Educational Articles

Encapsulation [502 KB - pdf]

Doyle Bloss

A profitable addition to your business income

Truck Mount - Q & A [1.2 MB - pdf]

Mike Roden

Things to think about when purchasing.

How to get the best out of your Restorator [25 KB - pdf]

Tips for Restorator efficiency.

Tenting for Drying: Always or Never? [86 KB - pdf]

The question of when to use tenting (also called barriers or containment) in the drying process seems to follow two divergent schools of thought: 1) if you don't tent you're not drying efficiently; 2) if you do tent you risk secondary damage (from overheating, condensation, etc). To tent or not to tent? That is the question.

Thoughts on Fuel Costs for Truckmounts [48 KB - pdf]

Thoughts on Fuel Costs for Truckmounts

Wand Technology [10 KB - pdf]

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HIGH PRESSURE PUMP REPAIR GUIDE [1.69 MB - pdf]

HIGH PRESSURE PUMP REPAIR GUIDE

FaceYarn - Issue 13 [373 KB - pdf]

CCANZ

The new website has been completed and approved by the committee and will soon be ready for release.

CSN June - Sales Notes - Issue 147 [58 KB - pdf]

David McPharlin

Once again we are at that quiet time when things can be reevaluated, equipment checked or maintained and business generally taken stock of.

CSN June - Service Notes - Issue 147 [26 KB - pdf]

Steve Brandt – Hydramaster Corporation

How to Buy Truck Mounted Carpet Cleaning Systems.

Microfiber: A True Wonder Fiber [50 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Limited

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber derived from a blend of polyester and polyimide whose individual fibers are roughly 1/16 that of a human hair but are able to hold more than six times their weight in liquid.

CSL Free Seminar - Rodent Baiting Techniques [64 KB - pdf]

David McPharlin

Strategem and Storm Rodent control product free seminar held at CSL’s Penrose training facility on 21/4/10 was so well attended.

Stand By Your Price and Still Get The Job (or the Sale) [61 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

You want the job/deal/contract/sale badly. You need the business. What do you do?

How To Brand Your Cleaning Business [52 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Limited

Branding relates to the first impression we have of your company, and the impression we have formed about you every time we see your name or logo.

How to Control Foam in Carpet Cleaning Machines [48 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

As waste water is collected into a carpet cleaning machine, foam buildup is normal. However, controlling foam is necessary to protect the vacuum motors from water damage.

Service Notes - Filters [84 KB - pdf]

Ralph Holah

Service Notes - Filters

CSN January 2010- Service Notes - Jets [54 KB - pdf]

Ralph Holah

Jets - Spray jets are an integral and influential part of our tools and machinery.

Approved Handler Update [20 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

For many Pesties in the greater Christchurch area a recent visit by a Dept. of Labour Inspector as part of a special investigation into our industry was a bit of a wake up call...

PestNetwork Information [364 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Q & A's on PestNetwork, Approved Handler Certification & HSNO

Managing Spiders In New Zealand [169 KB - pdf]

Frank Visser of Key Industries

Spiders - The good, the bad and the ugly...

NZ Herald Article on Argentine Ants July09 [294 KB - pdf]

NZ Herald

"A global "mega-colony" of Argentine Ants is spreading through NZ"

Newsbrief Issue No. 64 June 2009 [323 KB - pdf]

New Zealand Chemical Industry Council

NZCIC underlines seriousness of HSNO Compliancy and acknowledges the difficulty we face as a chemical supplier.

Hand Hygiene [28 KB - pdf]

Chemical Solutions Ltd

Hygiene and the use of Alcohol Hand Sanitisers during a Pandemic

WHY DOESN'T YOUR FAVORITE "YELLOW REMOVER" WORK? - Article [8 KB - pdf]

E-Clean Observer, Volume 1, issue #8

Yellowing is now such a common and troublesome problem, that cleaners are beginning to treat all yellowing problems as BHT [see point 6 ] related. This "blanket approach" to the "mysterious appearance" of yellowing prior to or following cleaning often results in failure and subsequent frustration by the technician.

