Knowledge is power
August 1st 2007 NCCA member (and former technical director) Derek Bolton can't understand how some people can call themselves carpet cleaners when they don't understand the basics of the trade.He cites some recent examples and advises professionals to train Ivisited a cottage recently to inspect a residential landing carpet at the request of one of my retail clients.The carpet was approximately two years old and there were several dark marks along the landing. The owner of the carpet had decided that it needed to be cleaned and so had brought in a local cleaning company to do this.However, the technician for the company informed the owner that he didn't want to clean the carpet as he thought it had a fault – i.e. the dark marks – hence the subsequent involvement of the retailer. As soon as I arrived at the property and saw the marks I realised that the problem was not a fault in the carpet. It was actually a common problem, which should have been identified immediately by the original carpet cleaner. To confirm my suspicions I asked the owner of the carpet to walk from the top of the stairs to the bathroom.As he did so his feet traced the tracking marks and when he turned to negotiate one of several bends in the landing the pile twisted to reflect light in a different direction – pile distortion! The experience prompted me to write this article as it reflects a lack of the knowledge that so many carpet cleaners should possess.A carpet-cleaning technician should not only be able to clean a carpet effectively and safely, but they should be able to identify the fibres and know how a carpet performs within the home or commercial environment. I have to ask the question: If a carpet or soft furnishing fabric cannot be identified correctly then how on earth can the correct technique and chemical be selected to clean it.Many of the queries I come across almost on a daily basis can so often be put down to this lack of knowledge. I was recently cleaning a carpet for a new client and she showed me an upholstered suite that had been cleaned a week or so before.The grease marks on the rear chair cushions were still evident which was why the previous cleaner wasn't cleaning her carpets. It was a simple matter for me to rectify the problem for my client.Now if I can do it why couldn't the previous cleaner? I have to ask: Is it simply that they didn't know how, couldn't be bothered, or perhaps they were clock-watching because of a low price? Where is the pride in ones work? When starting out in any job, whether you are self employed or employed, the first concept should be job training – in other words acquiring the knowledge required to do the job properly.When put in such simple terms it seems almost inconceivable that anyone would attempt a new job without sufficient training doesn't it? The National Carpet Cleaners Association regularly hold two-day training courses that are generic and give delegates an insight into all the methods and techniques that are available to a budding carpet and upholstery-cleaning entrepreneur…surely just two days training is a wise investment.More information on the National Carpet Cleaners Association can be found at:www.ncca.co.uk NCCA training course dates The NCCA's first Fire & Flood Division event of 2007 will be held at the National Flood School in Farnham, Surrey on Monday 10th September. Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning training: 5-6 October and 30 November to 1 December at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester. Spot & Stain Treatment and Removal: 3 November at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester. The NCCA will again hold its AGM at the Leicester Race on 26 October For further details on all events, visit:www.ncca.co.uk More articles from National Carpet Cleaners Association: | 
