Aero Tech Manufacturing Inc. takes great pride in producing the highest quality equipment and delivering performance and flexibility for the ever-changing cleaning and restoration market needs. For more than 15 years, Aero Tech has been providing technical support and knowledge to ensure we deliver unmatched cleaning performance with the XT from Aero Tech. We engineer greatness into every XT that leaves our manufacturing facility. Creative engineering blends well with quality construction and continued innovation to create the most powerful cleaning system available today. The XT’s simple design and ease of maintenance make the unit versatile. Whether for cleaning or restoration, large jobs or small, this system is ready with extreme heat, true dual-wand capabilities, and dual-pressure regulators for cleaning at two different pressures simultaneously.

Contact: 866-390-2376 |

[infobox title=’Dri-Eaz High-Performance Extraction Team’][/infobox]

Extract more anywhere with the one-two punch of the HVE 3000 Flood Pumper and the Dri-Eaz Extraction Tool. The highly portable HVE 3000 delivers powerful extraction without the clogging or clean-out hassles of other flood pumpers. Its easy-access filter basket and industrial pump are capable of handling up to half-inch solids, meaning no slow-downs mid-job. With powerful extraction capability, 50 GPM auto-pump-out, and HEPA exhaust filtration to limit cross-contamination, the HVE 3000 is a true winner. Couple it with the lightweight and ergonomic Extraction Tool, and you can punch up your extraction efficiency and increase your profits!

Contact:

[infobox title=’Extreme Vacuum Strength, Simplified Design’][/infobox]

The Nautilus Extreme provides the most powerful vacuum of any portable extractor on the market. Powered by two high-efficiency 8.4 Ametek® Lamb vacuum motors, the Nautilus Extreme can produce double the vacuum of comparable extractors yet still operate on only two cords. The extreme vacuum is ideal for restoration contractors performing water extraction, cleaners using 150+ feet of vacuum hose, and commercial jobs where the dry time is not a nicety, but a necessity.

Contact: 800-660-5803 |

[infobox title=’Truckmount Power Without the Truck’][/infobox]

Powr-Flite’s BlackMax Extractors combine the performance of dual, three-stage vac motors, a robust, 500-psi pump, electric heat, and our patented Perfect Heat® system to give you the most powerful portable on the market:

• 101 CFM of extraction and 220-inches of waterlift,
• 1,800-watt heater produces temperatures up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit,
• Adjustable, 50- to 500-psi pump handles the toughest jobs,
• Sound suppression system provides operator comfort and safety,
• Handle-mounted transport wheels for easy loading/unloading,
• Ships complete with a 20-foot hose and extension cords.

View our complete line, and take advantage of an exclusive FREE FREIGHT offer for Cleanfax readers at .

Contact: 800-880-2913 |

The post October 2018 Extractor Showcase appeared first on Cleanfax.

By Jeff Cross

A Proper Introduction

“Time flies. As a cliche, nothing could be closer to the truth.”

I started as the senior editor of Cleanfax in February of 2003 after a long career in the cleaning and restoration industries. Before that, I worked a few years as a newspaper reporter and photographer.

So, getting the lead editor job at Cleanfax made perfect sense. I knew how to spell most words and could spot a verb in most sentences. I was a guy who knew what a deadline was, and, best of all, I knew the ins and outs of cleaning and restoration.

It was really John Downey, who started Cleanfax more than 30 years ago, who gave me my chance. What most of you don’t know is he spotted me on the Cleanfax forum — now defunct — as one of the duo comedy team of Berberina and Olefina. A friend named Jackson Lloyd was Berberina. I was “her” capable sister, Olefina. We had a good time writing up comedy pieces, and that’s how I began my relationship with Cleanfax. Got their attention. Eventually, a couple of years later, the day came when they needed an editor, as John was off doing whatever John does, so I took the job.

I guess I did OK. In a few months, I was also named the senior editor of Cleaning and Maintenance Management magazine, or CMM, a sister publication, to this day, of Cleanfax.

Things continued to change. I got into training, made a deal with the then-owner of Cleanfax to run the magazine brand from my home office, giving me the opportunity to travel the world (well, mainly the United States) and teach IICRC classes and other seminars, now under Totally Booked University. And someone else took over CMM magazine.

Change continued. ������ý, the worldwide cleaning association, in 2014 first purchased CMM, which didn’t affect me, and then Cleanfax in December of 2016, which did affect me. So, I had the privilege of working for a fantastic, forward-thinking trade association. ������ý is about everything cleaning, on a global scale, and now focusing, too, on restoration with the acquisition of Cleanfax.

Recently, I was asked to take on a new task. I was named the editorial director of ������ý Media, overseeing content creation and development of the editorial team that produces Cleanfax, CMM, and ������ý Today, which is an ������ý member-benefit publication. We have lead editors for all those brands, and my job is, as the famous movie line quote goes, to “give it a think” as to how to continually improve all our brands.

So, now I won’t be involved in the day-to-day management of Cleanfax. I’ll still be involved with the magazine and website, of course, and will never let go completely… which brings me to the proper introduction of our brand-new managing editor, Amanda Hosey.

Amanda is no stranger to Cleanfax. In fact, if you see something you enjoy in the pages of Cleanfax, she has had a hand in developing it. She’s been with me as my partner in media for several years now, and it’s time for her to step up and take on the task of running the daily operations of the magazine, website, newsletters, and other products we create.

Amanda, it’s time. Take over, and you better do a good job… because Cleanfax will always be my baby. I’ll be watching!

***

By Amanda Hosey 

I Have Big Shoes to Fill

“I’m looking to the future but considerate of the past.”

In it’s 33 years, Cleanfax has meant a lot to carpet cleaning and restoration professionals — a learning resource, a source of conversation, validation that you are not alone in your troubles, and much more.

Cleanfax has meant a lot to me as well. After years as a teacher, I made my move into editing as assistant editor of Cleanfax in 2014. I knew next to nothing about cleaning or restoration, but I’m always excited to learn new things, so I dove in headfirst and found a home. Over the years, I’ve learned so much from our loyal readers, our authors, and, most of all, Jeff Cross.