SUMMARY OF DR PETER INGHAM’S PRESENTATION [18 KB - pdf]

Dr. Ingham is the Head of Carpet and Process Technology at WRONZ

The Wool Research Organisation of NZ (WRONZ) is a contract scientific and research laboratory, which is run on a company structure and is based in Christchurch. Recently WRONZ formed a joint venture company – Wool Interiors Ltd, which now runs Wools of New Zealand. This strengthened the wools of New Zealand brand and gave it strong technical backing.

WHY GROOM CARPETS ? - Article [19 KB - pdf]

Jeff Bishop, taken from Cleaning Today Magazine, April issue

“It’s just a waste of time! Besides the pile will track up in a day or so, so who cares if I groom residential carpet after cleaning? This is typical of the comments I hear regarding the finishing or grooming of carpet pile, especially cut-pile designs after cleaning. So, is grooming really necessary?

WHY DO I NEED AN IN-TANK CLEANER IF I’M USING PRESPRAY? - Article [16 KB - pdf]

Steve Johnson (Bridgepoint Systems)

Some carpet cleaners don’t use an emulsifier or rinse agent through the machine during extraction. Instead, they use a clear water rinse. I’ve heard a few explanations as to why they do this. Some say, “It rinses cleaner and doesn’t leave a residue.” Others say, “It saves me time and money because I use less chemical.” The most common explanation by far is, “That’s how I was taught to do it and I’ve done it that way ever since.”

CONTROL OF WHITE TAIL SPIDERS (LAMPONA CYLINDRATA) - Article [12 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Reports of the White Tail have been received from all over the country from Kerikeri in the North to Queenstown in the South for a number of years. While these reports can be seen as a windfall to the industry from an economic point of view, we must remember to remain professional in our approach when dealing with the Public regarding the control of these pests.

WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU REALLY IN?? - Article [19 KB - pdf]

Steve Marsh

Why do so few carpet cleaning businesses really succeed? Carpet cleaning technicians are able to generate up to $100 per hour or more and are surrounded by an unlimited market to service. Virtually every home and office in the country has carpet and/or upholstered furniture which needs regular maintenance cleaning.

WARNING RE BROWNING TREATMENT - Article [7 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

The principle is “don’t use a hammer to crack a nut”. Browning should always be approached incrementally, beginning with the least aggressive treatment and working up to the more serious treatments only if required.

WHAT YOU NEED FOR BASIC UPHOSTERY CLEANING - Equipment list [20 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

WHAT YOU NEED FOR BASIC UPHOSTERY CLEANING

TOO HOT TO TROT! - Article [11 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Just what is the big deal about heat and when is ‘hot’ too ‘hot’ in relation to carpet cleaning? These are questions often debated by carpet cleaners and machine distributors like ourselves – in the hope of getting you to buy machines.

THE VALUE OF REFERRALS - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

I think it would be safe to say that most service personnel would consider themselves technicians rather than sales people. As such, many forget the value of referrals, or often it is simply a case of forgetting to ask for them.

HOW DO THEY DO THAT ON CSI? Chemical Reactions - Article [9 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

All of us who are fans of forensic TV shows have seen the CSI hero (in obligatory sunglasses of course) dim the lights and spray the ‘magical’ substance over the carpet and dramatically reveal the blood splatter of many a poor victim. How do they do that you may wonder? It all has to do with some interesting chemicals we come into contact with everyday in carpet cleaning:

WHY DO MY VACUUM MOTORS SEEM TO BE “BLOWING UP" MORE REGULARLY? - Article [22 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

We have received a few queries lately regarding vacuum motors not going the distance. Some that have been returned have had no visible evidence of water damage, unusual brush wear, or signs of abuse and yet may have only lasted 3 or 4 months.

SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES BELONG - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Mike Morris, Council of Associations Chairman

Over the course of the last few months, I’ve had occasion to talk to a number of cleaners about how their businesses are doing in these uncertain times. Given the down turn in the economy and the events of September 11, I’ve been surprised to hear that business is good. Most have told me that their annual sales are up from last year, and sales for the fourth quarter of 2001 were good.

STAND BY YOUR PRICE AND STILL GET THE JOB (OR THE SALE) - Article [11 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Reality: You want the job/deal/contract/sale badly. You need the business. You suspect your price may be a little above a competitor’s price. What do you do? Would you lower your price or negotiate?

SPOTTING RUST REMOVERS - Article [11 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Today magazine

In using strong reactive agents (reagents for short), there is always the possibility of fibre damage or colour loss.

SOME TIMELY ADVICE ON TRUCKMOUNTS - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Firstly, regardless of the quality of a truckmount, it is only as good as the after sales support you will receive from the dealer. This not only applies to operation, training and maintenance but when it comes time to sell or upgrade the unit.

HOW DO I CLEAN SISAL? - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

What is sisal? Sisal is a cellulosic fibre similar to jute (usually associated with carpet backing). The first sisal flooring to appear in New Zealand was in ‘tile’ (not to be confused with seagrass) form, whereas now almost all is in a ‘broadloom’ style. The fibre is resilient and tough.

Sarcoptes scabiei - "Scabies" - Article [15 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Sarcoptes scabiei is a parasitic arthropod which burrows into human skin and causes scabies.

RULES FOR VACUUMING FLOTEX - Article [164 KB - pdf]

Brian Clark

Rule number 1: Suck-only Back Packs or Canister Vacuums should NEVER be used to maintain Flotex™!

WARNING RE: REPORT WRITING- Article [19 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

There are a number of situations which arise during the course of your business which will require you to provide a written report or written response regarding a claim against you or a third party, perhaps one of your competitors.

REMOVING BLOOD! - Article [7 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

With any Blood spillage the number one issue is that of Health & Safety due to potential contamination to the technician and any observers or occupants.

PREVENTING COLOUR BLEEDING WITHOUT DRY CLEANING - Article [9 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

For decades the "fail safe" method of cleaning fabrics that had non colorfast dyes was to dry clean. Dry cleaning solvents rarely cause color bleeding and in many companies it has become the preferred method for the untrained and for those that lack confidence.

Approximate Daily Rates Of Power used by Airmovers / Dehumidifiers (2008) [22 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Daily Rates Of Power used by Airmovers / Dehumidifiers

POOR MANAGEMENT NEGATES GOOD TRAINING! - Article [10 KB - pdf]

Jim Pemberton – E-Clean Observer

Most upholstery damage claims are caused by trained, certified technicians! We used to believe it was a result of overconfidence, especially on the part of owner operators. However, most employees, out of fear of losing their jobs, if nothing else, rarely get caught up in the "superman cleaner" mentality.

POLYPROPYLENE CARPETS, WHY CAN THEY BE SO HARD TO CLEAN? - Article [10 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Is Polypropylene carpet (polyprop) any different from other carpets? Yes it is! Here are some characteristics that make it different.

PHARAOH ANT MANAGEMENT: - A 3-STEP SOLUTION - Article [41 KB - pdf]

Dr. Stephen Ke

Throughout many parts of North America, Pharaoh ants are becoming increasingly proble-matic, especially in commercial accounts such as health care facilities, food-processing facilities and managed property. Keep the following three steps in mind when treating these challenging pests.

UNDERSTANDING PH - Article [11 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

pH is a concept that is difficult enough to grasp at the very best of times. To be aware of the chemical balance of the cleaning products that all of us use, can help us greatly.

PET ODOR REMOVAL - Article [15 KB - pdf]

Dave Barkstedt, CFS – taken from Cleanfax online

Short of removing a pet from the home, what's the best way to eliminate pet odor?

Questions and Answers About Ozone - Article [26 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Question: What is Ozone? Ozone is sometimes called the “activated oxygen”. It contains three atoms of oxygen rather than the two atoms we normally breathe.

