annual Subscription Price 7 Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication 7 7 Contact Person 7 Telephone 8 Complete Mailing Address of Headquarter or General Business Office of Publisher 8 9 Publisher (Name and complete mailing address) 9 9 9 Editor (Name and complete mailing address) 9 9 9 Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address) Owner 10 10 10 10 10

Full Name BNP MEDIA II, LLC TAGGART E HENDERSON HARPER T HENDERSON MITCHELL L HENDERSON

Complete Mailing Address 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD, STE 700, TROY, MI 48084-3333 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD, STE 700, TROY, MI 48084-3333 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD, STE 700, TROY, MI 48084-3333 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD, STE 700, TROY, MI 48084-3333

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ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST 09/01/2011

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Publication Title Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

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No. Copies of Single Issue Average No. Copies Each Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date During Preceding 12 Months Extend and Nature of Circulation Total Number of Copies (net press run) 23585 19925 Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from recipient, telemarketing and Internet requests from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies.) 20479 17029 In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from recipient, telemarketing and Internet requests from recipient, paid subscriptions including nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser's proof copies, and exchange copies.) 0 0 Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS 580 341

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Outside County Nonrequested Copies stated on PS Form 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources)

15 15a

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0 21059

0 17370

1649

966

0

0

2

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227 1878 22937 648 23585 91.81

907 1875 19245 680 19925 90.26

15d4 15e 15f 15g 15h 15i

In-County Nonrequested Copies stated on PS Form 3541 (include Sample copies, Requests Over 3 years old, Requests induced by a Premium, Bulk Sales and Requests including Association Requests, Names obtained from Business Directories, Lists, and other sources) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through the USPS by Other Classes of Mail (e.g. First-Class Mail, Nonrequestor Copies mailed in excess of 10% Limit mailed at Standard Mail or Package Services Rates) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail (include Pickup Stands, Trade Shows, Showrooms and Other Sources) Total Nonrequested Distribution Total Distribution Copies not Distributed Total Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation

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Publication of Statement of Ownership

Publication of this statement will be printed in the NOVEMBER, 2011 issue of this publication

17 17 17

Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Title Date

RONA2C (Catherine Ronan)

Version

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ICS CLEANING SPECIALIST 264-940 1522-4708 09/28/2011 MONTHLY 12 115.00 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD STE 700 TROY, OAKLAND, MI 48084-3333 CATHERINE RONAN (248) 244-8259 2401 W BIG BEAVER RD STE 700 TROY, MI 48084-3333 EVAN KESSLER 22801 VENTURA BLVD. STE 115 WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91364-1230 JEFFREY STOUFFER 22801 VENTURA BLVD. STE 115 WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91364-1230


09/28/2011 01:40:02 PM

MustSee Products Gallery The ICS Must See Products Gallery is a multimedia showcase designed to allow manufacturers and distributors an opportunity to introduce new products, programs and technologies through a variety of platforms. The information and claims found here are provided by the manufacturers; any questions or requests for more information should be directed to them.

Bridgepoint Systems Bridgepoint Systems is introducing the latest technology in a concentrated carpet pre-spray booster – Pine Boost. Created to improve the cleaning ability of almost any cleaning solution, Pine Boost will be used in solutions from carpet cleaning to wall washing. “We’re very pleased to bring this unique and effective product to market,” said Scott Warrington, Bridgepoint’s Director of Technical Support. Circle #101 on the Free Information Page.

Thornell Corporation Butler System Component Exchange Program The Butler Corporation’s “Component Exchange Program” is a simple exchange of components, whether the component is defective, worn or broken. This program contributes to the Butler System’s low cost of operation, overall longevity and customer satisfaction. The cost savings, for a fully warranted remanufactured component, can be significant. Please call 800-535-5025 or visit us on-line at butlersystem.com for additional information. Circle #102 on the Free Information Page.