Jeff has been a mentor to me — a constant resource for industry knowledge just as he has been to countless others during his career. It has been a wonderful experience working under Jeff on Cleanfax, but I’m happy ������ý’s other media publications, CMM and ������ý Today, will benefit now from his steady hand guiding them, in addition to Cleanfax.

As to me, even if you don’t yet know me, you’ve probably seen my work in the pages of Cleanfax over the years — including many an infographic and that article in the August issue about millennial customers that probably made you angry and/or anxious. I plan to continue bringing you useful, informative information for strengthening your company each issue, just as Cleanfax has always done.

I’ve met many of our wonderful readers at The Experience shows, and I know many of you online through Facebook. And I want to meet as many of you as I can in the future, so please, if you see me at a show or online, say hello and introduce yourself, or feel free to email me at amandah@issa.com any time with thoughts, comments, or just to say hello.

The post Changing the Guard: Our New Managing Editor appeared first on Cleanfax.

Kim describes this particular job: “A local painter called our office in a panic. He had just spilled dark wood stain on his client’s carpet. He said it was just a ‘small spot by the baseboard.’ If it was just a small spot, why the panic? That was cleared up quickly when our technician, Thomas Lexvold, arrived on the job. With no extra carpet, we removed carpet from their closet and performed a large repair. Both the painter and his clients were thrilled with the results!”

For an opportunity to win a chemical prize package from Solutions by Steam Pros (worth $250), send your images and a brief 100-word description on how you obtained your results to Amanda Hosey, managing editor, at AmandaH@issa.com or via Facebook message at www.facebook.com/Cleanfax. Contest rules available by request.

[infobox title=’DID YOU KNOW’][/infobox]

Although you encounter rayon in many upholstered pieces of furniture, and in area rugs, it is easy to mistake the fiber as silk, but it is far from silk — and far from durable. Rayon, as a product, originates as a plant material, or cellulose, and through chemical reaction, it is transformed into a liquid, which is then extruded into a fiber. A cleaning challenge with rayon is it is weaker when wet, and the extraction step of your cleaning can tear the fabric.

The post Paint Spill Panic [Photo Contest] appeared first on Cleanfax.

Cleaners have encountered rayon in upholstery fabric for years. But designers also, unfortunately, increasingly embrace the silk-like look of rayon for rugs.

Rayon rugs present many cleaning challenges. This fiber does not hold up to foot traffic or consumer, do-it-yourself spotting/cleaning. Professional cleaning may exacerbate pre-existing texture distortion and sprouting.

Image 2 – Stencil bleeding in a rayon rug

Image 1 – Cleaning a viscose rayon rug

Technicians can attend advanced rug cleaning courses that demonstrate methods to clean rayon and silk rugs and correct texture distortion. (See Image 1.)

Another problem associated with rayon rugs is that the dyes are not always colorfast. There have also been instances of pattern stencil bleeding/wicking to the face and back from the foundation yarns. (See Image 2.) This stencil bleeding cannot be predicted or tested for prior to cleaning.

It is important to be clear with customers to avoid misunderstandings, communicating that these issues are pre-existing conditions. You should obtain a written release before cleaning these rugs.

Rayon is known by several names: Artificial silk, art silk, banana silk, viscose, bamboo silk, allo silk, cactus silk, soya silk, modal, cuprammonium, lyocell, and Tencel. All are a type of rayon manufactured from regenerated (or reformed) cellulose. (See image 3.)

There are four main processes to produce rayon.

Image 3 – Various types of viscose rayon rugs

1 | Regular rayon or viscose

Searching for a product that could match the look of silk, a Frenchman by the name of Count Hilaire de Chardonnet produced the first manufactured fiber. In 1891, he dissolved the pulp of mulberry trees (since silk worms feed on the leaves) in chemicals and forced the solution through a metal plate with tiny holes. It was then exposed to heated air and chemicals to harden the material into a filament fiber. He patented the process of making “artificial silk,” which was a shiny fiber. However, it was removed from the market due to flammability issues.

Large-scale commercial production of “artificial silk” began around 1900 based on a process developed by British inventors, Charles Cross, Edward Bevan, and Clayton Beadle. Cellulose from wood pulp, or short cotton fibers called “linters,” are immersed in a solution of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) and aged for a time. This results in a solution that is thick and viscose, which gives us the term viscose rayon. Then the fibers are forced through a spinneret into a bath of sulfuric acid to harden the material.

The confusion between real silk and artificial silk led the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, (more on this later) in 1924 to establish the term “rayon” for regenerated cellulosic fibers. The term rayon means “ray of light” in French. This term is mostly used in the U.S., and “viscose” is the common term in Europe. For our purposes, we will use the term “viscose rayon.”

Because of environmental problems associated with the process, viscose rayon is no longer manufactured in the USA. The viscose process is still the most common method of worldwide production, which is now mostly performed in Asia. India is the largest manufacturer of the fiber for use in garments, rugs, etc.

2 | High Wet Modulus (HWM), Modal

A Japanese researcher modified the viscose process to develop a fiber with a physical structure more like that of cotton — a greater resistance to deformation when wet. Modal is used for activewear garments and a high-tenacity (high-strength) version of tire cords.

3 | Lyocell

The raw material for lyocell, like that of viscose rayon, is cellulosic pulp. The chemicals used are not as toxic as viscose rayon, and the process is self-contained.

Lyocell fiber is stronger than viscose rayon and is mostly used in garments. It can be sold under the brand name Tencel and is manufactured mostly in Europe. Recently, Tencel came to market for carpet and rugs since it feels “silky and soft.” Tencel, when used for garments, will shrink 3 percent after the first washing. This is not a problem for rug cleaners unless it is used in the backing or foundation yarns.

Some sales people tell their customers Tencel is not rayon, but at the end of the day, it is a type of regenerated fiber with cleaning issues similar to viscose rayon.