OH NO!! NOT ANOTHER BLOWN VACUUM !!! - Article [12 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Probably the biggest headache to carpet cleaners is equipment failure. Our livelihood depends on our machines, hoses, wands and upholstery tools all working when we need them to. When they don't, they cost us money. Not only the fact that we are not able to work, but also the disappointment to our pre-booked and potential customers who may go elsewhere. The costs of this may be greater than the immediate lost earnings.

LOW MOISTURE CARPET CLEANING – IS IT WET, OR IS IT DRY? - Article [10 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

Some of the biggest concerns for consumers when getting their carpets cleaned is not necessarily the method of cleaning, but rather how good it will look when it’s done and the dry time. To most consumers, how soon they can access and use their cleaned carpets is priority number one.

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY – TO BE OR NOT TO BE? - Article [19 KB - pdf]

Nathan Pritchard

The carpet cleaning industry in New Zealand is comprised of a variety of businesses, trading under a variety of business structures. These include limited liability companies, partnerships and sole traders. No doubt the variety of structures used reflects the variety of sizes and types of operations within this industry.

"Quality begins with me!" - Article [16 KB - pdf]

Hydramaster's Hydranotes

When people are asked what can be done to improve quality, the normal human tendency is to point to someone else and say "If they would just…."

JETS PLAY KEY ROLE IN WET CLEANING - Article [11 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

When you apply chemical with pressure, think of what you're doing as airbrush painting – then you'll realise how important a consistent spray pattern is in cleaning carpets. Worn jets or nozzles reduce cleaning performance by diminishing fan width, resulting in overwetting, poor extraction, streaking and related problems.

GETTING PAID: ASSESSING YOUR CLIENT - Article [16 KB - pdf]

Nathan Pritchard

Many business people seek assistance to obtain payment from reluctant debtors. Demands are made and legal action follows. Legal action often occurs because proper processes have not been put in place at the beginning of the business relationship.

FLY CONTROL PERFORMANCE WITH RESIDUAL SYNTHETIC PYRETHROIDS - Article [9 KB - pdf]

Frank Visser of Key Industries

This is the time of year when we may receive some customer call-backs when using residual synthetic pyrethroid (RSP) products for fly control. Obviously, we are only concerned with complaints where the application dose has been correct.

EMPLOYEES VERSUS CONTRACTORS – WHICH? - Article [39 KB - pdf]

Nathan Pritchard

Often a business is faced with the situation where it has more work than it can handle with its current resources and manpower. This is particularly common in service industries. This situation can be faced by new businesses in early growth stages or well-established businesses, experiencing a sudden influx of business. In deciding how to capitalize on this growth opportunity the business often considers the relative merits between taking on independent self-employed contractors and increasing its staff of employees.

WANT TO EARN MORE AND WORK LESS? - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

“Who doesn’t!” would be a pretty standard reply. But it kind of sounds like a scam doesn’t it? Just another Pyramid Selling or “Bait in Switch”, “Get Rich Quick” scheme. I assure you it’s nothing like that. What about plain old charging what you are worth? Unfortunately many would like to, but are afraid of losing customers if they increase prices. If this situation seems familiar consider the following exercise.

What you need for basic Drapery Cleaning - Article [128 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Systems Ltd

As the curtain material is similar to upholstery the chemical selection is the same. Always test for colour fastness.

THE PROBLEM WITH DO-IT-YOURSELFERS IN CARPET CLEANING - Article [8 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Hurray for those intrepid souls who take matters into their own hands and endeavor to clean that pesky spot themselves. They’re a never-ending source of business for the local professional carpet and upholstery cleaner.

DIY FLY PROOFING TREATMENTS, SUCH AS MORTEIN - Article [53 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

What about these "do-it-yourself" fly control treatments you see advertised on TV. Do they really work?

CONTROLLING URINE ODORS - Article [16 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

In order to understand how urine treatments work, we must first understand why and how we smell urine. Urine odor is comprised of a few basic odor elements that combine in different degrees to achieve the final, all too familiar, urine odor.

