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Questions and Answers
What is the primary mission of the National Carpet Cleaners Association?
What is the primary mission of the National Carpet Cleaners Association?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of the National Carpet Cleaners Association's focus?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of the National Carpet Cleaners Association's focus?
What year was the National Carpet Cleaners Association established?
What year was the National Carpet Cleaners Association established?
What dual aim does the National Carpet Cleaners Association strive to achieve?
What dual aim does the National Carpet Cleaners Association strive to achieve?
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What is prohibited without prior permission from the National Carpet Cleaners Association?
What is prohibited without prior permission from the National Carpet Cleaners Association?
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Study Notes
NCCA Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Study Guide
- The National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) is a nationally recognized trade association established in 1968, dedicated to carpet, hard flooring, and soft furnishings cleaning, restoration, and protection.
- The three-day Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Course provides basic cleaning knowledge and foundations for a career path in the industry.
- Successful completion of the course exam and application process allows for NCCA membership.
- This study guide provides basic understanding of course's challenging areas and technical terms.
- Additional NCCA comprehensive training manual will be available for future reference.
Course Syllabus
- Cleaning Survey: Includes why and how to survey, including equipment required.
- Fibre Types and Identification: Fibres classification, properties, and identification methods.
- Carpet Constructions: Woven, tufted, bonded, and cleaning demonstrations.
- Fabric and Upholstery Constructions: Velvet, flat weave, tapestry, flock, stitch-bond, and cleaning demonstrations.
- Upholstery Cleaning Demonstration: Comprehensive overview of procedures.
- Chemistry of Cleaning: pH, cleaning agents, additives, cleaning principles (CHAT), and basic stain removal procedures.
- Health and Safety: Legislation, working practices, professional standards (PAS86), and NCCA Code of Practice.
Cleaning Principles and Methods
- Cleaning process: Removing unwanted materials from fabrics or carpets. Soil can be insoluble, water-soluble, or solvent-soluble.
- Dry Soil Removal: Dry vacuuming using upright vacuum cleaners with motor-driven beater bars.
- Soil Suspension (CHAT): Separating soil from fibres, emulsifying oils, and using heat/temperature and agitation to aid removal.
- Soil Extraction: Removal of suspended soil using wet extraction/hot water extraction (steam cleaning), bonnet/adsorbent pads, rotary shampoo or encapsulation, or dry foam.
- Dry Compound: Using a carrier with solvents and surfactants, spread over the carpet, worked in with a brush, and vacuumed.
- Setting the Pile (Nap): Removing marks after soil extraction by brushing the pile in one direction to improve appearance.
- Drying: Using ventilation, air movers, or heating to reduce drying time.
Chemistry of Cleaning
- pH: A scale (0-14) measuring acidity/alkalinity of a substance; pure water is neutral (pH 7), below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is basic.
- Importance of pH in cleaning: Some soils are acidic, so cleaning agents are typically alkaline to counteract this acidity. However, dyes can be affected by high pH products, potentially causing colour bleed. Neutralizing or balancing pH is important.
Fibres
- Natural Fibres: Protein fibres (wool, silk), and cellulosic fibres (cotton, linen, jute, sisal).
- Synthetic Fibres: Nylon, polyester, acrylic, polypropylene (olefin), viscose, and rayon.
- Fibre Characteristics: Dissolution in cleaning solutions, reactions to chemicals (acids, bleaches, alkalis), water absorption, and other properties.
Carpet Construction
- Woven: Use of warp and weft fibres creating face or pile fabrics on looms.
- Tufted: Pushing face/pile fibres through backing using needles, held in place with adhesive and secondary backing for stability.
- Bonded: Gluing pile fibres to a primary backing, with a secondary backing for stability.
Fabric Construction
- Plain Weave: Used for dyeing or printing.
- Flatweave: Made on Jacquard looms.
- Velour/Velvet: Pile face.
- Jacquard: Multi warp and weft-style fabrics.
- Stitch-bond/Quilt: Two layers of fabric stitched together during/after weaving.
- Chenille: Creates a pile texture using crimped novelty fibres.
- Bonded/Flock: Short pile glued to a backing fabric.
Health & Safety
- PPE (Personal Protection Equipment): Includes safety equipment like goggles or protective clothing.
- SDS (Safety Data Sheet): Important information about products including potential hazards.
- RCD (Residual Current Device): Circuit breakers.
- COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health): Important guidelines about safe handling of hazardous materials
- Cables and Hazards: Keeping cables neat, and being cautious on damp or hard floors.
Terms/Glossary
- Bleaching: Removing colour using oxidizing or reducing agents.
- Brighteners: Optical whiteners (emit bluish colour).
- Browninng: Yellow/brown discolouration of cellulosic fibres (e.g., cotton).
- Catalyst: Substance accelerating chemical reactions.
- Cellulose: Framework component in plant cells.
- Defoamer: Prevents foam formation, often silicone-based.
- Delamination: Separation of primary/secondary backing in tufted carpets.
- Detergent: Substance loosening/emulsifying solids.
- Emulsifier: Helps one liquid suspend in another (e.g., oils in water).
- Encapsulation: Coating soil particles, preventing redeposition of soil.
- Fluorocarbon: Fabric protector resistant to oil/water-based stains.
- Hydrophilic: Attracted to water.
- Hydrophobic: Repels water.
- Microsplitter: Detergent-free cleaning agent.
- Oxidizing Agent: Removes/changes colour by adding oxygen.
- Pathogen: Microorganism causing disease.
- Peroxide: Oxidizing agent for bleaching.
- Polymer: High molecular-weight compound formed by small units (monomers).
- Reducing Agent: Removes/changes colour by removing oxygen.
- Surface Tension: Surface force in liquids.
- Surfactant: Lowers surface tension, helps wetting/emulsification.
- Suspension: Mixture of a liquid and solid particles where solids don't settle.
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Description
This quiz serves as a study guide for the NCCA Professional Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Course. It covers essential topics such as cleaning surveys, fiber types, and carpet constructions, providing a firm foundation for a successful career in the cleaning industry. Prepare yourself for the exam and enhance your understanding of key technical terms and concepts.