4 | Cuprammonium rayon

The process for developing cuprammonium rayon is different from the viscose rayon process. In the cuprammonium process, cellulose is dissolved in a copper ammonium solution, and the fiber is extruded into a water bath. It is somewhat more silk-like in appearance than viscose rayon and a bit stronger. The fiber is made mostly into lightweight fabrics. Due to clean-water regulations, it is no longer produced in the USA.

Rayon in rugs

What we commonly encounter as rug cleaners is either viscose rayon used as a design highlight, woven carpet fabricated into an area rug, or rugs made from 100 percent viscose rayon. The label could read “artificial silk” or be abbreviated as “art silk.” Unfortunately, many consumers overlook the “art” part of the label and are convinced they have a true, silk rug. They might have paid a considerable amount of money for the rug (particularly if the rug dealer was not forthcoming).

A viscose rayon rug may have pre-existing pile distortion and sprouts, so be sure to document that on your inspection form. Discuss this issue with your customer. Cleaning may not improve the look and may create additional distortion and sprouts. During the cleaning process, viscose rayon, when wet, loses 30 to 50 percent of its strength, according to the apparel/ textile industry’s Fabric University.

The back-and-forth movement of a carpet cleaning wand or rotary brush can cause pile distortion, and high-water pressure makes the damage worse. Hot water can cause the viscose rayon to bleed, particularly if it contains bold colors. Turning down the pressure and heat and avoiding the typical back-and-forth wand movement used in wall-to-wall carpet cleaning is recommended. The Achilles heel of viscose rayon is the low, wet strength. Other natural fibers such as cotton and wool have a higher tenacity.

Image 4 – Setting viscose rayon pile

Image 5 – Viscose rayon rug in the dry room

After cleaning viscose rayon rugs, set the pile towards the bottom of the rug (that is, pile down) with a good carting brush. (See image 4.) Vacuum the rug the next day when the rug is dry (See image 5.) to lift and soften the pile. Be aware that UV light can weaken the fiber over time.

Image 6 – Stain removal

Stain removal on viscose rayon rugs can be tricky. The safest product to use is 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. (See image 6.) The rug can be placed in direct sunlight to accelerate the material, but that can lighten the fiber, so proceed with caution.

Other rayons

What about banana silk, bamboo silk, and soya silk? Trust me, bananas do not have silk. These are marketing terms used to disguise the fact that the rug is made from regenerated cellulose, i.e. viscose rayon.

Our friends at the FTC have taken several large retailers and manufacturers to court over false labeling. They have called it bamboo-zling. Maybe they do have a sense of humor after all. The FTC has been paid million-dollar fines for advertising of items “made from 100 percent bamboo fiber,” “antimicrobial fiber,” “biodegradable fiber,” and “eco-friendly fiber.” This includes such companies as Amazon, Leon Max, Macy’s, Sears, and Kmart, who continued to make those advertising claims after the FTC sent them a warning letter. The proper label for these items is “rayon made from bamboo” — it is not a “green” fiber.

As you can see, viscose rayon is a problematic fiber. Read the label if it is still on the rug. Doing a simple burn test will tell you if it is real silk (burning hair odor) or rayon (burning paper odor). Silk has problems, too, which we will cover in a future article.

Aaron Groseclose is the former president of MasterBlend, a manufacturer of rug and carpet cleaning chemicals and equipment. He instructs carpet, upholstery, and oriental rug cleaning seminars. He is the co-developer of the Master Rug Cleaner Program and co-author of A Comprehensive Guide to Oriental and Specialty Rug Cleaning.

The post Rayon: The Fiber That Just Won’t Go Away appeared first on Cleanfax.

Bamboo flooring arrived in the United States during the 1990s and has made a considerable impact on the flooring market. In 2016, the global sales of bamboo flooring were roughly $1.13 billion.

Although bamboo flooring was initially met with a certain amount of skepticism, it is now a force to consider. The advancements in manufacturing processes have increased its durability, which make it a popular choice in both residential and commercial environments. Because of its rapid growth, it is considered an “environmentally friendly” flooring material.

Most people assume that bamboo is a tree, but it is really a grass. The stem or trunk of the bamboo plant is called the culm. It has a series of hollow cylindrical chambers that are jointed (called nodes) and tapered to the top. The most common species used for flooring material is Moso (phyllostachys edulis) bamboo, a species capable of growing to 60 feet with a diameter of five to seven inches that can be harvested every three to eight years. 

For bamboo to be used as a flooring material, it must possess the properties of durability, which equate into hardness. Natural bamboo ranges from 1,380 to 1,410 on the Janka Hardness Scale, which is somewhere between the hardness of white oak and hard (sugar) maple. Carbonized bamboo is somewhat softer, with a rating range between 1,010 and 1,120, which is harder than heart pine but softer than black walnut.

Facts: The Janka Hardness Scale produces a rating value by measuring the pounds of force required to embed half the diameter of a 11.28 mm steel ball into wood. The ratings range from as low as 100 (balsa) to 4,500 (guaiacum).

Many factors play into the hardness of bamboo, which is why it has such a wide range of hardness. When it is harvested in its growth cycle and how it is manufactured are key components to the hardness factor. Additionally, there are very few laws that govern the quality control of products coming from foreign nations, making it difficult to have the consistency in hardness.

Bamboo flooring construction

The manufacturing process begins with the culm or stalk of the bamboo being sliced, then cut into strips and steamed under pressure to sanitize the product. Carbonized bamboo undergoes the process for a longer period, which produces the darker colors associated with carbonization; however, the additional steaming also reduces the hardness rating.

These strips are then kiln-dried and glued together into boards using a combination of heat and pressure. Horizontal bamboo flooring is achieved by gluing the strips face up, which allows the nodes to be visible. Vertical bamboo flooring is achieved by gluing the strips side by side, which gives the floor more of a striped appearance.

Other types of bamboo include engineered bamboo and strand- woven bamboo.

Engineered bamboo is common in horizontal bamboo in which the cross-layered under layers can be made of less expensive softwoods or lower-grade bamboo and may contain three to seven layers. Strand woven bamboo is made by gluing shredded fibers from the culm together under extreme heat and pressed into boards. The result is a very dense and durable product that can be either made from natural or carbonized bamboo.