Odorcide® is now available in a new “Fresh Scent” for eliminating offensive odors of all kinds. Just like the “Original” formula, this new non-enzymatic product works instantly with no dwell time and is not affected by detergents and disinfectants. Apply to reach the odor source and the odor is gone. All Thornell products use a unique proprietary formula that permanently eliminates, not masks, odors on contact. visit us at www.odorcide.com. Circle #103 on the Free Information Page.

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&EBRUARY s3ALT,AKE#ITY 5TAH

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Ad Index Company Name

Page No.

Phone/URL

RS No.

Abatement Technologies

800-634-9091 | www.abatement.com/restoration

17

26

Bane-Clene Corporation

800-428-9512 | www.baneclene.com

21

4

Bullen Company, The

www.buyairx.com

16

28

Butler System, The

800-535-5025 | www.butlersystem.com

15

9

Chemspec

800-638-7370 | www.chemspecworld.com

27

30

Cleanco Truckmounts

800-653-8338 | www.cleanco.com

19

5

Connections Convention

888-881-1001 x104 | www.connectionsconvention.org

30-31

11

Dave DeBlander

850-637-SELL | www.upsellvideo.com

34

25

Dri Eaz Products

unleashed.drieaz.com

2

7

Extech Instruments

www.planetextech.com

9

15

FLIR

866-477-3687 | www.flir.com/breakthrough

7

2

Fluke Corporation

800-760-4523 | www.fluke.com/answers

41

10

Hitman Advertising

888-211-7702 | www.cleaningblueprint.com

20

24

HydraMaster

800-426-1301 | www.hydramaster.com

25

12

Hydro-Force

800-658-5314 | www.hydroforce.com

35

13

Hydro-Force

800-658-5314 | www.hydroforce.com

5

23

MasterBlend

800-525-9644 | www.masterblend.net

59

3

Nissan Commercial Vehicles

www.nissancommercialvehicles.com

13

20

Phenomenal Products

www.howardpartridge.com/brett

53

21

Phoenix Restoration Equipment 800-533-7533 | www.usephoenix.com

33

8

Prochem

www.prochem.com

60

14

Prochem

www.prochem.com

3

19

Pro’s Choice

800-368-1247 | www.proschoice.com

22

18

Rotovac Corporation

888-768-6822 | www.rotovac.com

37

6

Rytech

800-865-8787 | www.rytechinc.com

29

16

SCRT

800-949-4728 | www.scrt.org

39

17

Sporicidin by Contec

864-503-8333 | www.sporicidin.com

36

22

Uncle Sam’s Distributing

800-359-6070

45

1

Xactware User Conference

www.xactwareuserconference.com

47

27


49

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51

Civil War Monument Feels the Benefit of

Blasting

By

Darren George

T

he Hightstown Historic Preservation Commission (HHPC) from the Borough of Hightstown, New Jersey was charged with overseeing a $1.7 million streetscape project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Restoring a Civil War memorial was part of the project. The monument was erected in 1875 and is engraved with the names of 35 soldiers. The 23-foot-high obelisk is carved from unpolished white Italian marble, and rests upon a large block of American

Before granite in tribute to the local heroic volunteers. Beneath the monument, resting upon granite blocks, are four Confederate Parrot guns known as the Brooketype cannon.

The Problem As part of the overall project, the HHPC wanted to restore the monument to its original state in preparation for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. The monument had never been cleaned; it

Darren George is Director of Business Development, Contractor Division, at Cold Jet in Loveland, Ohio. He can be reached at 513.716.6371 or [email protected].

