I loved my “duckbills”!

Our QuickTIPS have been pretty heavy lately! We’ve covered everything from Heightened Awareness Syndrome to how to stop sending broken equipment back out to implementing Production Day Sheets. All these TIPS had one purpose- so you don’t get ambushed with ugly complaints!

So let’s lighten things up this week! And what is more fun than talking TOOLS! (I really missed not having an excuse to buy more tools after selling my cleaning company!)

Tools in our industry can range from a massive, fire breathing truck mount down to a diminutive (but very sophisticated) moisture meter. But my vote for the most universally useful tool goes to…

The humble napping shear!

All of my on-site employees wore these “duckbill scissors” holstered on their belts. (The SFS seminar teaches you to “make it easier to do it right than to do it wrong” and it isn’t “easy” to trudge back out to your truck for your napping shears! Keep them on your belt!) So how can you use your duckbill scissors?

1. Minor carpet repairs- These napping shears offset handles allow for level cutting of carpet yarns and easy seam trimming. Plus you can benefit from the principle of “reciprocal giving” by snipping off your client’s raveling yarns during your carpet pre-inspection.

2. Fiber identification- You’ll impress your customer (and just maybe keep yourself from recovering their sofa!) when you trim a loose fiber (with the client’s permission) to identify it.

3. Spotting agitation- Use the rounded part of the blades to pre-agitate spotter on durable commercial fibers. (Avoid this technique on residential saxony yarns.)

4. Hardened gum piercing- Carefully stab the gum to allow your citrus solvent to penetrate and loosen stubborn spots. (Or use this Carpet Shark Spotting Tool.)

5. Plus wearing napping shears on your belt will make you look cool!

OK, this is just my opinion. So what is your “most valuable tool”? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Steve