In this issue:

Missed the last issue? You can read it in full here…

Two of the primary cleaning and sanitising solutions being used in Coronavirus-related ‘deep cleans’ have been approved by The WoolSafe® Organisation for use on wool carpets, fabrics and rugs.

Newly-approved D500 Microsan® from Prochem is a clear, low foaming detergent with pleasant apple blossom fragrance and is available in 5 litre concentrate and 1 litre ready-to-use spray.

Originally developed in the 1980’s for the HBV, HCV and HIV blood-borne viruses, the Microsan formulation is also effective against Coronavirus Coronaviridae family (including MERS-CoV) and is approved to EN14476 for use on washable surfaces.

Ideal for post-infection control using spray-misting techniques, the concentrate can be diluted with water at 2% and applied to surfaces with a recommended sprayer.  As a cleaner and prespray, it can be diluted at 6% for heavy soil conditions.

Also newly-approved by WoolSafe, Prochem’s multi-surface biocidal sanitiser B125 Clensan® can be used on all carpets, fabrics and hard surfaces and has also been approved to EN14476 standards. It is effective against a wide range of bacteria and enveloped viruses, including Norovirus.

WoolSafe test methods and performance requirements are designed to ensure that the product performs the function for which it is sold and does not have a negative effect on wool carpets or rugs.

Products that meet all the performance requirements are issued with a certificate and suppliers are entitled to display the WoolSafe Mark, and one of a selection of approved phrases, on packaging, product literature and advertising material associated with the product.

All approved products are subject to annual re-evaluation to ensure they continue to meet WoolSafe requirements.

In-house training – at a social distance – has re-started at Prochem Europe’s UK headquarters in Surrey.

The company’s dedicated training centre in Chessington is now welcoming back delegates to its carpet, upholstery, hard floor cleaning and stain removal courses as well as its specialist WoolSafe Fibre Care session.

Prochem’s highly-regarded training recommenced in June with reduced delegate numbers of 12 persons per course incorporating all appropriate control measures and hygiene procedures including 2m social distancing.

Courses usually held on consecutive days are currently being run with a 24 hour interval.

Please note that training courses are not available to book online due to restricted places, but can you can book your place by calling the sales office on Tel 020 8974 1515.

prochem.co.uk/training-courses

Never in living memory has the cleaner been so highly valued and appreciated. We are now no longer the “silent service”, only working out of sight say Phil Jones (Prochem Trainer) and Adam Jankowski, Tech IOSH (Consultant Trainer & Director of The Restoration Academy UK Limited).

Everybody acknowledges the challenges that the Coronavirus pandemic has brought to the door of every home and workspace the world over and how tirelessly we have worked to keep it from entering.

But the fact is that a strategic return to a ‘normal’ (whether we define it as ‘new’ or ‘old’) is fast approaching. But firstly, we have to make premises clean and secure and to restore much-needed confidence in the building user that going back through that door is safe.

That’s why businesses, schools, healthcare environments and more are turning to the cleaning industry for guidance as to how to take those first steps back to work.

Our industry is about to be one of the most appreciated and highly visible in the country when perhaps in the past, it used to be “invisible” or the the silent service.

This is not going to be a straight-forward transition.

From biohazard remediation (or as it’s mistakenly but more commonly known – infection control) to a deep clean, planning and negotiating with the customer prior to the job commencing is going to be required.

Pre-cleaning of offices, floors, carpets and toilets are top of the building manager’s agenda right now.

As they make their own risk assessments as to the levels of cleaning required, they will look to cleaning contractors for advice.

However, the building manager should also be responsible for checking the credentials and certification of the cleaning company to ensure they are trained and capable of managing the clean, be it infection control or deep clean. They will also be checking into the credentials of the contractor before asking them to quote. Everybody will be under scrutiny.

Likewise, the domestic/residential property sector will see an increase in demand for deep cleans as families are gradually allowed to re-group again under one roof.