The boards of glued strips are then milled to make the tongue-and-groove slats used for installing the flooring material. The final processes are to stain and finish the flooring. The finishes used for bamboo flooring are generally urethane or polyurethane coatings that, in some cases, contain aluminum oxide that gives the flooring a very durable finish. Due to the inconsistencies in manufacturing processes, you will find some bamboo flooring materials are less durable than others.

Bamboo flooring maintenance

The primary concerns when maintaining bamboo flooring are indenting, scratching, and moisture. Some bamboo can be scratched easily with a coin or indented with your thumbnail. Most wood floors have the same issues. There is very little a floor maintenance technician can do about indenting, scratching, and damage in general. High heel strikes and objects being slid across the floor will cause these conditions and once they have occurred, they are there. Owners of bamboo flooring may wish to consider using area rugs or walk-off mats to help combat abrasion of the surface. This is especially true of walk-off mats in entrance areas that are exposed to the outside elements.

Moisture is another issue that impacts maintenance of bamboo. When wet service procedures are performed, it is important to remove as much solution from the floor as possible.

Much of the problems with bamboo flooring has to do with the tongue-and-groove construction. Although the top of the bamboo flooring is sealed with durable urethane or polyurethane coating, what’s underneath is not. Cleaning solution will seek the path of least resistance and migrate to the lowest point. This means moisture will seep between the joints where the slats are joined and continue downward to the subfloor. Excessive moisture may cause discoloring, warping, or cupping.

Maintenance for bamboo, like most wood floors, is relatively easy: Dust mop, sweep, or vacuum regularly, and damp mop with neutral cleaner solution when needed. For heavy soil, wet mop and rinse. When this service procedure is performed, remove as much solution from the floor as possible, and always finish with a damp mop to remove any excess moisture.

Periodic maintenance may incorporate a light or medium scrub using neutral cleaning solution and a white or red pad. When performing this service procedure, remove excess solution with wet vacuum, and finish solution removal with a damp mop.

The construction of bamboo limits the restorative processes. The polyurethane coatings are extremely hard and durable but not indestructible. Over time, the appearance of the bamboo will decline, and additional maintenance may be required. Engineered bamboo has a thin veneer of bamboo on the surface; therefore, aggressive sanding cannot be done.

Although restorative maintenance in the form of sanding and refinishing is not recommended, a superficial abrasion with a surface-preparation pad or fine-sanding screen followed by a coat of polyurethane may enhance the product. However, these service procedures should be performed by trained, professional technicians.

Bamboo flooring as we know it today may be relatively new to the industry, but it sure looks like it is going to be here for a while. Understanding what it is, how it is manufactured, and its properties and characteristics may help floor maintenance technicians provide better services for their customers who have purchased bamboo.

Stan Hulin has over four decades of hard floor maintenance, services, training, education, sales and marketing, and management experience with companies such as ABM, DuPont, and milliCare. He is president and CEO of Future Floor Technology Inc. and the League of Hard Flooring Professionals. He can be reached at sqhulin@futurefloortech.com.

The post Bamboo Flooring appeared first on Cleanfax.

Two hundred and forty-two years ago, 56 men pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to a cause they deeply believed in when signing their names to the Declaration of Independence. In doing so, they also signed away the futures they had been planning.

They knew their lives would never be the same following the conflict that accompanied the Declaration, regardless of the outcome. And they were right. Two of the signers, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, would become presidents of the new nation won in the conflict.

Four were captured by the British and tortured until death. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War. Several others had their homes looted and their properties confiscated and destroyed. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Life definitely changed for them afterward.

Yet, these men signed the Declaration with their eyes wide open, bracing themselves for a future they couldn’t predict and couldn’t have ever imagined. They knew that if their lives didn’t change, the revolution would not succeed, and the union it created would not endure.

While most business startups don’t involve life-or-death stakes or having to choose between liberty or bondage, I continue to marvel at the number of business owners who think they can grow significant businesses without having to change some of the behaviors and habits they brought with them when they launched their companies.

The men who signed the Declaration of Independence certainly knew their lives would change after penning their names to the document, but I’m not convinced they were fully aware of just how different their lives would be. Rather than being subjects of a king and having to follow the laws of a distant ruler, they would rule themselves with the consent of a diverse population.

This sounds a lot like an early lesson learned by most entrepreneurs when leaving an employer to start our own business. Rather than just having to satisfy the quirky demands of one boss, we quickly realize our newfound freedom means we need to satisfy the quirky demands of lots of bosses — including customers, suppliers, and, eventually, employees.

To be successful in a new business venture, we have to think beyond our own needs, and we frequently have to learn to change beyond our previous habits and behaviors.

When businesses are small we’re responsible primarily for ourselves. We are our own king, and if we don’t produce, we don’t eat. The effects are mainly limited to ourselves. As our companies grow, we become responsible for the lives and families of the people we employ. To consistently support them, we may have to learn to change some of our behaviors. The basics, like showing up, following up, and following through, are just the beginning.

Choosing to run a business has a lot to do with choosing to govern ourselves. Along with the freedoms come corresponding responsibilities and the need to change. Recognizing the changes that will be required of us before signing our “John Hancock” will give us a lot more to celebrate every day — not just this one.

Chuck Violand is the founder and principal of Violand Management Associates (VMA), a highly-respected consulting company in the restoration and cleaning industries. Through VMA, he works with business owners and companies to develop their people and their profits. Violand is the past president of the RIA. To reach him, visit or call 800-360-3513.

The post Life Changing appeared first on Cleanfax.

While sitting down to write another article on health and well-being, I was thinking about maintaining balance in the body, business, and life and noticed myself thinking of something sweet to eat or drink.

Dismissing it and returning to my thoughts of writing, the craving for something sweet showed up again. Why?

I realized that, during the recent holidays, my life had been full of sweets. While I do like to think that I pay attention to what I eat, I realized I had been eating sugar more than normal, and now my body (and maybe my mind) thinks it’s the norm. So, I decided a little discussion of sugar and sugar substitutes was in order.