52


After sits in a triangular park between two streets, and was coated with 136 years of traffic grime, minerals and dirt. In fact, the granite eagle at the top of the monument, once white, was completely black. “This monument had never been properly cleaned since 1875,” said Dan-

1

Delicate work calls for delicate equipment

2

Balancing power with finesse takes skill

3

Leaving behind no residue makes for easy cleanup

Before iel Buriak, project leader for the HHPC. The detailing on the monument was a big concern. The seals of the United States, New Jersey and Mercer County are chiseled into the white marble above tablets bearing soldiers’ names. The front exhibits full-size carvings of a Springfield rifle, a sword and standard. In addition, the marble eagle sitting on top of the monument has very delicate wings. Many areas on the monument – some carved as thin as 1/8” – were cause for concern for those in charge of

After the restoration. “We were very worried about the potential of damaging the structure during cleaning,” Buriak said

The Solution The contractor, USCleanBlast.com, suggested dry ice cleaning. Dry ice media, blasted using pressurized air, sublimates upon impact with the surface being cleaned, lifting away dirt and contaminants safely without leaving behind any secondary waste.

Using a Cold Jet Aero 40, Tom Monacelli, field supervisor at USCleanBlast. com, was able to successfully clean the monument’s carved surfaces. The dry ice cleaning easily lifted contaminates without leaving behind any secondary waste. “In order to preserve the eagle’s wings, the names carved into the marble and the very thin details like the strap on the gun, I had to adjust the pressure. Everything came out great,” Monacelli said. Most of the structure took only one pass to clean off. Where there was green moss or algae, a second pass completely cleaned it off. “Of course, I was extremely nervous,” Buriak said. “But we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. It was interesting that when it was being done, it almost looked like the monument was being spray painted white – that is how black it was in sections. It is now cleaned up nearly to its original linen-white state, which is what we really hoped for.”


53

CFI Report By Nila Sanders

CFI Holds Annual Business Meeting

C

FI held its Annual Business Meeting on September 17, 2011 at the Academy of Textiles and Flooring in Whittier, Calif. Bobbie Williams graciously hosted this event, and we all appreciate her help and hospitality. During the meeting the new Board of

Directors was sworn in and the CFI annual awards were presented to the recipients. The new chapter directors this year are Terry Jones for the Inland Empire Chapter and James Casas for the Los Angeles Chapter. Norma McCormick was sworn in as the new President-Elect and Matt Cole as Secretary/Treasurer. This year’s award recipients are Kurt Holsinger – the Bill Bailey Award; Lisa Wagner – the Joe Laurino Award; Jason Hensley – the Dick Maplesden Award for outstanding Chapter Director; and Kim Cole was awarded the Jackie Maplesden Award. Everyone enjoyed the great taco lunch and lots of wonderful desserts. In addition to the fun and food, there were

three members who donated their time and expertise by speaking to the group and sharing insights into our industry. We would like to give special thanks to Mike West, Pat Moffett, and Ralph Denning for speaking at our event. Everyone enjoyed the information these industry leaders had to give. We are looking forward to another great year at the CFI.

Upcoming Education November 1-2: IICRC Stone Maintenance Technician Course (SMT) Location: Clean Center, 8550 N. 91st Avenue, Building D, Suite 37, Peoria, AZ 85345 Instructor: William R. Griffin Cost: $399 (CFI, CCINW & LMCCA Members $349) November 7-8: Leather Cleaning Technician Course (LCT) Location: Academy of Textiles & Flooring, 12430 E. Whittier Blvd., Whittier, CA 90602 Instructor: Lonnie McDonald Cost: $349 (CFI Members save 10%) Call the Academy of Textiles & Flooring at 800-551-9378 to register. November 9-10: Leather Cleaning Technician Course (LCT) Location: K & J Representatives, LLC., 5522 W. Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85043 Instructor: Lonnie McDonald Cost: $349 (CFI & LMCCA Members $299) November 10-11: IICRC Carpet Repair & Reinstallation Course Location: Carpet Maintenance Supply, Inc. 3991 Pacific Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94403 Instructor: John Carter Cost: $399 (CFI, CCINW & LMCCA Members $349) For more details on these courses and more, call the CFI at (800) 227-7389. 54


PACR News By Jillian Olson

PACR Continues Power Meetings Through the Fall

T

he Professional Association of Cleaning and Restoration will continue to host PACR Power Meetings/IICRC CEC Credit Workshops in Denver this fall. These will be a series of half day workshops focusing on updates within specific IICRC Standards, including the new, soon-to-be-available S100 Professional Cleaning of Textile Floor Coverings Standard. Larry Cooper presented the S500 Update on September 23, and will present the next two workshops as well.