Prochem is an established provider of specialist cleaning solutions and technologies. Unsurprisingly, we have been inundated with questions on infection control cleaning, fogging and sanitising from building owners and managers as well as from our customer base of cleaning operatives.

So, what’s happened? Initial demand for fogging systems has slowly subsided as, with no conclusive proof of infection or contamination, a site’s carpets and hard floors may only require a deep (extraction) clean (subject to a risk assessment) using Prochem products such as D500 Microsan® and B125 Clensan® and the market has started to move forward with growing demand for these solutions.

D500 Microsan® is a multi-surface biocidal cleaner for use on washable surfaces, carpets, fabrics and floors and has been approved to EN14476 standard as being effective against many bacteria and viruses including the Coronavirus Coronaviridae family (including MERS-CoV).  Now WoolSafe approved.

B125 Clensan® is a multi-surface biocidal sanitiser that may be used on carpets, fabrics and hard surfaces and has also been approved to EN14476 standards. It is effective against a wide range of bacteria and enveloped viruses, including Norovirus.  Now WoolSafe approved.

So how can we decide if we should go back to work and under what conditions?

Firstly, we should operate within the most up-to-date government guidelines ensuring that we can maintain social distancing until the current crisis Coronavirus SARS-CoV2 pandemic is deemed to be over. If we cannot maintain social distancing in our work, then we need to “Stay at Home” unless you are a key worker and safe working practices are put in place by the employer.

Secondly, as would our customers, we should carry out a risk assessment.

To remind you, a Risk Assessment is a legal duty under Section 3 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. No business is exempt from this regulation regardless of whether you are a self-employed sole trader, sub-contractor or a business with employees regardless of the number of employees.

There are exemptions for how the risk assessment may be carried out depending on the number of persons employed by a business, but you would be ill-advised not to have a written risk assessment when carrying out high risk decontamination work like bodily fluid clean-ups (e.g. blood borne pathogens or trauma or crime scene), mould, water damage and other biohazard jobs.

The five stages of a risk assessment are as follows:

1. Identify the hazards. Currently, one of them is obviously COVID-19 and the possible spread if not addressed correctly, but this could also include power cables, mould/mildew, heavy objects/furniture, chemicals to name by a few.
2. Identify who may be harmed and how. Identify anyone who could come into contact with the work area, be it a contractor, members of the company in a commercial property or of a family in a household environment.
3. Identify the level of risk. For example, is the level of risk high, medium or low?
4. Record your findings. Put in place the control measures necessary to reduce the level of risk to “as low as is reasonably practicable” and record what you have done (in writing)
5. Review the risk assessment as often as is necessary.

Also, a risk assessment is not just a form filling exercise as if it were a necessary evil and because somebody told you that you need to do one. This is a task which must be carried out by law to ensure that accidents at work do not happen or that the persons doing the work or any persons affected by the work do not suffer any short term or long term exposure and harm.

If you are undertaking work specifically to deal with biohazards, you will require appropriate levels of training including health and safety training, the correct use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) including how to select the correct respirator for a task, the process of being fit-tested for a respirator and donning and doffing of your PPE to avoid cross-contamination and infecting yourself and others. You should also learn how PPE is the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls and what you must be doing in addition to PPE to reduce the risk of exposure.

If you do not already carry out risk assessments and you do not understand the hierarchy of controls and you have not had some of the basic training described above, you should do the training and avoid performing any form of biohazard work altogether until you have done so.

Examples of risk assessments can be found on the Health and Safety Executive website: www.hse.gov.uk 

If you are already competent, then your risk assessment will tell you whether you should be undertaking the work being offered (assuming that you have passed the client’s criteria for selecting you).

Once you have decided that the work falls within your competencies, consider the following to decide if the risks are sufficiently low:

Ask if the customer or anyone in the property has shown any visible symptoms over the past few weeks.

• Even if a property is empty, ask if any user is returning to check such postal and courier deliveries, in which case, adjust your risk assessment.
• Ask users to vacate the property while cleaning is taking place. If declined, decide whether the job is safe to do through your own risk assessment.
• Consider where you actually place your extraction machine in the building. They are designed to create a vacuum at one end which also creates an exhaust port at the other, so potentially contaminated air is being blown out of the machine and re-contaminating the environment. If possible, place outside with the exhaust pointing towards a previously identified neutral area.