Sugar, in its many forms, is found in much of our food, especially processed foods. Some sugar comes from natural sources like fruits and vegetables, and some is manufactured. Sometimes we don’t even realize we are eating sugar because it is hidden so effectively, and many times we don’t or learn about it until we have a health crisis: Excess weight, heart issues, and diabetes — to name a few.

Let’s learn a little bit about sugar, sugar substitutes, and the body.

Sugar, substitutes, and artificial sweeteners

Simply put, sugar is sweet, water-soluble carbohydrate that can come from a number of different places and in many different forms. Monosaccharides, or “simple sugars,” including glucose, are known as dextrose, , and . Disaccharides include granulated sugar, known as sucrose (a combination of glucose and fructose), maltose (from malted grain), and lactose (from milk). Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides or polysaccharides.

Sugar substitutes, generally speaking, consist of anything you use to sweeten food or drinks in place of regular sugar. Naturally occurring sugar substitutes include honey or agave nectar. Sugar substitutes produced synthetically are what we refer to as artificial sweeteners — think Equal, Sweet ‘N Low, and Splenda.

Sucralose (Splenda), a chlorinated derivative of sucrose, was the most common sugar substitute used in food and drink manufacturing in 2017. Other artificial sweeteners include aspartame (Equal), neotame, acesulfame potassium (Sweet One), saccharin (Sweet ‘N Low), and advantame. Cyclamates are prohibited from manufacturing in the United States but are used outside the U.S. Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, and lactitol, which are created by catalytic hydrogenation, are most often used in food products.

The most common plant-based sugar substitutes are stevia leaf extract, which is “natural” but still refined, and monk fruit extract (Luo Han Guo).

Where is all that sugar hiding? The list of sugars goes on: Agave syrup, barley malt, beet sugar, brown rice syrup, brown sugar, buttered syrup, cane sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, corn sugar, corn sweetener, crystalized fructose, dextran, diatase, golden sugar, grape sugar, invert sugar, malt, maltodextrin, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucanat, yellow sugar.

So, why is this important to know? If you are trying to cut back on eating sugar, you may have to look a little closer at the food labels.

Sugar and the body

The truth is sugar is a carbohydrate, and the body uses carbohydrates for energy. When you eat sugars, the body either converts it into energy or fat, which is stored in your fat cells for use later.

Carbohydrates are the body’s most important source of energy and a necessary part of a healthy diet. The two main forms of carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates (or “simple sugars” including fructose, glucose, and lactose, which are found in nutritious whole fruits) and complex carbohydrates (or “starches” including corn and other high-starch vegetables as well as rice, whole grains, etc.).

All carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars when the body digests food and drink, which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. As the sugar level in the blood rises, the pancreas releases the hormone insulin (the body’s sugar regulator), which is needed to move sugar from the blood into the cells. Once in the cells, the sugar can be used as energy, immediately or at a later date.

Foods that contain simple sugars and highly refined grains, such as white flour and white rice, are easily broken down and cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly. Foods that contain complex carbohydrates, such as those found in whole grains, are broken down more slowly, allowing blood sugar to rise gradually.

Problems with sugar arise because of the high levels of refined sugar (simple sugar) content in foods. When eaten, the body gets a rush of sugar that it is not necessarily prepared to process. When too much sugar is consumed at once, there can be too much insulin released, which causes the blood sugar level to drop. The body then calls out for more sugar (what we’d call “cravings”), and we eat more.

Eventually the body responds by storing sugar in fat cells for later use instead of using the sugar for immediate energy. A diet that’s high in foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugar, therefore, creates spikes in insulin fat cell storage, creating problems in the body’s functioning.

Overconsumption of processed sugars can lead to the development of health problems like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and more.

Is your issue too much sugar?

Sugars can enter your diet naturally or can be added during production, according to the American Heart Association. Sugars show up naturally in things like fruit and milk, or they can be added during food and beverage manufacturing or at home.

An important fact to remember is that four grams of sugar is the same as one teaspoon of sugar. The American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of consumed each day by women and children to less than 25 grams, by men to less than 36 grams, and infants and toddlers to zero.

To put this into perspective, some common beverages you might pick up at the store have the following added sugar content:

• 12 oz. Coca-Cola: 39 grams,
• 12 oz. Mountain Dew: 46 grams,
• 16 oz. Monster Energy Drink: 54 grams,
• 8 oz. Arizona Sweet Tea: 23 grams,
• 20 oz. water: 0 grams.

Simply put, these are only the drinks. How much other added sugar are you consuming every day?

Simple tips to cut down on sugar

While there are many ways to cut down on eating sugar, the following are some simple steps for getting started recommended by the American Heart Association:

• Wean yourself off sugar by cutting the usual amount you eat in half and then lessening your intake gradually. Put less sugar in your coffee, honey in your tea, syrup on your pancakes, etc.
• Trade out your regular soda for sugar-free beverages or, even better, water.
• Eat fruit to curb your sugar cravings. It can be fresh, frozen, dried, or canned, but stay away from fruit packed in syrup. Use fruit like bananas, apples, and strawberries instead of sugar in cereal or oatmeal.
• When shopping, stop to compare nutritional labels to choose the one with the least added sugar.
• Cook smaller amounts of desserts, or remove up to a third of the sugar from recipes.
• Use extracts, like lemon or orange, or spices, like ginger, cinnamon, or nutmeg, instead of adding sugar to recipes for extra flavor.
• Try unsweetened applesauce in place of sugar in recipes.

Enjoy the sweetness in moderation. Start cutting back now, and your body and life will thank you.

Tryna Giordano Cooper is a business leader, lifelong entrepreneur, solution-based community activist, new-thought leader, and passionate sacred activist. She is a co-owner of several small businesses in Colorado including Meetings & Events, Experience Events, and Journeys for Conscious Living and was the co-owner of The Professional Cleaning Network in Denver. She is a winner of the Blue Chip Enterprise Award for small business and Adams County Capital Development Award. She can be reached at TCooper@meetingsandevents.com.

