Just when you think you’ve seen it all, you get a call that blows you out of the water, literally. That’s exactly what happened to restorer Ruth Travis, owner of Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Interior Care, Inc., when she was asked to clean and restore a damaged menagerie that included a zebra, a giraffe, a wildebeest and an antelope.

Properly used and applied, optical brighteners may solve some problems and improve results of cleaning or corrective attempts.

The complete range of drapery restoration opportunities are often overlooked by restorers and insurance adjusters alike. They’ve been overwhelmed with stories of drapery shrinkage, fabric deterioration, circling, sun streaking, and removal and rehanging. In reality, the probability of problems with draperies is greatly reduced, if restorers follow a few simple guidelines.

A manual is your road map for cleaning. Without it, it will be difficult to hold the technician accountable for what they are expected to do.

Got vinegar? Staple kitchen items such as vinegar, lemon juice and ammonia can help make your next emergency cleaning job easier.

Taking care of your most expensive and valuable asset—your technicians—will result in a more profitable and successful business.

I have been in the floor care maintenance field for some 29 years now and I wish to praise as much as I possibly can your recent article by Stanley Hulin in the December 2000 issue of ICS. In fact, I want to shout from the rooftops, “Thank you Mr. Hulin” for your praise of the hard floor care technician.

Along with the continually evolving cleaning and restoration industry it serves, the IICRC has also been expanding its educational and certification offerings.

Habits are hard to break, especially bad ones. By not having a purchasing plan implemented, your bottom line will continue to decrease, while your debts increase.

Get ready for the new season with spring cleaning promos, mailers and phone calls.