Normally, pre-vacuuming is a vital part of the carpet cleaning job, but consider firstly whether disturbing soil and dust may potentially result in its being inhaled by a cleaning operative.

Consider HEPA standard filtration for your vacuum cleaner – HEPA is a filtration standard which achieves 99.97% filtration of particles to 0.3 microns.

If you are planning on deep cleaning, then pre-treat the carpet, fabric or floor with a suitable diluted biocidal cleaner or biocidal sanitiser, such as Prochem’s D500 Microsan® or B125 Clensan® from a sprayer and then, after allowing for the suitable dwell time for the product to break down the bacteria or virus, wipe, mop or extract away.

After the suitable dwell time, carry out deep cleaning with a suitable prespray and detergent rinse. Once that is completed, re-apply the sanitiser, leave to dwell and wipe, mop or extract if required.

It is important to always read the instructions on the solutions labels – and no more so than in these situations.

The idea of this layered, structured clean is to firstly protect the technician with a preliminary sanitation, then to carry out the clean and then finally re-sanitise ready for the “hand-over” to the customer.

If you think about it, it is the same procedure as hand washing – break down the lipid, greasy coating of the virus, wash away and then hand sanitise with a gel.

Remember not to hide what you do.

Be visibly seen by the client to sanitise your equipment following cleaning their property before departing. This will give them the confidence that you carry out this safety procedure after every job and it was done before you entered their house or office.

• Be seen to disinfect your wheels and any touch points on your machine and wipe them dry.
• After cleaning your wheels, consider covering them with cling-film as you enter or exit the property.
• Wipe down your power cables and hoses as they would have been touching part of the indoor property.
• Disinfect your hose and wand by sucking a diluted (warm water) solution of a biocidal cleaner or sanitiser (D500 Microsan or B125 Clensan) through the wand, hose and into the waste tank of the extraction machine.

Finally, to cover yourself – It might be advisable to check with your insurance company to ensure that you are correctly insured to carry out cleaning during this period. You may require extra cover if you are planning on getting into biohazard remediation cleaning.

Be seen to do everything for your customer – because more than ever, you are needed and valued.

Looking for solutions for post-Coronavirus cleans? Make sure you have this power-packed trio in the van.

First, the technology and the good news is that COVID-19 has a new enemy in the clever CR2.

Sold in the UK by Prochem Europe, this formidable piece of kit is manufactured in the USA where its supplier reports a major upturn in demand with 68 units sold in the first 10 days of the pandemic.

Marketed as a dual-purpose Touchless Hyper- Hygienic multi-surface cleaning system and carpet cleaner, the CR2 comprises a front water tank, rear waste solution collection tank, 500psi pump, single vacuum motor and a chemical feed system that allows the user to feed chemical disinfectant or detergent into the wash solution without needing to pre-mix in the water tank.

The unit’s adjustable, high pressure gun enables solution to be sprayed, with the waste water sucked up the waste solution into the rear tank ready to be disposed of (check out this issue’s feature on how to dispose waste water legally!).

Used in conjunction with the correct PPE plus great cleaning and sanitising products available from Prochem, the CR2 is a formidable weapon in the fight against this virus.

Check out the CR2 video at  prochem.co.uk/product/cr2-multi-surface

Then there are the solutions with even better news as both can be used with the CR2.

D500 Microsan® is a multi-surface biocidal cleaner for use on washable surfaces, carpets, fabrics and floors and has been approved to EN14476 standard as being effective against many bacteria and viruses including the Coronavirus Coronaviridae family (including MERS-CoV).

B125 Clensan® is a multi-surface biocidal sanitiser that may be used on carpets, fabrics and hard surfaces and has also been approved to EN14476 standards. It is effective against a wide range of bacteria and enveloped viruses including Norovirus.