Upcoming Events Thursday November 17: New S100 Professional Cleaning of Textile Floor Coverings: Residential Floor Coverings. Larry Cooper will present the newly updated information on the new IICRC S100 Floor Covering Standard focusing on Residential Cleaning. Monday December 12: New S100 Professional Cleaning of Textile Floor Coverings: Commercial Floor Coverings. Larry Cooper will present the newly updated information on the new IICRC S100 Floor Covering Standard focusing on Commercial Cleaning. The Location for All Workshops: Interlink Supply in Denver is the location for all workshops. Each workshop will run from 9:00am – 1:00pm. The individual price per workshop (each workshop is ½ IICRC CEC) for PACR Members is $57 per person; non-members, $77 per person In other news, the PACR is proud to present the Trauma Scene Cleanup Workshop Nov. 14-16 in Denver. Contact the PACR office for more information or go to www.

professionalassociationofcleaningandrestoration.org. PACR Members are invited to attend the Annual Holiday Party on Friday, Dec. 9 in Arvada. Enjoy a night of dinner, drinks, fun entertainment, and networking with PACR Members. For more information and to register, contact the PACR office at (877) 447-2822 or email Jillian at [email protected].


55

CRA News By Jennifer Germond

Jennifer Germond is Member Services Coordinator for the CRA. You can reach her at [email protected] or call her at 916-736-1100, ext. 302.

CRA Welcomes New Members

D

o you know the benefits of becoming a CRA Associate Member? CRA Associate Members are members that provide services to those within the cleaning and restoration industry. Associate Members receive the same membership benefits as CRA Regular Members, as well as access to a CRA Membership Directory on the CRA website; advertising opportunities in CRA Quarterly Mailers; logo and company information posting on the Feature Member section on the CRA website’s homepage; the option to be a guest presenter on one of CRA’s webinar programs; sponsorship opportunities; option to purchase advertising space on “Members Only” page banners; and the opportunity to submit a proposal to be a presenter for a quarterly regional meeting.

Some of our newest members include: 1st Restoration, Inc.

JCHM Consulting

ABATIX, Phoenix branch

JFS Construction Group

ACCM, Inc.

KS International

Askdickwagner.com

Net Claims Now

Bob’s Cleaning Service, Inc.

One Source Restoration

Carpet Cops

Rainbow International of Tucson, AZ

Celco Construction

Reets Drying Systems, LLC

Clean-Tec Restoration

Ross Brothers Construction

Coastline Environmental Solutions

Scholte Plumbing Co.

COIT Las Vegas

ServiceMaster by A-Town HiTech

Flawless Cleaning Systems

Sunshine Floors Restoration

CRA Training Courses & Events in November Nov. 2-4 – WRT North Highlands, CA – Central California Cleaning Supply with Jim Holland Nov. 8-9 – PLRB Conference in Sacramento, CA. Come visit the CRA Booth! Additional training location coming soon: IICRC’s WRT and AMRT courses to be held at Abatix in Phoenix! For information about CRA membership, call 916-736-1100 x302, email [email protected] or visit www.crassociation.org.

56


SCRT News By Patti Savelle

Patti Savelle is administrator for the Society of Cleaning & Restoration Technicians.

SCRT News, Events and Happenings

C

onnections in Las Vegas turned out to be an awesome event and, as usual, the SCRT had a strong presence there. At the SCRT membership reception one lucky member’s name was drawn for the $100 bill that was given away. We also gave away $350 at the end of Connections in cash prizes to SCRT members who were still in attendance and had registered at our booth. The booth was very active, and several new members joined SCRT. Be prepared for Connections Conference and Exhibition in Florida in May 2012, as it will be a bigger show than we have had in the past. There will be a lot of changes so don t miss this one. As SCRT Members, you are really missing out on some great networking, education and great deals on equipment if you are not there.