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As contractors, we go out to do the work, and much like the U.S. Postal Service motto goes, “Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night… stays us from our appointed rounds.” We are committed to taking care of our customer, the loss victim.

We are also committed to providing a high level of service to the other customer who is often part of the process: The representatives of the insurance carrier. We demonstrate this commitment by creating a quality estimate and submitting that estimate in a timely fashion. We do all of this while trying to take into account the many rules and stipulations that often vary from carrier to carrier, and even representative to representative. Once submitted, the adjusters representing those carriers often voice objections — some substantial, some minor.

No doubt, the demands of the job — serving multiple clients whose interests may not always align, navigating a wide array of estimating issues, and trying to get paid on a timely basis — can make you long for a different career path at times!

The reality is, there are always two sides to every complicated relationship, and the adjuster-contractor relationship is no exception. The adjusters involved in processing water damage claims are just like you: They have a job to do. And the insurance representatives you interact with actually share some common goals. When you can align, or dare we say compromise, with insurance adjusters in these common goals, you can cultivate win-win partnerships — and keep your profitability and sanity intact.

How to benefit from the adjuster-contractor relationship

Before you begin to build win-win partnerships with the insurance adjusters you work with, you need to understand how these relationships benefit you and your bottom line. A strong relationship helps you get paid faster, and you are more likely to have your name on the insurance check, speeding up the payment process.

Maintaining an acceptable job average is another benefit of a strong adjuster-contractor relationship. When you’ve worked hard to avoid conflict and satisfactorily resolve differences of opinion, most adjusters will be more inclined to work with you on the next job, and some will even voice their support of you with the agents. Cultivating this relationship will help future jobs go much smoother. This doesn’t mean you give in to every objection, but rather negotiate toward the middle ground that works for both sides.

Negotiating the claim

Although it would be easier if claim payment policies were uniform across the board, we all know it’s simply not how the real world works. Which line items get paid and which don’t vary from carrier to carrier and sometimes from adjuster to adjuster within the same company. This is just one more complication in the adjuster-contractor relationship.

Anticipating potential issues prior to submitting an estimate can be a huge step in making things work a little smoother. The first step in achieving this is paying attention to carrier differences when making an estimate. In fact, we recommend you capture these differences and take note of them. We keep a running list and update it frequently. It becomes a part of the DNA of our estimating process.

Next, you need to justify your claim. By adding notes and pictures to line items that may be questioned, you often avoid objections. You can also call or email the adjuster before you submit the estimate, opening communication about line items that might create a conflict or seem out of the ordinary. Be proactive. Start with and maintain a friendly attitude. This saying is an oldy but a goody: People do business with people they like.

So, what happens when you’ve done everything you can prior to submitting the estimate, but they still push back with issues? Speed is your friend. Move quickly and communicate with the adjuster as soon as you know there’s a problem. Sometimes the insurance carrier or company policy won’t allow for certain line items or certain quantities. Get clarity from the adjuster about what the issue is exactly, and look for ways to compromise. Perhaps there is another line item or a small adjustment that would help get this claim through and satisfy you both.

When the mortgage company is on the insurance check

When homeowners are still paying on their mortgage and experience a water damage, it is common for the insurance claim check to include their mortgage company’s name. Unfortunately for contractors, this can create additional complications and slow the process.

Ideally, even when the claim check includes the mortgage company, the check will still make it into your possession. Remember, this is one of the benefits we see with a healthy adjuster-contractor relationship — you are more likely to receive the check from the carrier. If this is the case, your first task is getting the check endorsed by the mortgage company.

Begin by finding out if the mortgage company has a local office. Call them, see what they require to get the check endorsed, and then head into the office to talk through the claim and get the check endorsed.

If the mortgage company isn’t local, you will need to work with them over the phone. Remember, they can’t see you on the phone, so be aware of how you sound. Try to make friends with someone within in the company, starting with the first person who answers the phone. Find out exactly what you need to do to get the check endorsed remotely.

Mortgage companies are often unwilling to talk with anyone other than the mortgage holder. You’ll need the customer to give you the legal rights to communicate with their mortgage company. The exact procedure for this varies, so be certain you have a full understanding of your local laws. For some contractors, it might make sense to include a release for communication with mortgage companies in the initial contract. When the flood victim is behind on their mortgage payments, you can expect to experience further resistance. It isn’t uncommon for the lender to use the claim check toward what is owed on the mortgage. In this case, you will have to summon all your personal communications skills to get paid.

Building a win-win relationship with adjusters can be easier than you think. We’ll detail how to do this in part two in the next issue of Cleanfax.

Cliff Cole is the co-founder of More Floods and has been in the cleaning and restoration industry for more than 30 years. Ken Kahtava is the director of marketing for More Floods and provides training and coaching of the More Floods systems to companies across North America. To learn more, visit , or call 866-667-3356.

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Transforming a cleaning and/or restoration operation into a critical mass business that can run without you is like building a “house of cards.” Yank one card out, and everything collapses! And, yes, when your techs run out of one essential item or their equipment fails, your business — and your profits — “collapse”!

To grow into a critical mass business, your mission as the owner (or manager) is to A) anticipate problems before they happen; B) develop systems to proactively prevent these issues; and C) make sure your new procedures are followed. (You must also monitor the results and adjust your procedures as needed.)

Over the years (with a lot of false starts and pain!), I developed a smoothly running business infrastructure of written systems and procedures. I then built a great team led by managers who demanded employee accountability. With my solutions (procedures), straight out of my “Strategies for Success” training program, you can do the same.

Your challenges

It is the constant feast-or-famine cycle of our industry. Your company is dead in the water with zero calls! (“Sally, will you check the phone again to make sure it has a dial tone…”) In this scenario you have too much time for maintenance and restocking.

But more likely, business is crazy with your phone ringing off the hook (You water mitigation contractors know what I mean!), and your employees have zero time for maintenance and restocking. You’re screaming at your exhausted techs, “Get out there and clean and restock your vans!”