Have these three to hand when you are asked in for deep cleans and sanitising of all types of built environments.

Anton (left) and Rune

Prochem distributor and home-services company, FantasticServices has been rallying to support NHS staff nationwide by donating two hours of cleaning free of charge and giving preferential rates, going forward, to all frontline NHS workers.  

Now, the company is looking to expand this offer to all key workers in the UK.

“We all owe an enormous debt to the selfless NHS workers who are saving lives as they fight daily against COVID-19,” says Fantastic Services CEO and co-founder Anton Skarlatov.

Since launching the campaign, the company has already provided 366 hours of free cleaning and 1700+ hours of home-services on preferential rates for all NHS workers ranging from surgeons to catering staff, nurses to physios, paramedics to GPs.

Co-founder Rune Sovndahl says: “I’m completely blown away and inspired by the dedication and courage that the NHS staff are showing during the coronavirus outbreak.

“During these challenging times, we decided to join the do good revolution, too. These free cleaning hours are particularly popular with key workers with children at home, currently off school.

“Health and safety is foremost in all minds and we are following practices and procedures provided by the NHS, WHO and the British Government to ensure customers’ safety and well-being.”

Anton continues: “while we first made our offer available to NHS workers only, we’ve expanded it to other front-line workers including the armed forces, firefighters, emergency services and teachers who also might need our help.

“We’d really like to thank all key workers who proved they are true heroes. We appreciate them every day.”

Prochem machines and solutions are among the company’s tools of choice in the frontline battle against the pandemic.

Rune says: “Fantastic Services is a long-time advocate of Prochem products. Our specialist, deep clean teams get to access an extensive range of speciality products providing quality results, plus the technical support and advice available from Prochem is invaluable.”

www.fantasticservices.com

Ashley Wentzell and his Award

Congratulations to our Distributors of the Year – a global pandemic may slow presenting awards to 2019 winners but where there’s a will there’s a way!

So, say hello to 2019 Distributor of the Year: Capital Cleaning (Kent) Ltd.

Says director Steve Wentzell:

“We’re very pleased to be Prochem Distributor of the Year for the third year in succession. Our sales success is based on excellent product knowledge and experience as we have been a dealer for over 20 years.”

Steve continues: “Market-leading products make Prochem a relatively easy sell. We have been very active recently to ensure sales didn’t drop off. We have done many demonstrations via Zoom as well as staying in touch with customers old and new via social media.

“As training has become difficult due to lockdown we have created our own training videos that we send to customers when they purchase a new machine. We are looking forward to continuing our relationship with Prochem and maybe winning again next year.”

Capital is a family business. Steve’s brother Ashley adds:

“It’s really satisfying that since we first won the Prochem distributor of the Year award in 2009 not only have we won it a fantastic seven times we’ve now achieved the accolade three times in a row! Capital have been a Prochem distributor almost as long as we’ve been in business which is coming up for 40 years and in that time, we’ve never had a problem with quality or service. This gives us the confidence to sell the whole range on our web sites, in our showrooms and by on-site demonstration.

“Our favourite is the Powermax; with its recent uprating the pump gets the water to where it needs to be and the dual vacs dry the carpets quickly and easily. Of course, you need good chemicals to help your equipment and although we are gradually selling more from the Natural range, Extraction Plus and Trafficlean remain our top seller!

“It’s been a tough year but we seem to be through the worst of it and things are gradually getting back to normal. Here at Capital we’ve worked hard to keep up sales of traditional items as well as getting involved with social distancing products, alcohol hand sanitiser and PPE. We’ve also tried to help new customers who couldn’t get products from their normal supplier as well as catering for the needs of our regulars. As the lockdown eases more we’re focusing on continuing to build our business, strengthen our links with Prochem and who knows we may win the award again next year!”

l to r: Piotrek, Dorota and Tomek at Global-Clean, Poland

Global-Clean based in Siedlce, Eastern Poland were delighted to win the International Distributor of the Year 2019 award and reported back a summary of business in the territory.