SCRT Michigan Chapter Food, fellowship and education were enjoyed at the Michigan SCRT Chapter meeting on Sept. 21 at Great Lakes Steamway in Wayne, Mich. Bruce DeLoatch put on an instructional demon-

stration of thermography and thermal imagers. Bruce ran through equipment use, and also included information on using the technology as a revenue source for cleaners in the restoration business. A complimentary dinner provided by Steamway was enjoyed by all. SCRT Chapter meetings focus on providing information for running a

successful business. Changes in cleaning chemistry, equipment, practices and procedures are highlighted to improve management skills. All meeting are open to SCRT members and visitors and some include IICRC CE credits. Check the SCRT website at www.Scrt. org for updates concerning meeting that may be held in your area.


57

CRCII News By Don Quick

CRCII News and Events

O

n Nov. 7 the CRCII, along with Pro’s Choice, will be sponsoring a special meeting for its members hosted by JonDon Products of Roselle, Ill. Pro’s Choice will be introducing some innovative chemicals and products. There will be live demonstrations. Two sessions will be held from 8 am to noon and 1 pm to 5 pm. Seating is limited, so call Jon-Don at (800) 936-3520 to make reservations. Jon-Don is located at 400 Medinah Road. Also in attendance at this meeting will be a representative from B.I S.A., Inc. to explain the insurance program available only to paid CRCII members. If you’ve visited our website recently, you would have seen that it is being revised. There will be many new features included on our site for both members and consumers. We will make an announcement when it is completed. Sadly, I must inform you of the passing of longtime member Jim Spann on Sept. 10. Jim had been cleaning carpets for over 50 years and still worked with his son Jon. Our condolences to the Spann family. “With the passing of Jimmy Spann, those in our industry lost a scholar, an expert, a teacher, a cheerleader and, most of all, a friend,” Vince Caffarello said. “I was fortunate to know Jim for a majority of those years with both of us starting our industry careers in the ServiceMaster system. The amazing thing about knowing Jim for all those years is I never heard anyone say anything negative about him. “It is difficult to separate and evaluate what single characteris-

58


tic set Jim apart from the crowd but you would have to include his being an incredible Cheerleader for our industry. One only had to observe the care he took on the appearance of his truck, the industry patches applied to his uniform shirt, to see Jim was extremely proud to be a professional cleaner. He was not a big man in stature, but he was a giant in our industry; his gentle approach to people made him everyone’s friend. On Sept. 10, our industry lost a champion, and those of us that knew him lost an irreplaceable friend,” Caffarello said. There is no meeting planned for December, but we have a jam-packed schedule planned for 2012.

T H E I N N O VAT O R S

A feature rich truckmount designed for simple operation and ease of maintenance! With the El Diablo truckmount you get all the heat and power you need. A 195,000 BTU Diesel heater allows for consistently high cleaning temperatures of 230˚F and higher with up to 2,000 psi cleaning pressure. Within 30 seconds from a cold start, achieve and maintain water temperatures of 200˚F plus High heat equals outstanding cleaning performance.

Powerful portables that go anywhere and do everything! This lightweight, easy to maneuver and load portable, conquers stair climbing with ease. The MasterForce portable gives you proven performance in a compact package A portable that acts like a truckmount.

A New Pet Odor Deodorizer At Last - a new oxidizing odor counteractant, effective on all protein odors from dead body odor to pet urine. The product oxidizes the odor molecule and leaves a pleasant fresh orange fragrance in its place. Very concentrated and dilutes 10:1 with water (1 gallon makes 11 gallons). Effective on all fibers.

“AT LAST” something really works! Circle 3 on the Free Information Page

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Proudly Made in America


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