Re-occuring Coffee and Tannin Stains - Article [147 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

If everyone drank their coffee black, at room temperature and it was the caffeinated type, coffee spots would not be the problem that they are. The problems are compounded by the cream and sugar that commonly goes down with the coffee, as well as the temperature at which it is spilled. Things really got tough with the increasing popularity of decaffeinated coffee. Many of the decaf coffees contain a synthetic, food grade dye which is much more difficult to remove than a tannin stain ever was.

THE “CLUSTER FLY” – POLLENIA RUDIS - Article [22 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

A number of weeks ago I had an interesting call from Wayne at Wairarapa Carpet & Pest Services. He had been called to a fly treatment job involving the “Cluster Fly”. Later I received a call from Chris at Makebrite Carpet and Pest Services concerning an unusual fly treatment job in Clevedon (south of Auckland). We were able to identify this job as “Cluster Fly” as well.

CLEANING UPHOLSTERY WITH CONFIDENCE - Article [16 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

As most professionals know, upholstery cleaning can be a very tricky business. Unless you have actually built the piece of upholstery yourself, it is difficult to know what materials are sitting behind that thin layer of fabric that you need to clean.

CLEAN UPHOLSTERY WITH YOUR TRUCKMOUNT - Article [15 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

With specialised tools, it is possible - and may be desirable - to clean furniture fabrics with truck-mounted carpet cleaning equipment.

A GUIDE TO BUYING THE RIGHT TRUCKMOUNT - Article [13 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

With the truckmount unit becoming ever more popular in New Zealand over the last few years, so has the availability of makes and models. While it must be acknowledged that truckmounts are not for everyone, for the majority of serious players in our industry it has now become not a question of “Should I get a truckmount?” but “When am I going to get a truckmount?” Of course the next question once you have done the math is logically, what machine should I get?

HOW TO: CLEAN BLOOD SPILLS, BODILY FLUIDS - Article [18 KB - pdf]

Custodial Technician Handbook I

Cleaning up bodily fluids and blood involves much more risk than other spills, due to the number of infectious diseases in this day and age.

Whats the best thing for Fly Control? - Article [25 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

There's a couple of things I've noticed over the last few fly control "seasons" and I thought I'd share them with you and see whether you agree.

ASTHMA, ALLERGIES & CARPET CLEANING - Article [10 KB - pdf]

Cleaning Today magazine

Technical Report May 1999: There is a higher incidence of asthma in Australia and New Zealand than in any other countries in the world. Allergens that have been linked to asthma include house dust mites, cockroaches, grasses, pollens, moulds and mildew and moulting from cats and birds.

WHAT IS AN ANTI-STAT, AND HOW DOES IT WORK? - Article [21 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

We’ve been fielding a number of inquiries lately, from people interested in our Anti-Stat Carpet Treatment. Just what is Anti-Stat, how does it work, and is it effective?

WHAT IS AN ANTI-ALLERGEN SPRAY & HOW DOES IT WORK? - Article [18 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

With New Zealand being one of the top three countries for Asthma related illness and many of the medical experts either coming from or traveling to our shores, there is definitely a heightened awareness of some of the reasons why Asthma is so prevalent here

A GUIDE TO BUYING THE RIGHT PORTABLE - Article [15 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

All too often in our line of work (supplying and servicing carpet cleaning equipment), we see cleaners either coming into the showroom or phoning in, expressing disappointment with machines they have purchased from a supplier who hasn’t taken the time to find out what their needs are.

Encapsulation - Article [716 KB - pdf]

Prochem

An overview of encapsulation chemistry and it’s applications.

Fast Facts on Scrubbers - Article [316 KB - pdf]

Windsor

FAST FACTS - WINDSOR HIGH SPEED HARD FLOOR SCRUBBING

Carpet & Fabric Protectors - Article [76 KB - pdf]

Paul Pritchard

Do they work? Are you really giving your customers value? Before answering these questions, you really need to understand the three basic types of fabric protectors.