Says managing director and owner, Leszek Dmowski:

“Running a business during the outbreak of COVID-19 is hard with restrictions set by the Polish Government impacting on the cleaning industry.

“The vast majority of the public sector had to be shut down, people told to isolate and practise social distancing. Many were afraid and kept doors shut, hampering carpet cleaners and causing them to lose business and contracts.

“At Global-Clean, we are now open every second day, dispatching products – a lot being Prochem – that have been ordered online and keeping in touch with our clients via phone and social media.

“We are training using video conferencing and have come to like it. It’s extremely beneficial so even after the panic of COVID-19 we will continue using this method as it will allow us to reach our many Prochem customers throughout Poland.”

“Phil Jones from Prochem came out to see us and help run a training course, back at the end of 2019 and we gained a large increase in product sales following that event. We are considering hosting another one, once this pandemic is over”.

Leszek adds:

“Being Polish means we are very hospitable so there is one thing we are really missing – shaking our customers’ hands. Hopefully, as normality slowly comes back, we can look forward to that enormously!”

Stuart Macmillan of Prochem with Julian Gaze, MD of Janitorial Direct Ltd.

Another big ‘well done’ goes to Janitorial Direct.

Says MD Julian Gaze:

“We have been selling Prochem machines and chemicals successfully for over twenty years and found the machinery to be very effective, providing performance and reliability to a wide range of carpet cleaning needs and environment.

“The machines are supported by a superb and comprehensive range of chemicals, which are easy to use and extremely effective. All the above is under-pinned by tremendous back-up to my company, from technical support both for the chemicals and machinery, including first class training for our customers, as well as sales support and advice.

“As we go from strength to strength, Prochem are an important part of our continued growth. “

Another winner for 2019 was Cutlers!

Congratulations, also, to Southern Counties Janitorial Supplies – another Exceptional Sales winner.

Director brothers Andrew and Nigel Kent run branches for the business in Crawley and Brighton, Sussex:

“We are proud to be the winners of the Prochem distributor award for exceptional sales in 2019. We have been selling Prochem products for over 40 years. The quality of their products, the reliability of their machines and their diverse range makes selling Prochem to our customers easy. Thank you to all at Prochem for their support and thank you to the SCJS Team for their Prochem product knowledge and hard work. We look forward to another successful year working together.”

Dave Clark, sales director, Hooper Services Ltd.

Let’s hear it, too, for Hooper Services.

Says sales director, Dave Clark:

“It is wonderful to hear that Hooper Services have won the Exceptional Sales Award with Prochem Europe.

“We have been working with Prochem for over twenty-five years for chemical and machinery sales, servicing and support. Over that time, we have developed a close relationship with the team and they are able to help us with enquiries from chemical alternatives to machinery demonstrations and open days. No customer is too big or too small.

“With the UK and the world looking to the cleaning industry to support the fallout post Covid-19, working together to achieve a cleaner, safer environment for us all should be our common goal.”

And well done Ajax (Ipswich), winner of the Exceptional Sales 2019 Award.

Says Gary:

Gary Allen, right, with Prochem sales manager Phil Jones

“I was delighted to receive this award from Prochem, as we have not been an authorised distributor that long but we had identified a requirement within our customer base for specialty carpet cleaning products and now we supply into Ipswich and the wider Suffolk area with great success.

“We now stock a large range of the chemical detergents on our shelves as well as a selection of the Prochem machinery, to which we also have a great success hiring to customers. This has often led to a sale, as the customer decides to purchase their own unit!

“Ajax is a family run business with over forty years of experience in the domestic market and has grown naturally to support the larger commercial customer, such as the NHS, large FM companies as well as the local cleaning companies with both chemical products, machinery choices and on-site servicing and repairs.

“We find the support in product choice and technical support that Prochem offer is second to none and it makes promoting – and selling – very easy!”

Congratulation also to The Maintenance Supply Co. Ltd. based in Brentwood, Essex – Exceptional Sales

Ross Osbourne (right) of The Maintenance Supply Co with Phil

Need to know more about Prochem cleaning chemicals and how to apply them? 