Plus, your workers don’t want to deal with fixing broken stuff, so they simply… don’t.  And off goes the equipment to not work again out in the field. (See my Equipment Repair Sheet solution in the September issue of Cleanfax.) Your equipment and vehicles run — until they don’t (and always 30 miles from the shop during rush hour!).

Or your tech desperately calls from a job to say, “I’m out of detergent, prespray, pet treatment, and rust remover all at the same time.” (Tech nervously laughs.) “What are the odds?”

After screaming (and maybe pounding your phone on the desk), you rush out into your shop and discover virtually your entire chemical inventory is out of stock! And you don’t have any spare parts for your equipment, either.

The above scenario repeated itself far too often in my company. It was destroying my profits, demoralizing my staff, and ticking off my customers. Even worse, I wasn’t having fun anymore. Something had to change!

Steve’s solution

In business, the old saying is true: “When Nobody is assigned to a task, that is who always does it… Nobody!” So, who could I assign the daily tasks of cleaning my trucks and equipment, restocking and checking reorder levels, and doing minor repairs?

Not my overworked techs. They hated that stuff. Even worse, the extra time required for cleaning and restocking inevitably pushed my employees past 40 hours per week. Basically, I was paying my techs overtime to grudgingly do this work.

Then inspiration struck! I created a new part time position, maintenance tech (MT). I then hired a reliable young person (They are out there.) who was handy with basic tools and repairs. Note: I paid my maintenance tech more than he or she could earn working at McDonalds, so the job was really appreciated. But what my MT earned was far less than my techs were making, so I still came out way ahead.

Since, many times, my MT worked after hours, unsupervised, both communication and accountability were essential. So, I needed to add another form to my business infrastructure: A Daily Maintenance Checklist that was filled out for each vehicle. Here’s how the system worked in my company:

Our maintenance tech would clock in Monday through Friday at 4:30 p.m. and have a brief meeting with our operations manager. If any crews had already checked in, their completed Production Day Sheet (see the January/February 2018 issue of Cleanfax) would be checked for any equipment problems or other issues to address.

The MT would quickly go over the Daily Maintenance Checklists their supervisor had already prepared and review any pending Equipment Repair Sheets. Since our trucks didn’t usually drag in until 5:30 or 6:00, my part-time MT still had a window of open time. He or she used this time to clean and organize the warehouse and then, after most of our staff left at 5:00, the office. There was trash to be dumped, bathrooms to be cleaned, floors to be swept and mopped, and carpet to be vacuumed. Remember, if Nobody is assigned the task…

As each crew arrived, the MT would greet them with high-fives all around. (Remember, a team of great people bonds together based on emotions — not paperwork!) Then the crew chief would share any issues for our MT to note on the truck’s Daily Maintenance Check List.

Our maintenance tech would check off each step in the three sections of the Daily Maintenance Checklist. First, he or she would do routine maintenance on the vehicle, truckmount, and equipment — the stuff Nobody focuses on until it breaks down.

The MT would then clean vehicles inside and out including all normally carried equipment, and, lastly, restock all the chemicals and supplies while noting any that needed to be reordered. These different tasks were checked off as performed and notes were written to the office as needed. With four truckmounts, minor repairs, and light cleaning in our 6,000 square-foot office and warehouse, my MT normally worked a four-to-six hour shift every night.

The result

Remember, a critical mass business requires both communication and accountability. My Daily Maintenance Checklist encouraged written, two-way communication while also promoting a logical work routine with checked-off steps. All of us do better with a structured, consistent routine. (A critical mass business thrives on consistency!)

Accountability? The bottom of the checklist, which was “to be filled out by operations manager,” was always staring my MT in the face. He or she knew there would be follow-up questions. Your employees desperately need to be held accountable with either (hopefully) positive public recognition or private reminders with specific action steps for improvement (and the consequences if they do not improve).

Implementing the Daily Maintenance Checklist, assigned to a reliable, part-time maintenance technician, transformed my business. My production technicians could focus on what they did best — cranking out quality work while making customer cheerleaders for my company. Then these tired workers could hand the reins over to my maintenance tech and head home (or to the closest happy hour).

My company morale increased dramatically when employees walked in each morning to a clean office and shop with shining, restocked vehicles. And my production (and profits) increased because regularly maintained equipment was much more reliable with far fewer breakdowns.

The Daily Maintenance Checklist was an essential building block in my business infrastructure that introduced sanity to our daily business operations. My team of the “very best people” were focused on a common goal and vision: Creating a smoothly running critical mass business. And, yes, my Daily Maintenance Checklist was the super glue that kept our house of cards (which really is any small service business) from falling down.

Steve Toburen started and ran a world-class cleaning and restoration firm for over 20 years. He is now the director of training for , which includes a complete, turnkey business infrastructure for cleaning and restoration companies. Toburen also founded , a resource portal with training programs for contractors working in customer’s homes. Reach Steve at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com.

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Even though I spend most of my time on sales development, I’ve been primarily a marketing guy my entire career. And that’s not really surprising because marketing and sales are really two sides of the same coin.

Another broad way to think about it is that marketing decides what — and sometimes how — something will be sold, and sales then goes out and sells it.

In my experience, marketing is a fad-driven industry. If you’ve clicked on any marketing-related email or website during the last few years, then your inbox is probably crammed with offers to provide you with information on the latest and greatest marketing innovations. Some of the most recent are inside sales, inbound marketing, and lead-generation services.

I am a total fan of inbound marketing, lead generation, and inside sales programs. The problem I have is that they are marketed as a replacement to cold calling — as if cold calling no longer worked, as if millions of years of the ways that humans communicate and create relationships had suddenly been erased with the advent of the latest and greatest software and data-mining technology.

Let me state with clarity: Cold calling is dead if you don’t know how to do it!

If you don’t know how to perform cold calling the right way, then it is a huge time and money waster, an absolutely demoralizing activity to put your salespeople through. The results may have you searching for the magic bullet only to find websites that confirm what you are already thinking:

It’s not that my salespeople are ineffective.

It’s not that I don’t have a clear strategy to differentiate my company from my competition.

It’s not that I don’t have solid, proven scripts and processes.

It’s not that my salespeople don’t role play or are not coached as they go through the process.

