ICS Cleaning Specialist articles from January 2007

ICS Cleaning Specialist archives from January 2007

My thoughts on our industry's great loss: for me, the loss of Howard Olansky is like the loss of a parent.(Publisher's Letter)(Industry overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] And indeed, the role he played for over half a century in the floor covering and related industries was paternal. Howard observed, reported, took part in and informed our industry about the events, the technologies,...

Letter to the editor.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... Dear ICS, A few years ago we complied with DuPont in order to receive approval to clean their Stainmaster products: we changed our primary residential cleaning agent to a lower pH product; we purged our inventory of all cleaning agents...

Get off the back burner: so you've done it! You've bought the biggest, hottest, shiniest new truckmount and all the toys and attachments, and you are ready to be the next carpet-cleaning mogul in your area. Now it's time for the phone to start ringing and for the dollars to start flowing in. Isn't it?(Carpet Cleaning Basics)
January 1, 2007... You do realize that the difference between success and failure, or how profitable you are, is not determined by price, quality or value, don't you? Many of the values we learned while growing up--hard work equals success, for one--are no longer...

Beating the wintertime blues--part III.(To Your Success)
January 1, 2007... "Everyone lives by selling something." --Robert Louis Stevenson Carpet cleaners who face sleet, ice, snow, mud and the generally yucky conditions of winter have every right to be depressed right about now. Inevitably, your residential...

The power of permission e-mail marketing--Part I.(Marketing Strategies That Work)
January 1, 2007... It is my pleasure to now be writing for ICS magazine. Every month I will bring you a valuable marketing strategy you can implement into your business right away. At some point I may move into other subjects, such as management, personal success...

To vacuum or not to vacuum--Part 2.
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last month I mentioned how a carpet cleaner had decided to start checking his customer's vacuum cleaner bags and belts as a value added service on every job. This has been extremely well received by his customers,...

S520 and Condition 1.(Ieq Q&A)
January 1, 2007... Q: I have read various comments about what S520 describes as a Condition 1 area. Could you please explain how a remediator is to understand this term? A: I too have read with interest the comments regarding what some believe the S520 says...

Remaining proactive in the face of negative issues: sometimes as a business manager or owner, one gets the feeling of being pulled in every direction at once, and it can be very easy to lose focus on our primary goals and objectives. One person commented that when you are up to your tail in alligators, it is hard to remember that the original objective was to drain the swamp.(Building a Profitable Business)
January 1, 2007... Reactive crisis management can be one of the least productive and most personally draining activities in which a manager can participate. It is always better to be proactive, plan ahead, anticipate challenges and never lose your focus. But...

Performing surgery today? You customer glances down and with a slight grin asks, "Performing surgery today?" With tongue in cheek she may initially make fun of your "surgical booties," but she will quickly be impressed with the extra care you are taking as you perform your cleaning.(The Gadget Man)
January 1, 2007... Is it worth the time and expense for you to wear or even dispense these shoe covers to your customers? Let's consider your business for a moment and see if we can come to some conclusions. As you build your cleaning company you may continue...

The lies meters tell.
January 1, 2007... Restoration professionals be warned: All moisture meters give false information. This can lead the user to false positive or negative results when looking for water in building materials. Readings can also be easily misinterpreted. Fortunately,...

Mission possible: safe and effective strippers.(Commercial Floor Care)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Floor care professionals are increasingly weighing in on the need for floor finish strippers to be safer for their employees and friendlier to the environment. This is a challenge considering what a stripper needs to...

Don't hit the baseboards.(Commercial Floor Care)
January 1, 2007... When we think of floor maintenance, we generally think only of the floor itself and the maintenance procedures performed on it. The floor actually consists of the entire system that supports it: the foundation, the subfloor/substrate, the...

Keys to a clean finish--the right vacuum makes a difference.(Commercial Floor Care)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Installing, sanding, finishing and repairing wood floors in a quality manner can be challenging. Customers expect a smooth finish, without bumps or roughness. In many cases, this requires several stages of sanding,...

Butler introduces Desolv.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Butler Corp. introduces Maximum Desolv, a fast-acting citrus formula for "the effective removal of most gummy, greasy and oily substances from carpet, upholstery and fabrics." Desolv can remove tape residues,...

White Magic conjures new drag tool.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... White Magic's new Max Extractor drag tool is specifically designed for "superior cleaning and water extraction," leaving carpets up to 10 times drier than a typical scrub wand, the company said. The Max Extractor is available with a 16- or...

Hydro-Force offering UV flashlights, amber glasses.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hydro-Force now offers two UV flashlight models. The low-end model is rated to 100,000 hours of bulb life. It can be used in daylight, but works best when lights are dimmed. The high-end model, manufactured by...

Esteam calls for Action! Action! Action!(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Triple Action from Esteam is an encapsulating enzyme-based deodorizer that is "extremely effective as a spotting agent on a broad range of odors associated with humans, animals, food and smoke," the company said. ...

Injectidry looking out for expensive floors.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... Protect-It from Injectidry is designed to reduce the risk of damage to expensive floors due to equipment leakage. Made of durable polyethylene plastic, the 25-by-25-inch unit holds 7.5 gallons of emergency overflow. Raised feet on the...

Ground Heaters introduces commercial dehu line.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Designed to increase production and decrease drying time, the Dryvex R110 and R55 commercial dehumidifiers from Ground Heaters are refrigerant-based systems where moisture-laden air passes across the evaporator coil,...

E Instruments does some fine-tuning.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The BTU 1000 Basic Portable Gas Analyzer from E Instruments is a portable multifunctional unit designed for the servicing and maintenance requirements of HVAC professionals. The BTU 1000 features a built-in...

Stone Pro Depot goes to The Edge.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... The Edge from Stone Pro Depot is a tile and stone edge-and-detail tool that cleans within 3mm of the baseboard--the only tool on the market to do so, the company said. Using The Edge instead of hand brushes for detail work can cut edge...

U.S. Products goes solo.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Solus heated carpet extractor from U.S. Products is designed for one-person operation. The unit is built on an upright dolly design with large rear wheels and roller handles for easy maneuvering. The Solus...

National Chemical unveils carpet care line.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] National Chemical Laboratories' Carpet Care Solutions line is "a comprehensive system of cleaners, spot removers, protectors and accessory products offering your facility a simple, cost-effective program for...

System provides employee-screening solutions.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... The Orion System from The Steering Group "can give you the following information in a few short minutes: supervisory attitudes; work attitudes; workplace theft attitudes; workplace drug-use attitudes; customer-service attitudes; and safety and...

Karcher breaks out dry-ice blaster.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Karcher introduces the IB 15/80 Dry Ice Blaster, "a highly effective and mess-free method for in-place cleaning that eliminates the need to disassemble machinery before it is cleaned," the company said. The IB 15/80...

Conventions & trade shows.(Calendar of Industry Events)(Calendar)
January 1, 2007... FEB. 7-9: SURFACES Las Vegas. Call (972) 536-6323 MARCH 5-8: NADCA Nashville. Call (202) 737-2926 MARCH 13-16: ASCR "Solutions" Orlando, Fla. Call (443) 878-1000 MARCH 18-21 PLRB/LIRB Claims Conference & Expo ...

The Ultimate cleaning machine from U.S. Products.(Products: Tools & Equipment)
January 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Ultimate all-in-one cleaning machine from U.S. Products can be used to professionally dry-clean natural fabrics and wet-clean synthetics. The Ultimate features a Solvent Sensing Probe that recognizes...