The Prochem YouTube Channel is packed with useful short films about the company’s chemical solutions.

Watch them at work, home, or in the van!

Visit the Prochem YouTube Channel here

Waste water disposal is a perennial issue for cleaners not least as you cannot just chuck it away anywhere. Robert Olifent looks at where you stand with a bucket – and the law.

It is tempting to suppose that with the job done you could just tip waste cleaning water down the householder’s drain or perhaps over the fence into the field next door.

But the fact is you cannot and there are laws in place waiting to nab anyone who thinks otherwise.

Let’s look at where we stand. For a start, there are two main types of drainage systems: one for ‘foul water’ and the other ‘storm drainage’. Some older systems incorporate both which are then directed to a sewage treatment plant whereas storm drainage goes straight to rivers, waterways and oceans.

As there is no way for the unwary cleaner to determine the difference between the two systems at a glance, the rule of thumb is that we do not put waste water down the storm drains in the street or at the side of buildings.

Some foul water sewage systems are designed to overspill into storm drainage in the event of flash flooding. It’s deemed acceptable due to the high dilution of sewage in storm water, that the occurrence is occasional, and that there is technically no alternative option anyway.

So what are our obligations surrounding the disposal of waste water from hot water extraction cleaning machines?

Bearing in mind that portables are handling a relatively minor amount of waste water, there is currently no obligation to take it to a specialised disposal site. Truck mounted systems can be a different matter, however.

Portables water waste should always go down the foul drainage system and that in effect means the toilet. Pouring it down the loo will ensure the waste is diverted to the appropriate sewage treatment plant and not go to pollute the rivers and waterways.

For truck mount owners, the matter gets a little complicated as there appears to be no consistent ruling for all regions. Each water authority has its own criteria and rules and regulations with situations judged on their individual merit.  Truck mount waste pump-out systems are available to safely dispose of waste cleaning solution to the foul drainage, with flexible hose.

Robert Olifent

So to be safe, contact your local water agency and ensure you are legally-compliant. Getting it in writing always helps.

Technically, someone cleaning a car in the street is flouting the law. Strange but true!

More to the point, disposing of waste water illegally is a fineable offence. And that’s money down the drain.

Robert started in the carpet cleaning industry back in 1991 and spent over 16 years running a successful business in both the residential and the commercial market. Training/education was very important to Robert and he attended as many professional courses as he could to build his knowledge to grow the business. Robert was involved as a director of the NCCA and later became involved with the Proclean Association as editor where he originally wrote this article back in 2000. “Proclean” has historical links with Prochem and Robert has allowed Prochem to reproduce the feature with updated facts.  Robert has hung up his wand and is now a best-selling author of a cancer- support group and book www.cancer-acts.com . Robert is now working at the charity Stonebridge City Farm in Nottingham close to his heart, an urban farm and charity, promoting well-being in the community.

Need to know more about a Prochem cleaning machine without having a demonstration at your premises? 

The Prochem YouTube Channel is packed with useful short films about the company’s technology solutions.

Watch them at work, home, or in the van!

Visit the Prochem YouTube Channel here

It’s bye-bye to the Prochem Blazer truck mount. The last machine has been sold to Coventry-based Mr Bit Cleaning and Upholstery Cleaning Services.

And Mr Bit boss Eddie Prudhoe is over the moon with his machine.

“It’s smashing it. The Blazer represents the best business move I’ve made,” says Eddie. “It has opened so many doors for me.”

Eddie had his new truck mount installed into this very smart new VW Crafter by John Hattersley’s fitting team at Prochem’s headquarters in Chessington.

“It’s quite simply the easiest and best service I’ve had,” he continues. “Any question no matter how stupid I thought it may appear was met with helpful answers. The install only took two days and the training I received was brilliant.

“The Blazer is so reliable, I’ve had no issues with it and it’s simple to operate.”

The Blazer at work…

This truck mount extractor is a first for Checkatrade member Eddie who has been running Mr Bit for six years now. He has found there to be a huge difference coming to one from using a portable machine.