It’s not that my products or services are commoditized and I haven’t taken the time to reframe them as solutions to different, more important problems.

It’s not that I’m calling the wrong people.

It’s not that I don’t have a prospecting sequence to follow and instead do the same thing over and over and expect different results.

No! It’s that cold calling is dead. You knew it! And you see a website hawking the new technology that confirms your thinking — so it must be true!

The basics

Cold calling, which includes cold calling by phone as well as calling on potential customers face-to-face, is still — and likely always will be — an important component of the skills that true salespeople bring to their profession. When performed correctly, it is a very powerful, quick method to build a territory, get things moving, get traction, and start setting up the meetings that are necessary to move prospects through the pipeline from prospect to client or customer.

One of the most critical elements to a successful sales program is having a well-thought-out marketing strategy behind your sales and cold calling efforts.

Unless you provide a commodity service and can compete successfully on price day in and day out, marketing strategy is crucial.

Even if you can successfully sell commodities based on price today, I suggest working out a marketing strategy for the future is simply sound business planning.

Marketing strategy

Let’s start by defining “marketing strategy.” For the most part, your marketing strategy answers your prospect’s spoken or unspoken questions that amount to: “What makes you and your company different and better than my current vendor and the other (20, 30, 100) companies just like yours that also call on me? Why should I change whatever it is I am currently doing? In fact, why should I even listen to a word that you are saying?”

If we face reality, we must acknowledge these questions are on our prospects’ minds as soon as we contact them on a cold call. A prospect is going to decide in a few split seconds whether to spend any more time with you, so your strategy must be strong. The salesperson must understand how to address pains the prospect likely has, and it must be formulated into a powerful script that has been role played and delivered to near perfection.

If you do not have this component in place, then your poor salespeople sound just like the dozens of competitors that call on the prospect, get shut down quickly, tossed out on their ear (or hung up on), and quickly feel demoralized. Their call reluctance grows to epic proportions. This is a recipe for failure.

To avoid the downfall of your salespeople, you must not only have a great strategy, but also take that strategy and create a powerful cold calling script.

I can almost hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the concept of scripting your cold call openers. Here’s the thing: Sales professionals create and use scripts — period. Of course, they ultimately make the scripts their own, but being extremely specific about what you want to communicate and how you want to communicate it is a sales best practice. After all, you want a specific outcome to your cold calling, don’t you?

Finding pain

When asked their cold calling goal, most salespeople will say that they want a meeting or they want to obtain new business. But I think it’s important to start a step earlier. The number one goal of all prospecting activity should be to find pain!

Sales is about getting people to make changes (ideally to your company). And given that people generally resist change unless there is a powerful motivation to change, you’d better find such a motivation as early in the process as possible. So, whether you call it pain, problems, challenges, dissatisfaction, or something else, all these things are motives to get your prospect to change.

While in the process of creating your marketing strategy, you will identify the pains that your prospects most likely suffer from. Build your script around those pains.

Let’s also face the reality that when you are cold calling, your prospects are often busy, rushed, and not expecting your call and, therefore, may be short or irritated when they take your call or walk out to see you in their office. This means you must get to the point immediately. Don’t waste time with the fake salesman voice that asks how they’re doing today. This immediately marks you as an “oxygen thief” to be gotten rid of as quickly as possible.

I also suggest not identifying the company you work for or wearing company-logoed apparel when prospecting. Why? Because once your prospect identifies you as a salesperson, they will immediately place you in the category of all salespeople who have called on them before.

If you have a good marketing strategy and value proposition, this is the last thing you want to happen because you can be sure that 99 percent of your competition doesn’t. If they think they know what you are all about, they will turn off their brains and stop listening except to wonder why you aren’t carrying a box of donuts.

Scripting

You want to establish credibility as quickly as you can. Ideally, you have a couple of well-known members of the prospect’s industry that you work with who you can name drop. (If you don’t have them yet, just omit this part of the script until you do.) Then, you want to get to the pains as quickly as you can.

Here’s an example that works just as well on the phone or in person:

“Hi, my name is <Name>, and I’m a business development consultant that works with <industry name> companies like <Client Name at Company Name> and <Client Name at Company Name> helping them to address <Pain 1>, <Pain 2>, and <Pain 3>. Are you facing any of those issues?”

Remember, the goal is to find the prospect’s pain, so that is how you’ll want to direct the conversation wherever possible. Ideally, the prospect will answer your question about “facing any of those issues,” and you can begin “drill down” questions, which are designed to lead you to an “at the desk” meeting.

Prospects don’t always cooperate, of course, so you must think on your feet. The prospect may not answer your question and instead ask you who you are with. When you get this response, you must answer, but get back on track as quickly as possible:

“I’m with <Your Company Name>. Are you familiar with our company?”

Chances are they aren’t, unless you’ve been doing a lot of advertising or previous marketing. A great way to respond when they say that they aren’t familiar with you is:

“Well, I’m sure you’re familiar with <Big Competitor> and <Big Competitor>. We’re exactly like those guys — only completely different!”

This assumes that you have a powerful differentiation strategy, of course. Unless your prospect is completely humorless, they will usually bite and ask, “Okay, how are you completely different?”

Your response here must get you back to their pains:

“Well, we have decided to grow our business by helping the <companies like your prospect> that we work with protect and grow their businesses. In speaking with many <companies like your prospect>, we find they are often looking to solve <Pain 1>, address <Pain 2>, and try new ways to deal with <Pain 3>. Are any of those issues for you?”

This brings us back to the heart of all prospecting when using a consultative sales process — finding pain or the motivation to change. After all, isn’t that what sales is all about, getting your prospects to make changes?

Tim Miller is the president of Business Development Associates Inc., experts in cleaning and restoration industry sales development and marketing strategy. BDA creates direct sales programs for cleaning and restoration contractors, distributors, manufacturers, and others. Miller is an industry expert with 30 years of experience and a unique perspective to help clients overcome their business challenges, grow to the next level, and maximize net profits. Contact Miller at 847-386-6556, or email him at Info@theBDAway.com.

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