“The most significant difference is the power to hand and speed at which it works,” he tells us.

“These factors alone have meant I have been able to get more work to the extent I have tripled my sales turnover since I got the machine. I am picking up regular repeat business.”

Coronavirus lockdown saw Eddie take a £2000 hit to start with but he picked up end-of-tenancy cleans and these have made up the difference and more. In a bid to make the most of new business opportunities when on-site, he has also got himself trained with Prochem and learnt to do tile and grouting work.

“The aim is to be able to pick up more work from the customers I have as well as expand the client base,” he says.

“Prochem for me make great products – I use their chemicals. And the company fields a great team offering an all-round five star service.

“My next step will be an upgrade to a Prochem Legend truck mount.”

Eddie’s truck mount is the star of his Facebook page; plenty of great application videos to enjoy at facebook.com/Mrbitcarpetclean

Need to know more about stain removal?  Now you can get the lowdown online.

The Prochem YouTube Channel is packed with useful short films about the company’s specialist stain removal chemicals.

Watch them at work, home, or in the van!

Visit the Prochem YouTube Channel here

Learning in lockdown is limited by that very word. Fortunately, Prochem customers can add to their knowledge in their own time courtesy of the company’s growing portfolio of ‘how-to’ videos.

Prochem’s YouTube channel hosts nearly 30 short films running from between 50 seconds to 7 minutes sharing all manner of advice.

There are demonstration films both about technology and chemical use: the Steempro portable range is there and so are the Polaris, Fivestar and Bravo.

Want to check again about how to apply solutions? Recent uploads to the channel include short application films on Stain Pro, Ink Solv, Red RX, Citrus Gel and Solvex.

“The aim of these shorts is to assist cleaners needing help on-site on how to utilise solutions via their mobiles. It’s an on-demand solution and of course you can watch them again and again,” says sales and training manager Phil Jones.

Phil believes online learning will have a growing role in Prochem’s training strategy.

“Online learning is never going to replace the intensive, practical classroom-based training of the kind we provide but it can complement it,” he says.

The Prochem ‘How To’ Video Channel is viewable here

Professional cleaners and entrants to market have much to benefit from visiting Prochem Europe’s stand, B20, at the Manchester Cleaning Show.

Put back from March during the COVID-19 pandemic, the show is now due to take place at Manchester’s EventCity venue on Wednesday 14th & Thursday 15th October, 2020.

In addition to showcasing a comprehensive selection of cleaning technology and chemical solutions to suit, the company will also be presenting the new Micro-Mist surface disinfecting unit (details on the website by the end of July) and the CR2 multi-surface “Touch-Free” cleaning machine.

The Manchester show hosts the core range of Prochem products geared to supporting the existing business user while also enabling the newcomer to get his or her business off the ground.

On Stand B20, established machines like the Fivestar walk-behind extractors as well as the high-powered Endeavor 500 and Polaris 500 are complemented by enhanced solutions in the Galaxy, now with an optional in-line heater, and the Steempro Powermax with a new 180 psi pump for enhanced pump performance.

Rounding off this year’s technology offer on Stand B20 will be a wide range of speciality spot and stain removal products. In addition, Prochem will showing their 15 litre battery backpack and disinfection sprayer – the REB 15.

Now established within the North West, the Manchester Cleaning Show is the region’s largest cleaning and hygiene industry event.

Founded in 1974, Prochem Europe is a market-leading manufacturer of specially-developed carpet, fabric, floor and hard surface cleaning chemicals, together with a range of carpet, upholstery and floor cleaning machines and accessories, supplied through a network of authorised distributors.

Prochem’s National Training Academy offers comprehensive training courses in the correct operation and use of both the equipment and chemical products at its Chessington headquarters. Prochem is accredited to ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015 and holds the Grant of a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen for the supply of carpet cleaning products.

More at cleaningshow.co.uk/manchester

Your questions answered …

Q

I have residential customers that have been locked-down during the warm weather and they are now asking for house cleans. One has asked me to remove sun cream from a sofa. I haven’t seen the job yet, but could you give me some ideas, as to what product I should use?

A

As there is a wide variety of suntan creams on the market, I would suggest a suitable product to use would be a first rate all-rounder like A277 Solvex.

See “How to use” video online at prochem.co.uk/product/solvex-1l

Follow the label instructions for the use of any PPE you are using, pre-test the solution with a cloth on an inconspicuous area of the sofa, looking for any colour or texture change. If you are good to go, gently feed Solvex onto a white towel or tissue and allow it to penetrate the oils before blotting back.

Ideally, as Solvex is a non-volatile water-rinseable solvent, clean the fabric with a suitable pre-spray, such as B108 Fabric Restorer, and use a detergent rinse, such as B109 Fibre & Fabric Rinse, to remove all residues.

Q

Having the kids at home for weeks on end means they have left their mark. The older ones have suffered home schooling at the hands of their parents and the younger ones needed constant entertaining with hand-painting classes or collage-making.

I’ve been asked to go in and assist with the mum and dad clean-up. How would you recommend I remove all those spots of PVA glues, paints and Slime from the fabrics and carpets?

A

The chances are that the children have used water-soluble paints and glues, so E848 Ink Solv would be the choice.

Using the flip-top lid, feed it down either directly on to the spot or onto white towel or tissue and allow it to penetrate. Then either blot back with a clean tissue or towel or rinse extract with a suitable detergent and leave to dry. If you discover that they have been using solvent solvable (modelling) paints and glues, then substitute Ink Solv for Solvex and use it in the same way as mentioned in the above question.

Don’t forget to pre-test first!

See “How to use” video online at prochem.co.uk/product/ink-solv-500ml

Q

I am a project manager and look after a prestigious, large house, with the help of a team of housekeepers. The client is asking that the house be sanitised from top-to-bottom. Does Prochem make disinfectant cleaners that can be used on most hard surfaces? My focus is especially the bathrooms.

A

We do indeed – it’s D500 Microsan®.

It is a proven multi-surface biocidal cleaner, with both anti-bacterial and anti-virus properties capable of dealing with bacteria such as E-Coli, MRSA and viruses such as Hep-B, HIV-1 and notably for our current situation, Coronavirus. It is safe on sinks, baths, toilets and washable walls and the apple blossom fragrance will leave it smelling great, too. It comes in 1 litre bottles that are ready-to-use, or 5 litre concentrate. If using the 1 litre ready-to-use version, spray the product directly onto the surface, allow the suitable dwell time for the ingredients to destroy the virus or bacteria and simply rinse away or wipe with a damp cloth.

See “How to use” Infection Control Video online at prochem.co.uk/product/microsan-5l

Q

I have a contract with a local company to clean their van fleet. After lockdown, they want to look at using them again and are asking for the seats to be just sprayed with a cleaner. Do you have any thoughts on how I may do this job quickly and which products I could use from your range?

A

That would be B125 Clensan®. It’s approved with an EN14476 rating and is effective against a wide range of viruses and bacteria on all surfaces including fabric seats. Spray the ready-to-use 1 lt product on the fabric seats and dashboards and leave for up to 15 minutes to effectively sanitise the surface before either rinse extracting with your machine or simply wipe away with a clean white towel or cloth.

See “How to use” Infection Control Video online at prochem.co.uk/product/clensan-5l

Q

I’ve been asked to clean a house where the family dog had an allergic reaction to the last cleaning product used. Do you have any advice? This customer is influential if slightly eccentric.

A

Well, they are man’s best friends I hear! Ask the customer to consider letting you use C409 Pure Clean. It is a multi-use product. It can be used as a spotter, for bonneting, as a prespray and as an extraction rinse. It could be your answer due to containing no soaps, fragrances, enzymes or solvents.

I would recommend either providing the client with a copy of the product specification and safety data sheets and let them share that with the vet, or discussing the option of cleaning a small area and seeing the dog’s reaction before proceeding with a decision to clean the whole house.